n5MD follows up MD1 with it's second MiniDsic only complilation MD2. MD2 features rare and unreleased tracks from cenik, lusine icl, lexanculpt, tim koch, jvox, eaven, proem, quench, spark, endorphins, funckarma and vcam all on a MiniDsic for your headphone listening pleasure. MD2 is Pure digital crunch and melody

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n5MD successfully follow up their debut release MD1 with a second compilation MD2. As with the first release we have a striking assembly of artists who are composing melodic, contemporary electronica. With this collection I'll go as far as saying n5MD have out done themselves - there is a thin line here between the tracks which are "really, really good" and "oh god, excellent". With it being the tiniest thing in each piece that determines which way the artist goes - for the most part it is a particularly touching melody that makes the difference, but certainly in all cases its something that evokes a real reaction from me. for me the top tracks are provided by Cenik, Tim Koch, Jvox, Endorphins and Vcam. while across the thin line are the tracks by Lusine ICL, Eaven, Proem, Quench, Spark and Funckarma. with only the track by Lexanculpt doing little for me, not that it's a bad track, it just doesn't garner the same response as the rest of the material.

The MD starts with Oepsch by Cenik, whirring mechanical strokes against slow key melody. There is something agitated and classic about the machine sounds which triggers reaction in the listener. Melody is a series of bass tinged notes, carefully sequencing in contrast to the constant motion. Computerised voice replaces the mechanisms for a moment, which sees the development on the melodic level. This is the kind of track that there is enough going on that it stimulates the mind on several levels, the listener trying to keep track of all the elements. Previous experience with Tim Koch has been with his Thug project - but that established him as a name to watch for me. Here he offers Poly 800vs.6551 which starts with a series of drawn out layers before swelling into full on melodic territory. The track contains a load of little sounds, stray detail and texture. But it is the warmth of the clean playful melody that really makes this work. There are little purrs, and a light granular percussion while the melody is a humming wave form.

Cadona uses a music box, one which uses wire thin strips of metal - Jvox twangs them experimentally getting a feel for how they sound. That done they play out a melody, then the track unfolds from there - pristinely delicate. The wire melody pinging tones, backed by periodic notes and drifts of sighing layer. A pausing section develops, suggestion of a phone dialling, of redefining the established and pushing it just a little before the piece ends. From initial quiet layers Endorphins' Epilogue is already underway as it starts. Epilogue's tight turn of melodic layers a helix sequence of sound - snow flake building blocks evident. A tapping beat adds another level, pulling the track to further percussive influence with the addition of hi hat. From there notes twitch and a bass line is added, making the whole a richer experience. After some time the layers melt away revealing a new fragility.

The last track on the MD is Bild/Gelm by Vcam, who I believe have their own MD release due out on n5MD sometime, and along with Spark they are the only artists to appear on both MD1 and MD2. Bild/Gelm works with a load of micro sounds all bubbling and tapping along. A bass line becomes the first coherent sound within the agitated mass. This leads to growth, with new elements evolving almost unnoticed until we have something considerably more conscious. Buzzing wire notes form melody to the almost sighing bass, while percussive impressions come from the twitches of the initial mass. A higher note provides another level of melody and the piece is really starting to develop a vibe, though in some ways also remains understated. With time the mass has gone and we are left with the melody and bass, then bass, then it starts to build up once more, presumably switching from bild part to gelm part, and in the process this is where the hooks go in. this section s more defined with a greater melodic touch and overall a more pronounced feel.

Bitty sounds, cut up mechanics start the chatter of Don't Interfere. More expected Lusine ICL vibe coming in with the light, drawn out melodic tone. There are chunks which combined with the agitation make this more noise influenced. The melody is a subtle line through that till it becomes a pronounced motion of sound. The track turns so that the sides get more definition, switching from swelling melodic layers to the spitting static. A quick tumble of tightly wound beats adds a pattering effect. Working on a slow fade with melody in an increased prominence. A tapping tick starts Jethom while Eaven's electronics swirl round that. Bass notes play out and mutate by steps, till it develops a melody and tumble of bets. The melody unfolds in an attractive manner, again this is a classic formation, which works well, though has some hints of familiarity.

Laid Back Off by Proem has a tumbling, triggered melody and lightly clipped percussion. The whole comes to a point and folds back out from there in a more pronounced manner. Morse code blips signal melodic interpretation, while cuts and dislocation provides rhythm. Somewhere within the sound there is a constant, which flows on regardless, the rest is subject to change. The result is something which has an almost anthemic feel in its increasingly triumphant declaration. Quench offer Nurture in which spring tones coil and release, while distraught spirits provide a background wail. Pinpoint glitches add first suggestion of percussion, while a melody forms in a fog bank drift. Quench form from there with a piece that is perhaps grainier than their previous material. Mixing fizzing beat work with fun melody and careful, warm piano work - an increasingly dense sound as it progresses.

Like Vcam, Spark appeared on MD1 also and appear here with Array. Initially going for melody, rounded xylophonesque tones. Warm with playful hints. Little tweaked signals come up with an accelerate beat and a more flute toned melody. From there switching between details to shift emphasis, which is aided by changes in the speeds of key sounds. Increasingly reflective sound as it goes on, while retaining an overall attractive structure throughout. Spark of sound, streaking outward leaving the tap-tap beat of Funckarma's nn and a curious vocally derived sound. Mechanisms form twitching loops while other sounds mix in. this provides a certain mish-mash machine structure, with a solid fin of bass providing an edge through those waters. In the wake of this motion two layers of melody come in - note and drift constructs. grooves

Proving that last year's MD1 compilation wasn't just a fluke, Mike Cadoo of Gridlock & Dryft has gathered another set of excellent tracks for this second release from his n5MD minidisc label - and much like its precursor, MD2 features a well chosen cross-section of electronic sounds from artists both known and not-so-known.

The Dutch axis is especially well represented with contributions from Funckarma, Cenik, Quench, Endorphins and Eaven, all of which should appeal to those who appreciate the output of labels like DUB and Eat This. Also stepping up to give the disc further international flavour are Australia's Tim Koch and Canada's Spark, both offering tracks that are beautifully textured and melodic. As for the home country contingent, they fare quite nicely as well, with highlights coming from Lusine ICL and Vcam. Surprisingly, the only real weak spot on the collection is "The Conversation Goes Awry", an aimless bit of digital squelching and fractured vocal cut-ups by the usually solid Lexaunculpt. sideline

MD2 is the second compilation release from the mini disc only n5md label, initiated by Gridlock's Mike Cadoo. The emphasis is on high quality IDM, exploring the tattered circuitry-scape of broken, dysfunctional rhythms, electronic abstractions and pre-connection distortion, all held together with synths and electronics that hint at melody, or at least mood. The dysfunctional electronic crack and rewind dynamics of Cenik's "Oepsch" clumsily hitch along, a sparse keyboard and forlorn synth adding the appropriate mood of skepticism to the proceedings, accentuated by crushed vocal samples. Lexaunculpt massage tinny, elastic electronics, and a sub-current of crude vocal distortions into the hiccuping playground of "The Conversation Gone Awry." Proem's "Laid Back Off" embraces the blueprints for dub, but the rippling retort of noise and erratic percussive injections leads it into unknown territory. Plastic bubbles and nervously chattering percussive inflections create a kinetic foundation for the whine and simmer synth of Spark's "Array." MD2 is the perfect introduction to the future of electronic, beat driven music; a map of the sound grid compiling the sputtering synaptic flash of technology running rampant, with the hot-wired, gray matter inclusion of man. seven

seems like n5md is further defining its profile as a label. on this compilation it emphasizes minimalism and fascination with technical details. the former is not extravagant minimalism of glitch artists, but refined precision that does not need extra details to deliver the essence of music. as for technical finesse, the names like funckarama, spark, l'usine, quench, proem speak for themselves.

this second mini-disk compilation from the label serves both main purposes of a sampler - deliver new and unreleased tracks from the big names in the genre as well as presenting a few very promising new artists. it is interesting to note that o2, being a somewhat of a label founder, is not present on the disk.

as I said above, this disk leaves a lot more "solid" feel, all of the compositions work roughly along the same lines of intricate yet very elegant and melodic idm. I cannot resist the temptation to place the sampler's sound between roughness of dub and sweet melodies of toytronic.

after the very first listen I was ready to say that this "md2" is a very strong successor to "md1." each track on this disk easily enters top three compositions I have heard from each artist. take l'usine's "don't interfere" that combines crunchiness of "l'usine" album with amazing analog fuzziness and atonal beauty. it reminds me of their another incredible track on raginakudo part 2 compilation from eat this that came out a little earlier. speaking of these highly recommended "raginakudo" compilation series, funckarama's "nn" comes straight from part one and does not disappoint. as usual with some of the funckarama material, it starts really slowly with disjointed minimal beats, random clicks and hisses and gradually evolves to very fragile and gorgeous track with delicate string line and touches of sparse keys, framed in multilayered trademark funckarama percussion. similar style is displayed by funckarama's dub labelmate, quench - a small melody pushing through the layers of heavy, abrasive percussion, stuttering hisses, random clicks and loops.

vcam (who's album is scheduled to be released on n5md) is quite a fascinating experience with tough rolling percussion waves and little miniscule noises on top of deep atonal sounds. it is both tough and laid-back, playful and melancholic, leaving a very refined and detached feeling.

opening "oepsch" by cenik is a good introduction to the sound of the compilation - built by heavy simple percussion backed by chaotic collapsing noises and gentle keys - deceivingly simple and very melodic. jvox, recently signed to unit, creates one of the simplest and most beautiful compositions on this compilation, that reminds me of acoustic sound of sybarite or even l'usine. the substance of the track is close to the glitch artists, but the feeling it creates is warm, fragile and melancholic.

following "jethon" by eaven is yet another pleasant discovery - the track is filled with heavy saturated bass and a very interesting percussion developments. it has a distinct "dense" sound that balances glittering keys and darker, more profound percussion. proem with "laid back off" is easily one of the darkest tracks here. it is more minimal than material on "burn plate no. 1," but yet retains its heaviness, that is not that obvious on "negativ". the strongest point of this track is trademark heavy stuttering, chaotic, unpredictable percussion contrasted by sad, tweaked string.

spark presents yet another one of his sides with playful and fluid "array." after listening to his material for some time, I am still wondering why he has not been signed yet. following "epilogue" by endorphins comes the closest to the melodic beauty of toytronic releases - one of the catchiest tracks on the sampler. somewhat similar atmosphere is created by tim koch (aka thug) with a beautiful analog melody and videogame sounds of "poly800vs 6581."

if you somehow missed "md1," "md2" should definitely attract your attention, and do not let the minidisk-only format scare you. after all, this presents a label as more professional entity, targeting people that really care about this style of music. and definitely keep your eyes open for upcoming proem and vcam releases from "n5md."

while it takes some labels just one compilation before starting to release individual artists, n5md announces its style and taste with two minidisk releases, and in my opinion the second one was quite necessary, further defining the label's style. safety manual

The second of n5MD's mini-disc only compilation LPs, this album brings together a number or IDM's current exponents, each representing slightly different movements within this open and evolving genre. The compilation opens with the butchered speak & spell syllabics and wispy high melodies of Cenik's moody 9/4 "oepsch". Lusine ICL's "don't interfere" follows, merging subtle harmonic tones, solid beats and fluttery synth. Lexaunculpt's "the conversation gone awry" is fragmented like a multitude of woodpeckers being slaughtered. The standout track is Tim Koch's "poly800 vs. 6581", a full-bodied celebratory melodic blast, busy but never cluttered, complete with brave wavering chords, resonant bassline and beats echoing Kraftwerk's "T.E.E.". Coming a close second is Jvox's "cadona": a sparse, short and haunting track centered around a metronomic click and intertwined chiming bells, with a rich mixture of supporting sounds that repeated listening will uncover. The harmonic progressions hark back to early detroit-influenced British Electronica (IE B12/ ART). Eaven's "jethom" has difficult 808 beats and meandering melodies, evolving as a satisfying, organic blend of complimentary sounds shifting in and out of focus. The dubby, menacing "laid back off" by Proem uses a booming kick, a spiky signal tone shifting distance and pitch disturbingly , and cut-outs from heavy echo, giving urgent emphasis to interjected glitches. Quench's "nurture" fuses burbling liquid bass, beats dissolving into intestional breakdown, a jagged high lead melody and lovely high chords. "Array" by Spark mixes echoing, malfunctioning tones, breathy vowels, modem distortion, tempo changes and a frantic beat. Shifting octavial arpeggios are juxtaposed with distant hi-hats and euphoric melodies in Endorphins' light but rewarding "epilogue", comparable in style to Bola. And on Funckarmas's "nn", geiger counter clicks, granular radio interference and straining bassline combine with delicate, skipping melodies and lush high chords. The compilation closes with VCAM's "bild/gelm", a brittle melodically restrained track using effervescent percussive tones, dark bassline and nervy lead, ending with a Drexciyan-style analog attack.

As a whole this compilation will be welcomed by anyone who likes glitchy rhythmic precision combined with poignant harmonic themes. Although at times some melodies seem aimless and weak, this is often a matter of personal aesthetics, and in view of the evidently impressive production standards, criticism like this should not detract from the overall strength of this album.