rubeck

rubeck was born back in 1999 as an experimental electronic music proyect following the style of labels like WARP, K7, Mille Plateaux, Skam. This first stage style might have been influenced by that kind of split all 80’s electronic music was undergoing. It was a time to break all established shapes and structures. The time to dismantle everything considered as correct. The 90’s brought a brand new way of creation. There were quite a lot of names as the ones the British label WARP supported: Autechre, Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada, Broadcast, Plone… rubeck’s first trilogy is sort of a reflection of all that: ‘Spheres’ (1999), ‘recycliert’ (2001) and ‘Slav’ (2005):
* Spheres (2000)
It was considered one of the best demos of the year by public and critics. It established what rubeck would become in this first stage: non-existing structures, sampling as a leitmotiv, melodies hidden behind layered broken rhythms. The result was a heterogenic and at a time coherent work.
* recycliert (2001)
rubeck goes on creating the atmospheres proposed in ‘Spheres’ but this time in a much more complex way. Structures keep on being undefined but melodies start assuming a more important role.
* slav (2004)
slav developed in that logic progression stated in the previous demos. This time traditional synthesis got in balance with sampling and melodies find the main role they seemed to be lacking in ‘spheres’ and ‘recycliert’. The organic in the electronic is at last seen. This work means the end of the first stage.
These first years did not see rubeck out of the studio but for a short number of events carried out at IVAM (Valencia’s Institute of Modern Art) as the audio maker for works by José Morraja, Raquel Meyers, Marisol Simó or the collective O.R.G.I.A.
After that experimentation stage, rubeck decided to carry out a change in style which started in 2004 and continues today. There have been three demos and what has become rubeck’s first CD album released in October 2008, ‘Gorgeous and Wet (is how we roll)’ (Dress for Excess Records / PIAS). The demos were: ‘Save the Robots’ (2005), Pose (2006) and ‘Like Sex Drops Off Gin Tonic’ (2007). These ones are closer to German and French electro style. Despite the changes in style, these demos still convey the dark sound and hidden melodies present in the past. There is also a change provided this new works were created to be taken to the stage in live performances, so they are aimed to the dance floor.
* Save the Robots (2005)
triggered what rubeck is nowadays. Its blunt sound mixed with impossible distorted or vocoder-led vocals took rubeck to play its first live gig in Donostia thanks to the fashion, electronic music and video event MID-E. It was also the first time rubeck and Raquel Meyers could be seen playing live together. From that momento on, Raquel Meyers has become part and parcel in rubeck’s live gigs.
* Pose (2006)
was responsable for rubeck’s first single ‘Eat the Beat’ with the independent record label Magnolia Digital. The single also included two remixes by I-B and Nikola Gala. There were quite a lot of live performances introducing this demo and this time sharing the stage with important projects as MOTOR, Ada, Ellen Allien, Apparat… and in festivals like FIB (Benicassim International Festival) and IVAM Electra.
* Like Sex Drops Off Gin Tonic (2007)
Perhaps the most radical demo. The sound is even blunter and pop elusive (but for ‘Reboot’). ‘Like Sex Drops Off Gin Tonic’ made it possible to be playing a live set in the REC Festival held in Madrid’s former slaughter house. Public and critics’ welcoming and opinion could not be better.
THE ALBUM
After so many live experiences and DJ Sets with artists like James Holden, Sascha Funke, Peter Hook, Mauricio, The Presets, Alec Empire, Tujico Noriko, MOTOR, Tying Tiffany, Electronicat (to name a few) rubeck got the chance to release its first album: ‘Gorgeous and Wet (is how we roll)’ (DFE/PIAS, 2008).
You can listen to the album here in the player: Alig, People Pickes, Zeitgeist (featuring Raquel Meyers), Sisters, Arbeit!, Demonstration, 13th Blonde and Wet. You can also download some free Wet remixes at Subversive Media’s website.