Various - Merck Mix 3

Various - Merck Mix 3 (Mixed by Ben Cormier & Dan Hartrell) (Merck, MERCK MIX3, 2004) (320)

This mix has a ton more songs, but also includes some killer tracks by the likes of Secede, Proem (that last song is so so good), Adam Johnson, and Landau.  Probably my favorite of these four mixes.

01 Landau - Six Ways To Sunday

02 Machine Drum - New Too

03 Adam Johnson - Some Say

04 Sense - Korma

05 Machine Drum - Lackluster Mix (28/04/01)

06 Ilkae - Setzer Remix

07 Esem - Kyes Ivrload

08 Proem - Pinching Point

09 Proswell - Columbo Theme

10 Secede - Bye Bye Gridlock Traffic

11 Proem - When Frailty Fails

12 MD - 5n9

13 Ilkae - Proem Remix

14 Deceptikon - Way Of The Samurai

15 Helios - Velius

16 Frank And Bill - MA0x4

17 Ilkae - Smok Ballet

18 Aphilas - Collective Memory Loss

19 Proswell - S Sixty E

20 Landau - Brokenfader Break

21 Blamstrain - List

22 Chimerical Child - Serene

23 Ilkae - Cinnamon Dragon Blues

24 Tiki Obmar - Adolescent Blues

25 Secede - Greetings Twinsunian

26 Machine Drum - Hello My Future

27 Ilkae - Landau Remix

28 Vae - Possible To Rue

29 Deceptikon - Germanic

30 Mr. Projectile - I Am Black

31 Oblq - Pain In My Gulliver

32 Deceptikon - Inaccessibility

33 Lackluster - Suntrapez (Brothomstates Timing Techniques)

34 Aphilas - Blind Matador

35 Lackluster - 030503

36 Mr. Projectile - Slow Rewards

37 Shift - Bottle Caps

38 Deceptikon - Narcissus

39 Ilkae - Scarlet

40 Syndrome - Cessation; Summation

41 Lackluster - Strateface

42 Landau - Ways Home

43 Helios - Clementine

44 Mr. Projectile - You Need

45 Proswell - Duck

46 Proem - Place Gun To Head

Discogs

Various - Merck Mix 2

Various - Merck Mix 2, Summer 2003 (Mixed by Ben Cormier & Dan Hartrell) (Merck, MERCK MIX2, 2003) (320)

This is like the previous mix.  A great sampler of tunes from the fabulous Merck catalog.  You should check it.  Also way out of print

01 Machinedrum – Half The Battle
02 Morris Nightingale – N.Y. Highrise Hotel
03 Machinedrum – T.V.M. (All Bitches & Wheels Proemix by Proem)
04 Ilkae – Tev-Lev
05 MD – Kkowboy
06 Proswell – August 31st
07 Ilkae – Orange Line
08 Kristuit Salu – Usually
09 Machinedrum – Wishbone Be Broken
10 MD – Kingsizebullmaster
11 Esem – Swift Urban Departure
12 Syndrone – Triskaideka
13 Adam Johnson – Kriegspiel
14 Brothomstates – Mdrmx
15 Esem – Alipe Lacks
16 Blamstrain – Turn Back
17 Lackluster – 28-06-00
18 MD – Untitled 7
19 Machinedrum – Reiveurs (Brothomstates Remix)
20 Lackluster – 18-10-99
21 Proem – Negativ Reinforcements
22 Ilkae – Sushifruit
23 Ilkae – Hublander
24 Machinedrum – Def In It
25 Ilkae – Concord Low
26 Proswell – Jasmine My Serious Flower
27 Ilkae – Pear Vale (o9 Remix)
28 MD – Untitled 5
29 Adam Johnson – Anex
30 Syndrone – Candidate
31 Blamstrain – Linja
32 Adam Johnson – Version02
33 Proem – Below Me Reds
34 Machinedrum – Jewlea
35 Brothomstates – 24101999
36 Ilkae – Elve

Discogs

Various - Merck Mix 1

Various - Merck Mix 1, Spring 2003 (DJ Mix by Terrahertz) (Merck, MERCK MIX1, 2003) (320)

Essentially a mixed sampler of the excellent, but now defunct, label Merck.  This is a fun little mix that exposed me to many new artists that I hadn't heard, as I didn't have the time/money to track down all those Merck albums back in the day.  Many of the tracks are only partially heard and some of the transitions are forced.  But overall, it's a fun listen.  I also included a link to a single mp3 file if your mp3 player puts those gaps between songs.  No cue file though.

Way out of print.

01 Lackluster – Haloaw
02 Adam Johnson – Sensible Imposter
03 MD – Fres Core
04 Machinedrum – Machine Drum (Vim's Bits And Pieces Mix)
05 Machinedrum – Uptown
06 Blamstrain – Linja
07 Proem – Negativ Reinforcements
08 Esem – Square Lamp
09 Adam Johnson – Autopop
10 Morris Nightingale – Dope Soft Intake
11 Proswell – Jasmine My Serious Flower
12 Syndrone – Ifni
13 Blamstrain – Alive In Arms
14 Lackluster – Strateface
15 Adam Johnson – Traber
16 Kristuit Salu – Ethno Cen
17 Esem – Upward Instlr
18 Sense – 250600
19 Blamstrain – Etkno76
20 Machinedrum – Machine Drum (Riveurs Enjienrd By Brothomstates)
21 MD – Untitled (Ilkae Slip Remix)
22 Machinedrum – Hello My Future (Tstewart Remix)
23 Machinedrum – Yo What Uh Yeh (Secede's Indian Mix)
24 Esem – Cee

Boomkat review:

The 3 year anniversary of Merck brings their first mix CD. Composed entirely of tracks from the Merck catalog plus a previously unreleased remix of Machine drum by Secede, thrown in for the trainspotter touch. It was mixed by Terrahertz, a Baltimore resident Merck DJ, including some of his favorite Merck classics plus a smattering of the new releases that the label has continued to assault us with over the last few months. Including: Adam Johnson, Lackluster, Esem, Blamstrain, Machinedrum, Morris Nightingale, Kristuit Salu, Proswell, MD, Ilkae, Proem, Brothomstates and more. Excellent stuff, budget price!

Discogs

Various - Mas Confusion

Various - Mas Confusion (Promo) (Studio !K7, !K7137 PROMO CD, 2002) (320)

This isn't a really a fully promo-only release, it's just the one I have... which isn't super-special or any extra tracks, it's just the one I found in a used-bin for a few bucks, and well, really, it was a no-brainer buy.  I didn't realize fully what I had until I got home... there are some insanely good tracks here.  Let's start from the beginning, that Metamatics track (of which I intend to post pretty much everything Norris ever put out, on this blog) is very strong.  Followed by an absurdly good Lusine-related track, which I should post his cds I have.  I'm sorta new to Stars As Eyes, but now that I'm thinking about it while listening, I need to investigate more.  Xela should be no stranger to you, and if it is... check out "For Frosty Mornings And Summer Nights" or maybe "Tangled Wood", cuz that is the era of this stuff.  If you check out later Xela stuff (which I dig), he has gone a bit darkerish and deeper.  That said, his label (Type) is phenomenal.  Next track, Autophonic.  I'm not familiar with this dude/dudette, but it's an alright track.  Fits the mold, not bad though.  Adam Johnson has a couple tracks here, which are pretty good.  I'd like to post his Merck album here if there is time. It is gold, as shown here.  The mighty Funckarma weigh in with a killer track that could just keep going... it doesn't need to stop...  their sound is so mesmerizing to me, much like early AE.  Quench, which is of course the side-ish of the Funcken boys (Funckarma), among others, puts forward a quality track that fits VERY well with its surroundings.  I'm not familiar with Tomato Weirdo at all, but the track is alright, and glancing at discogs, it doesn't appear the peeps involved did too much for some reason.  Second to the last track is by Michael Fakesch, which is half of Funkstörung, whom I saw at a tiny club in Seattle probably ten or twelve years ago, they were pretty good... I had a fun time.  The track here is more minimal... it might have fit more on that Night Owls 02 comp more.  Dunno, sounds good now.  And it ends with Mr. Projectile, who has a killer Merck comp that I will be posting at some point.  His track here is very good and I really like the vibe he is doing.  Very slightly reminds me of Proem, but that might be because I've been listening to him a bunch today.  Either way, high praise.   Same with this compilation.  Very strong.  It's gonna be in my car for a while.  Sounds so good right now.  You should check it out.

01 Metamatics – Giant Sunflowers Swaying In The Wind
02 Lusine Icl – Risa
03 Stars As Eyes – Black Achievement
04 Xela – Streetlevel
05 Autophonic – Mind The Dot
06 Adam Johnson – Anex
07 Funckarma – Kobalt
08 Adam Johnson – Baquelch
09 Quench – Zane
10 Tomato Weirdo – La Salle De Bain
11 Michael Fakesch – We Got A Generator
12 Mr. Projectile – Less Math More Music

Review (do you need more recommendations than my drivel??? I guess so!) and this is a pretty quality, but brief summation and comparison of, although I sadly have none of the skampler comps... I relate to the sentiment:

I would say that this is as seminal as Skam's 'Skampler' comp. I've gone on to buy records by every single artist on it without exception. In some cases these are the best tracks i've heard by the artists.

This release also got me into several other labels (merck, onrecords, etc).

You really should buy this release if you have any interest in electronic music.

Info here