Following the reissue of Monolake’s seminal album ‘Hongkong‘ in May 2023, Field Records continue their tradition of issuing deep and abstract techno with today’s announcement of a triple vinyl edition of Mike Parker‘s debut album ‘Dispatches‘, first released on CD-format via Parker’s own Geophone imprint in 2001.
Standing alongside techno luminaries such as Donato Dozzy, Sandwell District, Scion, Surgeon and Monolake, American producer Mike Parker is revered for his deep and atmospheric strain of hypnotic techno – issuing music on labels such as Prologue, Semantica, Spectral Sound and Spazio Disponibile.
The essence of Parker’s music was forged early on, honing techno’s propulsion into a raw essence without losing any of the weight. It’s an exercise in minimalism, but the sound is still monolithic and engulfing, crystal clear in its intention and devoted to the power of subtle pressure. In essence, Mike Parker delivers no-nonsense and heads down techno made for the darkest of environments.
This definitive edition of ‘Dispatches‘ looks at the vinyl singles, which accompanied the album’s original release and creates a more complete picture of the area that Parker was exploring at that time. It’s the first time that the alternate take of icy depth charge ‘Copper Variations: CV1’ appears on vinyl, as goes for the pneumatic tension of ‘Reduction’ and evocative miniature sound sculpture ‘Blue Equals Black’.
Expanding the album beyond its original CD form, epic rarity ‘Dissolution 99’ presides over the final side, which we are premiering, while the standout Voiceprint release is now represented in full with the inclusion of heavyweight stepped techno workout ‘Voiceprint: Voice Two’.
‘Dispatches’ is scheduled for release on 12 April via Field Records. Order a vinyl copy from Inverted Audio Store and from Bandcamp.
TRACKLIST
A1. Triceratops
A2. Amalgamated (Synchronous Mix)
B1. Copper Variations: CV1 (Alternate Take)
B2. Reduction
C1. Copper Variations: CV3
C2. Drain Hum (Original Mix)
D1. Amalgamated (Extension Mix)
D2. Blue Equals Black
E1. Voiceprint: Voice One
E2: Voiceprint: Voice Two
F1. Voiceprint: Voice Three
F2. Dissolution 99 (Original Length)