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Various Artists - Warp20 (Box Set) / Warp20 (Chosen) / Warp20 (Recreated) / Warp20 (Unheard)
| Pitchfork |
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Kode9's dubstep label Hyperdub is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year with a two-disc compilation. Venerable Berlin techno imprint Get Physical is turning seven, while the even more beloved Cologne label Kompakt is 10. In the fickle world of electronic music, any anniversary it seems is worth noting. Warp Records-- at 20, almost as old as all three put together-- is doing it right with an expansive, expensive-looking (and, ok, expensive) box set, some elements of which are available separately. Let's be frank about the overall package: It is in no way for the casual fan. But was it ever going to be? Warp, aware that a 20th anniversary collection couldn't work as both an introduction and a want/need item for its rabid fans, wisely went all in on the latter. If music is now, to many, free, and the draw of a music product is everything but the music, Warp embraced this dilemma: Yes / Dan Holdsworth (designers of the box itself) and the label's longtime visual collaborators at the Designers Republic (who are responsible for much of the art inside of it) have created what amounts to a fetish object. Housed in a 10" slipcase, this thing has physical heft; and with a 192-page book detailing the complete visual history to date of the label, the full Warp set looks more like an item for your shelf. Even the CDs are housed in case-bound 10" folders rather than delicate little sleeves. Inside the box, aside from the perfect-bound book, are five sets of music, three of which are also available on their own. Warp20 (Chosen), is a 2xCD set featuring 10 songs selected by warp.net users (from a pre-selected pool) and 10 selected by Warp co-founder Steve Beckett. Warp20 (Recreated) is a 2xCD collection of new covers of Warp songs by Warp artists. Each of those are out now. Warp20 (Unheard)-- which comes in the box as a 3x10" set but starting November 9 will be available on its own as a single CD or LP-- is an 11-song gathering of unreleased tracks from Warp stars such as Boards of Canada, Autechre, Broadcast, and Plaid. Also included in the box is Warp20 (Elemental), a 65-minute mix of Warp songs by Osymsyo, and Warp20 (Infinite), a 2x10" set of locked grooves....full text |
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| Drownedinsound |
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Forgive me if this sentence crumbles into a black hole of aborted internal logic, but perhaps the main point proven by Recreated is that Warp is probably the only label in the world whose signatories would do something so ridiculous as to make a covers album entirely comprised of songs by artists signed to Warp. A double disc affair, it fits logically enough into the drool-worthy Warp20 Box Set, where it nestles in order of billing between the big-hitting ‘greatest hits’ of Chosen and the unavailable elsewhere Unheard (a triple 10-inch set of unreleased material by Boards of Canada, Autechre, Broadcast et al). But what of Recreated’s life outside the box? It would be second guessing the essentially free spirit of Warp to suggest this set is aimed at anyone in particular, as opposed to being a slightly loopy exercise in making something genuinely special for the Sheffield label’s anniversary. Certainly there's no suggestion any of the original songs need this treatment; for all its synonymity with early Nineties techno, Warp has as well-dated a back catalogue as any label you'd care to name....full text |
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| Boomkat |
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Warp20 (Box Set) comes beautifully packaged in a 10 inch square slipcase wrapped in charcoal Buckram embossed paper with tipped-on gloss-laminated cover photograph, designed by YES, photographed by Dan Holdsworth. Warp20 (1989-2009) The Complete Catalogue: 192 page book - 10" square, 192 page full-colour, perfect-bound book. The complete-ist's dream - a catalogue of artwork of every Warp release from its inception in 1989 to August 2009. Includes artwork from over 400 sleeves including work by the Designers Republic, Julian House, Build, Universal Everything and Kim Hiorthøy amongst others. Forward by Warp co-founder Steve Beckett. Black un-coated board cover with debossed and foiled typography. Warp20 (Chosen): Double CD album - The definitive best of Warp on 2 x CDs. Ten songs chosen by you (Warp20.net), ten songs chosen by Warp co-founder Steve Beckett. Packaged in deluxe case-bound 10" folder, exclusive to this box set. Your personal messages and memories from Warp20.net featured on pullout poster....full text |
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