Listen: Modern Tapes Primer

cassettes, some vinyl and their digital counterparts.

synths, machines, noise and other forms of subversive audio.

Brooklyn’s Modern Tapes is a completely new name to us, even though the label was around since the late 2000s. Better late than never, as they say, and we’re thankful to Justin from 31G for an introduction.

MT is a brainchild of Patrick Scott (Killsadie, My Lai, 97-Shiki, V. Reverse), the second imprint he started (with first being Static Station). We asked Pat to come up some of the tracks that define the sound of Modern Tapes and here’s what he had to say:

10 tracks of synth, post punk, and experimental sounds under 6min

1- Froe Char – Extraction Of Moments from mt010 Fossils
one of my favorite tracks from this amazing slice of DIY synth by one of my favorite people.

2- Portable Morla – Escape Illusion from mt015 Confront The World
incredibly catchy track from an incredibly talented artist.

3- Unur – What Ever Happened To WWIII from mt011 No Human Self
sometimes we should not ask rhetorical questions out loud.

4 – Staring Problem – Ghost from mt020 Ghost
broody burner of a post punk earful.

5 – Cellule 34 – Born Again from mt012 S/t
I love Loic, this track is a gateway into his world.

6- Verhalten – The Hanged Man from mt022 Forgiveness
one of the dancier tracks from the early days.

7 – Worker / Parasite – Chult from mt019 Escitalopram
Met Ben at a modular synth meet in oakland. He handed over a curious collection of digital sound fuckeries.

8- Shaan – And Then Came The Ground And Air Where You Are Able To Jump And Fly from mt025 Notes From A Pecular Time In Space
this is what I hope it sounds like inside Jovana’s head. Skittering electronics you can feel in your mouth.

9 – LANA – Disappointment (Excerpt) from mt033 LANA
if there is a more heartbroken, blown out and indignant track somewhere, I don’t need to hear it because it still isn’t as good as this.

10 – Peppy Pep Pepper – Mortal Square from mt032 Granny Chic
wrapping this list up with a tight little bow. A tip of my hat to a fantastic person, talent and contributor to the stellar Vienna electronic music scene.

5 Tracks of Noise and Experimental over 10min

1 – Scholl – Temperierung Des Willens from mt031 Angesichts Konstanter
I want to watch people dance to this at the techno club at the end of the world.

2 – Verhalten – Facts/Similie (drift03) from mt034 Corrupted Structures v.3
This is actually what it sounds like inside my head most of the time.

3 – Rien – II from mt028 The Grey Tape
The first release to actually clip my machine while duping it. More nothing than you will never not hear.

4 – Volhnn – A from mt023 Artefact
echoes from the void i’ve been dreaming about. Matt is a huge talent.

5 – Dosis Letalis – Surroundings II from mt036 Surroundings
I feel like Nemanja somehow recorded the sound of being alive, alone and nervous.