As everybody knows, nothing of note happens in the last 10 days of the year. That’s the time for tossing wine and beast down the old gullet, typically in celebration of Wine and Beast Day. But, oddly enough, shadowy Manchester-based electronic duo Demdike Stare don’t celebrate Wine and Beast Day. Instead of activities related to wine/beast, Demdike Stare spent their time releasing a new record. Or half of one? Regardless, they did put out Elemental Parts 1 & 2 through Modern Love in late December. The record comes in a particularly fancy quadruple gatefold vinyl package, with a book-style outer shell meant to eventually hold all four parts of Elemental. In addition to all that, the release is limited to 1,000 copies, with each record in the set printed on different-colored vinyl.
For now, though, two spots in Demdike Stare’s book will have to remain empty. While Parts 1 & 2 are out now, Parts 3 & 4 are decidedly not out now. They’re not even coming out until the future! Namely, early 2012, but the exact date is still undecided. If I had to guess, it will be when you least expect it. Once complete, Elemental will consist of the following four multi-track parts: Chyranthe, Violetta, Rose, and Iris.
If all that sounds like too much hassle, don’t worry, there’s an easier solution. Actually, maybe don’t worry anyway, since you’re probably not that big of a Demdike Stare fan. These are guys whose most high-profile release, Tryptych, was a massive 2.5-hour collection of material. These guys are hassle incarnate. But I digress! For those who find the limited-edition vinyl game too trying, Elemental will be released as a double CD later this year. That said, the CD version boasts a different tracklist than the vinyl, along with altered versions of the original tracks. So, if you’re really dedicated to hearing everything Demdike Stare releases, you’ll need to buy two limited-edition vinyl sets and a double CD. Only by looking deep within yourself can you know whether or not it’s truly worth the hassle.
• Demdike Stare: http://www.myspace.com/pookawig
• Modern Love: http://www.modern-love.co.uk
