Understandably, if you’re not an enthusiastic follower of electronic music (particularly of the Detroit techno variety), then the probability of you being familiar with Drexciya is likely on the low end. On the other hand, given the duo’s previous (and continued, through surviving member Gerald Donald) preference for avoiding personal limelight, it’s unlikely that even fans are really, truly familiar with Drexciya — at least not in the same way that fans of Skrillex, for instance, are really, truly familiar with him and his, shall we say, fascinating haircut.
That preference ultimately stems from a philosophy, as described by Drexciya in an unsurprisingly impersonal, e-mail-based interview with Clash: “The music is more urgent than the organizers of it and should take a place of primary importance, so it does not matter if one is known or not known directly. Personality is not a requirement for serious music production and they should remain separate.”
Certainly, there’s no reason to associate media reclusiveness with a lack of accomplishment or talent. Numerous other artists have disproven this theoretical correlation, and Drexciya were/are/is no exception. Their sci-fi inspired, electro-pioneering back catalog is so extensive that it has needed four separate compilations to, um, compile it all, in editions of a set entitled Journey of the Deep Sea Dweller, a name referencing their debut 12-inch in 1992.
Journey of the Deep Sea Dweller II was released at the beginning of summer, and now Dutch label Clone have announced Journey of the Deep Sea Dweller III, set to be released December 3. This third installment includes material from 1992’s Deep Sea Dweller 12-inch, 1993’s Bubble Metropolis EP, and 1994’s The Unknown Aquazone, as well as two previously unreleased tracks, “Flying Fish” and “Unknown Journey IV.” Not often talked with, Drexciya at least deserve to be talked about. Dive in and spread the word, why don’t you?
Journey of the Deep Sea Dweller III tracklisting:
01. Smokey’s Illegitimate Report
02. The Countdown Has Begun
03. Aquabahn
04. Intensified Magnetron
05. Sea Snake
06. Flying Fish
07. The Mutant Gillmen
08. Unknown Journey IV
09. Nautilus
10. Vampire Island
11. Aqua Worm Hole
12. The Bubble Chamber
13. You Don’t Know
14. Red Hills Of Lardossa
• Clone: http://clone.nl
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