Gescom "A1-D1"

Artist: Gescom
Album: A1-D1
Label: Skam
Release date: 22 October 2007
Genre: Electronic
Style: Acid/Abstract/Techno/Experimental

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Tracklisting:
01. A1
02. A2
03. B1
04. C1
05. C2
06. D1
Total running time: 39' 27"

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"Beginning its activities in the early ‘nineties, the shadowy Gescom collective has released material on Clear, Leaf, Chocolate Industries, SKAM, Warp, Worm Interface, and Source labels.

Incorrectly perceived as simply an Autechre side-project, Gescom in fact exists as a platform for a number of aligned artists to work in various different combinations, whilst remaining-otherwise-anonymous. Personnel in Gescom has varied from release to release and even track track. Releases have included 'Minidisc' in 1998 on the Or label, which was reportedly the first ever Minidisc-only release. This comprised of 45 tracks sliced into 88 portions, and encouraging the listener to loop and shuffle at will.

Working members for the minidisc project were Russell Haswell, Sean Booth and Rob Brown. For its split series incarnation, Rob Brown was joined by SKAM DJ Rob Hall (aka Ad Vanz). Gescom continues to operate and shift its identities.

Early Gescom is probably best described as friends of Booth/Brown with production help by Booth/Brown, aka Autechre. Apart from that, the actual personnel seems to vary from release to release or even from track to track. Quote from the Autechre FAQ: "Actually the whole Gescom crew consists of almost 20 people. Sean Booth calls it an 'umbrella-project'."

But there are also a number of releases by a Gescom which is purely Booth/Brown. If it's on Skam they call themselves Gescom regardless of cooperation, it seems.

Gescom is an abbreviation of "Gestalt Communications"." [source]

"A1-D1" is a much more old school affair than anything Gescom have released before, with the opening "A1" employing the kind of fast-edit arrangements favoured by the likes of Secondo, particularly their earlier b-boy aping releases. There's a sample-heaviness here that will come as quite a surprise to ardent Gescom/Autechre followers among you, but play this track once or twice and it'll stay ingrained in your mind for weeks to come. A2 is a more analogue affair with a stripped acid template while B1 returns to sampled matter with a P-funk reduction that sounds like Autechre playing with their samplers - which is probably exactly what it is. C1 is another reduced funk edit with some smart tempo shifts while C2 is an abstract radio mashup in a concrete style while the massive D1 ends the set with an immense mashup of what sounds like Adonis' classic "No Way Back" fucked with good and proper. Sick business - lets hope we don't have to wait another four years eh?" [source]

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