Agenda 23

Agenda 23

Various Artists [Eevo Lute Muzique]...

14 February, 2008 | 5.29AM

• Written by: Richard Brophy
• Filed under: Music Recommendations: eevo lute muzique

Seminal Dutch label Eevo Lute Muzique, run by Stefan ‘Terrace’ Robbers and Wladimir M, put out the ‘Agenda 21’ and ‘Agenda 22’ compilations in 1993 and 1994 respectively, setting the standard for futuristic electronic music.

At the time, both compilations sounded as vital and central to techno’s future as Warp’s ‘Artificial Intelligence’ series.

Then, just before Robbers and Wladimir called time on the label in 1998, they put out the third installment, ‘Agenda 23’.

While Eevo Lute was relaunched in 2001 and continues to support veteran artists like 2001 And One, as well as new school producers like Shinedoe, it’s worth revisiting this re-released compilation.

While its relevance to techno in 2007 may not be immediately obvious, the dreamy yet glacial chords of East Island’s ‘Sensitivity’ and the ice cold synths of The Keyprocessor’s ‘Phantom’ mirror a recent return to Detroit techno textures.

Wladimir M’s ‘Disappointment’, which features hissing percussion and slinky metallic breaks, brings the art of techno poetry back in vogue, with the lyrics discussing his disillusionment with god and the world.

Ballet Mecanique’s ‘Flashback’, a series of sub-sonic acid blips and bleeps over a plunging bass and grimy warehouse beats, sounds rawer than most digitally produced music.

On ‘Disappointment’, Wladimir M claims that “this music won’t last forever”, but rumours of its death have so far been greatly exaggerated.

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