B12 to re-release legendary archive

B12 to re-release legendary archive

30 September, 2008 | 11.41AM

• Written by: Lee Smith
• Filed under: Music News: b12, warp

Following the success of last year’s widely acclaimed comeback album, ‘Last Days of Silence’, seminal UK techno duo B12 now plan to make their rare back catalogue available digitally and on CD.

The 98 track ‘Archive’ series includes every track released on B12 Records between 1990 and 2007, including every limited edition vinyl and bonus CD, plus 27 previously unreleased cuts from the vaults.

Key players in the so-called ‘intelligent’ techno boom of the early ‘90s, B12 were picked up by Warp for their epochal ‘Artificial Intelligence’ series, with many mistakenly believing that the mysterious, press shy duo were originally from Detroit.

Alongside other London allies including Kirk Degiorgio and Steve ’Stasis‘ Pickton, the duo’s refined take on warm electronics quickly established them as one of the most influential and respected British acts of the time.

Their famously limited-edition singles, produced under a handful of aliases, inevitably gained instant cult status, and until now have been changing hands for vast sums between collectors.

B12 had remained virtually silent until around 2006, when a series of unauthorised bootlegs found their way into the market, creating a minor controversy among fans and disgruntled collectors.

With interest in the B12 sound sufficiently revived, the pair cannily re-emerged from the shadows last year with a series of well received live gigs, and news of their first studio album in over 12 years.

‘Last Days of Silence’ found B12 doing what they do best - honing down their sharp, clear beats, richly yearning strings, and otherwordly futurism in finest style.

‘Archive Volume 1’ is released on B12 Records on November 15th.

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