Josh Gabriel talks about his rebirth on ‘Eight’

Josh Gabriel talks about his rebirth on ‘Eight’

9 December, 2008 | 2.32PM

• Written by: Beatportal
• Filed under: Music News: gabriel & dresden, josh gabriel

Since disbanding Gabriel & Dresden this spring, Josh Gabriel has moved in a more progressive techno direction.

While Gabriel & Dresden’s work remains in the hearts of many fans - so much so that they were represented again this year in DJ Mag’s Top 100 poll - Gabriel’s style has evolved into something much more complex than G&D;’s previous work might imply.

His debut album ‘Eight’ showcases Gabriel’s talents at the forefront of technology – after all, Josh is the acknowledged inventor of beat-slicing, the underlying system that serves as the basis for both Propellerhead ReCycle and Ableton’s ‘Slice to MIDI track’ feature.

The artistic techniques used in the production of ‘Eight’ go far beyond simple chopped audio, venturing into more exotic synthesis territories like frequency modulation (aka FM) and a studio full of vintage analog gear including the Moog Opus 3, Roland Jupiter 6 and Korg Mono/Poly.

“Moving to Amsterdam with my family this year was such an inspiration that the album happened quite quickly. It’s such an incredible city that just the simple act of taking a walk with my kids during the summer yielded new ideas,” recalled Gabriel.

“I recently transitioned from Apple’s Logic to working almost exclusively in Ableton Live, which made the process even faster. Because of Live’s efficiency, the album was produced, from start to finish, in about three months – which was definitely a first for me.”

Production minutiae aside, ‘Eight’ is receiving critical acclaim on both sides of the pond.

In fact, DJ Mag was so impressed with his vision of electronic music that they bundled the DJ-mixed version of ‘Eight’ with their October ADE issue with Josh Gabriel on the cover releasing a dove (as a metaphor for his rebirth).

Some are even calling the record itself a modern masterpiece, starting at 123 BPM with the retro-inflected ‘Viscosity’ and seamlessly progressing to 133 BPM with the heart-pounding ‘Sine Waves’.

On building the album, Gabriel said, “I’d be playing in Eastern Europe one weekend, then off to the US the following week, all the while working on my laptop in hotel rooms and on flights.

“I’d test the tracks out at every gig. In a way, the audience’s reaction to each track really helped refine the direction and storytelling in ‘Eight’.”

• (3) Comments
• (1792) Views
• Get Josh Gabriel 'Eight' on Beatport