#Music

Xceed Premiere 003: “Rakshasa” by Cyklos (Kalter Ende Remix)

By Paco Cavaller

February 06, 2020

More than a year of work, a lot of mythology and the dance floor and techno sound always in the spotlight. This is how Concerns Music has given birth to its 9th reference. We are talking about Mythology EP, a release that is the result of a long work by the Spanish Cyklos and Korben Nice for the label owned by Kalter Ende.

“When the opportunity arose to work for Concerns Music together with Korben and Kalter, we started to consider options of what we wanted to do in terms of sound design, artworks and creating a concept with the album”, says Cyklos (real name Javier). He continues:

We came up with the idea of focusing it on a fantasy world and naming the tracks with the names of beings from mythology. I don’t know if it really makes sense or not, but it is, of all the ideas we thought, the idea that we finally stuck with and that we have worked on this album.

 

Image: © Cyklos’ Press Kit

 

In addition to the original tracks by Cyklos and Korben Nice, as well as the remix from Kalter Ende that we premiere exclusively on Xceed Night Mag, we also have tracks by VSK and Setaoc Mass. This is Kalter Ende (real name Oscar), owner of Concerns:

Javi (Cyklos) and John (Korben Nice) proposed me to release an album on Concerns Music with a few tracks they had been working on. They wanted to make a varied EP and had in mind that some other artists and I would remix these tracks for them. After thinking about the tracks, deciding which ones to include in the album and talking about and having the OK of Francesco (VSK) and Sam (Setaoc Mass) for the remixes, we started to see what concept we could give to this particular and varied EP. From all the ideas we shuffled, we finally decided on the mythological theme and to name the tracks after fantasy beings. As Cyklos says, I don’t know if it makes sense or not, but this is what came out and we are satisfied.

 

 

As for the technical peculiarities of the launch, Cyklos explains:

Normally, when I make music, I use a very versatile modular system, which gives me almost everything I need: a Virus TI, a Roland TR8 and an Elektron Analog Rytm, from which I usually get the percussions. From this, I then sequence and arrange everything with Ableton Live, which is the daw I use.

We were also able to ask Kalter Ende about his technique and secrets when preparing the remix:

In all my tracks there are hardware and software processes. I usually record loops with all the gadgets I have in the studio, which are, more or less, these: Moog Sub 37, Mopho, Evolver, Roland TR8, Nord Rack 2, Virus B, Pioneer Toraiz AS1, TB03, Korg Minilogue, a few FX pedals, and lately I’m giving a lot of weight to a very versatile modular system with which I’m also doing the live shows and recording a lot of synth sequences, atmospheres, drones, subs and percussions. To sequence and arrange all this, I use Ableton Live. As for the “Rakshasa” remix, I can’t really say what kind of stuff sounds in it, because I used some of the tracks from the original Cyklos and destroyed them with resamplig and effects. This work, like all Concerns Music since a few references, has been mixed and mastered by myself in my Reborn Mastering Studio.

The five tracks that make up the Mythology EP by Cyklos and Korben Nice will be released on February 10th on a special edition of 12″ gray marbled transparent LTD vinyl. In parallel, a digital version of the EP will be released on all major digital platforms, including as a bonus three tracks, among which is “Rakshasa” remixed by Kalter Ende.

 

Tracklist:

Cyklos – Hybrid Form

Cyklos – Hybrid Form (VSK Remix)

Korben Nice – Licantropo

Korben Nice – Human Form (Kalter Ende Remix)

Korben Nice – Licantropo (Setaoc Mass Remix)

*Bonus Digital | Korben Nice – Human Form

*Bonus Digital | Cyklos – Rakshasa

*Bonus Digital | Cyklos – Rakshasa (Kalter Ende Remix)

 

(Cover Image: © Concerns Music LTD)