Liquid Stranger

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History

Early Years

Martin Stf was born 13 November 13, 1978 in Varberg on the Swedish West Coast. He started playing the piano at a tender age and did classical piano concerts between the age of 6-8. Stf started experimenting with synthesizers in the mid 80s, which ushered in a whole new frontier of musical experiments and explorations. He abandoned the classical music world and spent the next ten years producing his own material. Stf states: never thought about releasing any of my music until I was 17. Then, all of a sudden, it was time to get a job and I realized that there was nothing else I wanted to do at that time than making music.3] biodegradable food packaging

Early Career: Late 1990s sausage casings

"Lotus" sausage casing

File:Lotus.ogg

The song "Lotus" from the album "The Intergalactic Slapstick"

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"Soundboy Killa"

File:SoundboyKilla.ogg

The song "Lotus" from the album "The Intergalactic Slapstick"

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"Exfoliant"

File:Exfoliant.ogg

The song "Exfoliant" from the Ep "Dead Or Alive"

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Martin Stf worked in the commercial studio Bohus Sound Recordings 1997-1999 and engineered/produced various jazz and rock bands. During this time he also made a song for the Euro-Vision contest.

In1997 Martin Stf formed the outfit Necton together with Patrik Olsn, mainly focusing on progressive and psychedelic trance. Necton released two full length albums, 6 vinyl Eps, and were featured on numerous CD compilations. They were signed to Spirit Zone Recordings, Digital Structures and Spiral Trax. Necton toured extensively around the world between 1997 -2003.

During this time, Martin Stf released Nu Skool Breaks on labels Ministry Of Sound, Sound Of Habib, Muti Music, Random Recordings, Hope Recordings, and Muve Recordings under the alias Rhoca. Stf also released funky Techno on Iboga Records, Plusquam Records, and Nanobeat Records.

The Liquid Stranger Project: 20032009

Martin Stf launched the Liquid Stranger project in 2003. His intention was to have one alias that would encompass all his musical output. Consequently, he has produced a wide variety of music under the name Liquid Stranger. At first, Stf's plan was to keep his identity a secret. He never did interviews or showed his face on stage. Stf states: fter a while it became quite tricky. in fact, Interchill finally ruined this idea by writing my name on the record sleeves.5] Liquid Stranger's creative output ranges from suggestive Ambient soundscapes to movie scores, pop, dub, infernalia, drill n bass, and electronica.

The first release under the name Liquid Stranger was the song Environmental Meltdown, featured on the compilation Global Psychedelic Chill Out - Compilation Vol. 4 by Spirit Zone Recordings.

When asked in an interview why he moved away from the trance scene, Stf replied: never really switched per se, I have always made tons of different types of music. During the time I toured with Necton, I produced various stuff like Ambient, Electro and Drill n bass. What excites me is the fusing of genres. I have no fixed style that I stay with too long, I do not like boundaries.7]

Subnatura Collective

In 2003, Martin Stf founded the musical collective Subnatura together with Marckus Andersson. Subnatura released 12 digital Ep's and were featured on net label Monotonik and the video DVD Collectanea: First Course, released by Escapi Music.

Candy Mind Records

Cover art for the album Anywhere And Me

In 2004, Martin Stf founded the record label Candy Mind Records together with his brother Jens Stf. Candy Mind Records released 33 digital Ep's, and one full-length CD release from Dorothy's Magic Bag. During the Candy Mind era, Martin Stf and his brother started the duo Hectopascal. They released the full-length album Anywhere And Me on Kahvi records. The Ep's Pixels and Pixies, and Alive In Veddige were released on Candy Mind Records.

Interchill Records

In 2005, Stf got signed to Canadian label Interchill Records. The song Political Finga was featured on Earth Octave Lounge Vol. 2, and received high praise from the dub community. The song Liquid Stranger On The Run appeared on the compilation Dissolving Clouds and got frequent plays on underground radio. Rick Anderson of Allmusic wrote about Liquid Stranger s someone who has previously worked in progressive rock, punk, techno, breakbeat, and IDM genres, Staaf brings a certain sophistication to his Interchill-style dubtronica, and there is lots to hear for those who take the trouble to listen closely: the brass and orchestral samples bubbling beneath the surface of the gently churning dub of Liquid Stranger on the Run.11]

The song We Meet At Last appeared on the compilation Bliminal, and was licensed by Velcrow Ripper for the film Fierce Light Where Spirit Meets Action, released in 2008.

The Invisible Conquest

Cover art for the Album The Invisible Conquest

The first full-length Liquid Stranger album, The Invisible Conquest, was released by Interchill Records in 2007. A bass-heavy album with melodic bass lines, percussive grooves, tribal accents and minimal psychedelic overlays. The Invisible Conquest received high ratings and praise from critics. Properly Chilled wrote of the album iquid Stranger's sound has the grandeur of its peers without building an humongous ego. . .we give this record two thumbs way up and a standing ovation12], and Raves.com described it as taste of the experimental, a chunk of tribal, all wrapped around a root of dub excellence. . .dub vibes that shoot right through to the middle of your gut.13] Morpeus Music describes the music of Liquid Stranger as ass driven atmospheric chillout. Liquid Stranger creates mostly instrumental montages with strong rhythmic content.14]

The Intergalactic Slapstick

Cover art for the Album The Intergalactic Slapstick

The second full-length Liquid Stranger album was released by Interchill Records in 2009. This album saw Liquid Stranger moving significantly into heavier Dubstep and reggae influenced grooves. Vocalists Brother Culture, Danman, Deeyah and Warrior Queen are featured on the album. Seb Taylor from Kaya Project plays Steel Guitar on the songs His Fully Automatic Wheelbarrow, and Dew Point. Dub-connection wrote of the album he production varies and waves between a electro-dub chill-out and powerful tracks in the limit of drum and bass with a bit of stepper to spice the sound.15] Morpheus Music wrote of the album he diverse roots of Liquid Stranger's sound sprawl across electro, ambient, grime, global, breaks and garage.16] Sun is shining wrote ome albums float your boat with one or two tracks becoming ingrained in your mind for days, weeks and even months. Once in a blue moon an album levitates that boat out of the water and into the clouds. LS long awaited second album is certainly filed in the latter category.17]

Background Information

Influences

Martin Stf mentioned in an interview on BBC radio that his main influence comes from music from vintage computer games. In an interview with Chillbase, Stf says that he does not listen to music all that much, except when he is on a concert. In the same interview Stf explains that he gets inspiration from movie soundtracks, dreams, and everyday life.

Discography

Albums

Anywhere And Me (2005)

The Invisible Conquest (2007)

The Intergalactic Slapstick (2009)

Singles

It Came From The Dessert (2003)

Subsonic Soil (2004)

Pixies And Pixels (2004)

Dead Or Alive (2005)

Spores (2005)

Alive In Veddige (2005)

Banana(Electro)Split (2006)

Monster (2009)

Steel Trap (2009)

Tracks Appear On

Collectanea First Course - "Impossible Mission" (2003)

Global Psychedelic Chill Out Vol. 4 - "Environmental Meltdown" (2003)

Subnatural Soundscapes Vol I - "From The Sky" (2003)

Purple Pollen - "Bismarch" (2004)

Some Candy Before Christmas - "Ginger Bread Juice" (2004)

Sound Of Subnatura - "Onda gat" (2004)

Burning Chocolate - " Den Infekterade Terminalen" (2005)

Dissolving Clouds - "Liquid Stranger On The Run" (2005)

Earth Octave Lounge Vol. 2 - "Political Finga" (2005)

Promotion CD 2005 - "Velour, Bleck" (2005)

Electromeister 1.0 - "Smeartest" (2006)

Masters Of The Green Insects - "Jakten P Guldpokalerna" (2006)

New World Dub 01 - "Political Finga" (2006)

A Beginning Of An End - "I And I" (2007)

Bliminal - "We Meet At Last" (2007)

Amenorea Dubs (Volume 01) - "Zenmaniax" (2008)

One Dub - "Welcome To My Culvert" (2009)

Remixes

"Slem - Denri (Liquid Stranger Remix)" (2004)

"Dorothy's Magic Bag - Ghostmachine (Liquid Stranger Laxative Remix)" (2004)

"Hectopascal - Svlj Din Saliv (Liquid Stranger Remix)" (2004)

"Goto80 - Wombatman (Liquid Stranger's Duplomix)(2005)"

"Bruno Ferrari - Jean Gabin (Liquid Stranger's Duplomix)" (2005)

"Dorothy's Magic Bag - Monster (Liquid Stranger Remix)" (2006)

"Bombay Dub Orchestra - Journey (Liquid Stranger's Sliptrip Edit)" (2009)

"Goto80 - Breakfast (Liquid Stranger's Gourmet Mixture)"(2009)

Releases on

Adversion Recordings

Amenorea

Bleep Street

Candy Mind Records

Escapi

Flexible

Interchill Records

Kahvi Collective

Monotonik

Six Degrees

Sonic Walker

Spirit Zone Recordings

Subnatura

System Recordings

References

^ Koreman, Vincent (2009-10-19). "New Liquid Stranger Dubs". Generation Bass (Triple Trouble Media). http://generationbass.com/2009/10/19/new-liquid-stranger-dubs. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 

^ a b Martin, Woods (2009-10-22). "Liquid Stranger Interview". Chillbase (Om media). http://chillbase.org/interviews/172-liquid-stranger-interview. Retrieved 2009-11-10. 

^ a b Collins, Andrew Ross (2009-10-15). "In depth with Liquid Stranger". Andrew Ross Collins. Mariko Music Publishing. http://www.interchill.com. Retrieved 2009-11-04. 

^ "Martin Stf". Discogs. Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/artist/Martin+Stf. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 

^ Collins, Andrew (2009-10-15). "In depth with Liquid Stranger". Interchill Records (Mariko Music Publishing). http://www.interchill.com. Retrieved 2009-11-05. 

^ "Liquid Stranger". Discogs. Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/artist/Liquid+Stranger. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 

^ "Mindstream 01 - The Boom Radio Podcast by Liquid Stranger". Boom Festival (Boom Festival). 2009-05-03. http://www.boomfestival.org/boom2009/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=143:mindstream-01-the-boom-radio-podcast-by-liquid-stranger&catid=50:boom-radio-podcasts&Itemid=122. Retrieved 2009-11-09. 

^ "Subnatura". Discogs. Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/label/Subnatura. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 

^ "Candymind". Internet Archive. Internet Archive. http://www.archive.org/details/candymind. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 

^ "Hectopascal". Discogs. Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/artist/Hectopascal. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 

^ Anderson, Rick. "Review". Allmusic. All Media Guide. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0xfqxzehld6e. Retrieved 2009-11-09. 

^ Gomes, Helder. "Review". Properly Chilled. Properly Chilled. http://www.properlychilled.com/music/release/643. Retrieved 2009-11-10. 

^ Upjohn, Kristofer. "Review". Raves.com. Raves.com. http://www.raves.com/cdreviews/show/480/LIQUIDSTRANGER-THEINVISIBLECONQUEST. Retrieved 2009-11-10. 

^ "Liquid Stranger - The Invisible Conquest". Morpeus Music. Electronic Music Mall. http://www.electronicmusicmall.com/Html/reviews55.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 

^ Chambon, Laurent. "The Intergalactic Slapstick by Liquid Stranger". Dub Connection. Dub Connection. http://dub-connection.net/blog/index.php?post/2009/11/02/The-Intergalactic-Slapstick-by-Liquid-Stranger. Retrieved 2009-11-10. 

^ "Liquid Stranger - The Intergalactic Slapstick". Morpeus Music. Electronic Music Mall. http://www.electronicmusicmall.com/Html/reviews79.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 

^ "October Release Reviews". Sun Is Shining. Sun Is Shining. http://sunisshiningdubnchill.blogspot.com/2009/10/new-october-release-reviews.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 

^ "World Odyssey Mix". Pathaan. BBC. 2009-10-25. http://www.bbc.co.uk/asiannetwork/pathaansmusicalrickshaw. Retrieved 2009-10-25. 

External links

Liquid Stranger discography at Discogs.

Liquid Stranger artist page at Myspace.

Categories: 1978 births | Ambient musicians | Electronic musicians | Swedish electronic musicians | Swedish musicians | Techno musicians | Dub musicians | Dubstep musicians | Living people | People from Varberg | Remixers | Interchill Records artistsHidden categories: Orphaned articles from February 2010 | All orphaned articles