Description

Cédric Stevens career began in 1993 as a DJ and techno producer under the pseudonym “Acid Kirk”. He quickly established himself as a pivotal figure in the Belgian underground, producing over a dozen 12’’ and EPs.

In 1997, driven by his growing interest in experimental music, he launched his side project: “The Syncopated Elevators Legacy” (S.E.L.). The project served as a vehicle for Cedric to explore a more ambitious sound, based around experimentation rather than repetitive beats. Across the next decade, several EPs and mini LPs were released on different labels, each one with its very own specific approach. From experiments in electric currents and serpent patching (Siamese Level EP) to his own take on ‘musique concrete’ (Still Between the Battle & the Sheet EP) S.E.L.’s sound never ceased to investigate the most improbable sound sources as compositional tools.

Despite having little exposure outside his native Belgium, the S.E.L. records were enthusiastically received by a number of prestigious artists, namely Christian Fennesz and My Cat Is An Alien, as well as being played on rotation by the late John Peel.

Leaving the techno sound completely behind, Cédric’s experimentations with S.E.L. soon pushed him to create other projects both solo and as a member of a live band (South Of No North). The S.E.L. project eventually faded away but its experiments remain the foundations of Cédric’s musical language, making this anthology a perfect introduction to his future work.

This anthology compiles some of Cédric’s best pieces released between 1997 & 2005 under the S.E.L. moniker. Remastered by Rashad Becker at D&M and pressed on 185g vinyl it comes with previously unreleased material and with remixes from Fennesz, Leyland Kirby, My Cat Is An Alien, Burning Star Core, Sylvain Chauveau & Motion Sickness Of Time Travel.

========================================

All direct orders receive a digital download in your choice of format. This is available once the physical records ship. You can also purchase the digital download separately.

PRESS:

”An excellent collection and a killer set of remixes’” Boomkat

”Instead of vintage throwback, S.E.L. provides bubbles of early 21st century electronic futurism, the kind that starts with a steaming, industrialized landscape vibe before panning up to a crystal clear, multi-colored skyline.” – Keith Rankin, Experimedia

”There’s also something very tangible and three-dimensional about Stevens’ sound creation. He displays a captivating understanding of the ways in which audio can appear to adopt an illusionary presence within physical space, conjuring not only mental imagery, but striking flashes of texture and taste.” (ATTN: Magazine)

”The remixes will serve as ample reason to snort this double-LP up for a lot of people, and that’s always a good situation for everyone, but I implore you to focus on Stevens’ originals. As well as the remixers do in their retellings of the Syncopated Elevators Legacy story, nothing’s going to surpass the definitive electronic artifact by folding over its sound a few times like arms of dough and adding tinsel and melted butter here and there. Go original, then give the hotter hands a chance once you’ve absorbed what SELhas to offer. It’s only fair.” Gumshoe Groove