Testube

Testube is a solo electronic music project from the United States of America, founded in 1994 by Jeff Danos (Born 9 May 1976). His music spans multiple subgenres of electronic music, including Industrial, Glitch, Experimental, IDM, Electroclash, Darkwave, Ambient, Synthpop and EBM.[Ref 1][Ref 2]

History

Testube began in 1994 as a tribal-influenced experimental electronic side-project of the early 1990s Industrial music group Wrack Process. The earliest recordings occurred in 1994-1995 and featured musical contributions from Jeff Danos and Bryan Elsloo. From these early recordings, the two musicians released a self-titled Testube cassette in March 1996 on UEF Records.[Ref 3] Following the dissolution of Wrack Process later that year, co-founder Jeff Danos briefly produced solo material under the monikers "Danos" and "Marble I/Orchard". By April 1997, Jeff had re-assumed the Testube moniker for his solo music project. Testube originated in Englewood, Colorado and relocated to Eureka Springs, Arkansas in 2006.[Ref 4]

Music charts

Reconstructive Surgery, an album of Testube songs remixed by Danos and other artists, appeared on the CMJ national RPM top-20 charts for six weeks in the Autumn of 2000, peaking at the number 4 chart position that September.[Ref 5]

Critical response

Australian journal Blatant Propaganda praised Testube's Bioplaza album for its "gothic-medieval melodies and dreamy electronic-body-music".[Ref 6] Chain DLK website reviewed Corporation album stating it is "not for the timid or pop oriented, yet still fully functional on the dancefloor!" [Ref 1] Regarding Testube's Off-Purpose album, UK-based Sphere Magazine wrote "this collection has personality that cannot be turned off or even ignored." [Ref 7] StarVox Webzine proclaimed "Testube are an anomaly. Brilliant beyond measure, and yet criminally overlooked... How does this work, people? How is it that Testube isn't spoken of with the same reverence as Skinny Puppy? The material is that good, let me assure you." [Ref 8]

Remixing

Jeff Danos has remixed other electronic music groups, including Torrent Vaccine, Destroid, Ptyl, I,Parasite, Skin Contact, Pain Station, Burikusu!!!, Thine Eyes, Left Spine Down, the Unter Null side-project Stray, Diverje, B! Machine, Monstrum Sepsis, Paranoid Axis, Biopsy, White Trash Compactor, Leæther Strip (for the single Carry Me) and works by fellow Glim Records recording artist LowHero DLL.[Ref 3] Jeff's audio post-production is often credited as a Testube "remix" or "treatment".[Ref 3]

Live performance

Testube rarely plays in a live context, as it is primarily a studio music project. However, there have been a handful of live performances, the first of which was in 1996 at Cafe Euphrates in Denver, CO. Albuquerque, NM is the only other city to host live shows with Testube.

Film composing

Jeff Danos has contributed original music to motion picture soundtracks, including the cult film Sleeping Pills and the short film Refraction.[Ref 9][Ref 10]

Record labels

Testube has been associated with UEF (United Endangered Front) Records (1996–1998), DSBP Records (1999–2007),[Ref 4][Ref 11] and Glim Records (starting in 2008).

Discography

Below is a partial Testube discography:

Release Title Artist Records Label Format(s) Release Date Notes
Off Purpose Testube Glim Records CD, digital download May 2010 [Ref 12]
Treatments Various Artists Glim Records CD Sep 2009
Covert Testube Glim Records CD Jul 2008
Refraction Testube ClandestCINE Films 35mm, DVD Oct 2007 short film
Sleeping Pills Jeff Danos Kinotonik Pictures 35mm, DVD Dec 2003 feature film
Corporation Testube DSBP Records CD Sep 2003
Bioplaza Revisited Testube DSBP Records CD Nov 2000
Daisypusher EP Marble I/Orchard MP3.com CD, digital download Aug 2000
Carry Me (Testube remix) Leæther Strip Metropolis Records CD Single May 2000 remix
Carry Me (Testube remix) Leæther Strip Bloodline Records CD Single Mar 2000 remix
Reconstructive Surgery Testube DSBP Records CD May 2000 reached No. 4 on CMJ RPM chart
Bioplaza Testube Self Released CD May 1999
Circuit Noir Vol. 2 Various Artists UEF Records CD Feb 1999
Vertigo Grim Testube UEF Records CD-R Sep 1998
Preyer Testube Promo CD-R Apr 1998 Promo Only
Circuit Noir Vol. 1 Various Artists UEF Records CD Feb 1998
Post-Apocalypse Testube UEF Records CD-R Feb 1998
Usable Frequency Response Testube UEF Records CD-R, MiniDisc, Cassette Jul 1997
Second Soul Testube UEF Records CD-R, MiniDisc, Cassette Apr 1997
Soul Danos Promo Cassette Nov 1996 Promo Only

References

  1. 1 2 chaindlk.net Corporation album review
  2. ↑ last.fm tags
  3. 1 2 3 Testube Discography
  4. 1 2 Testube Biography
  5. ↑ CMJ RPM chart Sept 2000
  6. ↑ Blantant Propagana Bioplaza album review
  7. ↑ spheremag.co.uk Off-Purpose album review 07 May 2010
  8. ↑ StarVox.net Webzine review of Bioplaza and Reconstructive Surgery Dec 2000
  9. ↑ side-line.com news 08 Feb 2008
  10. ↑ Refraction at the IMDb
  11. ↑ side-line.com news 08 Aug 2007
  12. ↑ side-line.com news 24 May 2010

External links

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