Running Back get tooled up

When you said that the record had come out on Strada Records in your Running Back RA feature, I went searching online for it and found nothing. Was the first run that limited? Yes, it apparently was. I contacted the fine people at Strada Records in Kobe via their website because I could not find the record anywhere – neither in the virtual world nor in actual reality. To my great grief they had to tell me that they were completely out of stock and the initial run was long gone. But before I walked away with my head down and my eyes teary, they added that they know about the label and asked me if I would be interested in re-issuing it. Of course, I was. Blessed with the luxury of having a label of your own, you can be so selfish to release the records you want to have yourself for one reason or another. How did you originally find out about the record? Two years ago on a Thursday night in London. I had the pleasure of being the substitute for a handicapped Dixon at Innervisions' Plastic People residency alongside the Âme boys. During the start of the night and Kristian's first set, my interest was attracted when I heard a cheerful choir of children's laughter played over a lofty rock record – I had to know the basis of it. A deck shark attack revealed the source, and Kristian told me that he bought it in Japan. You already know the rest of the story. A tragic side note: Kristian had a record bag stolen or lost while flying around. You don't need to know its content. Too bad, huh? What sort of sounds can we expect to find on it? Almost everything you would expect from a good sound effect anthology: ambience, future sounds, rain, sirens and the oddball children's laughter. The only important things missing are a roaring lion and a machine gun that goes off. We decided to save it for the next one. Why did this particular sample record stand out for you? It just sounds so good. Strada's Hideyuki Tomita and Takanobu Saeki did a terrific job with their field and studio recordings. Acoustic High-End Research is an apt title. Even our mastering and cutting expert Lupo from Dubplates & Mastering was impressed. It was a recommendation without words as I told above, but now it features liner notes from Danny "The Dancer" Wang to recommend it to you. Do you use tool records much in your own DJ sets? I do when it feels right and especially on recordings outside of a club. Comes in handy to bridge different tempos or create a mood. Also, I like to introduce New Order's "Blue Monday" with a siren and end it with a foghorn. I can't help it!