Sasu Ripatti, aka Vladislav Delay,now sporting the new Ripatti Deluxe moniker, presents his very own abstract take on early rave and happy hardcore. Speed Demon marks the first release on Vladislav Delay's newly launched label, Rajaton. The Finnish word "raja" has multiple meanings. It could refer to a "border", "limit", "boundary", or even "capacity" if understood broadly. It feels that "border" is the first interpretation that comes to mind when the word is met in isolation of additional context. It often includes political energy of some sort. Or perhaps it's just this particular point in time that leads the mind into such field of thought.
As the Dutch author Rutger Bregman notes in his book Humankind: A Hopeful History, the real trouble with people began when the first person had the idea of drawing a line on sand and claiming ownership of the area on their side. The concept of physical borders was born. Naturally, there are mental borders, as well. Think about all the things you shut out because they're "not for you". They are numerous and we do it all the time. The issue is not to stop that, but to recognize when to let new things in, even if they're not commonplace. Mental borders might often be easier to rewrite than physical ones, but the challenge remains a real one. That's where the derivative form "rajaton" comes to play.
By simply adding the "-ton", all borders, limits, boundaries and capacities are lifted in an instant. We have something "borderless" instead, and are thus free to expand our thinking. One could argue that the word "rajaton" implies not the removal of borders but instead their very non-existence at large. How will our mind work when the concept of borders doesn't even enter the conscious thought? Mental borderless-ness is a truly fascinating concept. A maximalist array of opportunities and potential ideas enters the picture -- one which is also limitless, unlimited, sans boundaries, and also without a danger of being depleted. It's an all-existence of multitudes where hierarchy also starts to deteriorate, giving way to a new form of full understanding without judgement. Music is one fine place for such thinking, especially when thinking about the role of the listener. Occupying a much more active position than is generally recognized, the listener can greatly benefit from borderless thinking, and thus help to enhance the collective perceived significance of any given body of work. As the late revolutionary jazz pianist Burton Greene: "Borders are boring!"
| A1 | The New Beast Is Coming |
| A2 | Always Calm You Say |
| A3 | Tambourine Love Hat |
| A4 | Sick But Not Rotten |
| A5 | Radio King |
| A6 | Ultraviolet Blues |
| B1 | Speed Breathe |
| B2 | What Time Is Happiness |
| B3 | Once I Was Fine But Slow |
| B4 | The Bunker Project |
| B5 | Juice Bar Memoirs |
| B6 | Speed Demon Lap Dance |
| B7 | My Best Friend |
