Paul Rose aka Scuba has trodden a long path from from his roots in the formative London dubstep scene. Since 2007 he's been operating out of Berlin and as a headline DJ, producer, label boss and promoter he's well place d to survey the European underground dance music scene.
His label Hotflush Recordings is pushing on for 7 years in the business. With recent signings like Joy Orbison, Sigha and Mount Kimbie making a big impact, Hotflush is one of the key labels to watch. Scuba is one of the few dubstep-affiliated DJ's to get regular bookings all over Europe. His popularity as a DJ has led to a respectable placing in the 2009 Resident Advisor top 100 DJs poll, and he's already released a Sub:stance mix album in 2010.
We met up with him before the release of his second studio album Triangulation to talk about running nights in the world's coolest club, making music in London and Berlin, and how, if things had gone differently, he might have stopped Razorlight from ever coming into existence...
[Since July 2008 you've been running the Sub:stance night in Berlin. This seems to have been a big platform for your work and dubstep type music in general. How did you get involved?]
Basically I moved over [to Berlin] in the back end of 2007 and one of the things I wanted to do in the city was to do a big night cos noone had really stuck their neck out and tried to do something at one of the big clubs. I wanted to try and get a big line up together and just see if it worked, cos there had been a following for the music in the city, but it hadn't really been given a chance to properly get going.
Basically the ideal scenario was to do it in Berghain. It just happened by chance really, I bumped into one of the guys who works there and set up a meeting, turned up, said we wanna do a night, and was expecting maybe a Thursday or a Sunday or something. The thing with it is that on Fridays the big room, the Berghain room, isn't normally open, it's just the Panoramabar. So when they said do you want to do on a Friday night we we're like O-K yes of course we would.
The first night we did was the first night Berghain had ever been open on a Friday night which just made it doubly mad, and we're there to put on - I say its a dubstep night, but its not really, its just a kind of general bass music night. I wouldn't want to be associated with a dubstep night these days, I think there's a lot of interesting music but it doesn't all come under the dubstep banner anymore. So its just a night for good music. There is a bit of techno - I play a bit of techno in my sets - but thats what they normally have at Berghain, so we don't book techno DJs. Theres techno producers who I'd really like to book to play there but I don't cos that's what normally goes on there.
I think the main impact that our night has had, from the fact that its been at Berghain, is that the scene there is a lot more receptive to this kind of music now. So that's definitely been a big positive change I think.
[It should be no surprise that Sub:stance has been a success in such a cosmopolitan city as Berlin. But how do you think the rest of Europe is responding to dubstep and bass music? Are there many people from further afield doing good stuff?]
Yeah its generally quite healthy at the moment across the board, there's a lot of interesting music being made, coming from a lot of different angles. I really hate the dubstep-techno crossover thing, its a bullshit kind of concept, but from that to the UK funky thing which is coming from a completely different angle, to all the other stuff thats going on - I think its positive, and there's people from different parts of the world, not just Europe, working at it... I was in Japan last month and there were some really really interesting local acts playing on the same bill as me, I was really impressed.
[How do you feel about Berlin in 2010?]
Its certainly changed since I've been there, and they're trying to change it. There's loads of big development plans that the local government are trying to get through, cos the thing about the city is it has no money at all, the town hall has no cash. They're trying to push through these things like the Media Spree development [in Friedrichshain] where they're going to knock down a load of buildings along the river and build a shopping mall and hotels. Watergate would go if it happens, shit loads of things are gonna go if it happens. Theres all these protests about it, and on the one hand you think, well yes the city needs some money so they've got to try and generate the cash somehow - but the flipside of it is that a lot of the tourist revenue which comes into Berlin is based on the counter culture that they're trying to get rid of. Its sort of a transitional period I guess, but its still totally different to everywhere else.
[You've lived in notable musical cities like Bristol and London as well. How important do you think the different music scenes in certain cities is? Does it influence the music, or is the talk of scenes just media hype?]
When you say a scene its the people who are putting on nights and the people who are making music, that for me is the scene... In Europe the scene is the house and techno producers, but in London there is no house and techno scene - you have big house and techno clubs and people like the music, but there is no scene as such. So thats the difference and theres a little bass music scene in Berlin and other cities but there isn't what I'd call a scene - its nothing like this great scene that produced dubstep in the first place, which is quite a unique thing anyway.
England's got this urban scene which doesn't really exist in Europe, but they've got this underground house and techno scene that doesn't really exist [in the UK].
[Did the Bristol scene support you much when you were starting out in electronic music?]
Well, not so much. When I was living in Bristol I was a student, so I was just doing student stuff and wasn't really a part of it to be honest. But yeah in London, I was totally part of the dubstep thing when it was coming up. And it has been interesting watching it all develop, I still find it quite bizarre that its come to anything at all really. But we all believed in it, else we wouldn't have kept on bashing away for god knows how long without making no money out of it. Its something I look back on and think it was really good to be a part of that, certainly.
And now its just about seeing how far it can be taken. I've said before that I wouldn't want to be part of a dubstep night so obviously I'm not completely enamoured with how its gone.... I would clarify that and say there is still a lot of dubstep I do like but my problem with it now is that its become... the way its perceived has turned into quite a narrow thing, thats my problem with it. But I'm not averse to the odd bit of wobble every now and again, in very small doses.
[Has the move from London to Berlin influenced the music you make?]
With the Scuba stuff I wouldn't say that the city [Berlin] has had much influence on me at all. I've always been really into techno - that was the first music I was getting into when I was a teenager. Theres always been a lot of different influences that have gone into what I do, and techno is just one thing. That said the SCB project that I'm doing is nakedly influenced by Berghain, I make no apology for that. But the album [Triangulation] is much more.... well maybe UK, I dunno. Its different things. The reason it's called Triangulation is because of the three musical influences coming into it, which are the kind of dubstep thing, the house and techno thing, and the drum and bass or half-time stuff.
[The 12 tracks on Triangulation cover a broad range of styles. How did the album come together?]
I spent a year trying to do something and it only really came together in the last few months. I sat down in January and said I'm gonna make an album by June, and by June I had got absolutely nowhere. The whole of last year was just a kind of perpetual frustration, anger and just general rage.. but in September I said its gotta be done by Christmas or I'm never gonna do another album ever again. I just made myself do it, but I'm pretty happy with the way its panned out, I think its certainly a step forward from the last one. If you're making a step forward then you can't ask for much more than that.
I was writing the first one [A Mutual Antipathy] just before I moved over [to Berlin]. I wrote pretty much the whole album, listened to it and thought "no, this is shit". After I got over, it just flowed a little bit more. One track remained on the final album. And this one... like I said I was working for six months and produced basically nothing, and then in September it was just like yeah lets fucking do it.. and it just about worked out.
[You use vocals on the album, and some of the tracks are more song like than your earlier productions. Is this a new direction you are looking to develop?]
It's sort of a continuation of the track I did on the previous ep, which was just messing around with vocals and not trying to do anything too profound with it - just use them as an instrument, to get an extra layer or texture. It's just to experiment with it but I think I am interested in the song form - I used to write songs when I was in bands when I was a teenager... I got into techno first and then I became an indie kid for a year, then got into techno again. I was in a band with Johnny Borrell from Razorlight actually. And we very nearly got a deal, just before I went to university. There was one stage where we did a gig at the Dublin Castle in Camden where the head of Sony A&R came to see us, and basically we were ready to get a deal and we screwed the gig totally and split up on stage. It was like fucking calamity of calamities... and two days later I applied to university, that was it, I didn't do anything else for ages.
[Your label Hotflush Recordings is getting on to be 7 years old, with more than 50 releases. Although its lauded as a major dubstep label, the releases have always been pretty varied. What's the ethos behind what you do with Hotflush?]
Going back to the start, the more succesful A&R things were when it was entirely revolved around my DJ sets, so when you get passed a tune and it works well, put it out. And its still like that to a large extent. Probably people think a lot of the stuff we put out is quite down tempo - certainly a proportion of it is quite down tempo, quite not-danceable, but to be honest I think its more about the way you DJ and contextualise stuff within a set. I do play a lot that might seem to be not danceable tunes in my set, but you play them right and people will still dance.
When we started the label it wasn't intended to be a dubstep thing really, it was one of the things we were interested in but it just gradually happened. In the last couple of years its broadened out again which was the intention originally. So yeah, its a cliche but you want to put out good music - thats all you can really do with a label. Moving forward we want to do more albums, got albums coming out in March, and the Mount Kimbie albums out in June.
[You've been able to work full time as DJ, producer and label boss for a while now. Has this bought new pressures or just new opportunities? Where do you want to get to in the future?]
Its more the thinking time than anything else - being able to consider where you want to be and think about things a bit more longterm... I mean, theres pressures when you've got to put food on the table but you've got to look past that, and short term solutions in music are usually the wrong solutions. That's probably true for most things, but I think its just about keeping sight of what made you do it in the first place. I think thats the most important thing cos thats why anyone wants do this kind of shit.
Musically, I haven't done anything yet really. Certainly with the label - when I started the label I wanted to be, you know... Warp is the obvious one for an independent label, thats where you want to get to. But that's a twenty year project potentially. And as a producer it's a learning curve really, I don't think anyone could ever say they're totally satisfied with what they are doing musically. I've thought i'll maybe do four albums as Scuba but you never know whats gonna happen with it. It could all go tits up next year, you never know. Obviously you've gotta have an eye on the long term but equally you've gotta appreciate where you are in the present and try make the most of it.
by Michael Curtis
published March 2010 at http://www.trafficmag.org/
Tuesday, 2 March 2010
Sunday, 21 February 2010
Sequence @ Sankeys, Manchester UK, 21/11/08
Surgeon/Marcel Dettman/Redshape/Rob Hall/Alern 8/Tim Exile/DMX Krew etc
4.5/5
Sequence has been a dominant presence on Manchester's musical landscape, and one of few club nights able to host major acts like Aphex Twin and Ben Sims yet still willing to book genuinely underground, experimental artists. After 5 years they announced this would be the last Sequence party - and a night where they invited back some of the artists who'd been highlights at previous parties.
Mark Turner kicked off with a suitably celebratory party set, throwing down sped-up disco and classics like 'Jaguar' and Matt Dears' 'Dog Days'. The only problem was that he was in Sankeys' room 2, which isn't so much a room as a foyer which people constantly have to jostle through.
Staying in room 2, Sequence favourite Tim Exile had the crowd packed in for his ace live set. Not only entertaining but also piss-funny, his use of a keyboard, his voice and a silly hat delighted the audience. Imagine a bull in a china town after-hours disco hoe down and you'll be pretty near his sound.
Altern 8 and Ed DMX carried the disco flavour further in their own estimable styles, but with the headline guests playing in the main room it was increasingly difficult to pin down dancers in room 2.
After a superlative performance at the Paradise Factory last year, Redshape was the first of the big guests to play up front. Just 2 years after his first release he's pretty much a cult figure already, and was watched with much interest here. In fact some people seemed so interested to see him they forgot to dance, preferring instead to stare at him busily working his gear. His is the kind of deep techno that can be enjoyed whenever, and he translated it perfectly to the big room at Sankeys with another expertly delivered live set.
With the club now approaching peak time Marcel Dettman took the decks. His streamlined take on house and techno energised the dancefloor, getting tougher up to the point where Surgeon took over. Unfortunately Surgeon's set was shortened as a consequence of Redshape starting later than scheduled. Perhaps because of this his set was much more focussed than those who've heard his recent techno/dubstep crossover performances might have expected: the fusion of his influences was total and seamless. For me this was the kind of industrial strength set he's been threatening to nail for a while. True future music.
Rob Hall has been a guest at many Sequence parties over the years, so it was fitting that he should finish the night. The Gescom associate knew the script and the frenetic techno perpetuated. Neither mindlessly hard nor referencing just passing trends, this was the sound of the North England underground. The end came all too soon.
Michael Curtis
http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=5662
4.5/5
Sequence has been a dominant presence on Manchester's musical landscape, and one of few club nights able to host major acts like Aphex Twin and Ben Sims yet still willing to book genuinely underground, experimental artists. After 5 years they announced this would be the last Sequence party - and a night where they invited back some of the artists who'd been highlights at previous parties.
Mark Turner kicked off with a suitably celebratory party set, throwing down sped-up disco and classics like 'Jaguar' and Matt Dears' 'Dog Days'. The only problem was that he was in Sankeys' room 2, which isn't so much a room as a foyer which people constantly have to jostle through.
Staying in room 2, Sequence favourite Tim Exile had the crowd packed in for his ace live set. Not only entertaining but also piss-funny, his use of a keyboard, his voice and a silly hat delighted the audience. Imagine a bull in a china town after-hours disco hoe down and you'll be pretty near his sound.
Altern 8 and Ed DMX carried the disco flavour further in their own estimable styles, but with the headline guests playing in the main room it was increasingly difficult to pin down dancers in room 2.
After a superlative performance at the Paradise Factory last year, Redshape was the first of the big guests to play up front. Just 2 years after his first release he's pretty much a cult figure already, and was watched with much interest here. In fact some people seemed so interested to see him they forgot to dance, preferring instead to stare at him busily working his gear. His is the kind of deep techno that can be enjoyed whenever, and he translated it perfectly to the big room at Sankeys with another expertly delivered live set.
With the club now approaching peak time Marcel Dettman took the decks. His streamlined take on house and techno energised the dancefloor, getting tougher up to the point where Surgeon took over. Unfortunately Surgeon's set was shortened as a consequence of Redshape starting later than scheduled. Perhaps because of this his set was much more focussed than those who've heard his recent techno/dubstep crossover performances might have expected: the fusion of his influences was total and seamless. For me this was the kind of industrial strength set he's been threatening to nail for a while. True future music.
Rob Hall has been a guest at many Sequence parties over the years, so it was fitting that he should finish the night. The Gescom associate knew the script and the frenetic techno perpetuated. Neither mindlessly hard nor referencing just passing trends, this was the sound of the North England underground. The end came all too soon.
Michael Curtis
http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=5662
Shed & Portable @ Faktion. School of Sound Recording, 09/11/08
The Faktion crew have been staging serious players from the techno and dubstep underground since early this year, but I doubt any of their line ups have provoked such keen anticipation as this did. The SSR venue is a great place to hear quality music, removed from the city centre, without the pomp of dedicated, commercial clubs and kitted out with a killer soundsystem.
Faktion resident Padrow, playing before Portable/Bodycode, built the momentum nicely with an entertaining set. If the mixing lacked something, the selection and set building more than made up for it, with electro and techno across styles and eras all slotted into place.
There's something special and unique about the sound of Portable/Bodycode (perhaps we should just call him Alan?) Maybe this has something to do with a history that’s seen him take his music from Cape Town in South Africa to London, before settling in Lisbon, Portugal. Somehow he’s managed to forge a sound that seems equal parts acid house 1989 and experimental techno 2004. It all pulses with organic life, stomping like an unleashed though very friendly beast. His use of a mic to perform and dub the vocals to tracks like 'Don't Give Up' was a pleasing infraction against the sometimes oh-so-not-live set. His compositions strong harmonic and melodic content helped make this a lively and captivating performance.
Shed is playing a number of dates to support his Shedding the Past album. Recording his first long player, Shed has expanded and refined his sound pallet to make something of a zeitgeist album which has been widely acclaimed and, tellingly, is sold out in virtually all outlets 2 months after its release. However, the problem with promotional tours was maybe heard tonight. With this set focussed on his Ostgut material tonight, those who loved his earlier Soloaction releases and there primal deep techno and house stylings were left a little frustrated. But thats not to detract from were he's at now: his genre splitting sound deserves to be heard by many more heads.
The first half of this set was all about suspense and tension building, with the basic elements deployed to maximum effect: taught beats sparring with pristine breakdowns, with the release of the bass drum's drop tantalisingly withheld. The last half hour saw the dancers given their rightful prize, the beats rising until Shed's old school sound broke through with the Ostgut bomb 'Warped Mind'. Whilst parts of his set were received with heads nodding rather than limbs flailing, the applause as he finished showed that Shed's appearance was very much appreciated.
The last hour was for the residents to work the dancefloor, and a forthright techno selection from the Aerobiq Mystiq did just that. Unfortunately it’s likely this will be the last Faktion party at SSR, which is a shame as it’s perfectly suited to their music on the outskirts.
Michael Curtis
http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=5621
Faktion resident Padrow, playing before Portable/Bodycode, built the momentum nicely with an entertaining set. If the mixing lacked something, the selection and set building more than made up for it, with electro and techno across styles and eras all slotted into place.
There's something special and unique about the sound of Portable/Bodycode (perhaps we should just call him Alan?) Maybe this has something to do with a history that’s seen him take his music from Cape Town in South Africa to London, before settling in Lisbon, Portugal. Somehow he’s managed to forge a sound that seems equal parts acid house 1989 and experimental techno 2004. It all pulses with organic life, stomping like an unleashed though very friendly beast. His use of a mic to perform and dub the vocals to tracks like 'Don't Give Up' was a pleasing infraction against the sometimes oh-so-not-live set. His compositions strong harmonic and melodic content helped make this a lively and captivating performance.
Shed is playing a number of dates to support his Shedding the Past album. Recording his first long player, Shed has expanded and refined his sound pallet to make something of a zeitgeist album which has been widely acclaimed and, tellingly, is sold out in virtually all outlets 2 months after its release. However, the problem with promotional tours was maybe heard tonight. With this set focussed on his Ostgut material tonight, those who loved his earlier Soloaction releases and there primal deep techno and house stylings were left a little frustrated. But thats not to detract from were he's at now: his genre splitting sound deserves to be heard by many more heads.
The first half of this set was all about suspense and tension building, with the basic elements deployed to maximum effect: taught beats sparring with pristine breakdowns, with the release of the bass drum's drop tantalisingly withheld. The last half hour saw the dancers given their rightful prize, the beats rising until Shed's old school sound broke through with the Ostgut bomb 'Warped Mind'. Whilst parts of his set were received with heads nodding rather than limbs flailing, the applause as he finished showed that Shed's appearance was very much appreciated.
The last hour was for the residents to work the dancefloor, and a forthright techno selection from the Aerobiq Mystiq did just that. Unfortunately it’s likely this will be the last Faktion party at SSR, which is a shame as it’s perfectly suited to their music on the outskirts.
Michael Curtis
http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=5621
Meandyou @ Bookbinders, Manchester 24/10/2008
Move D / MLZ
3.5/ 5 (4 if you want to be generous)
Meandyou has quickly established itself as eminent amongst the many house/techno dances in Manchester. With a booking policy seemingly focussed on talent thats often overlooked (such as Bovill & Murmur of the relatively obscure UK techno dub label Meanwhile, scheduled to play next month) Move D looked like the perfect guest.
Move D (David Moufang from Heidleberg, Germany) set up Source Records DE way back in 1992 and has been releasing deep house, techno and acid cuts since then. Both his own releases and the Source label output vary in style but are always of the highest quality - this is an artist who has serious ideas about quality control. Recently he's been working with super cool labels like Workshop and Running Back, and doing my fact checking, I saw he even had a record out on Warp back in 1996. It was his connection with Manchester's Modern Lover records that brought him to the rainy city, headlining a label showcase for the deep techno imprint, along with fellow Modern Lover MLZ. MLZ is the new project from DJ Miles, half of the genre-busting Pendle Coven act. His new project is a chance to focus on four-to-the-dancefloor business.
Walking into the Bookbinders club, it felt most like a good old British working mens club - but tucked away in a city centre basement near Manchester's Canal street. Low ceilings are normally desirable in a club, mirrored walls less so. But no problem, it added glitter proceedings and made the venue seem as expansive as the performers selections. The crowd was cool, youthful and eagerly anticipating headliner Move D's set.
Residents Dan Mumberson and Joseph set the tone, shimmying between lush deep house and acute, functional rhythm cuts. They sneaked the odd epic techno dub track in as well - a style the night has championed thus far. Unfortunately I must have missed fellow resident Arnaldo's set; his techno leanings might have added a bit of grit to proceedings. Abstract Earth and Craig Boylan were apparently responsible for the excellent visuals - apt and un-intrusive.
Move D took the decks and filled the dancefloor. Leaving his laptop at home and playing a DJ selection he built on the sound work of the residents, taking us further into the realms of the deep house groove. I can only guess at the gems that must weigh down his record shelves, but he gave us a glimpse tonight. Tight and efficient mixing, and a classy sound that was all restrained emotion and super quality productions.
MLZ found previously unheard levels of bass, plumbing the depths. In an hour long Ableton set he ranged around the musical terrain, as anyone familiar with his DJ sets might expect. From a dubby techno starting point he was quickly into more irregular beat programming. Whilst impressive in its range and movement between styles, it did sound a bit well behaved, lacking the anger of aggressive dubstep or the weight of techno dub - not so firmly set on dancefloor devastation. Perhaps this just touches on the soundsystems set up. Although a seemingly imposing rig, the sound was a bit light, and with the nature of the music played you need some deep bass to really make it physical.
Outside, the street filled up with smiling faces and warm words for meandyou, a night which is only going to move onwards and upwards.
Michael Curtis
http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=5575
3.5/ 5 (4 if you want to be generous)
Meandyou has quickly established itself as eminent amongst the many house/techno dances in Manchester. With a booking policy seemingly focussed on talent thats often overlooked (such as Bovill & Murmur of the relatively obscure UK techno dub label Meanwhile, scheduled to play next month) Move D looked like the perfect guest.
Move D (David Moufang from Heidleberg, Germany) set up Source Records DE way back in 1992 and has been releasing deep house, techno and acid cuts since then. Both his own releases and the Source label output vary in style but are always of the highest quality - this is an artist who has serious ideas about quality control. Recently he's been working with super cool labels like Workshop and Running Back, and doing my fact checking, I saw he even had a record out on Warp back in 1996. It was his connection with Manchester's Modern Lover records that brought him to the rainy city, headlining a label showcase for the deep techno imprint, along with fellow Modern Lover MLZ. MLZ is the new project from DJ Miles, half of the genre-busting Pendle Coven act. His new project is a chance to focus on four-to-the-dancefloor business.
Walking into the Bookbinders club, it felt most like a good old British working mens club - but tucked away in a city centre basement near Manchester's Canal street. Low ceilings are normally desirable in a club, mirrored walls less so. But no problem, it added glitter proceedings and made the venue seem as expansive as the performers selections. The crowd was cool, youthful and eagerly anticipating headliner Move D's set.
Residents Dan Mumberson and Joseph set the tone, shimmying between lush deep house and acute, functional rhythm cuts. They sneaked the odd epic techno dub track in as well - a style the night has championed thus far. Unfortunately I must have missed fellow resident Arnaldo's set; his techno leanings might have added a bit of grit to proceedings. Abstract Earth and Craig Boylan were apparently responsible for the excellent visuals - apt and un-intrusive.
Move D took the decks and filled the dancefloor. Leaving his laptop at home and playing a DJ selection he built on the sound work of the residents, taking us further into the realms of the deep house groove. I can only guess at the gems that must weigh down his record shelves, but he gave us a glimpse tonight. Tight and efficient mixing, and a classy sound that was all restrained emotion and super quality productions.
MLZ found previously unheard levels of bass, plumbing the depths. In an hour long Ableton set he ranged around the musical terrain, as anyone familiar with his DJ sets might expect. From a dubby techno starting point he was quickly into more irregular beat programming. Whilst impressive in its range and movement between styles, it did sound a bit well behaved, lacking the anger of aggressive dubstep or the weight of techno dub - not so firmly set on dancefloor devastation. Perhaps this just touches on the soundsystems set up. Although a seemingly imposing rig, the sound was a bit light, and with the nature of the music played you need some deep bass to really make it physical.
Outside, the street filled up with smiling faces and warm words for meandyou, a night which is only going to move onwards and upwards.
Michael Curtis
http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=5575
Faktion @ School of Sound Recording, Manchester UK, 03/10/08
T++/Hate Soundsystem/Faktion DJs
Refusing to be just another techno night in Manchester, Faktion called in the superlative T++ and the bewildering Hate Soundsystem.
Residents Padro and Connor were on warm up duties, showing they collect only the finest techno à la Berghain. The main hall was kept as dark as possible, presumably as an effort to evoke memories of warehouse parties and to emphasise its all about the music: no light show to dazzle, no smoke machine. Not much chance of seeing who your dancing next to either. Away from the bars of central Manchester, the School of Sound Recording was never rammed, but was suitably busy for the set by T++.
A Berlin old boy who's early releases surfaced on Chain Reaction and his own DIN label in 1995, T++ is a relatively new project for Torsten Profock. He's also part of Robert Henke's Monolake project, replacing Ableton CEO Gerhard Behles. With Henke also part of the SW development team at Ableton, I reckon I can guess what was running on the T++ laptop.
He played for an hour at Faktion, his diffuse, reverb drenched sound building in intensity. No place for chords or melody here, the trappings of conventional music discarded and forgotten. Just a bulk of metallic sound. Driven by the 130 bpm tempo, his programming swallows the more familiar patterns of techno, dubstep and electro to make something thoroughly modern, and with an aesthetic that surely demonstrates how vital electronic music is culturally today. Its also excellent dance music. Does sound a lot like Monolake.
The Hate Soundsystem crew mounted the stage to finish off the night. A good deal of hype has surrounded this project: press releases talk of a carload full of DAT tapes with unreleased 91-94 hardcore tracks handed over to the label in Sowerby Bridge, presumably on a dark and stormy night under the auspices of the wicked witch of West Yorkshire. For tonight's show we had 3 guys got on stage fingering their laptops, one with a balaclava, one with a fencing mask, the last indistinct in the gloom. I couldn't work out why it was a 3 man job, but to give them some credit they did make a formidable presentation.
Whilst the label output has dubstep flavours alongside the oldskool, in the live setting it was all about the jungle. Dark and often interrupted by atmospheric breakdowns. Perhaps this style doesn't manage the intensity and raw malevolence of drum & bass but its no less a product of urban frustration. Some dirt and toughness was absent (probably because they've had their stuff mastered properly, unlike the most junglists in '94), but essential listening for fans of Burial and the like.
With an hour to go there was plenty of space on the floor, a shame to see that but this was some brave programming: techno, electronica and jungle is more than many people can stomach. But with Sequence announcing that their last party will be in November, Faktion may be left to satisfy the cities appetite for forward thinking music.
Michael Curtis
Refusing to be just another techno night in Manchester, Faktion called in the superlative T++ and the bewildering Hate Soundsystem.
Residents Padro and Connor were on warm up duties, showing they collect only the finest techno à la Berghain. The main hall was kept as dark as possible, presumably as an effort to evoke memories of warehouse parties and to emphasise its all about the music: no light show to dazzle, no smoke machine. Not much chance of seeing who your dancing next to either. Away from the bars of central Manchester, the School of Sound Recording was never rammed, but was suitably busy for the set by T++.
A Berlin old boy who's early releases surfaced on Chain Reaction and his own DIN label in 1995, T++ is a relatively new project for Torsten Profock. He's also part of Robert Henke's Monolake project, replacing Ableton CEO Gerhard Behles. With Henke also part of the SW development team at Ableton, I reckon I can guess what was running on the T++ laptop.
He played for an hour at Faktion, his diffuse, reverb drenched sound building in intensity. No place for chords or melody here, the trappings of conventional music discarded and forgotten. Just a bulk of metallic sound. Driven by the 130 bpm tempo, his programming swallows the more familiar patterns of techno, dubstep and electro to make something thoroughly modern, and with an aesthetic that surely demonstrates how vital electronic music is culturally today. Its also excellent dance music. Does sound a lot like Monolake.
The Hate Soundsystem crew mounted the stage to finish off the night. A good deal of hype has surrounded this project: press releases talk of a carload full of DAT tapes with unreleased 91-94 hardcore tracks handed over to the label in Sowerby Bridge, presumably on a dark and stormy night under the auspices of the wicked witch of West Yorkshire. For tonight's show we had 3 guys got on stage fingering their laptops, one with a balaclava, one with a fencing mask, the last indistinct in the gloom. I couldn't work out why it was a 3 man job, but to give them some credit they did make a formidable presentation.
Whilst the label output has dubstep flavours alongside the oldskool, in the live setting it was all about the jungle. Dark and often interrupted by atmospheric breakdowns. Perhaps this style doesn't manage the intensity and raw malevolence of drum & bass but its no less a product of urban frustration. Some dirt and toughness was absent (probably because they've had their stuff mastered properly, unlike the most junglists in '94), but essential listening for fans of Burial and the like.
With an hour to go there was plenty of space on the floor, a shame to see that but this was some brave programming: techno, electronica and jungle is more than many people can stomach. But with Sequence announcing that their last party will be in November, Faktion may be left to satisfy the cities appetite for forward thinking music.
Michael Curtis
Krucht & Flucht @ the Ruby Lounge, Manchester UK, 26/09/08
Joseph Capriati/Massi DL/Lucio Aquilina
Krucht & Flucht, introducing themselves to the Manchester club scene, invited the new generation of Naples techno artists to Manchester; Joseph Capriati, Massi DL and Lucio Aquilina. Capriati has been in the vanguard of Italy's resurgent techno movement, and releases by all three have been charting with DJs throughout Europe.
Lucio Aquilina, the first of the trio to perform, struggled to keep the [frankly underwhelming] crowd on the dance floor with his Ableton set. I'd be more inclined to complain about the young crowd than the quality of music. Capriati followed and, playing a traktor scratch DJ set, might have been expected to play a more varied set than Aquilina managed in his live set. Unfortunately not - he started well but struggled to build things up in his set.
Ruby Lounge itself is an attractive club with plush sofas tucked away here and there, the kind of place that has an unimpressive soundsystem and outrageous prices at the bar. Not an obvious place to run a seemingly student focussed night, but the low ceiling and the compartmentalised layout helped encourage the atmosphere. Tucked away at the back was a second room, but with half a soundsytem (ie no bass) and uninspired minimal selections this was pretty much a waste of time.
Massi DL closed the show and in badass atyle, getting straight down to business with some booty-shaking house. Playing with Traktor and a midi controller, there were some avoidably slack mixes but it was just too funk for anyone to care. If DJ Sneak traded in his Chevrolet for an Alfo Romero, this is probably what it would sound like.
As they are 3 of the youngest artists on the scene today, and known for their quality productions rather than their live performances, I think the best is yet to come from the new Neapolitan techno mafia.
Michael Curtis
http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=5540
Krucht & Flucht, introducing themselves to the Manchester club scene, invited the new generation of Naples techno artists to Manchester; Joseph Capriati, Massi DL and Lucio Aquilina. Capriati has been in the vanguard of Italy's resurgent techno movement, and releases by all three have been charting with DJs throughout Europe.
Lucio Aquilina, the first of the trio to perform, struggled to keep the [frankly underwhelming] crowd on the dance floor with his Ableton set. I'd be more inclined to complain about the young crowd than the quality of music. Capriati followed and, playing a traktor scratch DJ set, might have been expected to play a more varied set than Aquilina managed in his live set. Unfortunately not - he started well but struggled to build things up in his set.
Ruby Lounge itself is an attractive club with plush sofas tucked away here and there, the kind of place that has an unimpressive soundsystem and outrageous prices at the bar. Not an obvious place to run a seemingly student focussed night, but the low ceiling and the compartmentalised layout helped encourage the atmosphere. Tucked away at the back was a second room, but with half a soundsytem (ie no bass) and uninspired minimal selections this was pretty much a waste of time.
Massi DL closed the show and in badass atyle, getting straight down to business with some booty-shaking house. Playing with Traktor and a midi controller, there were some avoidably slack mixes but it was just too funk for anyone to care. If DJ Sneak traded in his Chevrolet for an Alfo Romero, this is probably what it would sound like.
As they are 3 of the youngest artists on the scene today, and known for their quality productions rather than their live performances, I think the best is yet to come from the new Neapolitan techno mafia.
Michael Curtis
http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=5540
Cologne Rolls - interview with Riley Reinhold and Jacqueline Klein (Traum Schallplatten/Trapez/MBF)
With the spotlight focussed on Berlin, the importance of Cologne on the international techno scene is often overlooked. However, before DJ's started flocking to Berlin record labels like Traum Schallplatten and Trapez were redefining German house and techno music, and in the process helping to bring a new generation of dance artists from underground clubs to living rooms and mainstream music magazines worldwide. Traffic wanted to find out what's special about Cologne, so Michael Curtis met the Traum label owners Jacqueline and Riley Reinhold to learn more.
The city of Cologne in western Germany (named Köln on the Germans own maps) has been home to some of the most renowned techno artists and labels. Many still remain there, resisting the magnetic pull Germany's capital has on those devoted to electronic music. Labels such as the groundbreaking Kompakt, with its a shop and distribution business; tech house imprints like Treibstoff, Platzhirsch and Boxer Sport; Sender and Areal, with their uniquely trippy techno sound; and the internationally renowned Traum Schallplatten. The Kompakt label, with its shop and distribution business, has done more than any to spread the Cologne sound worldwide, along with Traum's melodic, thoughtful releases and the dancefloor friendly cuts of sub-label Trapez.
Founded by the husband and wife team of Riley and Jacqueline Reinhold in 1998, Traum and its sub labels (Trapez, Trapez Ltd, My Best Friend and MBF Ltd) now have over 300 releases behind them.
As much a home to avant-garde electronic music as dance floor rockers in its early years, Traum was one of the first European labels to work with South American artists. They've had success with producers like Gabriel Ananda and Minilogue, and have introduced people like Dominik Eulberg, Dinky, Ryan Crosson and Burnski to the world. Having spent 7 years writing reviews for music magazine De:bug, its no surprise that Riley has an ear for a good beat.
I meet the Traum bosses in relaxed mood at their spacious offices. Locally based producers come and go talking mastering and promotion with Steve Barnes, the labels promotions manager and the man behind Process and Cosmic Sandwich. When I ask why a guy from Brighton is doing their promo in Cologne they start to talk about how things work there.”He’s the boyfriend of my sister,” Jacqueline explains. “ My sister studied in Brighton so they got to know each other then… Cologne people are still very family orientated, smaller companies and indie companies.” Many of the labels started as collaborations between family and close friends, and have endured that way through growth and success.
Riley emphasises the strong indie background of the city. “I would say the key word for the whole techno scene in Cologne is that do-it-yourself, where usually we don’t have a producer or something. I mean the producer is often a DJ, and is doing the artwork, and is doing the music and producing and sometimes he is also doing the mastering.”
Riley and Jacqueline met in the early 90’s when Riley was running raves, and she was soon involved with the running of the parties, hosting a second room where she could spin ambient records. “It was a soundsystem called Cosmic Orgasm which we used to do for 7 years, me and Sascha Kösch who is now head of De:bug magazine,” Riley recalls.
The rave scene wasn't restricted to Cologne - underground raves were going off across Germany in the early 90's - but they were important for the developing Cologne sound. Back then it was the only way you could run an all night party, and was a necessary opposition to the mainstream, commercial clubs. The out of town environment had an influence on the developing sound. "We had lots of freedom, we could experiment," says Riley. "There was no threat because we were organising our own parties where we were also the DJ's, so I think this is super important for Cologne because we all had lots of freedom.
“I started in ’89 to make parties and there were 2 or 3 other people [running soundsystems] in town so we make raves in industrial spaces and other places. At that time Kompakt didn’t have a soundsystem - Wolfgang Voigt was producing music, Jorg Burger was producing music but they were not involved with the party scene. So we were 3 or 4 soundsystems and we were getting all the early records from Wolfgang."
The name of Wolfgang Voigt is often mentioned. A prolific producer, he founded the Profan, Studio 1 and Auftrieb labels which preceded Kompakt, and his releases, under many aliases, have been the driving force for all these labels. Lately he has been able to take a back seat, but in the early days Profan had only the music of Wolfgang and his brother Reinhard to release. As a producer he has probably done more than any to shape the Cologne sound - though in the confines of their scene it is impossible for anyone to work in isolation. "We were all influencing each other in the middle of the 90's," comments Riley.
DJ's have had people dancing in Cologne since the start of the 80's, with a strong disco scene up to 1985 led by one of the sons of famous electronic music composer Karlheinz Stockhausen. Aside from a few dusty tapes not much has survived from this era. In '88 they were directly exposed to the burgeoning acid house scene. With EMI records German HQ there, people like Marshall Jefferson flew in from the US.
Riley had previously been heavily into new wave, and had a strong connection to the north of England with his passion for bands like Joy Division and the Fall (he fondly remembers spending a whole day with Mark E Smith when they toured Germany.) So while Cologne was experiencing its very own 'summer of love' he also visited Manchester's infamous Hacienda club, and fell irretrievably for techno.
Through the 90's the scene developed on the back of an intimate group of producers and promoters, who went on to make some great music and found successful music labels, shops and magazines. Back then they were religiously attending nights like the midweek sessions at the Liquid Sky club. Riley says, "We were always there, like every Wednesday I think it was, and we were all there in the middle of the week. You know, fuck it, Thursday, Friday, go to work, fuck it, just enjoy the music and everything was very unprofessional but super quality music and nice people. Eventually its business, nowadays all of the labels grow into companies. Its a lot of responsibility, we employ people."
Electronic music in Cologne blossomed and by the end of the 90's its distinguished producers and far reaching record labels gained global recognition. Distinct from the movements in other German cities, Jacqueline speaks of it being "very west orientated, where Berlin is more east orientated. Its also very close to the borders." As close to Paris as it is to Berlin, its much quicker to get to Brussels or Amsterdam than it is to reach the capital. Mentioning Napolean's occupation of Cologne, Riley suggests that historically it is almost a Franco-German city, and attributes a laissez-faire attitude to the influence of their neighbours. Like Berlin, it has a reputation for being a very liberal and tolerant city.
While their dance scene is now well established, compared to what's happening in Berlin it's tiny. The capital has its advantages and Jacqueline admits to have considered relocating. "You've got more people and more artists there, you meet up in clubs which you don't do here... you always meet the same people, in Berlin you probably always meet different people."
With not only their family but many of their artists still based in Cologne there would be too much for them to lose it they left. "Some people are coming back from Berlin, their dreams are scattered and they go home, go back to their hometown because they see there is a lot there," Riley observes. "I don't know how much Berlin can still take, this is a question, so I think we are quite happy here."
As I'm preparing to leave, seeing Riley animated as he and Patrice Baumel enthusiastically skip through CDs, I have to conclude that whatever might make the scene in Cologne unique, some things are the same everywhere. Those people who are passionate about their sound always stand out, and after 10 years there's still no shortage of enthusiasm at the Traum offices.
Michael Curtis
The city of Cologne in western Germany (named Köln on the Germans own maps) has been home to some of the most renowned techno artists and labels. Many still remain there, resisting the magnetic pull Germany's capital has on those devoted to electronic music. Labels such as the groundbreaking Kompakt, with its a shop and distribution business; tech house imprints like Treibstoff, Platzhirsch and Boxer Sport; Sender and Areal, with their uniquely trippy techno sound; and the internationally renowned Traum Schallplatten. The Kompakt label, with its shop and distribution business, has done more than any to spread the Cologne sound worldwide, along with Traum's melodic, thoughtful releases and the dancefloor friendly cuts of sub-label Trapez.
Founded by the husband and wife team of Riley and Jacqueline Reinhold in 1998, Traum and its sub labels (Trapez, Trapez Ltd, My Best Friend and MBF Ltd) now have over 300 releases behind them.
As much a home to avant-garde electronic music as dance floor rockers in its early years, Traum was one of the first European labels to work with South American artists. They've had success with producers like Gabriel Ananda and Minilogue, and have introduced people like Dominik Eulberg, Dinky, Ryan Crosson and Burnski to the world. Having spent 7 years writing reviews for music magazine De:bug, its no surprise that Riley has an ear for a good beat.
I meet the Traum bosses in relaxed mood at their spacious offices. Locally based producers come and go talking mastering and promotion with Steve Barnes, the labels promotions manager and the man behind Process and Cosmic Sandwich. When I ask why a guy from Brighton is doing their promo in Cologne they start to talk about how things work there.”He’s the boyfriend of my sister,” Jacqueline explains. “ My sister studied in Brighton so they got to know each other then… Cologne people are still very family orientated, smaller companies and indie companies.” Many of the labels started as collaborations between family and close friends, and have endured that way through growth and success.
Riley emphasises the strong indie background of the city. “I would say the key word for the whole techno scene in Cologne is that do-it-yourself, where usually we don’t have a producer or something. I mean the producer is often a DJ, and is doing the artwork, and is doing the music and producing and sometimes he is also doing the mastering.”
Riley and Jacqueline met in the early 90’s when Riley was running raves, and she was soon involved with the running of the parties, hosting a second room where she could spin ambient records. “It was a soundsystem called Cosmic Orgasm which we used to do for 7 years, me and Sascha Kösch who is now head of De:bug magazine,” Riley recalls.
The rave scene wasn't restricted to Cologne - underground raves were going off across Germany in the early 90's - but they were important for the developing Cologne sound. Back then it was the only way you could run an all night party, and was a necessary opposition to the mainstream, commercial clubs. The out of town environment had an influence on the developing sound. "We had lots of freedom, we could experiment," says Riley. "There was no threat because we were organising our own parties where we were also the DJ's, so I think this is super important for Cologne because we all had lots of freedom.
“I started in ’89 to make parties and there were 2 or 3 other people [running soundsystems] in town so we make raves in industrial spaces and other places. At that time Kompakt didn’t have a soundsystem - Wolfgang Voigt was producing music, Jorg Burger was producing music but they were not involved with the party scene. So we were 3 or 4 soundsystems and we were getting all the early records from Wolfgang."
The name of Wolfgang Voigt is often mentioned. A prolific producer, he founded the Profan, Studio 1 and Auftrieb labels which preceded Kompakt, and his releases, under many aliases, have been the driving force for all these labels. Lately he has been able to take a back seat, but in the early days Profan had only the music of Wolfgang and his brother Reinhard to release. As a producer he has probably done more than any to shape the Cologne sound - though in the confines of their scene it is impossible for anyone to work in isolation. "We were all influencing each other in the middle of the 90's," comments Riley.
DJ's have had people dancing in Cologne since the start of the 80's, with a strong disco scene up to 1985 led by one of the sons of famous electronic music composer Karlheinz Stockhausen. Aside from a few dusty tapes not much has survived from this era. In '88 they were directly exposed to the burgeoning acid house scene. With EMI records German HQ there, people like Marshall Jefferson flew in from the US.
Riley had previously been heavily into new wave, and had a strong connection to the north of England with his passion for bands like Joy Division and the Fall (he fondly remembers spending a whole day with Mark E Smith when they toured Germany.) So while Cologne was experiencing its very own 'summer of love' he also visited Manchester's infamous Hacienda club, and fell irretrievably for techno.
Through the 90's the scene developed on the back of an intimate group of producers and promoters, who went on to make some great music and found successful music labels, shops and magazines. Back then they were religiously attending nights like the midweek sessions at the Liquid Sky club. Riley says, "We were always there, like every Wednesday I think it was, and we were all there in the middle of the week. You know, fuck it, Thursday, Friday, go to work, fuck it, just enjoy the music and everything was very unprofessional but super quality music and nice people. Eventually its business, nowadays all of the labels grow into companies. Its a lot of responsibility, we employ people."
Electronic music in Cologne blossomed and by the end of the 90's its distinguished producers and far reaching record labels gained global recognition. Distinct from the movements in other German cities, Jacqueline speaks of it being "very west orientated, where Berlin is more east orientated. Its also very close to the borders." As close to Paris as it is to Berlin, its much quicker to get to Brussels or Amsterdam than it is to reach the capital. Mentioning Napolean's occupation of Cologne, Riley suggests that historically it is almost a Franco-German city, and attributes a laissez-faire attitude to the influence of their neighbours. Like Berlin, it has a reputation for being a very liberal and tolerant city.
While their dance scene is now well established, compared to what's happening in Berlin it's tiny. The capital has its advantages and Jacqueline admits to have considered relocating. "You've got more people and more artists there, you meet up in clubs which you don't do here... you always meet the same people, in Berlin you probably always meet different people."
With not only their family but many of their artists still based in Cologne there would be too much for them to lose it they left. "Some people are coming back from Berlin, their dreams are scattered and they go home, go back to their hometown because they see there is a lot there," Riley observes. "I don't know how much Berlin can still take, this is a question, so I think we are quite happy here."
As I'm preparing to leave, seeing Riley animated as he and Patrice Baumel enthusiastically skip through CDs, I have to conclude that whatever might make the scene in Cologne unique, some things are the same everywhere. Those people who are passionate about their sound always stand out, and after 10 years there's still no shortage of enthusiasm at the Traum offices.
Michael Curtis
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
