Format: LP (Pink Coloured Vinyl)

Tracklist:
TOO CUTE
HEART OF LEAD (TAKE IT OFF!!!)
MANIAC [ft. Princess Rani]
LEO’S SONG (THE SOCIAL MEDIA GUY)
WHERE HAVE I BEEN ALL MY LIFE [ft. Bugle Boy]
STAY WID DE MONEY (GO HOME!!!)
FOOTYLICIOU$
THE BOMB (IS IT THE TEAR GAS OR BABE ARE YOU)
SUKC MY DIKC
VIP PARTIES
AN OLD COUNTRY BALLAD
BEST DJ EVER (I’M THE!!!)

In a world of division, BEÃTFÓØT’s delayed second album is as an invitation to unite at a utopian celebration of life. Originally scheduled for release in October 2023 but postponed due to the ongoing Israel/Palestine war, the intrinsically-political ‘TOO CUTE’ has taken on more prominence than the Tel Aviv duo of Udi Naor and Adi Bronicki could have imagined.
“It's more urgent than ever for us to share this now, even though the album has been ready for a while,” says producer Naor. “BEÃTFÓØT are against any war, and believe that people should talk and not use violence - never,” he adds vehemently. “We feel the pain of Palestinians and Israeli loss of life, and are devastated by it. We hope the war will be finished soon and that peace and prosperity will come soon for both sides.”
While both Naor and vocalist Bronicki have been active in protests, charity work and community efforts over the past year - explicitly against the current government in Israel - such values of peace, acceptance, coexistence, inclusiveness and anti-hate from all sides are further instilled in the songs that form ‘TOO CUTE’.
“We're really trying to highlight that there are people here working tirelessly for a brighter future for our ill kids and our neighbour’s kids,” adds Naor, who is also co-founder of techno duo Red Axes. Having had to flee the country with his family, it’s through music that Naor and Bronicki have found hope.
In light of such conflict, the multi-layered yet sonically-bonkers record also enables escapism, which is needed more now than ever. Following their self-titled 2021 debut (released on DJ Tennis’ label Life and Death), ‘TOO CUTE’ is a refreshingly-ridiculous dark-rave rollercoaster which careers between hard-dance, big-beat, post-punk, techno, hyperpop, country and everything in between.
Things blast off at breakneck speed with the chaotic title track’s hyperpop snares, instantly-catchy lyrics (which feel ominously striking considering the war) and a stadium-ready chorus that erupts into rolling breakbeats, punishing EDM and even a nod to The Bloodhound Gang’s ‘The Magic Touch’. Somehow, we’re just three minutes into the record.
The tongue-in-cheek ‘HEART OF LEAD (TAKE IT OFF)’ still bangs despite its silliness, like if Kero Kero Bonito got in the studio with will.i.am. Later, ‘LEO’S SONG (THE SOCIAL MEDIA GUY)’s wittily satirical one-liners - “I just wanna get high with AI” - come thick and fast amid a barrage of glitches and guitars. ‘SUKC MY DIKC !!!’, meanwhile, pairs flute with pulsing hardstyle beats.
While their first record’s experimental explosion captured the pure carnage and energy of the BEÃTFÓØT universe in a conceptual fashion (though remaining polished in its own way), album two is primed to connect with a bigger audience thanks to its pop melodies, structures and songwriting.

Much of ‘TOO CUTE’ was written while the duo toured Europe for the first time, with rough sketches of tracks created in the moment during their incendiary live shows, and then recorded in planes and cars.
If their first record was a case of testing the vibes, album two is more assured and confident within their sonic world. “In the first album, we stepped into the club, metaphorically, and started making eye contact with everyone to figure out the energy,” Bronicki says. “But, this time round, I already had an idea of the story that I wanted to tell to these random people.”
And what is that story? “Radical silliness, or radical fun – that’s the essence of BEÃTFÓØT,” Naor confirms. “What we really want to do is goof around and have fun, and that brings out something very profound and honest,” he explains. A sense of nostalgic freedom is also at the album’s core, thanks to the removal of adult predetermined social constructs that decide how people should behave or look. “There’s a very honest and positive energy in holding onto your childlike wonder and trying to explore that with others,” Bronicki suggests, adding that “the adult world can be so wrong and angering”.
She feels this relates to both the album’s lyrics and the artistic state of mind that the duo always work to: “the goal is to feed a really thought-out and profound idea, but through a playful spoon,” she says. With this in mind, the recurring theme of ‘TOO CUTE’ stems from the duo’s “radical and lived experience of existing in a place that holds a lot of guilt and fear – because death is so imminent and prevalent in a very confronting way”. This is clearly represented on ‘FOOTYLICIOU$’, on which Bronicki screams “someone’s gonna die tonight!” before emphatically shouting “NOT ME!”
The album title is BEÃTFÓØT’s response to that: “We want to be a celebration of life, and that applies to all lives, of all backgrounds, including animals… that’s our guiding light,” Bronicki says.
“We create in the context of living in a country where the current government’s anti-democratic measures are limiting who is included in the celebration of life. Because different people are always being pushed out and excluded: whether it’s queers, Palestinians or people from different religions.”
BEÃTFÓØT - who have found a home among the LGBTQIA+ community - are fighting back against oppression. “We want everybody to come to the party and celebrate life together,” says Naor, setting out his and Bronicki’s mission… “and our goal is to widen that party as wide as it can go.”






Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklist

A1. Love Seeking
A2. Love Seeking – Club Mix
B1. Love Seeking – Âme Remix


The brothers Fognini aka Mind Against return to Life And Death with their new single Love Seeking with a remix from friends and fellow masters of the emotional dancefloor Âme.
It’s fitting that techno storytellers Mind Against should revisit the home of their first EP with a revamped sound and turbo-charged take on current-day disco. Their history with DJ Tennis and Life and Death is almost as old as the label itself, harking back to their days living together in Berlin.
Now the brothers leave behind their signature hypnotic techno palette for a boogie-fied stepper that’s equal parts pop breeze and deep synth trip, full of hopeful anticipation. For the remix, Innervisions duo and cultural tour-de-force Âme twist the knobs and stretch out the heartstrings for an extended slice of big room goosebumps.
In the words of Mind Against themselves:
“10 years after releasing our very first EP Atlant on Life and Death, we’re excited to come back to our first imprint with such a special track and remix by Âme.
We’ve stepped out of our usual comfort zone and done something that can be both linked to our own musical world and to the sounds that Life and Death have evolved in recent years.
Our friendship with DJ Tennis is about as old as the label is, bringing us back to the times we used to share a flat in Kreuzberg. One may say this release is both an ode to the past and to a bright future, full of promises.”




Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

2024 repress

Tracklist:
A1. Amsterdam
B1. Amsterdam - DJ Tennis Remix

Release Info:
Sicilian musician Luigi Orofino delivers his debut single Amsterdam for Life and Death records, due for release on 19th May. The song features regular Erlend Øye collaborators La Comitiva, and comes together with a dancefloor friendly remix by DJ Tennis.
Amsterdam might sound effortless, but the laid-back groove and easy atmosphere that Luigi has conjured up isn’t something you can just pluck out of thin air. It’s taken everyone involved several years of playing together to get just the right marinade of Brazilian rhythm and Mediterranean musicianship. It’s a flavor they’ve mastered while on the road with Erlend Øye as La Comitiva, and their touring schedule has become a way of life. When the travel ban was finally lifted, Luigi headed straight to his friends in Amsterdam, and that freedom to travel once more inspired this song. That trip put the color back into life, and the result was this timeless slice of sunny samba rock.
The song has many collaborators, all operating under the gentle guidance of Luigi. Players from La Comitiva and I Calafatari gelled in the studio, also accompanied by Lucio Aquilina (NuGenea) and Luigi Scialdone (Fitness Forever), while the lyrics were written together with Alberto Locatelli. A breezy piece of Brazilian-tinged funk and easy soul, Amsterdam is more than the sum of its parts - it’s the sound of friends playing together and simply enjoying life.
The single is topped off with a remix by Life and Death chief Manfredi Romano aka DJ Tennis, who boosts the kicks while keeping the loose samba magic. The pair met in Mexico, and the kindred spirits immediately hit it off. After bouncing versions back and forth between Siracusa and also a studio in Paris, the final version was realized, full of floaty Rhodes chords and cavaquinho thrills that will lighten any dance.
It’s a testament to Amsterdam’s catchiness that many of Luigi’s friends are involved - the song is reflected in the people it brings together, and in this sense, it’s as much about the art of encounters as it is about the city.





Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklist

A1. Who Dis
B1. Dance With Your Feet (ACD Mix)


After a 6-year break, a poignant love affair between Life and Death and Marvin & Guy resumes with two catchy but effective tracks that breaks a two-year hiatus from releasing original music.Minimal and purposefully crafted for dancefloors, a departure from the usual emphasis on melodies we all get used to listen from them. This record emerges organically during playful experimentation with just a bass on a synthesizer, preserving its distinctive rhythmic and harmonic changes.The girlfriend's continuous request to play "Who Dis" underscores its contagious allure. Both songs incorporate sounds like shattered glass, opening doors, a whip, and an authentic Formula 1 engine roar – all meticulously recorded specifically for these ideas. There's not really specific creative process beside having fun with synthesizers; it's simply music crafted for the joy of dancing.



Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklist:
A1. Ataxia & Mister Joshooa - Mastermind A2. Ataxia & Mister Joshooa - Doc Rickers B1. Ataxia - Six Days, No Chuck
B2. Ataxia - Keep My Youth
B3. Ataxia - Skatepark
Detroit-based duo Ataxia and Mister Joshooa come together on Life and Death with their new EP 'Mastermind'. The record marks a new installation of Ataxia's punk forward house vibe; however, this time the group has their blinders on - this mini album is 100% dance floor oriented, all suited up to scratch the insatiable itch of the worldwide dance
Starting off strong with 'Mastermind', the collaboration delivers from the second we hit play. The A-side maintains similar elements such as a resonant kick and skipping percussive beats masterfully intertwined with vocals that echo and stutter. Record scratches, cowbell, and classic vocal hits can all be found on the B-side, bringing old-school sounds to the forefront with dynamic, rhythmic grooves.


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklist

A1. Proto Call
B1. Talk To Frank

Release Info:
Semi Delicious label boss Demi Riquísimo is set to release his latest EP via DJ Tennis' renowned Life & Death imprint. The release, entitled the ‘Proto Call’ EP, features a double helping of cross genre, hands in the air jams sure to set the day party and club scene alight this coming summer.
The release opens with the titular ‘Proto Call’. A thoroughly diverse track ‘Proto Call’ melds disco percussion with elements of vintage Italian house, squelching acid and progressive all whilst chugging along with propose, a key feature of many efforts in Life & Death’s back catalog.
On ‘Talk To Frank’ sensual vocals set the tone for this bonafide hip shaker. A rhythm that implores you to dance, an inviting organ top line gives way to subtle acid grooves with both then working in unison over a classic house bass line.
DJ Tennis has long been known for his impeccable taste in music and his ability to spot talent. The pair have shared the stage in a series of recent back to backs and the ‘Proto Call’ EP is another touch point in the burgeoning creative relationship between the pair.






Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklist

A1. Life
B1. Nation

Release Info:
Turkish-Italian multi-instrumentalist and rising music icon Carlita joins forces with German DJ and production duo Andhim to release their debut EP ‘Life’.





Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklist

A1. Cobblestone Jazz & The Mole - Hip Waders
B1. Cobblestone Jazz - Does Yo Mama Know?

Release Info:
The Cobblestone Jazz trio team up with kindred spirit The Mole for a double single of cascading grooves and stretched-out club burners.
It’s been over 20 years since the first Cobblestone Jazz EP, and Danuel Tate, Mathew Jonson, and Tyger Dhula continue to unravel expectations, creating outside-the-box rhythms and shifting, explorative musical structures for the dancers. It’s an approach that has seen them play countless shows at festivals and clubs around the world, while reinventing their style on the fly, and whipping up a timeless blend of classic and modern sounds.

For this single they're joined by friend, bandmate and hypnotic discotheque collagist The Mole. Hip Waders comes from one of the group’s long studio sessions, and this gem of a jam was laid to tape after a couple days of playing. Usually the group likes to set the studio up first (tuning the room, picking their instruments and setting up the patch bay), before exploring and recording musical ideas over the rest of the week. Although bouncing along at 120bpm, Hip Waders still strides into deep waters, courtesy of jazzy, tremolo chords that ripple across its skittish electronic groove, which constantly unfolds across a full 13 minutes.

In contrast, the B-side isn’t so meditative, but rather more classically arranged, and sprinkled with some live passes over the top. Does Yo Mama Know ups the tempo and rolls along on a broken, garage rhythm, before a sweet descending organ progression pulls the pulse into tighter focus. The title is in fact a nod to the Hollywood club that West Coast house pioneer Marques Wyatt did in the mid ‘90s - all about the music and sound, no lights except for those of the 1200s, and a killer vibe.

In this way, the 12” is split along true Cobblestone fault lines - a contrast of long-winding and concise, macro and micro, vintage yet (re)inventive. Cobblestone Jazz and The Mole find the pocket as they always do: those coordinates somewhere between the dance music of the past and the present, while adding a twist to create new, forward-looking versions.






Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklist

A1. Free Bird
A2. Lil Dirty
B1. Speed Meditation
B2. Touched By Silence

Release Info:

High-flying global house and techno torch-bearer Jimi Jules returns with a new EP Free Bird on Life and Death Records.


The four tracks on Free Bird were written during the same sessions as Jimi’s album ‘+’ on Innervisions in 2022, and collected together they’re a summary of what Jimi’s all about - hands-in-the-air anthems, chaotic house bangers, deep burners and contemplative moments all rolled into one release.


Jimi Jules has been turning dancefloors inside out for over 20 years, from festival stages to intimate redlight basements. He’s brought his free-wheeling creative spirit and masters in music to bear on collaborations with Dixon, Âme, Joy Tyson and Tugg The Drummer for labels like Defected, Innervisions, Zukunft, Watergate and many more.


Jimi’s Free Bird EP switches seamlessly from anthemic mood and all-out party to self-reflection and brooding rave noir across 25 transformative minutes. The title track is a acid-tinged floor filler, imploring dancers and the public at large to question the status quo, and “break the rules, in everything you do”. Then Jimi follows his own advice and hands over the controls to his Swiss latino accomplice Lil Dirty, who embraces the chaos with delay effects, scratches and saw waves, for a house grinder that's full of fun and filters.


The euphoria of the A-side is balanced out on the flip with two deeper cuts. Speed Meditation delivers a zoned-out atmosphere over a bouncy percussive groove, while poking fun at the West’s adoption of spiritual practices to deal with the stress of modern living. Touched By Silence rounds off the EP, as Jimi channels his inner dancing Thom Yorke for an urban hymnal complete with a haunted falsetto, on top of a driving beat inspired by the ghost town that was Zurich during the pandemic.


Free Bird is an EP only Jimi Jules could make, operating at the height of his powers after over two decades of making people dance all over the world, where he rips up his own rule book and gets creative on four tracks packed with personality and character.





Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklist:

Ataxia - Detroit Gospel
Ataxia & Andres - Pine Island
Ataxia - Language
Ataxia & Dj Minx – Maxia
Ataxia - Spit In Your Percolator
Ataxia - 98 Degrees
Ataxia - Number Streets
Ataxia - The Formulator
Ataxia - The Pusher
Ataxia & Mister Joshooa - Feels Like
Ataxia – WM
Ataxia - Dance the Bridge

Info:

Having torn up raves for well over a decade, the Detroit duo Rickers and Ted Krisko AKA Ataxia present their debut longplayer ‘Out Of Step’. Featuring guest spots from close peers DJ Minx, Andrés and Mr Joshooa, they twist house, techno, electro, breakbeat and rave into revitalized new shapes; embellished with a touch of soul, funk and hip hop. With backgrounds in hardcore and punk, Ataxia’s debut is suffused with that energy, attitude, and approach; this is raw, lean and unashamedly no-nonsense dance floor tackle that goes straight for the jugular. Heavily analogue, the album experiments with tape saturation, which harks back to the duo’s formative years in bands, recording demos to cassettes. These straight-up, in-the-red tracks give preference to overdriven drum machines, rather than generic polished sheen, but conversely, it’s all deceptively well-crafted too; ‘Out Of Step’ is a standout record that’s big in character, bringing to mind the renegade spirit of Underground Resistance, and the bombastic brilliance of The Prodigy and Chemical Brothers.

Defiantly optimistic despite the state of the world, a “life is good” vocal sample meets minor chords sliding over 808 hats on the exemplary house/techno pumper ‘Detroit Gospel’, before a lighter moment on the album, but no less impactful with its hefty low-end thump, is ‘Pine Island’ featuring Motor City hero Andrés. Together they cook up a Motown-inspired house cut awash with horn swells and backup singers, bouncing to wide swung funk bass, in classic 313 style. ‘Language’ turns the club on its head – busting out one of the most distinct basslines in recent times, and bristling with buzzy, undulating chords, whilst ‘Maxia’ features influential Detroit royalty DJ Minx. Inspired by her classic ‘A Walk In The Park’, with a fat distorted kick and stealthy bass groove, this is low-slung, stripped-back, heads-down coolness. The high-tech funk of ‘Spit In Your Percolator’, is laser-guided in its efficiency, with a strobe-like, increasingly intensifying energy, peppered with clever, tripped up vocal chops. With the next cut, conveyor belt noises and fast churning low-end gives way to a dubbed-out breakdown, on the deep breakbeat roller ‘98 Degrees’. Charged with a blistering, rave intensity, ‘Number Streets’, is a futuristic distorted techno workout that booms through the subs, whilst ‘The Formulator’ mixes filtered snippets, abstract synth noises and melodic bleeps with a bassline echoing Paperclip People’s ‘The Floor’. Closer to the UK definition of hardcore, combining 4/4 and breakbeat, ‘The Pusher’ evokes the spirit of late 80s orbital raves, adding a natty keys solo, and deadly bass used sparingly, for even deadlier effect. ‘Feels Like’ sees Rickers and Ted team up their studiomate and fellow TV Lounge resident and club booker, Mister Joshooa. Inspired by Photek but also almost UKG in style, this breakbeat session is stamped with MJ’s signature chopped vocals and intricate rhythmic interplay. The bubbling, wobbly loose swing of ‘WM’ is constructed around a classic chopped-up MTV cribs sample, with a filtered vocal creating a far out psychedelic effect – all of which is propelled apace by a huge bruising LFO. The LP concludes in fine style with ‘Dance The Bridge’, where bouncy beats and wigged-out keys meet bright, gently uplifting synth chords that bring a clear-skied mood; ending the record as it began, on an optimistic note.

‘Out Of Step’ marks another chapter in the ongoing relationship between Life and Death co-founder DJ Tennis and Ataxia. Their connection goes back to the earliest days of the label, where they played gigs together on some of Tennis’ initial visits to Detroit. It’s a friendship that’s blossomed organically over the last decade through their shared love of punk and hardcore, and led to the fruition of one of Ataxia’s most compelling projects to date. Labels to release Ataxia’s output include legendary Detroit techno imprints Planet E and KMS, plus the seminal American house label Nervous Records. Their catalogue also includes music for Visionquest, Leftroom, 20/20 Vision and Seth Troxler’s Play It Say It.



Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklist:

A1. Bon Trip
A2. Bon Trip – Krystal Klear Remix
B1. Run Run Run featuring Duddha
B2. Run Run Run featuring Duddha – Red Axes Remix

Carlita’s meteoric rise through the electronic music space continues with her impressive new ‘Bon Trip’ EP and also marks her first-ever vinyl release.

The EP kicks off with the title track, a spacey slice of progressive house drenched with a classic-era piano line - it’s exactly what you want to be listening to when the sun rises and sets at your favorite outdoor party. Next, ‘Run Run Run’ immediately kicks into high gear with an irresistible bassline that offsets Duddha’s spiritual, leftfield vocals which help make the track quite the trip. The package is rounded out by two remixes - Krystal Klear offers a punchy, electro-interpretation of the title track while Red Axes dips ‘Run Run Run’ into a vat of acid for their 303-inspired version of the song.

The “Bon Trip EP” comes on the heels of Carlita and DJ Tennis’ incredible remix of Diplo feat. Jungle “Don’t Be Afraid”.




Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklist

A1 Take A Trip
B1 Take A Trip (Ambient Version)

Take a Trip was born of a love of Acid House and wanting to explore my mates 909 & 303!! The way they sing when programmed is mind blowing. There’s magic inside of them that creates something special. From Chicago’s Warehouse to London’s Shoom and Hedonism, Manchester’s Hacienda’s Hot and Nude nights, parties such as R.I.P., Spectrum, Zoo, The Trip, Apocalypse Now, Legends, the State, Rage an Sunrise. It’s a sound that will never fade.

Alan Dixon is back with his first ever acid track and it’s instant love. The disco producer hits the target with no compromise.



Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklist:

A1. Country Classic
B1. Rampage

Release Info:
Ashee’s music fires on all cylinders. Not preoccupied with subtlety, the music punches you on the nose and won’t be ringing you the next day to apologise. A punk ethos pulls together sinister 90s techno energy, rave goosebumps euphoria, and face-twisting garage basslines from the subwoofer of a modified Vauxhall Corsa skidding past a kebab shop.
Country Classic, Ashee’s second EP, holds on to all with an injection of dead-pan fist-pumping EBM on the A-side. “Rampage” the B-side is a DJ’s Swiss Army knife - extremely versatile, from floor-filling warm-up to keeping the dregs in the room at afterparty.




Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklist:
A1 Carte Blanche
B1 Lux Interior

Release Info:
Over recent years Rome-based DJ and producer Whitesquare has earned a reputation for his eclectic and expansive DJ sets and his cosmic approach to his house, techno and disco productions. Following releases on labels including Toy Tonics and 20:20 Vision, along with his own Whitesquare Series and Versione Lenta imprints,
he returns to Life And Death with a fresh EP that’s bursting with summer positivity.
Life And Death’s first release of 2021, 'Discreet Moment Thing' is split into two parts, with a second installment
coming up later this summer. Whereas Whitesquare’s previous offering, 2020’s 'Seventy Days Of Déjà Vu', was a
laid back affair created during the first lockdown period, this latest pair of tracks have been clearly created with
the dancefloor in mind, drawing on influences from classic house music of the late 90s / early 2000s era when the
genre was at its peak dominance of popular culture.
Part one opens up with 'Carte Blanche', giving us a taste of much-needed optimism and dancefloor bliss. On the
flip side, euphoric piano chords and a feel-good bassline shape 'Lux Interior', the ultimate summer jam.


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklist:
A1 Discreet Moment Thing
B1 Lady Cherry

Release Info:
Life And Death begins 2022 as it did 2021, with a new 12" release from Whitesquare. 'Discreet Moment Thing Pt.
2' follows part one with another pair of undeniable dancefloor cuts that draw from the classic electronic music that
has influenced the Rome DJ and producer throughout his career.
On the A-side, 'Discreet Moment Thing' is a modern update of Eighties electronic disco, with inspirations from the
synth pop pioneers of its time especially prevalent through the track's cut up vocals and bassline. On the flip,
'Lady Cherry' draws from the more glamourous purveyors of the 80s synth sound, with its Euro-pop piano
melodies, balearic pads and insistent synth basslines.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

world excl. US

Tracklist:
A1 [SKIP INTRO]
A2 LAŸF
A3 ??? FUN ???
A4 21 GRAM
A5 ? KING~TRÃSH ?
A6 (? ?° ?? ?°)?
A7 ~BÂM~BÁM~BÄM~
A8 BÛLLDØWZER

B1 ÃDINÅMØ
B2 BLÓODFLØW
B3 GRÜFFALØ
B4 TOTALLY SOBER
B5 EXIT THROUGH THE GUILT SHOP

Release Info:
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the Spice Girls smoked crack and joined forces with the Power Rangers on acid? Meet BEÃTFÓØT. These punk-infused electronic poltergeists and big-beat acid trio are Udi Naor, drummer and founding member of electronic duo Red Axes, Adi Bronicki (who also fronts Israeli garage-punk-folk band Deaf Chonky) and ace of all trades guitarist Nimrod Goldfarb.

The band have been launching warped stoner-acid-pop out of Tel Aviv with maniacal intent and are producing post-punk rave bangers that will scorch every dance floor with a huge lethal smile. BEÃTFÓØT are a DIY supergroup who describe themselves as sitting somewhere between Aqua, Beastie Boys and The Prodigy.

Their music endeavours feel akin to being hurtled through a kaleidoscopic waterslide, overflowing with the spirit of 90’s youth culture. The radioactive trio are DJ’s, musicians, songwriters and producers with a diverse range of individual projects and talents, their combined sonics map your journey across the hazy astral spectrum of hip-hop, big beat and rave music. Morph these radioactive pieces with the no nonsense attitude of punk-rock and the venomous spitting flow of golden-era rap and you might just come close to fabricating the freakish sound of BEÃTFÓØT.

The band’s self-titled debut is set for release on 17th September on Manfredi Romano aka DJ Tennis’ Life and Death. Founded in 2010, the imprint curates soulful dance music with a post-rock aesthetic. This refreshingly original and experimental LP from BEÃTFÓØT marks a new direction for Life and Death this year and beyond.

“BEÃTFÓØT” takes unsuspecting listeners on a wild ride of unprecedented musical madness (firmly without seatbelts). Fizzy synthesiser programming stimulates you effervescently through the album like the welcomed sting of sour sweets, surprising accompaniments appear in the form of manipulated vocal lines and quirky samples, all jovially mixed together in a gummy melting pot of wild conceptualisation and starry eyed rhythms.

Thirteen tracks of unprecedented dancefloor mutations send us triumphantly into the candy-covered kingdom of BEÃTFÓØT with open arms and infinite imagery of fanciful gutter-glam escapades. This project fulfills the role of a musical bulldozer, flattening all previous conceptions of what it means to belong to a genre and leaving behind a hot mess trail of anarchic musical fragments in its wake. The undying spirit of the nineties.

With fans that include legendary Irish born singer, songwriter and producer Roisin Murphy, BEÃTFÓØT are a breath of fresh air set to be igniting dancefloors this summer.



Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklist:

A1 Schwarzmann - Octave Two
A2 Prins Thomas - Agua
B1 Byetone - Wheels
B2 Gera Akaté - Mukti
C1 Red Axes - Rasss
C2 Fango - Trattore
D1 Vivian Koch - Find Your Way Out
D2 Luciano Esse - Lost

What is techno? It's a question that might be worth considering in our current world away from the dancefloor, and that which is proposed by DJ Tennis on 'Anthems for No State', a new compilation commemorating ten years of music from Life and Death. A number of the label's most trusted associates offer their sonic answer to Tennis's query on this propulsive yet thoughtful compilation.

"Not all of the artists here are exclusively associated with 'techno', whatever that may be, and everyone took a different direction", explains Manfredi, the international DJ turned-lockdown bicycle repairman. "But in producing something outside of your comfort zone, or experimenting with something you'd never thought about experimenting with, it takes you right back to when you started, and so you have nothing to lose. And it's liberating."

Although 'Anthems for No State' focuses on the potential within one particular sound, it's the perfect anniversary accompaniment to a decade of one of electronic music's more unpredictable institutions. As Tennis himself puts it, "sometimes we failed, sometimes we were successful without ever expecting it, but we always want to keep things interesting within the manifesto of the label."

In this instance, techno is truly a matter of Life and Death.



Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Tracklist:

A1 Goa Kids
A2 Boom Shaki Boom ft. Red Axes
B1 Paradox
B2 Vocus Pocus

Release Info
Israeli artist Kino Todo continues to put himself in the spotlight with an innovative new EP on DJ Tennis's Life And Death that features a track with countrymen Red Axes.

Todo's multicultural sounds on Jenia Tarsol’s and Chaim’s Blue Shadow records, where he released his first ep with hit banger “Gidafi Na” as well as on Moscoman’s Disco Halal have made him one of the most promising new artists in the scene. He is someone with a psyched out style that fuses long, drawn out drum machine rhythms with intoxicating synths as well as influences from prog and rock. His music is colourful and charming and always refreshingly original. His last release, 'Yasmin', was his biggest yet, but this new offering shows another mature evolution for such a young artist.

Opener 'Goa Kids' is a bristling and uplifting arrangement that is always on the move. It comes on strong with a percussive jumble of hits and tambourines that ride in loose fashion over a surging groove. Warm, rich bass pumps down low, enchanting flutes and youthful vocal chants all get you locked and take you on a charming trip. The lively 'Paradox' is a more broken beat, with twisted synths and sci-fi sound effects all underpinned by booming kicks as alien vocals are layered in with sirens and pixelated pads. It is a fantastic collision of musical worlds.

The vital 'Vocus Pocus' is a Middle Eastern rave that overflows with musical imagery, ghoulish vocals, juddering kicks and retro-future synth lasers that prepare you for take off. Last of all, the esteemed Red Axes duo join the party for 'Boom Shaki Boom', a tripped out and freaky cut of Israeli acid techno that is riddled with edgy pads and intergalactic sounds.

These are complex and characterful tracks that draw on a wide range of cultural references and reimagine them as dance floor dynamite.


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Finally: the long awaited Trentemøller debut album - maybe one of the most anticipated independent albums of the year - is ready to be released in October!The danish producer Anders Trentemøller is one of the hottest artists on the electronic circuit - the man of the moment!His 12“es broke many sales-records and he‘s been voted as the shooting star in 2005 by many reader polls.So the time is right to release his debut album The Last Resort“ - a beautifully crafted, astonishing masterpiece, that will leave you breathless. The 13 instrumental tracks together form a wordless musical story, almost like the soundtrack of a movie. It manages to capture a whole range of emotions in subtle melodic miniatures, dreamy ambiences, dusty beats, deep dub-tracks and driving groove-excursions. An ever-changing kaleidoscope of colours and moods, „The Last Resort“ without a doubt contains Trentemøller’s best work to date. Although it’s an electronic album, it also incorporates live-drums, guitars, bass and other acoustic instruments like celesta, glockenspiel, melodica and even DJ scratching to create a more organic feel. „Something I couldn’t manage with just electronica“, according to the producer.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

2018 Reissue, 3LP , Gatefold, Complete Tracklisting 1st Time on Vinyl!
Special vinyl re-issue of Trentemøller's groundbreaking debut album. Includes all of the 13 songs on vinyl for the first time. Triple-vinyl in gatefold sleeve.

Tracklist:
A1. Take Me Into Your Skin
A2. Vamp
B1. Evil Dub
B2. Always Something Better
C1. While the Cold Winter Waiting
C2. Nightwalker
D1. Like Two Strangers
D2. The Very Last Resort
E1. Snowflake
E2. Chameleon
F1. Into The Trees (Serenetti Part 3)
F2. Moan
F3. Miss You

Special vinyl re-issue of Trentemøller's groundbreaking debut album. Includes all of the 13 songs on vinyl for the first time. Triple-vinyl in gatefold sleeve.
Trentemøller's debut album remains one of the few genre-defining and groundbreaking
albums in many regards. It's still being praised for its composition and sounddesign alike and sounds as fresh and breathtaking today as it did when it was originally released in 2006.
The Last Resort - a beautifully crafted, astonishing masterpiece, that will leave you breathless. The 13
instrumental tracks together form a wordless musical story, almost like the soundtrack of a movie. It
manages to capture a whole range of emotions in subtle melodic miniatures, dreamy ambiences, dusty beats, deep dub-tracks and driving groove-excursions. An ever-changing kaleidoscope of colours and moods. Although it's an electronic album, it also incorporates live-drums, guitars, bass and other acoustic instruments like celesta, glockenspiel, melodica and even DJ scratching to create a more organic feel. The album received fantastic acclaim from both music fans and journalists around the world and made it into the top-lists of the month, the year, the decade - alongside an array of awards for best production or best album.
Back in 2006, the original pressing only included a selection of songs from the original 13-track album release. It missed out on songs which had been released on singles or didn't "fit" on the so called "vinyl edition". Due to 'public demand' and simply because this album deserves a proper vinyl
release we are happy to finally present, for the first time, the full album on vinyl. It spans of three vinyl discs and is packed in a beautiful gatefold sleeve which also holds a download-code. The recut has been carefully crafted from first generation, orignal masters by Calyx in Berlin. Since the album has been praised for its fantastic sound the primary directive was to cut the lacquers for the re-issue so that they would sound exactly the same as the original release, which has been the CD version of the album. No 'digital remastering' or any other alterations have been applied.
All 13 songs of the classic album on one vinyl release for the first time. Triple-Vinyl edition. Gatefold sleeve. download code. original sound-quality. NO digital remastering.



Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

2LP

A1. HYbr:ID Noh Talk
A2. HYbr:ID Sync Dark
A3. HYbr:ID Noh Human
B1. HYbr:ID Sync Inter
B2. HYbr:ID Collective Open
B3. HYbr:ID Obsessive Behaviour Day
B4. HYbr:ID Obsessive Behaviour Night
C1. HYbr:ID Para Contamination
C2. HYbr:ID Script Solitude
C3. HYbr:ID Script Sacre Drone
D1. HYbr:ID Script Broken Conversation
D2. HYbr:ID Rehuman
D3. HYbr:ID Épilogue




For an aesthetic of (dis)obedience. The impressions Richard Siegal and his company Ballet of Difference gathered on a trip to Japan in September 2022 now find their way into a full-length dance evening. Siegal and his team had set off for Tokyo to learn the practice of Shuudan Koudou, also known as "Japanese Precision Walking". The strictly synchronised group choreographies are astonishing in their radical stringency and have become a secret YouTube hit, not least because of their peculiar subtle humour. Siegal recognises in the extreme disciplining of the bodies an analogy to the training practice of classical ballet. In the mutual exchange of these movement cultures, questions are raised about individual and collective thinking, about personal decision-making power and social responsibility. For this extraordinary project, Richard Siegal has invited a special guest: Nazareth Panadero, long-time companion of Pina Bausch, who has long since become an icon of Wuppertal dance theatre and will be on stage with the BoD ensemble.

The production BALLET OF (DIS)OBEDIENCE is sponsored by Goethe Institut, with the kind support of Sissel GmbH.
CHOREOGRAPHY & STAGE: RICHARD SIEGAL
COSTUME: FLORA MIRANDA
LIGHT & VIDEO: MATTHIAS SINGER
MUSIC: ALVA NOTO
DRAMATURGY: TOBIAS STAAB

more info to: Shuudan koudou

'Shuudan koudou' Shuudan Koudou Is the Japanese #art of Synchronized Precision ...YouTube · Boson TV: Tech Marvels & Cool Discoveries22 Dec 2022

Kottke.org https://kottke.org › shuudan-koud...Shuudan Koudou Is the Japanese Art of Synchronized Precision Walking


On the other hand, hybrid 3 is inspired by Noh Play - Japanese performances and deals with the refusal of rules musically, hybrid three continues the two previous albums and weaves both rhythmic and beatless musical pieces into a holistic work.
The idea for me has always been that these albums are not only perceived as individual tracks, but as a whole piece, which is why I find the possibility of experiencing and listening to these albums in the right order and as a whole particularly important. For me, the pieces are not only closely related to the ballet that was created for them, but also function as individual pieces as pure, musical pieces and mark a new quality for me, which is very strongly focussed on producing electronic sounds and structures in such a way that they can develop a sculptural quality.






















Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Track list:
A1 Piano Lick
A2 - 8 -
B1 Glory
B2 Purple Winds
B3 Nan Madol

Release Info:
Our second release this year yet again explores the deep side genres of electronic music and deep house.
The man SMBD aka Simbad has been on our wish list for quite a while now and we are super delighted that
It finally worked out to welcome him for a full release on our label after his contribution to the first Dampé Ep
we did last year. After a string of releases on labels like Apron, Freerange and BBE there is not much introduction
needed for this house veteran.
These five tracks range from soulful house to darker break beat material and ambient soundscapes. Especially the
great title track “Purple Winds” is a beautiful emotional piece of music. The closing track “Man Madol” for us is
very reminiscent to early Detroit electronic music. “Piano Lick” and “Glory” are packed with soul, funk, disco and
basically just good times on the dancefloor while the moody and acid break beat excursion “ – 8 – “ is winding
deeper and deeper and deeper …
Not much more needed to be said here, we will let the music speak and let you enjoy these excellent tunes!



Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

In an unprecedented international collaboration, Energy Exchange Records presents 'The Napoli Exchange' - the brainchild of Energy Exchange Records co-founders, Lewis and Ziggy, joining forces with producer and label boss Federico Gallotti (Tartelet / La Scimmia), the project was inspired by numerous visits to Naples, allured by the mediterranean breeze and of course the underground disco and funk forged by labels such as Early Sounds and Periodica Records. This meeting of minds created an opportunity to build bridges from the historic Italian city to the broader european scene of club crossover music.

A1. Juno, Minerva, Venus e Fortuna
A2. Napoli Fresca
A3. A Pusteggia
A4. Holding Your Heart
B1. Seratina
B2.Cavalluccio Rosso
B3. Hurting Lies
B4. Girovago
B5. Controra


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Roman Flügel presents: Sister Midnight!

Special Remarks : Triple Vinyl in Gatefold Sleeve

Tracklist
A1. Pattern 1
A2. Pattern 2
A3. Pattern 3
B1. Pattern 4
B2. Pattern 5
B3. Pattern 6
C1. Pattern 7
C2. Pattern 8
C3. Pattern 9
D1. Pattern 10
D2. Pattern 11
E1. Pattern 12
E2. Pattern 13
E3. Pattern 14
F1. Pattern 15
F2 Pattern 16 (Bonus)
F3. Pattern 17 (Bonus)

Shortinfo:
Roman Flügel presents: Sister Midnight!
What started as a party series that saw Roman inviting friends and favorites is turning into a full-fledged label adventure now. Shaped to be the vehicle for old and new Roman Flügel music alike, unreleased surprises and previously released sure shots from the archives, it’s the first time after his involvement in the seminal Playhouse and Klang label universe, that he tends to such an enterprise himself - with the help and support of Running Back records.
Now, the journey of Roman Flügel’s own Sister Midnight label starts with the valuable Tracks On Delivery series. Originally released on the third jewel in the Playhouse crown (Ongaku Musik) from 2000 to 2002, it’s a meditation on and contemplation of techno. Remastered, recut and repackaged as a triple vinyl edition with the addition of two previously unreleased „Patterns“. Pristine sound design, hypnotic wizardry and dry then architecture let all of them appear as if they haven’t aged a day.
Or as Roman says himself:
“I’ve always tried to push myself into new territories since I started music production. Those new territories can surely be achieved by the endless possibilities of inspiration, chaos and will power. At the time of the production of my Pattern series as under the name Tracks On Delivery I was highly inspired by some of Andrew Weatherall’s Techno sets while visiting London for some of his Blood Sugar Parties. Tracks On Delivery is unthinkable without the crude ‚germanic‘ mixture of Detroit labels like Jay Denham’s Black Nation and Weatherall’s own UK Techno imprints like Emissions Output. The Pattern Series, back then created for the Frankfurt based Ongaku Musik label, and now I am very happy to be able to release 15 original Patterns along two unreleased Patterns on my own Sister Midnight label.“



Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

REPRESS

CD - RE MASTER - Part of the V.I.R.U.S series

2. GENRE/S: Ambient/ Electronic

3. Info
Pioneers in their own musical approaches, Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto, began their exploration of sound in the evocatively titled V.I.R.U.S series in 2002. After more than a decade from the release of the collection's final installment with "Summvs" in 2011, NOTON reissues all the five albums between June and October 2022.

With its impressionistic atmosphere, in this collaborative project two generations met and shared the idea of electronic music as an inspiration source for new musical structures. Over a series of five albums, Vrioon (2002),Insen (2005), Revep (2006), utp_ (2008), and summvs (2011), the duo have explored blending electronic and acoustic sounds into a meditative whole that is at once expressive, breathing and precision-engineered.

Remastered in collaboration with Calyx Mastering, the recordings of Vrioon, Insen, Revep, Utp_, and Summvs are made available on vinyl and CD under the title 'reMASTER, accompanied by exclusive, unreleased compositions and housed in a beautifully designed sleeve with original cover art by Carsten Nicolai.

In November 2022, a dedicated, limited edition cardboard slipcase will be available as a separate item from the V.I.R.U.S. LPs/CDs.

4. TRACKLISTS:

CD Tracklisting:
---------------------------------------------------------
Medium: 1 // Side: // Track: 1

Artist: Alva Noto; Ryuichi Sakamoto
Title: Uoon I
Playtime: 00:13:50
---------------------------------------------------------
Medium: 1 // Side: // Track: 2

Artist: Alva Noto; Ryuichi Sakamoto
Title: Uoon II
Playtime: 00:09:40

---------------------------------------------------------
Medium: 1 // Side: // Track: 3

Artist: Alva Noto; Ryuichi Sakamoto
Title: Duoon
Playtime: 00:05:47
---------------------------------------------------------
Medium: 1 // Side: // Track: 4

Artist: Alva Noto; Ryuichi Sakamoto
Title: Noon
Playtime: 00:10:12

---------------------------------------------------------
Medium: 1 // Side: // Track: 5

Artist: Alva Noto; Ryuichi Sakamoto
Title: Trioon I
Playtime: 00:05:08
---------------------------------------------------------
Medium: 1 // Side: // Track: 6

Artist: Alva Noto; Ryuichi Sakamoto
Title: Trioon II
Playtime: 00:09:57

---------------------------------------------------------
Medium: 1 // Side: // Track: 7

Artist: Alva Noto; Ryuichi Sakamoto
Title: Landscape Skizze
Playtime: 00:08:12
---------------------------------------------------------


Ò LP Tracklisting:
---------------------------------------------------------
Medium: 1 // Side: A // Track: 1

Artist: Alva Noto; Ryuichi Sakamoto
Title: Uoon I
Playtime: 00:13:50

---------------------------------------------------------
Medium: 1 // Side: A // Track: 2

Artist: Alva Noto; Ryuichi Sakamoto
Title: Uoon II
Playtime: 00:09:40
---------------------------------------------------------
Medium: 1 // Side: B // Track: 1

Artist: Alva Noto; Ryuichi Sakamoto
Title: Duoon
Playtime: 00:05:47


---------------------------------------------------------
Medium: 1 // Side: B // Track: 2

Artist: Alva Noto; Ryuichi Sakamoto
Title: Noon
Playtime: 00:10:12
---------------------------------------------------------
Medium: 2 // Side: C // Track: 1

Artist: Alva Noto; Ryuichi Sakamoto
Title: Trioon I
Playtime: 00:05:08

---------------------------------------------------------
Medium: 2 // Side: C // Track: 2

Artist: Alva Noto; Ryuichi Sakamoto
Title: Trioon II
Playtime: 00:09:57

---------------------------------------------------------
Medium: 2 // Side: D // Track: 1

Artist: Alva Noto; Ryuichi Sakamoto
Title: Landscape Skizze
Playtime: 00:08:12


Composer: Carsten Nicolai, Ryuichi Sakamoto
All tracks: Composer: Carsten Nicolai, Ryuichi Sakamoto



Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

2 x 12”, black vinyl, 4C gatefold
My studio is my shelter, I feel comfortable there, surrounded by wonderful inspiring machines. A small cosy room where ideas emerge, mature, morph, and solidify into their final shape. 'Studio' is the result of spending time in that space. The album's intention is simple: Presenting a beautiful personal musical journey. The creative process in itself matters to me, the interaction with my instruments, the accidental discoveries, the successful execution of a vision and anything in between.
Most of the tracks on this album got revised countless times, and then even more, once I knew in which context and order I wanted to arrange them. I have been living with my music for months now, listening, thinking, changing, diving deeper and deeper into each piece.
I love albums, they are a beautiful long-form format where each part has its place, a journey from the start till the end. Each piece has its own story, its own flavour and history.
Some of them have been with me since a while already. There is material which I created years ago for installations and music derived from previous audiovisual works, all completely ripped apart and rearranged multiple times. During their creation my pieces often turn into something completely different, they repeatedly shift from one state to another until they become solid. What I consider a core element at the beginning might be later discarded completely, and a little detail in the background might become the essence.
Many explorations ended in the trash bin before the results had a chance to be part of 'Studio'. Things did not fall into place, did not feel right.
Other compositions had to fill the void instead, some created quickly in a rush of inspiration, some slowly, shy, questioning their significance. This album did not come into existence in a hurry, it took as long as it needed. I used the time to walk around my creations, to listen to them from the distance, physically, mentally, with friends, in all kinds of different contexts. I tried to understand what I just did. I started to see patterns, hidden motifs, things that were buried in between too many layers of sound. What is essential? What is ornament? I reduced, rearranged, added again.
The closer I got to the final state of 'Studio' the more clarity I found. The inherent doubts and the nagging voices from the inside got more quiet, and a sense of achievement started to manifest itself. More and more details just fell into place. And now it is done. After making electronic music since almost thirty years I don't care anymore about genres, about how to label things. It is music, my own personal music, and that's it. Call it electronica if you wish.
Process Notes
The music on this album has been constructed in Ableton Live. Most of the sounds have been created with my collection of beloved hardware synthesisers and effects, often further processed until something completely different did emerge. Sometimes I spend days in the studio just recording sounds or creating new presets, without already having a composition in mind. A few selected musical instruments contributed significantly to the palette of this album; a New England Digital Synclavier II, which also served as inspiration for the artwork, a Sequential Prophet VS, which is present on all Monolake albums since 1996, a Yamaha SY77, Linn Drum, and the Oberheim Xpander. And then there is Operator in Ableton Live, which I developed in 2004 and still love to use, and a lot of the other effects and instruments in the software. And of course my Granulator III instrument, and the PitchLoop89 audio effect. The final sonic world is often the result of radical processing of these elements, via filtering, pitch shifting, time stretching and other types of processing, both in Live and with my hardware. The good old Alesis Quadraverb deserves an honorary mention here, so does the AMS RMX 16.
Artwork
The cover combines a few complex elements. A composition of various lichen photographs, and a computational noise field that cuts rivers into the structure, where the inner artwork of the album shines through: The inside of the CD package and the gatefold vinyl cover shows a non-existing musical instrument, based on the user interface of the Synclavier II. I've always been fond of its futuristic button matrix with red LEDs, which conjures a sense of nostalgia for early computer systems. But I wanted more than just a photograph of it. Instead, I created a collage that not only consists of its existing controls but also integrated additional features it never possessed, though it might have in a subsequent iteration. In essence, I crafted a vision of a future that never materialized.
Geeky detail: When a Synclavier II is turned on, and the connected mainframe computer did not boot yet, the LEDs in the buttons light up in random patterns. The imaginary version of it does the same.
Track Listing:
01 The Elders Disagree
02 Thru Stalactites
03 Signals
04 Cute Little Aliens
05 Intermezzo
06 Global Transport
07 Stasis Field
08 Prime Lundy
09 Red Alphonso
10 Eclipse

Composed, mixed and produced by Robert Henke 2024..

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More