01. Simple Pleasure 02. Strange Day 03. Need U 04. Mosquito Coast 05. Give Thanks 06. Worn Planet 07. Permanent Love 08. Intensity Dub 09. Log Out 10. Voronoi Diagram 11. Fluid Escape
Already the record’s cover shows the way: Tangled lines result in an image of a dog’s head, with its mischievously contrary look: Perhaps the hallmark of Dachshund, who advertises on his Facebook page that this is, “music for dogs” - an artist who is obviously not taking himself too seriously. But he has every reason to. The Swiss native jets around the world as a DJ, is an extremely resourceful producer with an unwavering sense of rhythm and beats and has also now established his own label, “Clapper”. None of this seems to be enough for Dachshund. With “Eleven Ridims” he presents his debut album on the Berlin label “Highgrade”. Let us state clearly: The record is a victory for those who are tired of the sterile monotony that populates so much of the music to be found in the current scene. In each of the eleven tracks you can hear the heart and soul of a thoroughbred musician. Although “Eleven Ridims” is incredibly varied, from the melodic and quiet, to the pounding dancefloor killers and back, the album works as a unified whole. Perhaps this is a result of it’s method of creation. “It felt completely natural to make this album,” Dachshund says himself. In the beginning the beats and melodies were established in his head, and from there they almost seemed to evolve into tracks by themselves. For Dachshund, “Eleven Ridims” is a unique opportunity to show another side of himself: From the path of pure dancefloor tracks through to more melodic pieces. At the same time, the album is a tribute to his musical roots. As the title suggests: “Ridims” is a Jamaican slang term for an instrumental track. And very clearly from the sunny islands come many of Dachshunds musical influences: It was the Jamaican dub of the 70s to the 90s, which as a teenager inspired the budding musician and led him, as a 15 year old, to play guitar in a reggae band. From that point on, the music has never let him go: At the Konservatorium in Geneva, he took courses in electro-acoustics and learned pretty much everything there was to know about producing music. Gradually, his interest developed more towards Electronic Dub - he began to organize drum and bass parties and mixed records, and eventually ended up where he is today. The Reggae and Dub influence of his past is still clearly evident here. As with the track “Intensity Dub”, in which he brings the rough riding and natural sound of the past back to life. Analogue techniques result in distorted sounds, which radiate a unique energy. “I like it because it reminds me of my beginnings”, Dachshund says. The track is very different from the standard Dub Techno – a stroke of luck for Dachshund and typical of his method of making, music: “When I compose, I don’t like rules, but try to be spontaneous and open,” he says. For Dachshund, “Eleven Ridims” is a new step in his career. A step however, in which he feels no pressure. “It was great that I had the freedom with Highgrade to do what I wanted,” he says. He isn’t nervous, but simply excited about the upcoming reactions. And the reactions for “Eleven Ridims” can only be those of excitement and delight. More