Vorsprung durch Techno
A-Z of German Techno

A

ABFAHRT Seminal gruop responsible for a classic release in '89 called 'Alone (It's Me)' and the '92 track 'Come Into My Life'. Both were written by the late Torsten Fenslau with vocals from Jurgen 'Noise' Katzmann. Fenslau went on to create dodgy Euro pop band Culture Beat.

AIR LIQUIDE Innovative techno collective consisting of Jammin' Unit and Walker who mix hard acid, hip hop and dub influences on tracks such as the dreamy 'If there was no gravity'. Signed to Rising High in the UK they collaborated with its in-house production team, Caspar Pound and Pete Smith, to produce the 'Electronic Dub' LP in 1994.

B

BASIC CHANNEL Ground-breaking Berlin-based label with nine releases in a series, all based on similar remixes. Accused of being boring and repetitive, but those who understood appreciated the subtle minimalist distorsions that were purpose-built into each record to create a unique sound. Apparently run by the mysterious Maurizio who avoids the press like the plague.

C

CAL-Q-LATOR Weird techno band formed in 1992 by Commander Krilly and Henee, now signed to MFS records, first release was entitled Dr Bradford. In 1995 they released 'Washmalfunction' and they have also played live in London, Dresden and the Tresor club, Berlin. First album due out in the autumn (1996). Catch them live in London on June 10th at Heaven (1996).

D

DJ DAG Frankfurt DJ who was one of the leading lights of the German trance explosion of the early 90s. He was best known for his seven hour sets at the Dorian Gray club in the bowels of Frankfurt Airport, and his interest in all things Red Indian. He tasted fame as a pop star in the mid 80s by fronting 16-Bit's 'Where are You?' for Mike Munzing and Luca Anzilotti who went on to form Snap!, and in the early 90s with Dance 2 Trance alongside Jam-El-Mar of Jam and Spoon, scoring a UK hit in 1993 with 'Power of American Natives'. He is currently rumoured to be putting a new underground label together back in Frankfurt.

MIJK VAN DIJK Mijk got bored of playing instruments with his discovery of electronic dance music and became immersed in the Berlin acid house scene. In 1990 he released his first 12", 'Loop Zone Hate'/'Les Enfants Du Paradis' on Low Spirit. In '92 he went to MFS and worked on trance compilation 'Tranceformed From Beyond'. That year he began to DJ and has established himself as a strong live act.

DISKO B German label founded in 1990 as the dance department of indie label Sub-Up Records in Munich. From their first release, New York's 'Silicon Soul' (including a DJ Hell remix) they went on to present acts like Caesar, DJ Hell, Northstar and a collaboration with Patrick 'Cosmic Baby' Pulsinger.

PAUL VAN DYK Paul started DJing in 1988 in Berlin. His first 12", under the same name, 'Visions of Shiva', was released in 1992 on MFS. He has earned respect as a remixer working on projects for Humate, Dance 2 Trance and Sven Vath. Paul's current single, 'Beautiful Place', is out now. Look out for his album 'Seven Ways' on June 17th (1996).

E

ALEC EMPIRE Twenty-three year old Alec is well known for his work with techno-punk group Atari Teenage Riot, and also co-runs Digital Hardcore Recordings in London. Based in Berlin, he has made a variety of techno releases in his own name and under pseudonyms such as Jaguar.

E-WERK Dubbed the "techno cathedral", the E-werk club in Berlin was voted the best club in Germany in 1995, having played host to DJs including Westbam, Sven Vath, Carl Cox, Laurent Garnier and Juan Atkins since its openning in 1992. It's been a central venue in the Love Parade and has also been the location for fashion shows and music awards.

EYE Q Trance label founded by DJ Sven Vath and music publisher Heinz Roth in 1991. Home to some of the biggest names in the German trance scene including Cygnus X and Earth Nation. Offshoots include the more underground Harthouse imprint and the ambient Recycle or Die.

F

FORCE INC Set up as a platform to start a revolution through techno in 1991, Force Inc started releasing 200bpm breakbeat-techno trax when a lot of Germans didn't quite know how to take it. By 1994, breakbeats were put on Riot Beats, Force Inc's own sublabel. 1995 saw Force Inc fusion disco with techno in an attempt to destructuralise pop music (US Force Inc was set up to deal with more commercially club orientated music). Their current 'Electric Ladyland' series of compilations fuses trip hop with techno.

G

GLOBAL AMBITION Global Ambition, the label, really kicked into gear around the end of 1995. Their aim has been to release hi-octane trance and classy Euro techno. Some of their most important artists are Mikerobeniks aka DJ Mike.S, Ben E Mettin (ex Harthouse), S&H (Jurgeen Driessen) and MOGLI aka Booka Shade from Touche Records. The first Global Ambition album is being released in June (1996) and is being mixed by DJ Mike S.

H

HARDFLOOR DJ Oliver Bondzio and studio boffin Ramon Zenker shot to prominence with the monster acid smash 'Aceperience'. Have gained underground criticism and an awful lot of money for high profile remixes for New Order, Mory Kante and others all of which sound very like 'Aceperience'. But on their own releases the Dusseldorf duo have developed a sparser percussive style which is best sampled on their new LP 'Home Run'.

HARDWAX German record label used by the likes of Underground Reistance, adopting various pseudonyms for some of their harder and darker releases. Responsible for some of the earliest hard techno releases, such as Missing Channel's 'Atomic Whirlpool EP'.

HARTHOUSE Sub label of Eye Q started in 1992 by Sven Vath to release 'Science fiction house music' which quickly gained critical and commercial success through releases like Hardfloor's 'Hardtrance Aceperience', Spicelab's 'Spirit of Fear' and Vath and Ralf 'Earth Nation' Hildenbeutel's 'Barbarella'. The label has a reputation for full-on acid techno, but has recently been putting out more downbeat releases from artists such as Bill and Ben and Planet Jazz.

HECKMANN, THOMAS Tomas Heckmann's best releases are arguably on Trope records under the name of Drax Ltd, adopting the style of hard, banging no-nonsense German techno which he is famed for. Also releases on Force Inc records under the title A.G.E. (Analogue Generated Energy), which is similar in style, and with Djax records. Heckmann's all-time classic 'Amphetamine' has recently been picked up for release in this country by Prolekult.

DJ HELL Munich-based DJ Hell (born Helmut Geier) is a longtime member of the Disko B family and released his first 12" called 'My definition of House Music' in 1992, having moved on from his punk DJing days. Since then his style as a DJ has been reflected in his own record releases: minimalist, funky, sexy underground dance music.

HUMATE One of Germany's best live acts were formed in 1992 by Gerret Frerichs, Hans-Georg Schmidt and Oliver Huntemann. Their first two EPs were released via MFS and were titled 'Chrome' and the mindblowing 'Love Stimulation'. In 1994 Oliver Huntemann left the band to work on various solo projects whilst Gerret and Hans teamed up with David Christophere from the U.S. to form the Humate/Rabbit in the Moon project.

I

INFLUENCE Influence is the more experimental division of the huge Music Research umbrella label. Influence have released over 55 tracks from such projects as Audio Science , Komatsu, Phasis.

J

JAM AND SPOON Commercial trance duo Jam El Mar and Mark Spoon came to prominence with tracks such as 'Stella' and 'Ride in the Night', and high profile remixes for the Age of Love, Moby, Dr Alban and Quincy Jones. Also responsible for the recent Euro-cheese Tokyo Ghetto Pussy project.

K

KRAFTWERK The grandaddies of 'em all, and namechecked by just about everyone involved in techno. Formed in the early seventies by Ralf Hutter, they confused everyone by depicting themselves variously as robots and tailor's dummies, rather than glammed-up pop stars. And for shunning guitars in flavour of electronic instruments which they designed and built themselves. 'It's good, but is it rock?' asked a bewildered US critic of their 1975 LP 'Radioactivity'. Thier 1977 'Trans Europe Express' was taken up by New York homeboys, and Afrika Bambaata reshaped it for 1982's seminal electro anthem 'Planet Rock'. Their work was also a major influence on the Detroit trinity of Atkins, May and Saunderson. Despite being quiet since 1991's remix album, imaginatevly titled 'The Mix', they are roumored to be working on new material. If it does appear it will be the bands first all-new LP since 1986.

L

LABWORKS Founded in 1992 by Holger 'Hoschi' Wick, who also helped set up the Suck Me Plasma label. Going it alone, Holger released Labwork's debut single and traks for Influence and Djax. Labworks was influental in breaking artist such as Thomas Heckmann, Rob Acid, Patrick Sjeren and Ronald Casper, and US artists like Woody McBride and Freddie Fresh. Initially intent on showcasing the cream of German talent, Labworks UK was later set up with remixes from artists such as Mark Broom, Alex Knight, the Young Braves and a single from a little-known talent at the time, Alex Reece. The label's reputation was further established through the 'Hard Trance & Hard Techno' series. Sadly, the label was closed in 1995 after 75 releases.

OLIVER LIEB A huge German techno/trance export, Olivier Lieb pops up everywhere under a string of different guises, from LSG, Spicelab, The Ambush, to Mindspace, Genetix, Infinite Aura, Azid Force, Java, Paragliders and Arte Bionico. His work on labels such as Superstition, No Respect, Delirium, Harthouse, Eye Q, Millenium and ZYX Records has made him much in demand as a remixer. His debut '89 release, Force Legato's 'System' sold 40,000 copies.

LOGIC: Dance label originally established in Frankfurt by Michael Munzing and Luca Anzilotti, the producers behind mega successfull pop dance act Snap! They have three sub labels for more underground releases including Save the Vinyl which only releases 12-inch singles from producers such as German junglist Basface Sascha.

M

MARMION Marmion are Mijk van Dijk and Marcus Lopez and they have been working together since 1992. Marcus is a well known German DJ whilst Mijk also performs under the monicker of Microglobe for MFS records. Together they were responsible for the highly sought-after club classic 'Schoneberg', a record that combined elements of both trance and hi energy techno. Some believe that this was the first ever nu-energy record.

MFS Influential Berlin-based record label founded by Mancunian Mark Reeder in 1990 and originally financed by DSB, the former state owned record company of the German Democratic Republic. MFS had to go it alone when the DSB folded in 1993. Responsible for one of the first mixed trance compilation albums, 'Tranceformed from Beyond', in 1992, MFS's current artists include Paul van Dyk, Effective Force, Cal-Q-Lator and Marco Zaffarano.

N

PETE NAMLOOK German ambient workaholic behind the Fax label, who has released more LPs than anyone can possibly keep track of. Namlook has collaborated with a variety of artists from acid maestro Richie Hawtin to UK chillout fruitcake Mixmaster Morris. Also one half of Sequential who produced early trance breakthrough single 'The Prophet'.

NOOM One of Germany's most successful labels run by Commander Tom. His latest trance/nu-energy masterpiece 'Are Am Eye' has sold over 25,000 copies and has recently been picked up for release in this country by Positiva. Some of the other main Noom artists include Mandala (Commander Tom and Ray Boyce), Nexus 6, Jim Clarke and Olivier Lieb's latest proect Superspy. Noom have released 18 singles and 3 CD albums so far. A big label to watch for in 1996.

MARK NRG One of Frankfurt's leading producer/DJs responsible for the hit 'In My Brain'. His other works include 'Energy Jams', Jim Clark (for Noom) adn Overboost (for Harthouse). His output has ranged from trance to acid, to hard house to Nu Energy. Now, as well as his album, he is about to venture into trip hop, with his 'Funk Yourself' project.

O

OFF Mid eighties electro pop outfit, produced by Michael Munzing and Luca Anzilotti who went on to form Snap! and fronted by then young Sven Vath. They had a huge European hit in 1986 with 'Electric Salsa'. A skeleton in somebody's cupboard me thinks...

THE OMEN Legendary Frankfurt techno club co-owned by Snap! and Sven Vath. Vath described the club as "Like my living room" and spun marathon sets of anything up to 16 hours there. At the time of writting it is due to close, after a bank bought a building it was housed in.

OVERDOSE Overdose productions were formed in 1994 by Jesse B Foerster aka Ugly Kid Jay. The label was conceived to create hard clubtracks that are slightly different to the norm. The major projects associated with this label include Bassman, Hypertraxx, Rubicon Massacre L.T.D and DJ Scott Project. Overdose also has two subsdiary labels called Kimono, for prograssive house and Made in Frankfurt for house and acid tracks. There will be an Overdose record tour in the UK during June (1996).

P

LE PETIT PRINCE Label responsible for the most successful techno/dance tracks in Germany in both 1994 and 1995: Emmanuel Top's 'Turkish Bazar' and Celvin Rotane's 'I Believe' (pre-Happy Clappers!). Signed to Polygram/Motor Music, the biggest dance major company in Germany, Le Petit Prince was voted label of the year by German techno magazine Ten Dance. Artists involved include Patrick Lindsey, Ramon Zenker and Emmanuel Top.

PHUTURE WAX Founded by DJ/producer/remixer Tom Wax (no relation) in 1994, Phuture Wax Records has featured artists from Dynamic Maniax, Wave Captain, Wax Scientists and Watchman, most of which are aliases for Tom and his various pals.

IAN POOLEY The Mainz-based 22 year-old artist/DJ feels his German surname (Pinnekamp) is too much of a mouthful, so records under his Welsh mum's maiden name. Ian also records with DJ Tonka as Space Cube, a sonic jungle act from Force Inc. and Riot Beats. He has recorded for Definitive Records (Canada), released the 'Ansicht EP' on Plink Plonk, and has just released his first LP on Force Inc.

Q

Q is for quiet, which German techno isn't

R

RESISTANCE D Frankfurt trance/techno team of DJ Pascal Dardoufas and 'composer' Maik Maurice whose output ranges from hypnotic acid of the Dreams EP to breakneck fast tracks such as 'Airwalker'. Also responsible for the trance anthem 'Transformations' under the name Transform.

S

SUCK ME PLASMA Founded in 1990 Suck Me Plasma is one of the most established German techno/trance labels with over 65 releases under their belt. Featured artists include Dance 2 Trance, Sunbeam, Komakino and Fred Giteau. As well as releasing singles the label also put out compilation albums entitled the 'Ohm' series, the 9th installment in this series will be available from the middle of June (1996).

JOHAN SVENSON Writer and producer who works from his own studio in Meinhem, Johan has recently signed to Positiva with track called 'Space is the Place', licensed from Bosca Beats. His debut release was on John the Dentist's Dream Inn label and he also remixes for Boscaland.

SUPERSTITION Influential techno/trance label that showcases mainly German, but also some European artists and producers including Oliver Lieb, Steve Bug, Marmion, Humate, Affie Yusuf, Jens Mahlstedt, Rabbit in the Moon and Milch. Initially renowned for its consistent, quality trance releases, Superstition has gone on to release much deeper and funkier techno.

T

TANITH Berlin DJ well known for wearing camouflage, and playing and producing very, very hard techno. "You can dance to any noise as long as there is a beat in it", he claims. Depite his paramilitary exterior he is a vocal anti-Nazi, albeit one who doesn't find much room for peace and harmony in music. "I hate all this fucking 'I love you' shit that explodes every summer", he thunders.

TETSUO Tetsuo is the newest extension of Music Research, and caters dor tought driving trance. The label is run by DJ Talla and releases its own material as well as licensing big tracks from other labels. Major releases so far include 'Prophase' by Transa and 'Wax Trax' by Awex/Tom Wax.

TIME UNLIMITED A techno/trance and acid label featuring artists from all over Germany, Time Unlimited often gives new artists the chance to release their tracks. Main artist are Nostrum, Roughage, Omega Force and The Apex.

TRESOR Legendary Berlin club, and maximum quality techno label. Tresor the club oppened in 1991 in an old bank vault in East Berlin. Within months it had become one of the hippest in Europe attracting Derrick May, Mr C and Marshall Jefferson amongst others. Buoyed by these contacts the label was set up as a subsidiary of Interfisch. It kicked off that summer with the release of Underground Resistance's classic 'Sonic Destroyer'. The label is notable for its emphasis on long-term associations woth artists including Juan Atkins, Joey Beltram and Jeff Mills.

U

U96 Is the solo artist Alex Christensen who has established himself as an extremely in-demand and versatile DJ and producer. One of Germany's better known techno artists thanks to charts hits such as 93's 'Das Boot' which made No. 18 in the UK charts and the follow up single 'I Wanna Be A Kennedy'. His most recent single, 'Club Bizarre' was released on Polydor in February. As well as writing songs for people like Marky Mark, Alex is currently in-demand as a theme music writer for TV shows.

V

SVEN VATH The godfather of the German techno/trance scene.Vath has made some of German techno's biggest tunes such as 'Barbarella' and 'Ritual of Life', released many others through his Eye Q and Harthouse labels, and is also one of Germany's biggest DJs playing sets of anything up to 16 hours and packing the crowd in at the legendary Omen club in Frankfurt. According to former protege Marco Zaffarano: "Sven is not a DJ for money, he DJs for life."

W

WESTBAM Has been recording as a successful techno solo artist since 1986 when he founded his own label, Low Spirit. A DJ, producer/recording artist and founding member of Germany's May Day festival, Westbam has released tracks such as 'Hold Me Back' and 'The Roof Is On Fire' through UK label, Swanyard Records, which both charted in the UK dance charts. The label is currently celebrating an impressive five top fifty singles in the German charts.

X

X-MIX Consistently good series of mix LPs. Now up to X-mix 6 featuring Wax cover star Mr C. Previous guest mixers have included Richie Hawtin and DJ Hell. Each LP comes with its own video and recent releases have included DJ top trumps cards and 'get-a-life-if-you-can-answer-these' techno quiz cards. X hits the spot!

Y

MISS YETTI is fot Miss Yetti, an underground DJ who plays deep dark techno. Little known outside Germany, Miss Yetti records for Liquid Records in Germany. Her debut release 'La Pression Innovative' was released at the end of last year and her 'L'Attaque' will be issued soon.

Z

MARCO ZAFFARANO DJ and producer Marco started playing in 1987 and quickly established himself as a popular techno DJ. Production work with Harthouse in Frankfurt followed, which he left to join Berlin label, MFS in 1995, where he released the successful 'Pandora's Box'. His album on MFS is due out this autumn (1996).