It is certainly not a small feat to have an ambient compilation series running for over a decade and keep it fresh and interesting - especially when the core aesthetic idea is as well-defined as POP AMBIENT's. However, this didn't keep last year's instalment (KOMPAKT 315 CD 120) from finding a compelling balance between veteran contributors like JENS-UWE BEYER or LEANDRO FRESCO and new, idiosyncratic voices like MAX WÜRDEN or THORE PFEIFFER. They all return for POP AMBIENT 2016, joining a captivating cast that also includes heavy-weight soundsmiths, experimental composers and ambient confidants like THE ORB, ANTON KUBIKOV of SCSI-9 fame, MIKKEL METAL, GREGOR SCHWELLENBACH or STEPHAN MATHIEU.
Starting off with a surprise guest, POP AMBIENT 2016 presents electroacoustic composer and installation artist STEPHAN MATHIEU, whose highly textured opening drone APRIL IM OKTOBER bears all the hallmarks of a pop ambient classic, stealthily weaving in layers of sound and moving fluidly between territories. The man clearly knows what he's doing - after all, he has worked with luminaries like Taylor Dupree, Ekkehard Ehlers, Janek Schaefer or Sylvain Chauveau (see also Pop Ambient 2009). Meanwhile, THE ORB show off the full extent of their experience in the field and have their own little ambient collage opera going on in ALPINE DAWN - a slight detour from their beat-laden full-length MOONBUILDING 2703 AD (KOMPAKT 330 CD 124), but just on that same level of masterful sonic dexterity.
Moving forward, SCSI-9's ANTON KUBIKOV builds momentum with a sweet melody slowly evolving to the atmospheric backdrop of a light synth rain, while MAX WÜRDEN imagines a dreamy, yet twisted underwater world with lots of space to get lost in. He later returns for a collaboration with THORE PFEIFFER (not on vinyl), the other newcomer hero from Pop Ambient 2015, and the result is a fascinating amalgamation of both producer's distinct sonic sensibilities - the grittier, drone-based approach from Würden and Pfeiffer's penchant for roaming samples and skewed loops. Another dedicated collab comes from SICKER MAN & GREGOR SCHWELLENBACH who team up for string-infused, cinematic epic TURNS.
Longstanding Kompakt ally MIKKEL METAL presents the surging TITAN, followed by LEANDRO FRESCO's magistral rework of DAVE DK's VEIRA from his VAL MAIRA album (KOMPAKT 326 CD 121). A very special bonus adventure can be found in THORE PFEIFFER's "megamix" of WOLFGANG VOIGT's RÜCKVERZAUBERUNG (not on vinyl) - an entire concept series succesfully reimagined as one sweeping cut. JENS-UWE BEYER continues his expeditions into hypnotic, semi-acoustic soundscapes on THE BREMEN, transitioning into the windy mountaintops of LEANDRO FRESCO's mysterious, multi-layered CONFIGURACION DE ATAQUE (not on vinyl). THORE PFEIFFER has the honour to conclude POP AMBIENT 2016 with the appropriately titled IDYLL, a soothing, swirling synth study giving the listener ample opportunity to return to mundane reality at his own pace.
quête:jens uwe beyer
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Dream Weapons' »Moonland« from his »Pathways EP« (Holger 3, 2014) has been a favorite of many. Accordingly, remix duties were given into the trustworthy hands of Barnt and Jens-Uwe Beyer - two of the co-founders of much acclaimed Cologne label Magazine. An expert in mixing and structuring, Barnt carves out the hidden capabilities of the original while Jens-Uwe Beyer takes a slightly more humorous but no less feet-moving approach to things. Weirdo techno in typical Magazine/Holger style.
- A1: Thore Pfeiffer - Wie Es Euch Gefällt
- A2: Thore Pfeiffer - Nero
- A3: Dirk Leyers - Daydreamer
- A4: Gregor Schwellenbach - Assperg
- A5: Leandro Fresco - Nada Es Para Siempr
- B1: Max Wuerden - Container Love
- B2: Ulf Lohmann - Refresh
- B3: Bvdub - In White Pagodas I'll Wait For You
- B4: Jens-Uwe Beyer - Moewen
- B5: Gustavo Lamas - Jovenes Ambient (Remake)
Seit ihrem Start im Jahre 2001 diente die POP AMBIENT Compilationserie als Rahmen für einen unaufhörlich anwachsenden Pool von unterschiedlichsten Künstlern, und dennoch vermochte sie es stets den eigenen ästhetischen Idealen treu zu bleiben. Nicht zuletzt dem Kurator der Serie Wolfgang Voigt ist es zu verdanken daß jede Ausgabe mit einem schlüssigen Spannungsbogen auftrumpfen konnte, erfolgreich neues Talent neben etablierten Namen zum Einsatz bringend. In die gleiche Kerbe schlägt auch POP AMBIENT 2015: die debütierenden Klangwerkler THORE PFEIFFER und MAX WUERDEN werden vorgestellt, während wiederkehrende Pop Ambient-Heroen wie LEANDRO FRESCO, ULF LOHMANN oder JENS-UWE BEYER exklusives Material zum Besten geben.
Stilecht beginnend mit verträumten, klingelnden Synthie-Flächen, entpuppt sich THORE PFEIFFER's WIE ES EUCH GEFÄLLT schnell als sofortiger Pop Ambient-Klassiker, gefolgt von Thore's zweitem Beitrag, einem Gitarren-beseelten Trip in die Zone namens NERO - zusammen bereiten diese immens atmosphärischen Tracks einen idealen Boden für POP AMBIENT 2015, verraten aber auch das verblüffende Talent dieses jungen Produzenten so gar nicht wie ein Neuzugang zu klingen. Als ehemaliger Mitstreiter des ikonischen Projekts Closer Musik hat DIRK LEYERS inzwischen eigene Wege eingeschlagen, fällt aber nach wie vor durch seinen Hang zu stilistischer Vielseitigkeit und wonnigen Melodien auf - schön in den Vordergrund gerückt im paßgenau betitelten DAYDREAMER, einem unwiderstehlich nostalgischen Synthie-Epos zwischen Neonlichtern und Lagerfeuern. Währenddessen vermählt Multiinstrumentalist und Komponist GREGOR SCHWELLENBACH seine avantgardistischen und folkloristischen Interessen im langsamen, auf lässigste Weise monumental erscheinenden ASSPERG - ein nahezu unmöglicher Track, der sich gleichermaßen massiv wie zerbrechlich anfühlt.
- A1: Die-Biden 02 02
- A2: Kodō 07 39
- A3: Teiko 04 21
- A4: Hasan (Ypy Remix) 04 16
- A5: Teiko (Lena Willikens Remix) 04 49
- A6: Ekusutashī (Efdemin Version) 06 18
- B1: Sakura 06 24
- B2: Kodō (Barnt & Jens-Uwe Beyer Remix) 09 04
- B3: Ekusutashī 05 57
- B4: Shojo No Yo Ni 03 52
- B5: Shojo No Yo Ni Flp (Hibotep Remix) 03 08
The project by Jens-Uwe Beyer and Thomas Venker boasts a remarkable origin story. In 2017, Venker, co-founder and co-editor-in-chief of Cologne’s Kaput magazine, hosted a gathering at Beyer's house, bringing together journalists, creatives, and musicians. To mark the occasion, the pair decided to join forces for an impromptu ambient-electronic performance, presenting themselves as a two-man band. That evening, donned in special costumes designed by artist Sarah Szczesny and fuelled by a generous amount of Japanese whisky, Hasan Poppu was born. Over the course of the pandemic, the duo thought about creating a record based on the live recording of their premiere show. However, the synergy of their collaborative creative energies led them in entirely novel directions. Their self-titled, double-sided album traverses a wild and raucous terrain, moving swiftly from hybrid noise-techno to giddy party ecstasy, to strange and shadowy atmospheres.
Including remixes by YPY, Hibotep, Lena Willikens, Efdemin and Barnt, the 11 tracks span a dizzying array of experimental dance-facing styles. 'Die-Biden' kicks off as a high-vibrational vocal experiment seemingly voiced by a sentient German vocoder. 'Kodō' follows, featuring Venker's playful mantra set against a stomping beat. Willikens' reimagining of 'Teiko' transports the track to obscure realms inhabited by strange creatures emitting ungodly sounds. Meanwhile, Efdemin's take on 'Ekusutashī' pulsates with a kinetic buzz. Flipping over to the B-side, 'Sakura' is a euphoric wall of drone punctuated by eerie whispers and mystical singing. Then, the second installment of 'Kodō' takes a fresh trajectory with a touch of Barnt’s electronic groove stylings. Finally, Hibotep's 'Shojo no yo ni flp' serves as the finsher – an unrepentant trance belter that disintegrates into sampled fragments. Loosely translating to "broken pop music," Hasan Poppu is informed by Beyer and Venker's shared love for Japan. The band takes their cues from the country’s rich sonic cultures while also drawing on Venker's wordsmith background and Beyer's flair for melding melodic tech-house with song-based synth-pop. Originally out on Beachcoma Recordings, Hasan Poppu’s debut album gets a new lease of life on Osàre! Editions with a digital and limited edition cassette tape release. Sarah Szczesny reprises her role in shaping the visual identity of Hasan Poppu by creating beautiful, painterly artwork for the record. words by Hannah Pezzack
“Deep Meaning” is the debut album by Maria Wildeis, a Cologne-based artist and expert in real-time sound design for installations.
The tracks on “Deep Meaning” oscillate between club and experimental music and are characterized by a lightness unique to debut works. Particularly notable is the inventive use of synthetic, organic, and sampled vocal elements. Voices constantly morph into melodies and back; words become notes, chords turn into text. Maria’s real-time approach to composing is evident throughout, making this album an unscripted adventure. Before you uncover the deep meaning, it has already swept you away.
Maria Wildeis researches spatial aspects in art and music, working with digital sound modeling and procedural sound synthesis. She also runs Gemeinde Köln, an art space in Cologne, Germany, which she founded in 2018.
Recorded in Cologne. Music by Maria Wildeis. Tracks 2,4 co-written by Daniel Ansorge. Additional production by Daniel Ansorge and Jens-Uwe Beyer. Mixed and mastered by Daniel Ansorge at Magazine Studio Cologne. Supported by the Cultural Office Cologne.
In late 2021 the JUBG gallery (run by Magazine's Jens-Uwe Beyer alongside Albert Oehlen and Alexander Warhus) showed the German brothers Schaufler. Matthias, a painter, and Aksel, a musician and DJ (Superpitcher), came up with an exhibition soundtrack that was released back then as one half of an ultra rare drawing / vinyl combination only. (https://jubg.space/editions)
Subsequently, the music caught Barnt's and Crato's ears. The bittersweet pulsating ode to being an artist, sprawling and boundless, complete with voices from the sky, seemed perfect for our label. We are happy to announce that the regular release of schaufler vs schaufler part 1 & 2 will indeed come out on Magazine now.
„Gut malen kann jeder Depp.“
Favourite Artists, DJ Koze, Robag Wruhme, Superpitcher etc.
You learned that there are genres. Everything separated into categories with their own canon and rules: Major, minor, 4/4, 6/8, highs, lows, high head, butt end. Techno here, Disco there. You learned that art and music are two different things. Visually auditory, audio-visual, optically acoustic, not to mention the surface feel. Listen to me, look at me, touch me. But everything in that order please! You have learned that understanding takes you further. Night / life, rhythm / dancing, substance / excess, water / holding out, sleep / rest, headache / not good. But what would it be if all of that wasn't just right? If all of our knowledge is based on the mistake of having to put everything in relation? To classify it, to make it responsive. What do we do with something that doesn't follow the rules of this logic? That is not based on 0 and 1 and therefore not bound to our binary systems? Is this all at once? After all, what if the whole thing has no limits?
Jens-Uwe Beyer recently released the Yellow Book with Albert Oehlen on Gagosian and on his own label Magazine. He also runs PNN and Schalen. His 4th album „Horizons“ as Popnoname is the very first long player to be released on Cologne based label Feines Tier.
2022 Repress
Our POP AMBIENT compilation series returns for its 2018 instalment, with series curator Wolfgang Voigt presenting another batch of hand-picked recordings from genre veterans and newcomers alike. The more seasoned among this year's contributors are easily identified by their individual artistic sensibilities, ranging from the morphing, organic rhythms of THE ORB's sample collages (on SKY'S FALLING) to KAITO's ethereal, trance-infused soundscapes (TRAVELLED BETWEEN SOULS) and MIKKEL METAL's intimate ambient songwriting (SHAME).
They join the ranks of Pop Ambient scholars such as MAX WÜRDEN & THORE PFEIFFER (co-authoring the sparkling PANORAMA), Magazine's JENS-UWE BEYER (creating rich drama out of cinematic textures on ATHOS) or Adjunct's KENNETH JAMES GIBSON (who pairs soaring strings with bubbly percussion on DISINCLINED TO VACATE). Pfeiffer can also be found working with genre mainstay LEANDRO FRESCO on opener SPLINTER, crossing the growth rings of the Pop Ambient family tree with a subtle, atmospheric collaboration. Another welcome return to the roster, Jörg Burger dusts off his iconic TRIOLA project last heard on Pop Ambient 2013 (KOMPAKT 269 CD 103) with the floating, echo-drenched cut L'ATALANTE.
After making his Pop Ambient debut on last year's instalment (KOMPAKT 365 CD 135), YUI ONODERA continues his exploration of deep, intricate string sounds on PRISM and NINE CHAINS TO THE MOON (CD only) - it's compelling material that shows the Tokyo-based musician and architectural acoustic designer as a strong addition to the Pop Ambient talent pool. He's joined by the two latest recruits to the series, both well-established artists in their own right: techno provocateur T.RAUMSCHMIERE flexes his drone muscles on the elegiac ETERNA, while pedal steel guitar maestro CHUCK JOHNSON creates expanding sonic spaces on the meditative BRAHMI - a uniquely immersive cut that draws from the idiosyncratic country post-rock he established on his acclaimed 'Balsams' full-length released earlier this year.
(de) Unsere POP AMBIENT Compilation-Serie kehrt für 2018 ins Rampenlicht zurück, natürlich kuratiert von Wolfgang Voigt, der auch für die aktuelle Ausgabe eine handverlesene Auswahl an Genre-Veteranen und Neuzugängen präsentiert. Bereits vorhandene Erfahrung mit der Mission macht sich unter den diesjährigen Beiträgen schnell bemerkbar - dank individueller Künstlerperspektiven,
von den organisch-rhythmischen Samplecollagen THE ORBs (zu hören auf SKY'S FALLING) zu KAITOs ätherischen Trance-Klanglandschaften (TRAVELLED BETWEEN SOULS) und MIKKEL METALs intim wirkendem Ambient-Songwriting (SHAME).
Im 2018er Line-Up treffen sie auf die neue Pop-Ambient-Schule, vertreten durch MAX WÜRDEN & THORE PFEIFFER (die gemeinschaftlich für das glitzernde PANORAMA verantwortlich zeichnen), Magazine-Mitbetreiber JENS-UWE BEYER (der auf ATHOS reiche Dramatik aus Texturen zaubert) oder Adjunct-Boss KENNETH JAMES GIBSON (mit aufsteigenden Streichern und sprudelnder Percussion auf DISINCLINED TO VACATE unterwegs). Pfeiffer findet sich ausserdem auf dem Albumopener SPLINTER wieder, eine subtile, stimmungsvolle Aufnahme, die er zusammen mit Genre-Wegbereiter LEANDRO FRESCO produziert hat - gewissermassen generationsübergeifend über die Jahresringe des Pop-Ambient-Stammbaums hinweg. Als weiteres altvertrautes Gesicht der Serie entstaubt Jörg Burger sein beliebtes TRIOLA-Projekt, welches wir zuletzt auf Pop Ambient 2013 (KOMPAKT 269 CD 103) gehört haben, und legt das durch die Wellen gleitende, echogetränkte
L'ATALANTE vor.
Nach seinem Pop-Ambient-Debüt auf der letztjährigen Ausgabe (KOMPAKT 365 CD 135) führt YUI ONODERA seine Erkundung tiefer, vielschichtiger Streicherklänge mit PRISM und NINE CHAINS TO THE MOON fort - zwingendes Material, dass den in Tokyo ansässigen Musiker und Architektur-Klangdesigner als besonders überzeugenden Zuwachs zum Pop-Ambient-Talentpool kennzeichnet. Zu ihm gesellen sich zwei Serien-Neuzugänge, die bereits äusserst erfolgreich an anderen Fronten tätig waren: der Techno-Provokateur T.RAUMSCHMIERE lässt auf dem elegischen ETERNA seine Drone-Muskeln spielen, während der gefeierte Pedal-Steel-Gitarrist CHUCK JOHNSON mit dem meditativen BRAHMI stetig wachsende Klangräume erschafft - ein herausragender Track ganz im Stile des eigenwilligen Country Post-Rocks, den er auf dem zuvor in diesem Jahr erschienenen 'Balsams'-Langspieler verewigte.
The totality of the many in one: Cologne Tape, an on and off gathering band from all over the world, did not call their second album "Welt" without reason. The collective incorporates the nucleus of the label Magazine and consists of the artists Ada, Barnt, Jens-Uwe Beyer, Jörg Burger, John Harten, Philipp Janzen, Mario Katz, John Stanier and Axel Willner. All members live scattered between Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg. They meet rarely and abruptly, but each of them always has the feeling that something relevant needs to be done. The ensemble's name represents a city and the musical recordings that are made in it.
Their "rst release, "Render", marked the start of the label Magazine in 2010 and found the way into DJ sets by famed artists like Dixon with music, which does not necessarily have the dance#oor in mind. Subsequently, little, absolutely sublime pieces of Cologne Tape appeared in the public.
Sometimes in the middle of a Magazine mix for London's online magazine Dummy, or on compilations like "My Heart's In My Hand, And My Hand Is Pierced And My Hand's In The Bag, And My Heart Is Caught" a double-vinyl sampler for an exhibition by British video artist Phil Collins.
And now, after six years of more or less overwhelming silence, "Welt" arrives and brings the world eight musical arrangements, all of which answer to the same name and only differ numerically in their title. They were performed and recorded at the Dumbo Studios in Cologne as part of a happening, during which the nine Cologne Tape members gathered in a room to play a solemn concert for themselves without a given frame.
Un"ltered emotions, which were later, re"ned with drums and synth sounds by John Stanier and Axel Willner and then arranged into a dramatic story arc under the direction of Jens-Uwe Beyer. Furthermore some of the recordings feature friends of the collective such as Mexican artist Rebolledo, the guitarist Burkhard Mönnich and the singer Isis Lace, who all happened to be close by and joined the band spontaneously during in their musical ritual. Now the recordings of their time without time will see the light of the day.
They all tell - together and alone - stories of deeply felt musical
experiences, which quickly become profound experiences too for those who listen to Cologne Tape, when they play the grand piano, synthesizer,vibraphone, organ, drums, guitar and more while celebrating afreewheeling ceremony. Panoramic music that enables the listener to enter a world of sounds and rhythms, which all re#ect in depth what Cologne Tape is as a band and a piece of art.
- A1: Yui Onodera - Cromo1
- A2: Kenneth James Gibson - Her Flood Knocked Me To The Ground (But I Was Already There)
- B1: Soulsavers - Hal ( Wolgang Voigt Remix)
- B2: Scanner + Yui Onodera - Locus Solus
- C1: Max Würden - Fernfeld
- C2: Anton Kubikov - Dekka
- D1: Thore Pfeffer - Good Life
- D2: Leandro Fresco - Sonido Español
POP AMBIENT - our longest-running compilation series after Total - sees a new instalment for 2017, featuring exclusive material from acclaimed genre veterans and series newcomers JENS-UWE BEYER, YUI ONODERA & SCANNER, MAX WÜRDEN, LEANDRO FRESCO, THORE PFEIFFER, KENNETH JAMES GIBSON and SOULSAVERS remixed by WOLFGANG VOIGT.
Following his own cues from preceding entries, Pop Ambient chief curator Voigt again strikes a perfect ratio of established producers and debuting guests: our complete Pop Ambient solo album crew makes an appearance, from JENS-UWE BEYERs atmospheric soundscapes on the tracks FINAL 9.1 and FINAL 10, to THORE PFEIFFERs glitch romance GOOD LIFE, LEANDRO FRESCOs beatific drone fests SONIDO ESPAÑOL and EL ABISMO, as well as KENNETH JAMES GIBSONs melancholic epic HER FLOOD KNOCKED ME TO THE GROUND (BUT I WAS ALREADY THERE. Other returning artists include ANTON KUBIKOV of SCSI-9 fame (with electronic reverie DEKKA) and Cologne soundsmith MAX WÜRDEN, who was last seen releasing wonderfully immersive albums on BineMusic and Wolfgang Voigt's very own Exponate series. His guitar-infused, dubbed-out cut FERNFELD and the mysterious electronic mantra 186.000 MILES PER SECOND are particularly striking renditions of the rich sonic narratives possible in Pop Ambient.
For the 2017 release, we welcome Tokyo-based Pop Ambient novice YUI ONODERA with his tracks CROMO1 and CROMO2, which both serve as opener: a trained musician and architectural acoustic designer by trade, Onodera embeds diverse influences from traditional sound design, film scores, contemporary composition and electro-acoustic experimentation in his work, resulting in intricate drone sculptures and sound skylines. This skill set gels naturally with the sonic sensibilities of iconic experimental composer SCANNER who teams up with Onodera for the cut LOCUS SOLUS - it's an incredible honour to have such a towering figure in advanced electronic music on board. Wolfgang Voigt himself makes an appearance as remixer, turning the track HAL from electronic-rock-gospel duo SOULSAVERS' 2015 album "Kubrick" into a voluptuous and immersive sound journey. It's the cherry on top of a particularly fluffy cake that will prove irresistible to any connoisseur of ambient music.
Since more than ten years close friends and metal heads Phillip Tielsch (von Spar) and Mario Katz (Cologne Tape) met for guitar sessions, trying to " nd the essence of their favourite metal records* and digest in their own sound". Quite ambitious but without any release plans so far... Magazines Jens-Uwe Beyer found out about their project and pushed them to produce an uncompromising condensate of their raw material. Beyer cut here and there, contributed some additional production and also got John Stanier (Battles) in the boat for the drums.
So ZON became a band and "Palace" became the most intense and sharp edged instrumental metal set you probably heard in years!
Crato's B-side counterpart, a 27min drone ambient interpretation of the ZON material, completes this literally thrilling album and makes it - wrapped up by John Harten's unique artwork series - another MAGAZINE release at its best.
Mastered by Matt Karmil. - 45 min playtime
- Endless loop on side A; B-side cut inside out
*
Death - Spiritual Healing
Entombed - Morning Star
Ministry - Psalm 96
Earth - Hex, Or Printing In The Infernal Method Autopsy - Mental Funeral
Napalm Death - Words From The Exit Wound Terrorizer - World Downfall
Misery Index - The Killing Gods
Morbid Angel - Domination
Sepultura - Beneath The Remains
BARNT - geboren in den 70ern, Kind der 90er.
Seine Klassenkameraden hörten Grunge, während er Techno studierte, als die gleichen Klassenkameraden dann Techno entdeckten, hatte er sich bereits die HipHop DNA in Form von ITF und DMC Meisterschaften vorgenommen und als alle nach Berlin gingen um - Minimal' zu zelebrieren, blieb er in Köln und begab sich auf eine Exkursion in die Geschichte deutscher Elektronik- und Rockmusik - stets angezogen von den zwei Hauptmerkmalen dieser Ära: Präzision und Freies Spiel. Diese musikalischen Schlüsselpunkte und seine nun schon zwei Jahrzehnte dauernde DJ Erfahrung sind die Basis für die Formel aus Pathos, berechnendem Dilettantismus und Dance!oor-Funktionalität, die alle seine Produktionen kennzeichnet - von seinem Beitrag für Cologne Tape auf der EP Render, der ersten Veröentlichung auf seinem mit Jens-Uwe Beyer und Crato betriebenen Label Magazine, bis hin zu dem berüchtigten Geen. Render und seine Debut EP What Is A Number, That A Man May Know It wurden 2010 direkt zu Underground Hits und die Platten sind seitdem begehrte Sammlerstücke. Zu dieser Zeit war Barnt schon ein etablierter Teil der Musikszene Kölns, der Stadt in der er zunächst sein Biologiestudium abschloss und darauf noch ein Kunststudium folgen liess, was erneut die beiden Pole ,Präzision' und ,Freies Spiel' in seiner Entwicklung vereint. In der fruchtbaren Atmosphäre der Stadt fühlt er sich noch immer wohl und entwickelt von hier aus seinen eigentümlichen Stil weiter, der ihn bereits vom Robert Johnson zum Trouw, vom Montreux Jazz Festival zum Mutek und vom Berghain zum Burning Man gebracht hat.BARNT - geboren in den 70ern, Kind der 90er. Seine Klassenkameraden hörten Grunge, während er Techno studierte, als die gleichen Klassenkameraden dann Techno entdeckten, hatte er sich bereits die HipHop DNA in Form von ITF und DMC Meisterschaften vorgenommen und als alle nach Berlin gingen um - Minimal' zu zelebrieren, blieb er in Köln und begab sich auf eine Exkursion in die Geschichte deutscher Elektronik- und Rockmusik - stets angezogen von den zwei Hauptmerkmalen dieser Ära: Präzision und Freies Spiel. Diese musikalischen Schlüsselpunkte und seine nun schon zwei Jahrzehnte dauernde DJ Erfahrung sind die Basis für die Formel aus Pathos, berechnendem Dilettantismus und Dance!oor-Funktionalität, die alle seine Produktionen kennzeichnet - von seinem Beitrag für Cologne Tape auf der EP Render, der ersten Veröentlichung auf seinem mit Jens-Uwe Beyer und Crato betriebenen Label Magazine, bis hin zu dem berüchtigten Geen. Render und seine Debut EP What Is A Number, That A Man May Know It wurden 2010 direkt zu Underground Hits und die Platten sind seitdem begehrte Sammlerstücke.Zu dieser Zeit war Barnt schon ein etablierter Teil der Musikszene Kölns, der Stadt in der er zunächst sein Biologiestudium abschloss und darauf noch ein Kunststudium folgen liess, was erneut die beiden Pole ,Präzision' und ,Freies Spiel' in seiner Entwicklung vereint. In der fruchtbaren Atmosphäre der Stadt fühlt er sich noch immer wohl und entwickelt von hier aus seinen eigentümlichen Stil weiter, der ihn bereits vom Robert Johnson zum Trouw, vom Montreux Jazz Festival zum Mutek und vom Berghain zum Burning Man gebracht hat.
Jens-Uwe Beyer aka POPNONAME is no stranger to the Cologne scene. Beyond releasing two acclaimed full length's on ITALIC, he is continually building bridges within the local community with the SOUND OF COLOGNEproject that has included the likes of ADA, MODERNIST, THE FIELD, JOHN STANIER (BATTLES) andJAN PHILLIP JANZEN (VON SPAR). Beyond that he has also recently colla
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