This 19th of December edition of the Amsterdam labelnight ‘Redevice invites…’ @ Studio 80 features the scandalously underrated Sub Static and Karloff Rekordings label-boss Falko Brocksieper. In order to keep up with our reputation of providing a playground for more experimental and absurd techno approaches, we’ve also invited Vera Heindel, San Proper & Kouam Djoko. Talk about letting those dogs out.
Here’s an exclusive interview plus mix avec Falko, to get the juices flowing.

Could you tell us about the founding of Sub Static and Karloff Recordings. What was your role in both labels?

Sub Static was founded in Cologne in 2000 when I met my long-term partner MIA. Our aim was just to create a small platform for our music and ideas. However this soon became a more serious occupation, as we increasingly enjoyed to work for international content and reputation. It led to the desire to release an even wider range of electronic music we loved, so the sublabel Karloff Rekordings was established in 2003.
At times we had approaches to grow the labels to a higher business level, but after all the basis of our motivation and qualification was always just to release and promote our favourite music.
Mia and I never had clearly defined roles in the label management, so anything within A&R, promotion, administration, accounting was my daily business. I also did all of the graphic design.

One of our favorite mixes of the year is the MNML SSG MX36 you did, which features half-forgotten gems from the likes of Mouse On Mars, Robert Hood & Plaid. Could you tell us something about your musical roots and artists that have most inspired you?

What first got me into techno was trance, mostly european stuff, in the early 90′s. However at the time this wasn’t even a clearly outlined genre, neither was it cheesy or commercial. It simply meant – techno that is monotonic and trippy. When I got my first set of turntables and started to spend more time in recordshops I soon discovered the music of Robert Hood, Jeff Mills, Dan Bell, Woody McBride.. alot of mid-90′s minimal techno, mostly from the states. And soon after there was stuff like Aphex Twin, Mouse on Mars, Two Lone Swordsmen, Mille Plateaux & Rephlex stuff…. also alot of electro. Then even more techno – Cristian Vogel & Brighton crew, Maurizio, Kompakt… It’s been exciting times musically, which intensified for me even more when I moved to Cologne in 1997 to study at the Academy of Media Arts.
It’s this spirit of the 2nd half of the 90′s that I tried to capture in the recent mix you mentioned. Part of the spirit is also the health, complexity and mysticism of musical culture at that time — it seems like a very short time window between the farreaching innovation of electronic music, and the start of desktop producing, discogs, downloads and information overkill.

You originate from Cologne, but you operate from Berlin since 2004. Has this move influenced your productions/DJ-sets in a significant way?

I can’t really say how much influence this or the other city has. I think for the main part, moving to another place always changes your way of thinking, and gives you a new perspective on many things — which was also what I was looking for when I decided to move.
What I can say is – approving the clichee – Berlin has been and still is a very inspiring & vibrant place to live and I have no desire to live anywhere else.

You’ve been pretty productive lately when it comes to releasing. Do you have a lot of unreleased material stored up somewhere?

No, piles of unreleased material is what i never had, unfortunately. However this year has been quite productive indeed. Last year I finally released my 2nd album and was touring with my first live set, both helping me to get a fresh approach on the new productions that came out this year.

Any future plans we should know about?

Right now I’m working on a completely new live set, enabling me to be a bit more flexible and improvisational. It’s also giving me ideas for a couple of new tracks already. You can expect some new releases of me in early 2009, but it’s too soon now to announce any particulars.
Also I’m in the studio again with Benjamin Fehr, recording new material as ‘The Result’. Our first release came out this summer on his label Catenaccio. Another EP will be out soon on Brouqade Rec, as well as remixes on TicTacToe and the remarkable NervMusic from Moscow.

Tracklist:
01. Basic Soul Unit – ‘Hope.unity.vision’
02. Falko Brocksieper – ‘Never Mind’
03. Soul Clap – ‘Beauty Sleep’
04. Rene Breitbarth – ‘Pump’
05. Hakim Murphy – ‘Jupiter Poop’
06. Seuil – ‘Lost In The Soul Shower’
07. Dan Ghenacia & Djebali – ‘Eightball’
08. Motorcitysoul – ‘Vivid [Roman Flügel's RMX]‘
09. Khan & Brigitte Fontaine – ‘Fine Mouche’
10. Wasted Chicago Youth – ‘Shake Them Gears’
11. Hell feat. P. Diddy – ‘The Dj [Jay Haze RMX)’
12. Dollz At Play – ‘Oscura Wand In Paris’
13. Ambivalent – ’808 Clap’
14. Dinky – ‘Epilepsia’

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OTAM Mix 19: Falko Brocksieper – ‘Decemberumbrella’

Next up is an interview & mix by my long time friend and steady partner in many entertainment industry crimes, Ramchez. Besides sharing an undying passion for music, I’d like to think that together we’ve influenced the way people party here in Amsterdam, mostly through our combined events, DJ-sets & releases — still going strong after all those unhealthy years, hehe. Enjoy.

Where, when & how was the mix recorded?
On the 25th of September 2008 at my new home using the Traktor Scratch system.
 
How would you say your sound has changed during your active years as a DJ?
Through the years I’ve come to realize that music, and especially the quest for finding good tunes, has become an addiction; leaving me craving that next fix. Strolling around hours on end searching for that one phat record, either in a second-hand store, webshop, or an obscure tucked away little store somewhere in the outskirts of Berlin.
The last couple of years I’ve shifted more towards spinning my sets digitally. I’ve been a Final Scratch user from the early beginnings, and I can absolutely say that this system provides a stabile working environment. Since the latest upgrade to Traktor Pro I’ve got the opportunity to focus more and more on using effects, loops & other DJ-ing aspects, in stead of just blending one record into another, thus giving me a better overview and more control over the music that I play.
 
Who are your favorite DJ’s/artists and why?
Artists that are of interest to me are artists who select their records in such a way that when they mix ‘m together it opens up a whole new dimension. Leaving that personal mark. New, old, American, European, House, Minimal or Techno, DJ’s should leave their individual marks on the dancefloor.
Take Zip of Perlon for instance: he really knows how to push the boundaries whilst DJ-ing, taking the listener on a deep and driving hypnotic ride through sound and rhythm. He builds up to a climax in such an eccentric way, it’s just simply always a beautiful experience! Other artists I’ve been influenced by are: Theo Parrish, Prosumer, Sammy Dee, Moodymann, and of course my Lofarmedia buddies Frodo & Pep.
 
Any parties & future plans we should know about?
On the 13th of December 2008 we are organizing ‘Redevice invites A Guy Called Gerald‘ here in Amsterdam at club Studio 80. Expect a refreshing, forwards pushing and renewing sound from this veteran. I saw him perform live last summer at the Panoramabar in Berlin, and wow, did he rock that mutha! We are very proud to have him over.
Together with the boys from Lofarmedia I’m working on a new version of a multi-media project called ‘Contemplation’, which was developed by a dear friend of ours, Jurriaan van Dam, who unfortunately passed away earlier this year at a far too young age. We’re busy perfectioning the installation and getting it ready to show to the public somewhere in the beginning of next year.

Tracklist:

01. Ron Trent – ‘Morning Factory’
02. Alex medina – ‘Pruella [Effections Remix]‘
03. Burnski – ‘Discharge [Digital_Bonus]‘
04. Md’z Revenge – ‘The Banger’
05. Nick Curly – ‘Tele Vision’
06. Deadbeat – ‘Incinerate’
07. Daniela Stickroth – ‘The Differences Game [Xhin Remix]‘
08. Boris Werner – ‘Desert Blues’
09. Men In Slippers – ‘To See Anything Final’
10. Men In Slippers – ‘Pingu’
11. Skugge And Stavoestrand – ‘Mantra Disk’
12. Mark Broom – ‘Bounce’
13. Delete – ‘Profundidad Aussente’
14. Green Velvet – ‘Coitus’
15. Tomoki – ‘Voices’
16. My My – ‘Day For Night’
17. Haruki Matsuo – ‘DanKan’
18. D. Diggler – ‘Timemachine’

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OTAM Mix 07: Ramchez – ‘Out There A Minute’