@ Wed May 22 06:27:59 2013

Phil Gerus - Based On Misunderstandings 05 Sonar Kollektiv presents: The genius of Phil Gerus.

With this brand new 6-track EP, the first release for Gerus on a major label -- Sonar Kolletiv can lay claim to introducing a large talent to a wide audience.

The Wikipedia definition of “Chillwave states: “Chillwave, sometimes also referred to as glo-fi, is a genre of music whose artists are often characterized by their heavy use of effects processing, synthesizers, looping, sampling, and heavily filtered vocals with simple melodic lines.“ Washed Out, Com Truise and Toro Y Moi have been heralded as its genre shifting leaders. Now, with Phil Gerus in the game, there’s an additional synonym for Chillwave.

This 23-year-old resident of Moscow, with an academic background in Classical piano and a big affection for jazz, expresses in music exactly what the Wikipedia article describes in words. Over the last three years Gerus has been releasing self-published music on the Net and on labels such as Fuse Lab (“Milk & Honey”) and Rhymast Music (“Ordinary Things”).

Alex Barck, A&R at Sonar Kollektiv, is surely not the only person who right now wants to dance and groove exclusively to Gerus’ style of chillwave. And many more fans will soon be saying the same thing! The worldwide success of Phil Gerus is immanent.

[1] Based On Misunderstandings 05
[2] Phil Gerus - DJ Mix

Joe Bataan - Ordinary Guy (Jazzanova Rework) Joe Bataan has always been a favourite of Jazzanova. His unique blend of latin, soul, funk and jazz is an inspiration.

The rework by Jazzanova, with newly recorded vocals by now 70-yeras old Bataan, is much more than just an update of this timeless classic. The swining back groove is a modern interpretation of 60’s soul/funk that takes you back to the golden days of Motown, Stax and Fania. The fantastic drum break in the middle of the track and the kinky rhythm guitar licks as well as the lively bass (provided by Jazzanova live band members Arne Jansen and Paul Kleber) are so right on the money that probably even Booker T. & The M.G.'s wouldn't have done a better job.

Now available on 10inch vinyl.

[1] 10inch

PASKAL & URBAN ABSOLUTES - BASED ON MISUNDERSTANDINGS 04 After having built up a small catalogue of striking releases on their own, Alexander Kastner and Adrian Hoffmann decided in late summer 2009 to start a musical cooperation project by the name of Paskal & Urban Absolutes. Eventhough one lives in Berlin (Alexander) and one in Essen (Adrian) the twosome developed their very own idea of modern club music – somewhere between slo-mo house, downbeat and even pop.

„Pieces“ features the vocals of Aniya Ouu and is a lush, poppy slow house track at a gentle 105 bpm that will also get radio airplay. The Alex Barck remix adds emphasis to the tune by pumping the bassline towards Chicago house and adding piano stabs in a Basement Boys fashion. Of course his rework has Barck’s typical handwriting all over it: sudden breakdowns, off-kilter rhythm patterns and the guarantee to fill dancefloors worldwide.

On the B side we have Rockford Inc. taking care of business. Rockford Inc. is one of the many aliases of Oliver Marquard, aka DJ Jauche, aka Robin Master’s Orchestra, aka Jack Flash (of 1999 Love Parade anthem „Love Is In The Air“ fame). The DJ/producer who is one of the leading and most progressive characters in Berlin’s nightlife (he has been DJing from Tresor to Ostgut to Panoramabar) knows how to turn a beautiful pop song into a club monster. His „Miss Meier Dreams Of Happiness“ remix is a very-late-night tale with a very happy end. Who needs sleep tonight?

As a digital bonus track you’ll get the dub version of „Pieces“. It’s not just an instrumental of the original track though, but an augmented club track at around 118bpm.

[1] Based On Misunderstandings 04
[2] Soundcloud

Sonar Kollektiv - 15 Years Of Volxmusik You’ll always find a reason to party if you will. Sonar Kollektiv’s 15th anniversary is more than just another invitation to let one’s hair down though.

Let’s have a toast to one of Germany’s most significant labels on October 12th at the prestigious Volksbühne in Berlin Mitte. Two of the most closely related acts of the label, Jazzanova and Micatone, will play their birthday serenades. After an extensive festival tour this summer the nine-piece Jazzanova live band (featuring Paul Randoph) will finally premiere their new album „Funkhaus Studio Session“ in Berlin. It’s also quite possibly one or two surprise guests will enrich the birthday celebration with a performance (one of them will be FETSUM!). Because where else – even in the new musical capitol of the world – will you meet such a top-class cast in one place at the same time?

What’s more, lots of the DJs from the extended Sonar Kollektiv family will line up for this memorable soiree. Next to the Jazzanova DJs (Claas Brieler and Juergen von Knoblauch) there will be new Berlin resident Red Rack’em (the debut of his project Hot Coins will be out on Sonar Kollektiv) and Paskal & Urban Absolutes (with a live set) ensuring that the festivities will be on a top-notch musical level.

Sonar Kollektiv was founded in 1997 by Jazzanova. Designed as a platform for own releases it soon attracted numerous new discoveries and like-minded musicians to lead their trumps right here. Still it was never the intention of Sonar Kollektiv to pursue one specific sound or provide an already existing scene. Each and every release on the label (250 and counting) was at all times meant to illustrate the musical taste of the collective, its flavourful development and recollection of past sounds. The various compilations and label showcases played a big part of it. From the renowed „Secret Love“ compilation (No. 6 just came out these days), the „Computer Incarnations For World Peace“ edition, the „...Boadcasting“ and „....Mixing“-series to the „Romanian Jazz“ label showcase Sonar Kollektiv continuously cares about broadening its own and the horizon of any type of music lovers. How broad this horizon can be expanded showed the release of Âme’s „Rej“ in 2005. Shorthandly minimal techno was redifined and at the same time the sublabel Innervisions (runned by Dixon) was leveraged to worldwide fame. Other milestones in the eventful history of Sonar Kolletiv were the discovery of the New Zealand reggae soul combo Fat Freddy’s Drop (2005), the debuts by Micatone (2003), Benny Sings (2005), Clara Hill (2003) and Eva Be (2004), the first releases by Dimlite (2003), Tricksi (2006), Christian Prommer’s Drumlesson (2007), as well as Georg Levin (2005) and his collaborative project with Dixon, Wahoo (2004). Also for some of today’s legends of more sophisticated electronic music, like Ulrich Schnauss, Ben Klock and Marcin Kozlowski (now a member of Whitest Boy Alive) Sonar Kollektiv offered a stepping stone to their international careers. And in 2003 a certain Eric Wahlforss released his first record here, just before founding Soundcloud.

When at the end of 2009 the rate of fire ceased some thought the label is running on empty or lost touch to contemporary sounds. But the releases of this year so far should prove doubters wrong. The remix album „Jazzanova - Upside Down“ (released in January) gathers the who’s who of the currenty most happening and game-changing DJs and producers (Henrik Schwarz, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Filippo Moscatello, Manuel Tur, Mark E, and more) to catapult Jazzanova classics into the future. By signing Phil Gerus from Moscow, the new project Hot Coins out of the UK, EnaWadan from South Africa and the pan-Geman duo Paskal & Urban Absolutes four of the most promising new acts slantingly offside the dancefloor have been added to the already impressive roster. And once again all true pop aficionados with an addiction for soul and a genuine craft in songwriting are pierced to the heart with the brand new albums by FETSUM („The Colors Of Hope“) and Micatone („Wish I Was Here“).

But what is the formula of success of the Berlin based label? A dance music imprint that – with a few exceptions – actually doesn’t release club music? Is it even after all exactly this? Delievering music for prior to, succeeding and one day after a club night?

There’s no other German record label that can boast such an adventurous range of styles: reggae, folk, electronica, jazz, funk, calypso, house, techno and now also chillwave, dubstep, dream pop, and so on. At Sonar Kollektiv there’s somehow room for everything. Still, all of the 250 and counting releases have one common denominator: It’s music made out of passion - without any financial aim or attemps of ingratiation. From and for music lovers.

The 15th anniversay party on October 12th will be another unforgettable event in Berlin. Just remember the two label nights at the Staatsoper in 2004 and 2006 or the SK Festival 2007 at the Tape club. At the turn of the millenium there were already several label showcases at the Volksbühne – when the stage was turned into a dancefloor. On this evening we want to celebrate one more time what Berlin and Sonar Kollektiv respectively has become over the last 15 years: A melting pot of various creative influences, a conglomeration of multiple cultures and a stylistic perpetuum mobile which reinvents itself over and over again. If this is not reason enough to raise glasses to, what else should be? Here’s to another 15 years of Sonar Kollektiv!

Sonar Kollektiv: 15 Years Of Volxmusik
Volksbühne Berlin
12. Oktober 2012, 20:00 - XX Uhr
Türöffnung: 19:00
Livegigs: Jazzanova Live feat. Paul Randolph, Micatone, FETSUM
DJs: Jazzanova, Red Rack'em, Paskal & Urban Absolutes (Live-Set)

Get your tickets at the Box office of the Volksbühne.

[1] Tickets

Secret Love 6 The Secret Love compilation series is now moving into it's eight year and sixth anthology.

This highly acclaimed, and successful collection, is becoming a landmark of what a well selected compilation can still achieve. Even in a world where most everything can be found at the click of a button, Secret Love proves that someone expressing their own love and dedication to music, and showing this by hand picking a selection of tunes (that you just have to hear!), still matters and interests even the most cynical and jaded of us.

The sixth installment of the Secret Love compilation follow the tried and tested formula of seeking the perfect balance between soul, pop and folk (and anything else that may catch an ear)- from yesteryear to the current day. Sonar Kollektiv's A&R and renowned DJ Alex Barck and Adrian Hoenicke (of Finger Magazine fame) have selected fifteen outstanding tunes that make this, the newest installment of Secret Love quite possibly the best in the series until now.

Secret Love 6 picks up where the five predecessors left off. Collecting some of the best music that is floating around, be it old or new. And what is the selection criteria? Simply quality music that will stand the test of time. Contributions by known artists like EL PERRO DEL MAR, CARIBOU, JORI HULKKONEN, TIM KNOL, TREMBLING BLUE STARS, CANTOMA are interspersed with songs by some remarkable newcomers like PRINCETON, LOVE INKS, PSYCHEMAGIK and LOOSE FIT. MARIO & VIDIS' cover version of BON IVER's "Re:Stacks" and "Dark Souls" by UNFORSCENE are two exclusive tracks only available on this compilation! Furthermore LUC COUSINEAUS La Premiere Fois from 1976 has it's compilation debut right here on Secret Love 6.

“Valley Of Paradise” by British production duo PSYCHEMAGIK smoothly kicks things off. You can never go wrong with a David Crosby vocal contribution! Following this is “Half-Light” by TREMBLING BLUE STARS. A tale about a late Novembers evening - more an erotic reference than a seasonal theme. A pure love song sneaks in next with Dutch singer TIM KNOL'S "Days" (the title track off his latest and highy recommended album). One of the real highlights of this compilation (at least when it comes to raw pop appeal) is given to us by Gothenburg's EL PERRO DEL MAR with her recent release, the instant classic “Change Of Heart". Let us now take a step back in time, to 1976 to be exact, for the next choice. “La Premiere Fois “is the title of this beautiful guitar hum-a-long song by LUC COUSINEAU. Amazingly the first time it has ever been featured on a compilation. Moving forward again we find this winning combination. A LEXX remix of a Phil Mison aka CANTOMA laid back Cafe del Mar-induced slo mo house track ("Gambarra"). Tightly followed by another Balearic gem, “Tell Them” by Swedish band SECONDS is also one of those tunes you will always pack into your bag when you’re heading for the beach. Next up is an inclusion by newcomers LOVE INKS from Austin, Texas. "Leather Glove" is a sexy little tear jerker, textbook style but especially glorious because of this reason. UNFORSCENE from the UK bring us the next track and bring the tempo back up. “Dark Souls” is modern pop music at it's absolute best. (this exclusive track will also be available on the accompanying EP with an Alex Barck remix). The MANUEL TUR remix of LOOSE FIT's "Magnetise" takes a leap into futuristic territories with a twisted approximation of some symphonic dream. California based outfit PRINCETON puts another perfect and supertight pop song on display for us, “To The Alps”. When it comes to foreward thinking techno JORI HULKKONEN from Finland has been a quality guaranty for almost twenty years now. Here he throws in a melancholic ballad ("I Am Dead") that anyone suffering from a broken heart should probably avoid listening to at all costs. More of a soothing love song follows with "Apostrophe" by JED AND LUCIA in a jaunty SHAWN LEE remix. The next tune has been on heavy rotation on most every music fan's iPod over the last four years or so. But the FOUR TET remix of “Melody Day” by CARIBOU is still gong to be a major highlight on any compilation and indeed any time it is heard. Bringing Secret Love 6 to a perfect end in an exclusive contribution by MARIO & VIDIS with a stunning cover version of Bon Iver's “Re:Stacks”.

[1] Secret Love 6

Studnitzky - Ky Do Mar STUDNITZKY is widely known for transporting real emotions without sob stuff with his songs and trumpet playing.

He masters this tightrope walk like no other with an unagitated finesse. His astonishing way of trumpet playing made him one of the most sought-after session players in Germany nowadays. That’s why he’s on the road now for years with Jazzanova, Nils Landgrens Funk Unit, Mezzoforte and Wolfgang Haffner and is playing at the biggest festivals worldwide. Probably it’s Studnitzky’s hectic cosmopolitan lifestyle between airports, hotels and stages that makes the grace of nature his biggest source of inspiration. It’s here where the full blood musician is grounded and is able to keep himself confident and concentrated about his very own cosmos of sounds.

The current album "Ky Do Mar" came together in Portugal and Iceland. You can pin down this road movie like soundtrack somewhere between Miles Davis and Neil Young.

"Ky Do Mar" is a merciless tribute to the sea. Studnitzky recorded it in a house on a cliff overseeing the Atlantic ocean in a little village in Portugal, where the elders sit on a bench infront of the church and stare at the distant sea. There’s no obvious masterplan for this fascinating, soft, sparse and peaceful music which is, at the same time, full of imaginary magic. It’s all about this special moment which Studnitzky captured musically.

[1] Ky Do Mar
[2] Studnitzky - First Steps (Video)

Sonar Kollektiv - Berlin Music Week Special Sonar Kollektiv Berlin Music Week Special
05.09.2012 - Chalet, Berlin

Live:
Georg Levin Live
Neve Naive

DJ Sets:
Dego
Jazzanova
Dirk Rumpff

At the Berlin Music Week 2012 we present a showcase at the new club "chalet" (formerly Heinz Minki) and sum up the past year and give a little view on what will come in 2013 with live performances by Georg Levin and Neve Naive as well as DJ sets from Dego (2000black / 4hero), Dirk Rumpff (Offtrack / CDR-Berlin) and Jazzanova.


Here is a little insight on the new Club Chalet:
The club is owned by the former Bar25 owners and after a year they finally come back with a new unique location. Based in the centre of Kreuzberg they found a beautiful 150 year old building, which radiates the warm atmosphere of the 19th century - and has a stunning romantic garden.
 

Links:

www.sonarkollektiv.com
www.berlin-music-week.de
www.chalet-berlin.de

www.jazzanova.com
www.georglevin.com
www.facebook.com/NEVENAIVE
www.2000black.com
www.offtrack.org

Secret Love series - seriously back! The latest Secret Love 6 is accompanied again by a Special EP.

Next to two out of the fifteen tracks off the compilation an exclusive remix by Alex Barck of Unforscene’s „Dark Souls“ will be included.

Unforscene was formed more than fifteen years ago by brothers Will and Benji Bower and joined by Ben Muscat in 2005. „Dark Souls“ is an exclusive track for the Secret Love 6 compilation. And it is another indicator of how smart and adept the pop music of Unforscene has become over the years. The stunning voice by Swedish singer Cecilia Stalin minces on top of a vivacious shuffle beat and hauting piano chords. And finally concludes in an almost spiritual finale. Alex Barck gets his jigsaw from the attic and cuts the track into bits and pieces. Neglecting any given formulas he builds with the material a somehow krauty, jazzy freestyle house. The basement is provided by Jazzanova buddy Stefan Leisering and his crafty drum programing. The stucco comes from none other than Alex Barck’s daughter Pauline and her guitar play.

The guitar player and composer Luc Cousineau was born in Montreal in 1944 and has been releasing music since 1965. First together with his wife (as Lise & Luc), later on as a film music composer and as a solo artist Cousineau is a household name on the Canadian music scene. But beyond the borders of the country he was always quite unknown. Up to this day that is. „La Premiere Fois“ is off his self titled album from 1976.

[1] iTunes
[2] Webshop

FETSUM - NEW VIDEO & SINGLE & TOURDATES If the anticipation of summer would have to be set to music, "Waitin 'For You" would be the perfect song.

From the first bar, FETSUM creates the feeling of the promising prospect of warm sunshine, flourishing avenues and a cloudless sky. "Waitin 'For You" is carried by a combination of percussive drum & bass lines a la Stevie Wonder, Malian Mande-style guitar pickings like Salif Keita, and brass phrasing, reminiscent of The JB Horns. Paired with FETSUMs wonderful soulful voice, the sum of these individual parts show what makes this artist so special: "Waitin 'For You." Feel the vibe and let it move you!


TOURDATES:

23.09. - Mainz - Frankfurter Hof
25.09. - Mannheim - Alte Seilerei
26.09. - Köln - Stadtgarten
28.09. - München - Ampere
29.09 - Dresden - Ostpol
30.09. - Stuttgart - Wagenhallen
01.10. - Berlin - Babylon
02.10. - Hamburg - Fabrik

[1] VIDEO
[2] iTunes
[3] Webshop

I Human - Remixes by Soul Clap / 2000black / Mario & Vidis / Vakula / Rad Rack'em and more 2 x I Human Remix 12inches including remixes by Soul Clap, 2000black, Mario & Vidis, Vakula, Red Rack'em and others released today.

[1] I Human feat. Paul Randolph Remixes 1
[2] I Human feat. Paul Randolph Remixes 2