new mix: Robert-Johnson podcast

"Won't you walk me through the tiergarten?"

The other day while perusing the Resident Advisor message boards, I came across this fascinating tidbit about world famous Frankfurt nightclub Robert-Johnson.

Top Frankfurt club Robert-Johnson only has a 250-person capacity, and with DJs such as Hawtin, Villalobos and co. regularly through the doors, to combat the squeeze they've had to give up on announcing lineups. Instead RJ are posting a mystery mix on their site for each club night, all of which are downloadable if you subscribe to their RSS feed. No names, no labels, no bad music, and a total nightmare for trainspotters.

As one who always enjoys a little mystery, I snatched a mix at random, and boy am I glad I right clicked and saved "12. 04. 2008." The mystery mix kicks off with the insanely beautiful Supermayer (aka Michael Mayer and Superpitcher) remix of Rufus Wainwright's "Tiergarten." This epic 13 minute dance floor jam is complete with the minimalist big beats you'd expect from the Kompakt heavy hitters, but what truly makes this an incredible track is that the German superstar tag team leaves the Rufus's ethereal intro intact. The whistful strumming of the harp and the swirling synthetic marimba give "Tiergarten" a dreamy wondrousness not usually associated with German micro-house. Recommended for long walks through foggy forests and late night drives through the back streets of sleeping cities.

Click HERE to subscribe to Robert-Johnson's podcasts in iTunes.

Rufus Wainwright- Tiergarten (SuperMayer remix)

nu musik: Apparat

"Holdon to all you've got"

When we are not raving about all of the great music coming out of Scandanavia, we can usually be found with (at least one of) our ears tuned in to the frequencies of Berlin. Once a drab Cold War metaphor, Berlin has reinvented itself as a thriving artistic metropolis. It's no coincidence that one of our favorite Scandanavian artists has made Berlin his second home. Besides the warmer weather, Berlin's attractiveness lies in the fact that it is one of the pioneering cities of the 'microhouse' or 'tech house' or 'minimal' or 'whatever-you-want-to-call it' electronic movement.

Apparat (aka Sascha Ring) is a Berlin native and a large figure in the city's musical renaissance. DJ, producer, and owner of his own label (Shitkatapult), Sascha has made important contributions to Berlin's musical tapestry over the years. Released in mid-May, his latest solo album, "Walls", is further evolution of his (and Berlin's) style: the LP infuses glitchy beats, warm string arrangements, and sometimes even classic song structure and vocals (courtesy of Raz Ohara) into colorful tracks that run the gamut from IDM-inspired pop to downtempo sound collages to latenight dancefloor fillers. It is Apparat's variation of style that makes this album his most accessible to date, yet there is somehow a cohesiveness that ties the whole thing together and makes for a rewarding listen from start to finish. While the album most definitely shows its Berlin roots, it also fearlessly extends its branches to create something wholly original and refreshing. Berlin's native son has made his city proud and raised the bar once again.

Check out some tracks below:
Apparat - Fractales Pt. 1
Apparat - Holdon (feat. Raz Ohara)