Ein Platten-Label, das in der internationalen House-Szene wohl am schmerzlichsten vermisst wurde, kehrt diesen Sommer zurück: Dance Mania.
Als der Betreiber Ray Barney 1999, von Steuerproblemen und strukturellem Wandel in der Musikwirtschaft geplagt, das Geschäft auf Eis legte, war nicht abzusehen, in welchem Ausmaß das Label aus Chicago auch ohne weitere Veröffentlichungen florieren würde. Von 1985 bis dahin waren immerhin fast dreihundert Veröffentlichungen zusammengekommen, eine für die schnelllebige Clubkultur schon bemerkenswerte Taktung. Und doch schrumpften die Bestände in den Plattenläden über die Jahre immer mehr zusammen, bis nur noch wenige Exemplare aus Lagerfunden übrigblieben, hochgepreist auf Sammler-Niveau. Die gesuchtesten Titel des Backkatalogs hingegen schraubten sich auf dem Gebrauchtmarkt bis auf dreistellige Beträge hoch, und so war es eigentlich nur eine Frage der Zeit, bis die Gründungsmitglieder davon Notiz nehmen würden, dass sich das Geschäft wieder ausreichend lohnen könnte.
Denn das Geschäft war vor allem bei Chicago House immer ein entscheidender Faktor. Rocky Jones von D.J. International und Larry Sherman von Trax Records, den maßgeblichen Labels der House-Gründertage, waren Businesstypen von fast schon legendärer Zwielichtigkeit, und auch ihre zahlreichen, mit Knüppelverträgen ausgebeuteten Künstler kommen in Interviews mit größter Wahrscheinlichkeit an den Punkt, an dem es eher darum geht, für die Musik angemessen bezahlt, als angemessen künstlerisch gewürdigt zu werden. Auch bei Dance Mania wurde nach einer gnadenlosen Kosten-Nutzen-Rechnung gewirtschaftet. Der Sound der dort veröffentlichenden Produzenten war schon billig genug, kaum jemand konnte sich hochwertiges Equipment leisten und so manche Genre-Klassiker wurden auf geliehenen Geräten zustande gebracht. Doch man war jung, sprudelte vor Ideen, und man konnte es gleich um die Tat umsetzen, denn auch Dance Mania presste nahezu alles was von den lokalen Talenten angeliefert wurde. Und das natürlich möglichst ökonomisch. Altes Vinyl wurde in den Presswerken recycelt, und man kann die vorher darauf enthaltene Musik irritierenderweise in leisen Stellen noch heraushören. Man sieht auf den Rillen Zeitungspapier, oder sonstwie rätselhafte Krümelreste, viele Platten sind flattrig, und haben regelrechte Kerben am Außenrand. Und der Cut aus dem Mastering-Studio klingt bei einem Großteil der Platten so mumpfig, als hätte der Engineer begeistert ein Dolby-Verfahren benutzt, was schon in der frühsten Beta-Phase verworfen wurde. Kurzum, Dance Mania-Platten sind nichts für audiophil veranlagte Hörer, und so mancher ist schon bei dem Gedanken verzweifelt, welche Wirkung die Musik hätte entfalten können, wenn sie einfach besser klingen würde.
Aber genau das ist natürlich, was die Magie des Label-Repertoires ausmacht. Schon in den ersten Jahren erschienen Ausnahmeplatten von wichtigen Pionieren der House-Geschichte wie Marshall Jefferson („7 Ways“), Lil Louis („Frequency“) und Farley Jackmaster Funk (House Nation“), und obwohl man wie die anderen Chicagoer Labels sämtliche Phasen nach der ersten Blütezeit durchlief, zuerst Acid House, dann Vocal- und Hip House, es gab immer diese Tracks, die sich etwas weiter voran wagten als das Restgeschehen. Und als dann die Konkurrenz den Level der ersten Erfolge mit kommerzielleren Stücken erzwingen wollte, ging man bei Dance Mania den entgegengesetzten Weg, und wurde radikaler. Ausgehend von den reinen Rhythmus-Tools in den Sets legendärer DJs wie Ron Hardy oder dem Hot Mix 5-Team des Radiosenders WBMX, entschlackte man jeglichen Ballast bis auf das Basisgerüst, den Track. 1990 erschien „Armani Trax“ von Robert Armani und bestand nur noch aus einem Beat, Handclaps und einem sich stetig wiederholenden schabenden, metallischen Geräusch. Dennoch erzielt das Stück nur mit diesen minimalen Mitteln eine beeindruckende Sogwirkung, und der dazugehörige Erfolg machte schnell Schule. Nicht nur in den lokalen Clubs, sondern auch für die schnell wachsende Techno-Szene Europas waren die rauen Tracks aus Chicago von u.a. DJ Rush, Parris Mitchell oder Glenn Underground eine willkommene Alternative. Von ihrer oft fragwürdigen Klangqualität abgesehen waren sie das perfekte Werkzeug, dynamisch, punktgenau und bedingungslos effizient. Ob alleinstehend in ihrer ganzen ausgefuchsten Reduktion, oder im Mix als Unterstützung von auswärtigen Stücken mit mehr Arrangements, aber weniger Energie. Ab 1994 erhielt diese Mischung aus Beats und wenigen, markanten Tonsignalen eine neue Bedeutung durch die Zufuhr von Elementen aus dem Gangster-Bereich des Hip Hop, und wurde zu Ghetto House. Schon vorher waren Dance Mania-Platten gerne explizit, aber Produzenten wie DJ Funk, DJ Deeon oder Jammin’ Gerald trieben es auf die Spitze. Das Tempo wurde weiter erhöht und wenn man Fotos aus den Clubs in Chicago aus jener Zeit betrachtet, wird schnell klar, dass sich der rasant hochpegelnde Sexual Content vor allem an die Mädels richtete, die auf der Tanzfläche die komplette Sau rauslassen. Denn Tanzen zu dieser Musik war eine zutiefst physische Angelegenheit und wurde mit größter Hingabe betrieben. Und auch wenn man ein mehrstündiges DJ-Set nur mit Tracks bestreiten konnte, in denen man von einer herrischen Stimme aufgefordert wurde, irgendein Körperteil zu whippen oder zu worken, oder beides, die Musik war eine Dienstleistung unter extremer Belastung, die von den Künstlern sehr ernst genommen wurde.
Nach einigen Jahren, in denen sich dieser Sound wie geschnitten Brot verkaufte, ging es wieder zurück in den Untergrund, und nach der Pleite des Labels entwickelte es sich zu Phänomenen wie Juke oder Footwork, welche noch schneller aber rhythmisch vertrackter waren, und daher mit offenen Armen in der UK-Bass-Szene aufgenommen wurden. Und wie so oft wenn etwas aufgegriffen wird, besinnt man sich auf die Ursprünge, und der Funke springt in alle Richtungen. Schon bald hörte man die Dance Mania-Prototypen nicht nur in aktuellen Produktionen wieder, sondern auch im direktem Einsatz in der DJ-Kanzel, sei es in Kombination mit neueren Tendenzen oder in nostalgischer Reinkultur.
Natürlich ist es bezeichnend, dass der elektronischen Musik nach all den Jahren was zu fehlen scheint, das die Reaktivierung von Dance Mania immer noch bieten kann, aber schön ist es allemal. Und diesmal klingen die Platten besser, und jeder wird bezahlt.
Todd Modes – I’d Rather Be With You Orlando Voorn – Fruitflies Anthony Naples – Ill Still Florian Kupfer – Feelin Tase – Untitled Kassem Mosse – IP Mirrors Anno Stam – I Still Have The Photographs MK – Strider Marcman – Dici Adam Marshall – Memphis Spirit Of The Black 808 – Two Joe – R.E.J. Bit Unknown Artist – Benga Benga 1 Gentle Giant 01 – Untitled
Lengthy post-punk special, inspired my first ventures into clubs. The artwork is the logo of a new wave club in Kiel I regularly went to in the 80s, called Pfefferminz.
The Human League – The Black Hit Of Space Indoor Life – Contre Nature Chris Carter – Beat Soft Cell – Say Hello Wave Goodbye 400 Blows – Strangeways (Revisited) Dark Day – Nudes In The Forest The Wirtschaftswunder – The Girls Of The Navy Shock – R.E.R.B. Section 25 – Looking From A Hilltop Tears For Fears – Pale Shelter Cabaret Voltaire – Automotivation Boris Policeband – Tow Away Family Fodder – Winter Song Holger Hiller – Das Feuer Kreutzer – Affentanz Comateens – Ghosts Pete Shelley – On My Own Markus Oehlen – Beer Is Enough Palais Schaumburg – Kinder Der Tod Simple Minds – I Travel Visage – The Anvil Tuxedomoon – What Use? The Cure – The Walk Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Messages New Order – Video 586 The Fun Boy Three – Life In General Virgin Prunes – Faculties Of a Broken Heart The Neon Judgement – The Fashion Party British Standard Unit – D’ya Think I’m Sexy John Foxx – Underpass Brenda Ray – D’Ya Hear Me! The Specials – I Can’t Stand It BEF – Uptown Apocalypse Vanity 6 – Make-Up Implog – Holland Tunnel Dive Jah Wobble – I Need You By My Side David Byrne – Big Business The Associates – Skipping Patrick Cowley & Jorge Socarras – Robot Children Fad Gadget – Pedestrian Ike Yard – Cherish 8 James White And The Blacks – Contort Yourself Gang Of Four – At Home He Feels Like A Tourist General Strike – My Other Body Suicide – Shadazz Chain Of Command – Honour Amongst Thieves Electric Chairs – J’Attends Les Marines Clock DVA – Resistance Vice Versa – Riot Squad Throbbing Gristle – United Mathematiques Modernes – A+B The Bach Revolution – Labor Pains The Vyllies – Babylon Strange Devotion – Against The New Formation Der Plan – Wat’s Dat? The Flying Lizards – TV The Flying Lizards – Tube Ceramic Hello – Ringing In The Sane Jeunesse D’Ivoire – A Gift Of Tears Blue Chips Of Asama – Haruko’s Lament The Sound – I Can’t Escape Myself Pere Ubu – The Modern Dance Thomas Leer – Letter From America Baard – Savior For The Nations Atom Spies – Single Dance Vivien Goldman – Launderette Sun Yama – Subterrean Homesick Blues John Bender – 39A5 Something Liaisons Dangereuses – Être Assis Ou Danser Fred Frith – Same Old Me Kim Fowley – Searching For A Human In Tight Blue Jeans The Normal – Warm Leatherette
Gray – Mr. Bickerton Mobb Deep – Give Up The Goods (Instrumental) Beastie Boys – Rhyme The Rhyme Well Dial.81 feat. Paul Randolph – Luminous Stasis Transilvanian Galaxi – You Have Always Been The Caretaker Banderas – This Your Life (Easy Life Mix) Intime – Second Sight Alois Huber – Sit Dub Oneiro – What Happened To The Music? Aphroasiatechnubian – In The Street Skatebård – Love In The Night Paul Hill – Need Me Some U Raphael Saadiq – The Answer
Matmos – Very Large Green Triangles Elektro Guzzi – Cashmere (Reverse Mix) Lowtec – Oni Nake Urban Tribe – Untitled DRMCNT – Skinner Robert Hood – Drive (The Age Of Automation) Omar-S – Blade Runner Theo Parrish – Synthetic Flemm Terrence Dixon – Band Together Pev – Aztec Chant Tessela – Helter Skelter Alex Coulton – Too Much Talk Djrum – Blue On Blue (Voodoo)
Madteo – We Doubt (Dresvn Remix) Madteo – Very Sweaty Palms (Kassem Mosse Remix) KGB – Stark Barnt – Stac Battle Box -Battle Box (Main Mix) Primitive World – Danceteria Tapenade – Untitled Mgun – Let Conversation Take Place Anthony Naples – El Portal Zombie Zombie – Illuminations (DJ Sotofett’s House-Chugging-Tuff-Trip-Mix) Blank – Still Bass Clef – You Don’t Know Don’t Know You Broadcast – Come On Let’s Go
Though being a Disco and a Post Punk enthusiast since a tender young age, Indoor Life admittedly passed me by for quite some time. In pre-internet days, all the media resources I had access to (which actually were as many music magazines I could afford to read and as many radio shows within reach I could listen to) proved their unreliability by not offering me any information about them. There was no good friend who discovered their releases in a record shop, and they escaped my digging fingers as well.
When I finally stumbled upon Indoor Life years later, while researching potential gaps in my extensive Patrick Cowley collection in the web, even the few low research details and low quality vinyl rips I could gather made it more implausible how this outfit could fly so below all radars, and more importantly, for so long. How could I unearth the entire catalogue of a phenomenal band like Philadelphia’s The Stickmen while still being a teenager, who had less information circulating, less releases and probably never toured outside the US, and totally overlook this one, which connected even more of my interests? A band from the golden days of San Francisco Disco and Post Punk, produced by the legendary Hi-NRG originator Cowley himself? Post Punk AND Patrick Cowley! It was puzzling to say the least, and it sounded too good to be true.
Only it wasn’t. The CD-R copy a friend in the UK had sent me (I may have had internet access by then, but file sharing was still way ahead) sounded even better. There was a notable absence of guitars, but not to be missed, as the bass played with as much heavy funk as anything featuring Bill Laswell, but with a different edge, in perfect unison with ultra-precise and similarly heavy funky drums, both often deviating to rhythm and groove of an almost feverish quality. The synthesizer sequences and sounds indeed were similar to what Cowley did on his famed productions in the Disco area, but here they were a whole lot more experimental and dark and added a congenial atmospheric edge to the proceedings. A plethora of weird effects and particularly this absolutely stunning and unique use of the trombone added even more. And on top of it, this charismatic voice, sounding like nobody else’s, singing words of strangely tainted romanticism and that kind of futuristic alienation that would not age awkwardly. Listening to it all I was floored, and instinctive attempts to compare it to other seminal protagonists of that time soon failed into nowhere. And as that meant seeking parallels to other music created in an incredible productive and innovative era, this of course was quite something. Indoor Life were an impressively smart archetype, ahead of their time in many ways. Like in hindsight, so many were not.
It was certainly predictable that I would purchase everything they did, even if it would take years. But I would as certainly never have predicted that I would ever be involved with what the person behind the voice had done with Patrick Cowley before Indoor Life, or that I would even get to know him, and find him to be one of the finest and most interesting persons I have ever met, and a good friend. But that’s another story. In the meantime, consider yourself very lucky that you have much quicker access to the genius of Indoor Life than I had. “Archeology”, indeed…
UK Bass/Dubstep special, recorded for m50’s radio show in Chicago.
Kahn – Like We Used To DJ Abstract – Touch djrum – Turiya Taylor – Squeege Nautiluss x Lord Skywave – Ultraviolet Zed Bias – Reminisce About The Phuture Elgato – Luv Zombie Pangaea – Inna Daze Kuma – Dawn Stepped Outside (Horsepower MK7 Mix) Grey Goo – See Me Irrelevant feat. Brad Sucks – Better Off In Me Graphics – Name This Bandshell – Rise Em Instra:mental – Thomp Untold – Bones (Rockwell Remix) J Beatz – Subwoofer (Grievous Angel Remix) Helix – Stacks Riddim No Symbols – Straight Kode9, Benny Ill & The Culprit – Fat Larry’s Skank Djrum – Turyia (Tessela Remix) West Norwood Cassette Library – Coming On Strong (Pangaea Remix) Djrum – The Darkest Hour Is Just Before Dawn (Undercoat Pt. 2) LD – Traumatic Times Lorca – Hold Back Pangaea – Memories Synkro – Don’t Know Luke Envoy – So TRG – Surreal (5AM) Forsaken – Hypnotised Horsepower Productions – Voodoo Spell Double Helix – LDN RSD – Pretty Bright Light Killawatt – Sidewinder (Ipman Remix) Kahn & Neek – Percy Geeneus – Congo Untold – No One Likes A Smart-Arse Data – The Construct Data – Knives From Heaven Photek – Closer (Pinch Remix) Pinch – Elements Opus – I’m Goin In Dub War – Funky Deal Anti-Pop Consortium – Ghostlawns (LFO Rik Waller Mix)
Macrospective is the new mix compilation from Macro Recordings due out 12th September. The label, owned by Stefan Goldmann and Finn Johannsen, is known for pushing the boundaries of regular techno and to demonstrate its back catalogue as well as their inventive approach to the scene, this is a double mix with a twist. The pair have selected exactly the same tracks for each of their mixes, but compiled the tracks in an alternative way- a method that highlights their individual talents as well as different parts of the tracks themselves. So when Pulse caught up with Finn and Stefan, we decided it’d be rude not to try and replicate their idea in interview form. Here’s what the pair had to say in answer to the same questions in a different order- Stefan’s turn first!
Pulse: Tell us a bit about your history as a producer/DJ. Stefan Goldmann: Around the year 2000 I had some basic equipment together and quickly learned to program nice House beats. I spent some years deepening my skills and knowledge, working with different labels. When I felt comfortable enough to do my own thing and not needing an A&R to tell me what can be released and what not, it was time for Macro.
Talk to us about the new Macrospective CD mix and how it all came about. Label compilations are boring. DJ mix CDs are boring. We wanted to do both in a way that excites us AND that reveals deep mystic truths to the listeners. I think our label catalogue isn’t boring. We love it. Even those who know it all might still find it interesting to listen how two DJs work it to get the best mix out of it. It is a contest with no winner or loser – I believe the material allows for several interpretations. That’s what we prove. I can’t recall anyone having done that before. That’s why we did it. Actually, we could have got all our DJs on it – that’s actually an idea: the Macrospective DVD with 10 mixes. But just with the two of us you get an insight of what drives us as DJs and A&Rs, too. It’s more compact and concentrated. Clarity is important.
You’re known as someone who likes to push the boundaries of concepts and techno itself. Where are you trying to push it to? To where no one else has bothered to push them yet.
What was the inspiration behind setting Macro recordings up and who runs what at the label? To me, that my ideas of what I wanted to do grew beyond what most A&Rs considered acceptable for their labels. I needed to eliminate the discussions and headaches. So one summer night, while having a beer in the park, Finn and I just where like: can we do it? Ok, let’s just do it. Now I make the tea, while Finn puts paper in the copier – meanwhile our mysterious boss, who is hidden from the public, sits in a mailbox in the Caymans and reaps all the money.
What’s getting you most excited in your musical life right now? That Finn is an official releasing artist now. And that everything is new and amazing. My whole life as a musician is changing. I’m happy I have a constant flow of ideas what to work on and how to make it work. Everything is shifting away from the traditional structures to new structures. While many are in panic, I’ve never before felt so free to pursue the music I want to do, to ignore what others believe is necessary to oblige to and to find new ways to support it all.
Pulse: Talk to us about the new Macrospective CD mix and how it all came about. Finn Johannsen: We found that it might be time to take a look back on what we did so far and to thank our artists for their contributions, but at the same time the usual formats for label retrospectives did not appeal to us. Stefan and me work together so well because we are very different persons and we are very different as DJs, too. Thus we came up with this concept because we thought it would reflect all that. When we compared the results it quickly became apparent that the experiment was successful.
What’s getting you most excited in your musical life right now? Music I had not heard before and which I find interesting basically excites me the same as when I carried my first money to the store to purchase records at the age of 6 or so. And I’m confident that it will never stop. And all the possibilities!
Tell us a bit about your history in music. Pretty much all I do for a living is closely connected to music. I buy music since the 70’s, I play music since the 80’s, I write about music since the 90’s. In the last ten years I co-founded Macro to release music, and I took up working at Hard Wax to sell music. Music Music Music.
What was the inspiration behind setting Macro recordings up and who runs what at the label? It was out of discontent mainly. We felt the complaint is not as productive as the act. Since then what we do and who does what is constantly in flux. We have friends that help, collaborators we collaborate with, and we establish missions to accomplish with every new week.
You’re known as someone who likes to push the boundaries of concepts and techno itself. Where are you trying to push it to? We just try to push things forward, no matter in which direction. And since we do that, with every closing door several other doors opened. And now our imagination is running wild.
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