Browse by Label: LEVEL RECORDS (GERMANY)

Artist:	VA
Title:	Quartett EP
Label:	LEVEL RECORDS (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$9.00
Catalog #:	LEVEL 001EP

"Quartet EP is the first release of the new minimal-electronics label Level Records from Düsseldorf/ Germany. This record features four artists with one track each and reveals the variety of different fresh approaches on minimal from Düsseldorf. Oliver Hacke, who also released on such labels as Traum, Trapez and Background, starts with a slightly dark, very deep ambienced, but nevertheless very dancy track. In comparison to his past 12" releases, Andy Vaz (sound variation [---]/ background) contributes, a much straighter/cleaner arranged track without losing the dense and sometimes weird atmosphere many people appreciate his tracks for. Stephan Schwander as Rhythm_Maker (aka Antonelli Electr., Repeat Orchestra), set the tempo for the b-side to laid back 120 bpm's with very deep, melodic chords, acoustic-bass and tiny distortion effects. Daniel Fritschi has his debut-track on this 12". Its slowly upbuilding surrounding sound scapes go in hand with fi ligran beat-patterns and effects. This results in a very complex and dense composition which is on the edge of listening and club-music."

Artist:	FRITSCHI, DANIEL
Title:	Intonation EP
Label:	LEVEL RECORDS (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$9.00
Catalog #:	LEVEL 002EP

"After releasing his debut-track 'Vortex' together with tracks by Oliver Hacke, Rhythm-Maker and Andy Vaz on the compilation Quartett EP (level1), Daniel Fritschi finally steps out of the background and establishes himself as a full-fledged musician with this 4-track 12" vinyl, called Intonation EP. A1 'Flexion-Wavelet'; Side B starts with 'Flexion-Wavelet' -- a track of 120 bpm with mellow chords and filigree clicks, zaps and bleeps. The track tenderly develops into a free-floating and deep ambience, thinning out here and there to intonate a delicate piano melody and a counterbalanced more techno kind of bass drum. The bouncing bass and the smooth flow of 'Flexion-Wavelet' maturely explore the ramifications of minimal techno."

Artist:	SLG
Title:	Quarter Past Eleven EP
Label:	LEVEL RECORDS (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$9.00
Catalog #:	LEVEL 004EP

"Slg (Lukasz Seliga) is a musician and laptop live performer from Lodz, Poland. With Slg, Level Records continues its approach of releasing deep minimalistic music. Yet, Slg's debut EP Quarter Past Eleven also presents an excitingly fresh interpretation of deep minimalism. 'Quarter Past Eleven' merges minimal textures and funky glitch house elements, serving a perfect mélange of uplifting beats with deep and gentle atmospheres. Rich bass lines and organ-like chords unfold in warm close-up intimacy and, energized by the minimal changes in beat, produce a flowing experience of timelessness. The here and now drifts off into spherical overtones and re-collects by taking surprising turns in the tracks, creating contentment and a smile of serenity."

Artist:	ANTONELLI ELCTR.
Title:	Laziness
Label:	LEVEL RECORDS (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$9.00
Catalog #:	LEVEL 005EP

"Antonelli Electr. is delightfully composing himself back into a perfect arrangement between house and minimal techno. One thing, two sides -- and a gradual change of perspective, developing from straight techno beats to a gas and steam cogeneration plant. Side A starts off with 'Dusty,' a straight techno track with a slurping bass that easily masters the quirky house chords. 'Slipstream' is an accelerating impulse for the dance floors and will make them hit and kick till their hearts are content. Side B sways more into serenely playful sounds: 'Snowflake Funk' is sure funky, even jazzy with a clearly swishing and rustling scent. 'Laziness,' the last track then tumbles over into a new interpretation of deep and dubbed minimal techno -- playful without being abstract -- a snapshot of relief and liberating contemplation. Laziness EP is not entirely without double and maybe triple irony, yet it displays too much friendliness and equanimity to be full-swing iconoclastic, and what is more, it will knock over your flower tub real good, too, just as the mood pleases."

Artist:	HACKE, OLIVER
Title:	Millepieds Remixe
Label:	LEVEL RECORDS (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$9.00
Catalog #:	LEVEL 006EP

"Level records' first release, Quartett EP, opened up with 'Millepieds' by Oliver Hacke. The sixth release on Level now sports five artists who use their individual techniques and remix approaches on Hacke's acclaimed track. On A1, Slg extracts an incredible funkyness from the original material that won't leave anybody unmoved. Although its sounds are all based on the original, Slg's approach is very different yet funky as hell and deep at the same time. People who already know his EP on Level might be reminded of his highly regarded 'Anymore'-track which features a similar kind of bassline. A2 by the Mexican artist Fax is a very surprising remix. It starts off with very grounded groovy loops with a quite solid feel, sustaining in a traditional micro-house manner until unexpectedly, beautifully modulated, dreamy chords emerge from the solid base groove. Surprises like this make many of Fax's tracks so special. Side b starts with labelhead Daniel Fritschi who creates a track which does only loosely refer to his previous releases. Daniel picks up the slightly dark mood of the original, develops it to a nicely grounded sequence and garnishes it with a grooving bassline plus dubs. Anders Ilars remix can be regarded as an appetizer for his forthcoming EP on Level. He builds up a dense and beautiful atmosphere which feels like wide spaces, populated by millions of gentle clicks, all kept together by the warm and dominant bassline of the 'Millepieds' original. The final track by Jeff Milligan is a more free interpretation of the original, focused on the dominant, beautiful warm chords, sparkling beats and hihats cutting sharp like scalpels."

Artist:	SLG
Title:	Invisible EP
Label:	LEVEL RECORDS (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$10.00
Catalog #:	LEVEL 009EP

"Since his acclaimed debut EP on Level Records in 2005, Slg (Lukasz Seliga) has managed to establish himself as one of the leading producers in Poland. His second EP for Level is strongly influenced by his countless accomplished live performances and is a testament to just how well club and deep music can work together. From the fantastic minimal stomper 'Sixty Six' over the very deep, funky title track 'Invisible' with its deep meandering melodies to the more rave-oriented 'Rain Over Lodz,' Slg presents an extraordinary symbiosis of deepness and functionality. The EP is closed with Anders Ilar's refined reinterpretation of 'Sixty Six.'"

Artist:	ANTONELLI ELECTR./FAX/FERENC VASPOERI/HIDENOBU ITOU
Title:	Top Ten 2/3
Label:	LEVEL RECORDS (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	LEVEL 010B-EP

"The second part of the three EP series celebrating Level Records' tenth anniversary, Top Ten 2/3. Ferenc Vaspoeri kicks off with an escape from the city and deep into Hungarian forests yet maintains a metropolitan perspective with his harmonic, almost texture-free sound design. Next on the map is Hidenobu Ito, who summons ghosts in Tokyo's Asakusa district with the spookiest house sneaker released on Level Records to date. On the flipside, it's back to Duesseldorf, Germany, with local legend Antonelli Electr. throwing on a twisted Chicago-esque house tune."

Artist:	ILAR, ANDERS
Title:	Sworn
Label:	LEVEL RECORDS (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$20.00
Catalog #:	LEVEL 011CD

"The eight new tracks on Sworn have a romantic and sublime feel and combine a wide range of musical styles: you will find sparkling electronica, abstract IDM-ish parts and deep clubby tunes with slices of acid and Chicago house in it. Despite the many different influences the result is a very coherent one as everything is embraced by Ilar's enigmatic and unique haze of sound. On Sworn, undoubtedly one of Ilar's finest works to date, sophistication and blissfulness go hand in hand."

Artist:	KAITARO
Title:	Minority EP
Label:	LEVEL RECORDS (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	LEVEL 012EP

"Level Records' twelfth release is the most minimalistic one in the label's history so far. The first track on the EP, which has nearly 30 minutes of running time, is 'Narcotic' -- a track that starts very percussive with a driving one-note bass line, that reminds us in the best way of what some people call the new school of minimal. But then Kaitaro opens the track and lets out lines of moody melodies in, that fit with the label's older releases. 'March' is a very reduced house track. With very warm sounds and a few deep scapes, Kaitaro creates a minimal track as atmospheric as it could be. 'Cosmo' has a funk-infected bassline and a slice of more experimental harmonies and sounds. The track takes much time to build up until the listener notices himself nodding his head. 'Washer,' the final track, is the most minimalistic but at the same time the most danceable track. Its rolling percussive elements make it a fine DJ tool that will make every crowd move."

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Artist:	CZUBALA/BVOICE & KHZ/ANDERS ILAR, MARCIN
Title:	Top Ten 1/3
Label:	LEVEL RECORDS (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	LEVEL 010A-EP

Artist:	VA
Title:	Top Ten 3/3
Label:	LEVEL RECORDS (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$11.50
Catalog #:	LEVEL 010C-EP