Browse by Label: SUOL (GERMANY)

Artist:	KALKBRENNER, FRITZ
Title:	Here Today Gone Tomorrow
Label:	SUOL (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.50
Catalog #:	SUOL 001CD

This is the debut album by Berlin vocalist/producer Fritz Kalkbrenner, the man with the unmistakable voice. Kalkbrenner isn't new to the business. His voice is heard on longplayers by artists like Alexander Kowalski, Chopstick & Johnjon and Sascha Funke. Also "Sky & Sand," the theme of the movie Berlin Calling was written and produced by he and his brother Paul Kalkbrenner, putting him right into the spotlight with numerous top ten chart entries around the globe. Over the last two or three decades, techno has repeatedly returned to its soul roots, and Kalkbrenner has been right there for it from the beginning, turning techno into liquid soul with his god-like vocals. On Here Today Gone Tomorrow Kalkbrenner doesn't hold back on the soul, either, with a wonderfully silky, sophisticated techno album. Like any good pioneer, Fritz Kalkbrenner knows how to mediate between the various musical poles that are in constant need of reconciliation. The instrumental pieces, like the vocal numbers, come across as well-structured little stories, while the vocal tracks adeptly avoid drowning the dancefloor in a flood of self-pitying, melancholy tears. With the two spectacular hits "Facing The Sun" and "Sideways & Avenues," the dark "Was Right Been Wrong" and the country-esque "Right In The Dark," Fritz effortlessly pulls enough pop music aces out of his sleeve for the rest to feel right at home in the club world, always finely balanced between techno that equally rocks but also swings; sounds that are unmistakably in the family of or are mildly related to the opulent, enchanted moments we know from Sascha Funke or Superpitcher. Lavishly sprinkled throughout the album, the listener also finds little beat miniatures that remind one of Kalkbrenner's socialization with hip-hop icons like Eric B. & Rakim, KRS-One or the Wu-Tang Clan. This is an altogether diverse album, full of sophistication, soul, and swing.

Artist:	KALKBRENNER, FRITZ
Title:	Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
Label:	SUOL (GERMANY)
Format:	2LP
Price:	$21.00
Catalog #:	SUOL 001LP

Gatefold double LP version. This is the debut album by Berlin vocalist/producer Fritz Kalkbrenner, the man with the unmistakable voice. Kalkbrenner isn't new to the business. His voice is heard on longplayers by artists like Alexander Kowalski, Chopstick & Johnjon and Sascha Funke. Also "Sky & Sand," the theme of the movie Berlin Calling was written and produced by he and his brother Paul Kalkbrenner, putting him right into the spotlight with numerous top ten chart entries around the globe. Over the last two or three decades, techno has repeatedly returned to its soul roots, and Kalkbrenner has been right there for it from the beginning, turning techno into liquid soul with his god-like vocals. On Here Today Gone Tomorrow Kalkbrenner doesn't hold back on the soul, either, with a wonderfully silky, sophisticated techno album. Like any good pioneer, Fritz Kalkbrenner knows how to mediate between the various musical poles that are in constant need of reconciliation. The instrumental pieces, like the vocal numbers, come across as well-structured little stories, while the vocal tracks adeptly avoid drowning the dancefloor in a flood of self-pitying, melancholy tears. With the two spectacular hits "Facing The Sun" and "Sideways & Avenues," the dark "Was Right Been Wrong" and the country-esque "Right In The Dark," Fritz effortlessly pulls enough pop music aces out of his sleeve for the rest to feel right at home in the club world, always finely balanced between techno that equally rocks but also swings; sounds that are unmistakably in the family of or are mildly related to the opulent, enchanted moments we know from Sascha Funke or Superpitcher. Lavishly sprinkled throughout the album, the listener also finds little beat miniatures that remind one of Kalkbrenner's socialization with hip-hop icons like Eric B. & Rakim, KRS-One or the Wu-Tang Clan. This is an altogether diverse album, full of sophistication, soul, and swing.

Artist:	TRICKSKI
Title:	Unreality
Label:	SUOL (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.50
Catalog #:	SUOL 002CD

This is the debut album from Berlin-based duo Tricksi, who have already caused some serious damage on the dancefloors with their releases on the infamous imprint Sonar Kollektiv. It's summer 2011 and things are slowing down on the dancefloors. Maximum deceleration with a minimum frictional loss. Filthy suspense-funk at around 115 bpm. And out there at the front of the pack are Yannick Labbé and Daniel "Stoerte" Becker, the duo better known as Trickski. On their long-awaited debut album Unreality, the two Berlin-based producers invoke the mighty power of the slow, shifting groove. The musical duo have come a long, long way since release on the Compost Black label: their original Detroit-inspired sound with its tendency for the grand gesture -- which burst onto the Sonar Kollektiv's traditionally well-ordered nu-jazz parallel universe like a whirlwind -- has evolved into a sinister, shuffle-soul gurgle, filled with tinny percussion sounds, rough samples, and mechanical funk. The 17 tracks on Unreality represent the magnificent preliminary result of the slow evolution of the Trickski sound. House music for dark, intimate clubs in which the cold reality of daily life seems suspended for a night. The title is intended as a reflection on a scene that exists in the twilight zone of collective boundary-hopping and escapism weekend after weekend, following its own, often eccentric laws. Unreality is not just a reference to nightlife experiences that the two of them wish for -- or those they'd prefer not to acknowledge -- but rather to the unrealities of life in general. The release of this record will definitively catapult Trickski to the forefront of the European house-producer scene. Their debut album also features three of the most distinctive contemporary voices: Suol label mate Fritz Kalkbrenner, Ernesto from Gothenburg, Sweden, and Irfane Khan-Acito from Paris. And the two producers also lend their own vocal talents to some of the tracks. Titanic, peak-time belters such as "Good Time To Pray," "Wilderness" and "Love's A Beat" are followed by sketch-like interludes, which fuse the 17 tracks into a finely-balanced whole. It is, as Philip Sherburne once fittingly described the sound of Trickski: "The perfect balance between grinding and glowing."

Artist:	VON SEIN, TILL
Title:	LTD
Label:	SUOL (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.50
Catalog #:	SUOL 003CD

#LTD is the debut album by Berlin-based producer Till von Sein. It follows a comprehensive catalog of 12" singles, collaborations and remixes that have appeared since 2006 when von Sein began to work exclusively on his musical career. In addition to his activities as a producer, he also works as a booker at Clique Bookings (who represent, amongst others, Kollektiv Turmstrasse, Format:B, AKA AKA, Kasper Bjoerke and Trentemøller) and tours himself as an internationally-celebrated DJ. #LTD is not just a reference to his own hood, it is an audio snapshot of his current reality as well as a homage to his roots and musical background. Before turning to house, he was active as a DJ and MC in the rap scene and ran a streetwear store. Some of these musical influences from various stages in his life come across more clearly in the sound of the album than others. This return to the developments of the past few years is manifested by the many producers, artists and friends featured on the album, among others: Catz 'n Dogz, Chopstick, Tigerskin, Aera and Thalstroem. Instead of being fixated on the dancefloor, #LTD seems to be about anything and everything. He doesn't just pick up on traditional Detroit techno, he uses it to make this non-soul album the most soulful of the year (and probably for years to come). #LTD is simply captivating in its nonchalance and formal aesthetic makeup. It starts out with the opener "Tilly's 61 Rhodes Jam," an ethereal piece. It is followed by the excitingly subtle, slow house hymn "LTD," in which the elegant sample ware has been filtered away to unobtrusiveness, which makes it all the catchier. Catchiness also applies to the faster, James Brown-vibish "Out Of Love" (featuring Jon Hester on saxophone), as well as the perfectly-balanced "61" and the '90s nostalgic, acid, mantra-like "Non Existent Love" (featuring Tigerskin, Lazarus & Meggy). It applies especially to the otherworldly "Neptune" (produced with Catz 'n Dogz) and "Biloxi Jam" (featuring Chopstick) with its uninhibited, catchy mouth-harp hook. And finally, it is most clear and irresistible on the album's floor-filler "Blueprint," in which Fritz Kalkbrenner's heart wrenching and knee-shaking diction is reminiscent of so many soul classics.

Artist:	KALKBRENNER, FRITZ
Title:	Suol Mates
Label:	SUOL (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.50
Catalog #:	SUOL 004CD

Suol presents an outstanding mix CD compilation by Berlin vocalist/producer Fritz Kalkbrenner. Kalkbrenner has been a mainstay on the Berlin club scene for the best part of two decades, now. Originally a hip-hop head, Fritz got introduced to Berlin's burgeoning techno scene as a teenager in the mid-'90s by brother and producer, Paul, who broke through in 2011 with his album Icke Wieder. But Fritz's musical sound is far warmer and more soulful than his brother's. Indeed, Fritz actually made his vocal debut back in 2002 on Sascha Funke's "Now You Know" and from there he pushed forward with a slew of home-grown productions on BPitch, Baalsaal Music and Suol. And that careful balance of club cuts and subtle songwriting was never better than on his 2010 Suol album Here Today Gone Tomorrow (SUOL 001CD), which was a hit with clubbers and the cognoscenti alike. And that's where this superlative new mix comes in. With a penchant for smooth soul samples, low-slung basslines, and deep crate-digging, it's no accident that Suol Mates feels like a genuine labor of love, because that's precisely what it is. The concept of the series is also far smarter than the average fair: so more than just a dance compilation, it delves into the musical history of the artist who is mixing it -- in this case, Fritz, who opts for an hour-long selection of prime funk, soul, hip-hop and house cuts. Let's get specific for a second. Immediately warm and inviting, the mix springs to life with Roy Ayers and the evergreen hip-hop-soul classic "When She Smiles She Lights The Sky" by the Gilles Peterson-nurtured Plantlife before digging even further into the foliage with prime-time party-starters from Pete Rock and CL Smooth and the sadly-departed but never forgotten production legend J Dilla -- and it's this unique blend of vocals, disco strings and Sade-inspired house music influences that keep the mix sounding fresh and contemporary for the duration of the journey. Add further gems like NUfrequency's (feat. Ben Onono) "Fallen Hero" (Motor City Drum Ensemble Remix), Oddisee's "When Everything Changed" and coming gently back to earth with Tom Trago's "Lost In The Streets Of NYC" and the sublime "Robellada" by Robag Wruhme, and you have a mix that'll appeal to Dixon and Rush Hour house-heads, Roots and Common hip-hop fans and lovers of cutting-edge future garage alike. Other artists include: SoulPhiction, Black Milk, Roy Ayers, Pete Rock, Johnson Products, CL Smooth, RJD2, Lawrence, Memoryman aka Uovo, Terje Bakke, Owusu And Hannibal, Fantastic Man, Boo Williams, Henrik Schwarz, Chopstick & Johnjon and Missing Linkx.

Artist:	KALKBRENNER, FRITZ
Title:	Kings In Exile
Label:	SUOL (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	SUOL 024EP

This is the second single and THE "rave monster" from Fritz Kalkbrenner's album Here Today Gone Tomorrow, and Booka Shade are on board to do one of their ultra-rare remix appearances. Suol head-honchos Chopstick & Johnjon remix the shit out of it on A2 into a very slow groover and it's surprising how well that original sequence works on 110 bpm. Booka bases their mix on a more minimalistic beat, building it up and... taking it away again. What a tease.

Artist:	TRICKSKI
Title:	Wilderness
Label:	SUOL (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	SUOL 026EP

Yannick Labbé and Daniel "Stoerte" Becker are the duo better known as Trickski. "Wilderness" is the first single from their long-awaited debut album Unreality. The original version of "Wilderness" has a massive groove that grinds itself into your brain. The remix by Genius Of Time makes you close your eyes and enjoy the ride. Soulphiction handles the re-rub, concentrating on the vocal while an arpeggiator takes it away to funky town. Also includes a remix by Jef K.

Artist:	KALKBRENNER, FRITZ
Title:	Right In The Dark
Label:	SUOL (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	SUOL 028EP

This is the third single taken from Fritz Kalkbrenner's highly-successful album Here Today Gone Tomorrow (SUOL 001CD). Along with the original version is an amazing remix by Robag Wruhme that is perfect for the floor. Great groove, great sound and great vocals. Henrik Schwarz builds up a mind-boggling atmosphere that will tear every floor apart. You have to be patient if you are waiting for the 4/4 kick drum, but no worries, it will come ... eventually.

Artist:	KALKBRENNER, FRITZ
Title:	Suol Mates EP
Label:	SUOL (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	SUOL 034EP

The Suol mix compilation Suol Mates (SUOL 004CD) is born and Fritz Kalkbrenner starts this series in 2012 with the first edition. This 12" includes the two exclusive tracks featured on the mix. Here you'll find "Ruby Lee" by Fritz Kalkbrenner -- a cover version of the classic from Bill Withers. Inspired by the original version, Fritz replayed the Rhodes, strings, bassline and re-recorded the vocals. On the flip is Chopstick & Johnjon with an exclusive edit of the Henrik Schwarz remix for "Right In The Dark."

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Artist:	ZANDER, FRITZ
Title:	For Your Love EP
Label:	SUOL (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	SUOL 020EP

Artist:	BORTZ, DANIEL
Title:	The One EP
Label:	SUOL (GERMANY)
Format:	12"
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	SUOL 025EP