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viewing 1 To 6 of 6 items
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LP
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TAC 019LP
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Don't Stop is the third album retrospectively released by Ghia. As the subtitle Early Works & Artefacts 1984-1987 implies, it features some of their earliest compositions as well as tracks that were recorded during the same period as their Curaçao Blue LP. A range of genres, including electro, funk, soul, jazz-funk, synth pop, and even rap/hip-hop, all woven together as a cohesive, mostly instrumental work. As a whole, Don't Stop represents Ghia's funkiest and most experimental release to date. Notably, the LP features a rap version of Hermann Hesse's controversial German poem "Armer Teufel am Morgen nach dem Maskenball" (Poor Devil the Morning After the Costume Ball) from 1926, accompanied by a drum machine rhythm and funky guitar. The title track and the thrilling minimal electro-funk tune "3 A.M. at Moëf Gaga" both evoke old-school electro influences. The latter references the Spanish discotheque Moëf Gaga, located on the Balearic coast, which the dynamic duo of Lutz Boberg and Frank Simon frequented during their 1980s holidays. One of the key tracks of the album is "Message From The Other Side", which could easily be noted as one of the nicest European synth-funk instrumental pieces ever. The track is based on a sick synth bass line, sparkled with DX7 chord hits, funky guitar, and a delightful "marimba" solo. The solo was actually played on Boberg's keyboard, using a special sound cartridge. This particular track had to be edited and technically revised by Marian Tone and DJ Scientist as the existing demo version of the song could not be used as is. Listening to the complete album, there is more of Boberg's keyboard wizardry: the trumpet solo on "Jump In The Water" as well as the short but stunning slap bass solo on "Talk Too Much" were both played by on the DX7. However, Don't Stop is not about solos or virtuous playing -- it clearly shows the duo's direction towards more electronic composition and clear song structures. The versions of "September Garden", "When The Rain is Falling", as well as "Talk Too Much" are actually instrumental mixdowns of vocal songs. And again, you get a blissful take of "Close To You", here a version from 1986. Mastered and restored with great care, this is a perfect example of mid 1980s home-recording pleasures, tinged with a youthful spirit and providing a sound that cannot be recaptured anymore nowadays. Includes 30x30 cm insert with credits.
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12"
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TAC 020EP
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However, let's take a moment to imagine what might have happened had the recording been released as a vinyl 12" back in 1983. Could it have been a game changer? No one will never know for sure. Nevertheless, one thing is certain: with its punchy Roland 808 rhythms, and catchy synth lines and vocoder, it undoubtedly qualifies as a classic German electro track, and one of the earliest techno/proto-techno recordings. At almost eight minutes in length, this track includes one of the most exhilarating breaks in electro music of that era, showcasing extensive drum editing and effects. It strongly resembles the sound that Detroit would become famous for in the years to come, but make no mistake -- this record was produced straight out of Bremen, a relatively small city in Northern Germany. For the flip side of the single, The Outer Edge enlisted Alexander Arpeggio, the owner of Mond Musik und Eine Welt label, to edit the track while preserving its original spirit. As a member of the acid techno project Aufgang B and the synth-pop minimal duo OTTO, he not only has a deep understanding for this kind of music but also possesses the ability to give the song a different feel with greater dancefloor appeal. He has slightly reduced the tempo of the track and emphasized the instrumental and break parts, resulting in an exciting remix that is DJ-friendly and has everything you could ask for. The 12" release comes with the original Art Programming logo in a vintage style, packaged in a generic black sleeve with hype sticker. This is a serious gem that you won't want to miss out on. Edition of 200.
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12"
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TAC 018EP
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The Outer Edge release two exciting electro tracks by Art P, as well as the classic minimal synthwave tune "Der böse Osten" by related band project Die Synthetische Republik on this limited split 12". The single kicks off with "Genscher Pull 'N' Push", an incredible and previously unreleased electro/wave/proto-techno tune from the P.A.P. archives, recorded in October 1982 with a political background. The song was only available on a demo cassette for a radio show and had been forgotten since then. Genscher was a long-time Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs and Vice Chancellor of Germany, who played a key role in a coalition change in September/October 1982, leading his party, the FDP, to leave the Helmut Schmidt cabinet with the SPD and continue with the opposition, the CDU/CSU. Unfortunately, this track was never released, as the topic of the coalition change quickly became uninteresting and outdated. If it had been issued on vinyl in late 1982, it would probably be considered one of the first proto-techno tracks ever. With its driving and heavily-punching 808 rhythms, and the bending synth bass leads played on the Jupiter 4 synthesizer, it gives you a groove that owes as much to Kraftwerk's Computerwelt as it may rhythmically pre-date the sound of Detroit's Juan Atkins. Next up on the Art P side is a remix of "Polaroid", originally found on the No Message LP. The track was recorded in 1985, and at that time, the duo of Frank Grotelüschen and Jens-Markus Wegener had become bored with the sound of the Roland 808 drum machine, so they made the track with a DrumTraks by Sequential Circuits. However, for this remix, DJ Scientist, the curator of this 12", wanted to recreate the typical electrofunk sound of the era and added 808 bass drums and claps. Die Synthetische Republik was a project by Wegener of Art P and Olav Neander. The track "Der böse Osten" can originally be found on the cassette album Faktor D, recorded in just two weeks on a Tascam Portastudio 245. The original recording sessions were pure fun but also rushed. Hence, none of the tracks was perfectly mixed. Remastered to achieve the best possible result. A serious synth wave gem on 12" for the first time as an exclusive extended mix.
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LP
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TAC 015LP
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This Is is THE album by Ghia. It catches the band at its peak and features ten songs, including not only their impeccable hit, "What's Your Voodoo?" but a full arsenal of yet unheard, timeless, and soulful music without equal. The songs on the album, which were recorded between 1988 and 1991, could be considered forerunners of the downtempo genre, with one foot in the late 1980s street soul direction but sparkling with touches of synth pop and contemporary jazz-funk. The album starts with "Keep Your House In Disorder," which has yet again become another classic song from the band's catalog since it was featured as the B-side of the "What's Your Voodoo?" reissue. The song is about a relationship in which the woman has trouble adapting to her boyfriend's turn in life. This Is continues with the downtempo numbers "Crystal Silence" and "Close to You." Both are deep, one-of-a-kind, and previously unissued street soul ballads. On these two tracks, you can still hear the band's roots in jazz-funk. "Close To You" was one of the band's first compositions. Earlier recordings of the song exist with different singers and different vocals, but it wasn't perfected until Lisa laid down the final version and a choir was added. Next up is "Eskimo," an equally brilliant and soulful downtempo composition, but with more focus on synth sounds than the previous tracks. Once more, it showcases the creative lyricism of the songwriters, Boberg and Simon, imagining a train ride during a rainy and cold night. Eskimo leads to the aforementioned classic, "What's Your Voodoo?" Originally released in 1991 on the small Mikado label, it was reissued in 2019. This is proto trip-hop, recorded before British bands like Massive Attack, Tricky, and Portishead laid the foundation of trip-hop. "Angel On Your Shoulder" and "L O M E" are two more completely unissued and great tracks from the band's shelved works. Being a bit more up-tempo than the rest of the album, they fall between contemporary soul/R&B and synthesized pop music. "You Won't Sleep on My Pillow" was the original A-side of their single release in 1991. The album concludes with a really strong ballad entitled "I Haven't Got The Power." Here you hear only pianist and keyboardist Lutz Boberg with Lisa Ohm, without further instrumentation. This Is may easily be considered one of the best German late '80s/early '90s soul pop and downtempo albums ever recorded.
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7"
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TAC 013EP
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The official reworks of Hans Hass's proto-AOR/cloud rock hymn "Welche Farbe hat der Wind" ("What color is the wind"). The main producer for this release was Marian Tone (of Key Elements), who reworked the track almost from scratch. He re-recorded the drums, the bassline, and some chords while keeping Hass's original vocal layer. The distinctive guitar playing by co-composer Gabor Kristof sparkles throughout. The result is exactly what we had hoped and asked for: a DJ-friendly version of this überclassic track. The idea for this rework project came to mind when label owner DJ Scientist got word from Tobias Kirmayer of Tramp Records that "Welche Farbe hat der Wind" would be officially re-released for the first time on his compilation series Praise Poems as well as on a single reissue. Scientist immediately asked if he could make an edit with louder drums to make the track more playable in a DJ set. However, as the masters of the Tramp reissues had already been submitted to the pressing plant, he was granted permission to re-license the track and rework it for his own label instead. Hence, the reworks feature Scientist's "vintage drums" mix, which has the drums mixed louder, plus drums added at the quite psychedelic and experimental last third, with a few other sound adjustments made. But it was up to Berlin-based DJ and music producer Marian Tone to put the icing on the cake and rework and enhance the song further with his own version. With fellow Key Elements bandmember Steffen Kieslich, he completely re-recorded the drums. Then it was up to Doron Segal to replay the bass and the keys. What we get is the classic sound of "Welche Farbe hat der Wind" -- just updated and fresher. For the first time ever, the track is also available as an instrumental version.
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LP
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TAC 011LP
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Reissue, originally released in 1985. The Outer Edge present the first ever vinyl release of No Message by Art P, a still lesser known and lost masterpiece from the P.A.P. archives. Art P (initially Art Programming) was an electronic music duo consisting of Jens-Markus Wegener and Frank Grotelüschen. On No Message, originally released in 1985, you hear the band's most profound work, a detailed and unique mixture in between of electro and the synth-laden edge of new wave. The Outer Edge initially discovered Art P on the tape compilation Berlincassette 2-85. Their contribution, the title track from their second and last album No Message, blew the label away: punchy drum machines, heavy synths and cool female vocals delivering a serious, yet slightly ironic view on the meaninglessness in pop music having "no message". A couple of months later, when the label finally was lucky to get hold of an original full-length tape, they couldn't ask for more: powerful apocalyptic synth wave on "A Place To Fear", thrilling vocoder electro funk on "Polaroid", up-tempo new wave synth pop on "Sounds of the City", dreamy and melodic electro on "Without Jackets", and other well produced tracks. It was an absolute necessity for the label to get in touch with Art P and ask for permission to re-release their music on vinyl. No Message was remastered from the absolute best original tape source and sounds incredibly well. As a side note it should be mentioned that Wegener later became a key figure in the German music market. He was the founder of companies such as Public Propaganda, Europe's largest and most successful promotion agency in the mid '90s, the publishing company AMV, the distributor PP Sales Forces, among others. As a freelance promoter for SPV and the PIAS label he was also responsible for establishing the term "Electronic Body Music" as a musical genre. Grotelüschen was active as a music journalist (e.g. for Spex Magazine) and later became an important and well-known journalist for science. Fully licensed. Includes insert; blue vinyl; edition of 300.
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