Booka Booka Boo
Germany sure is far away, but still I think it is getting closer all the time. One of the reasons for this is the music, in particular the stuff coming from Berlin. With a wealth of artists and labels based there, it must be a bit overwhelming there if you're into the scene. One of the (many) great labels in Berlin is Get Physical, and I can't imagine a more apt name for a label like this one. The label was started in 2002 by a collective of musicians and producers: M.A.N.D.Y. (Patrick Bodmer and Philipp Jung), DJ T. (Thomas Koch), Peter Hayo, and Booka Shade.
Walter Merziger and Arno Kammermeier are the men behind this last moniker, and as such, it is a two-headed super beast, known for an ingenious, and somewhat dark take on electronic body-moving music - the two of them have worked together on their own production company for fifteen years, and have co-produced much of the label's roster, including work with M.A.N.D.Y., Sunset People, DJ T. and Chelonis R. Jones (who's respective tracks "Rave D'Amour" and "Le Bateau Ivre" I included in my most recent mix). The Booka Shade sound is marked by snappy synth lines, growling bass, and melodies that are both beautiful and brooding, and that end up stuck cycling through my head for ages after listening to them. They apply the same delicate hand and their techniques to the remix work they do, which have included Moby, Tahiti 80, and The Juan Maclean, as well as doing co-remix work with M.A.N.D.Y. and DJ T. on Röyksopp, Lindstrom, Mylo, The Knife, Joakim and many many others. All of this work has built up great demand for Booka Shade remixes, DJ-sets, and live performances (this really applies to the whole Get Physical roster really). This has much to do with Get Physical earning DJ Magazine's "Label Of The Year" for 2005.
Now, Booka Shade have a new album out - their second full-length (after their very popular late-2004 debut Memento) is called Movements, and it is simply gorgeous. From the slippery opening track "Night Falls", to the slowed down, almost shoegaze-y closer "Lost High", the album goes from high to low, bridging classic Detroit techno, new-era electro, Chicago house, and twisted late-90s WARP-like IDM. I chose this song because I think its one of the best ways to introduce the unfamiliar listener to the Booka Shade sound, and if you are already a fan, hopefully this will fully whet your appetite for the new album. It is just a stormer of a track - get to the breakdown at the half-way point, and try not to get up and dance on your desk. Just listen to that insistent bass fighting with the swirly synths! Makes the hairs on the back my neck stand up. Amazing and highly recommended.
Movements was released this week and is available at all your favorite dance music retailers, and should be available to order on Forced Exposure (US) and Boomkat (UK) by next week - Memento is currently also available on iTunes, so hopefully the new record will show up there soon as well.
PS: Happy Friday! YEAH!
Also worth noting, if you like this and want to hear more from Get Physical, there is an amazing new mixed-CD compilation by M.A.N.D.Y. called Get Physical Vol. II, that corresponds with Get Physical's 4th anniversary.
The CD is huge - 23 tracks, 78 minutes long - and collects some of the last year's best singles (including Booka Shade's "Mandarine Girl" called the "Ibiza Track Of The Year" for 2005) as well as a handful of new tracks that will see release this year. In the mix are Chelonis R. Jones, Jona, Zwicker, DJ T., Sunset People, Dave Brubeck, Snax & Ianeq, Elektrochemie, Lopazz, Williams and of course a handful of M.A.N.D.Y. tracks. The CD is available anywhere electronic music is sold, and can be ordered from our friends at Forced Exposure.
Highly Recommended.