Modeselektor
Encyclopedia
Modeselektor is an electronic music
band formed in Berlin, featuring Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary. The group draws heavily from IDM
, glitch
, Electro house and hip hop
. In an interview the group said regarding their sound: "Happy metal, hard rap, country-ambient, Russian crunk. We don’t like it if people tag us as being a certain style or school or scene or whatever. We don’t really care about all that."
with group member Szary performing live acid house
music at illegal underground parties. The group says, "After the Wall came down, everywhere in Germany and especially East Germany there was a lot of chaos, anarchy."
Both soon joined forces and began creating music under the moniker Fundamental Knowledge. In 1996 the group renamed to Modeselektor, a name taken from a function on the Roland Space Echo analog
delay
effects unit
.
In 1999 Modeselektor signed its first remix contract and began working with Pfadfinderei, a Berlin based VJ
and design collective. In 2000 Modeselektor met Ellen Allien
, making BPitch Control
their home label. Modeselektor has also been involved in collaborative efforts; Moderat - a musical collaboration between Modeselektor and Apparat
, Pfadselektor - a music/visual collaboration between Modeselektor and Pfadfinderei, and with Rhythm & Sound
's Paul St. Hillaire. They have produced sound installations at the Centre Pompidou in Paris
and lectured at the Merz Akademie in Stuttgart
.
Modeselektor is a favourite group of Thom Yorke
(frontman of Radiohead
), who has recommended their albums in interviews and included the song Silikon (from their 2005 LP Hello Mom! and featuring vocalist Sasha Perera) in a publicly available iTunes
playlist
. Moderat (the collaboration between Modeselektor and Apparat) have also supported Radiohead on the band's concerts in Poznan
, Poland
and Prague
, Czech Republic
, in August 2009.
The follow-up to Hello Mom! was Happy Birthday! which saw Paul St. Hilaire
, TTC
, Puppetmastaz, Thom Yorke
and Maxïmo Park
as guest vocalists. Other collaborators included Otto von Schirach
, Siriusmo
, and Apparat
.
In March 2009 they released an album with Apparat
under the name Moderat
. They have collaborated previously on an EP named Auf Kosten Der Gesundheit which was released as a limited 12" on BPitch Control
in 2002.
Modeselektor also appeared as main characters in Amy Grill's 2009 electronic music documentary, Speaking In Code
.
Modeselektor is said to be big friends of Siriusmo, and regularly remixes or promotes his material.
In September 2011 Modeselektor released their third LP, Monkeytown.
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
band formed in Berlin, featuring Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary. The group draws heavily from IDM
Intelligent dance music
Intelligent dance music is a term that describes an electronic music genre that emerged in the early 1990s. The genre is influenced by a wide range of musical styles particularly electronic dance music such as Detroit Techno...
, glitch
Glitch (music)
Glitch is a term used to describe a genre of electronic music that emerged in the mid to late 1990s. The glitch aesthetic is characterized by a deliberate use of glitch based sonic artifacts that would normally be viewed as unwanted disturbances reducing the overall sound quality and are thus...
, Electro house and hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
. In an interview the group said regarding their sound: "Happy metal, hard rap, country-ambient, Russian crunk. We don’t like it if people tag us as being a certain style or school or scene or whatever. We don’t really care about all that."
History
The group members met in 1992 in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
with group member Szary performing live acid house
Acid house
Acid house is a sub-genre of house music that emphasizes a repetitive, hypnotic and trance-like style, often with samples or spoken lines rather than sung lyrics. Acid house's core electronic squelch sounds were developed around the mid-1980s, particularly by DJs from Chicago who experimented with...
music at illegal underground parties. The group says, "After the Wall came down, everywhere in Germany and especially East Germany there was a lot of chaos, anarchy."
Both soon joined forces and began creating music under the moniker Fundamental Knowledge. In 1996 the group renamed to Modeselektor, a name taken from a function on the Roland Space Echo analog
Analog signal
An analog or analogue signal is any continuous signal for which the time varying feature of the signal is a representation of some other time varying quantity, i.e., analogous to another time varying signal. It differs from a digital signal in terms of small fluctuations in the signal which are...
delay
Delay (audio effect)
Delay is an audio effect which records an input signal to an audio storage medium, and then plays it back after a period of time. The delayed signal may either be played back multiple times, or played back into the recording again, to create the sound of a repeating, decaying echo.-Early delay...
effects unit
Effects unit
Effects units are electronic devices that alter how a musical instrument or other audio source sounds. Some effects subtly "color" a sound, while others transform it dramatically. Effects are used during live performances or in the studio, typically with electric guitar, keyboard and bass...
.
In 1999 Modeselektor signed its first remix contract and began working with Pfadfinderei, a Berlin based VJ
VJ (video performance artist)
VJing is a broad designation for realtime visual performance. Characteristics of VJing are the creation or manipulation of imagery in realtime through technological mediation and for an audience, in synchronization to music. VJing often takes place at events such as concerts, nightclubs, music...
and design collective. In 2000 Modeselektor met Ellen Allien
Ellen Allien
Ellen Allien, born Ellen Fraatz , is a German electronic musician, music producer and founder of BPitch Control music label. She lives in Berlin, Germany. She sings in both German and English. She has said that one of the main inspirations for her music is the culture of reunified Berlin; her...
, making BPitch Control
BPitch Control
BPitch Control is a German techno record label founded in 1999 in Berlin by DJ and producer Ellen Allien. In 1992 she became resident DJ at the legendary Tresor club in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz...
their home label. Modeselektor has also been involved in collaborative efforts; Moderat - a musical collaboration between Modeselektor and Apparat
Apparat (musician)
Apparat is a German electronic musician living in Berlin and was previously a co-owner of Shitkatapult records. Starting out with dance floor-oriented techno, he later started to create ambient music and more recently became "more interested in designing sounds than beats".In 2004, he appeared at...
, Pfadselektor - a music/visual collaboration between Modeselektor and Pfadfinderei, and with Rhythm & Sound
Basic Channel
Basic Channel is a production team and record label, composed of Moritz Von Oswald and Mark Ernestus, that originated in Berlin, Germany in 1993. The duo released a number of vinyl-only tracks under various aliases, each of which employed their signature brand of dissonant dub techno...
's Paul St. Hillaire. They have produced sound installations at the Centre Pompidou in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and lectured at the Merz Akademie in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
.
Modeselektor is a favourite group of Thom Yorke
Thom Yorke
Thomas "Thom" Edward Yorke is an English musician who is the lead vocalist and principal songwriter for Radiohead. He mainly plays guitar and piano, but he has also played drums and bass guitar...
(frontman of Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
), who has recommended their albums in interviews and included the song Silikon (from their 2005 LP Hello Mom! and featuring vocalist Sasha Perera) in a publicly available iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
playlist
Playlist
In its most general form, a playlist is simply a list of songs. They can be played in sequential or shuffled order. The term has several specialized meanings in the realms of radio broadcasting and personal computers.-In radio:...
. Moderat (the collaboration between Modeselektor and Apparat) have also supported Radiohead on the band's concerts in Poznan
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, in August 2009.
The follow-up to Hello Mom! was Happy Birthday! which saw Paul St. Hilaire
Basic Channel
Basic Channel is a production team and record label, composed of Moritz Von Oswald and Mark Ernestus, that originated in Berlin, Germany in 1993. The duo released a number of vinyl-only tracks under various aliases, each of which employed their signature brand of dissonant dub techno...
, TTC
TTC (band)
TTC is a four member hip hop and electronic band from Paris, France. It is composed of MCs Tido Berman, Teki Latex and Cuizinier plus DJ Orgasmic. They were signed to Big Dada for their first LP Ceci N'est Pas Un Disque, the title of which referred to René Magritte's painting La trahison des...
, Puppetmastaz, Thom Yorke
Thom Yorke
Thomas "Thom" Edward Yorke is an English musician who is the lead vocalist and principal songwriter for Radiohead. He mainly plays guitar and piano, but he has also played drums and bass guitar...
and Maxïmo Park
Maxïmo Park
Maxïmo Park are a British alternative rock band, formed in 2000. They are signed to Warp Records. The band consists of Paul Smith , Duncan Lloyd , Archis Tiku , Lukas Wooller and Tom English...
as guest vocalists. Other collaborators included Otto von Schirach
Otto von Schirach
Otto von Schirach is an IDM and breakcore artist from Miami, Florida. He is of Cuban/German descent.He has released most of his work on the Schematic and Beta Bodega labels, and was featured in the 2002 documentary Electro-Dziska....
, Siriusmo
Siriusmo
Siriusmo is a Berlin-based music producer. His tracks can be broadly defined as Techno or Electronic and are formulated with a variety of samples.- Biography :...
, and Apparat
Apparat (musician)
Apparat is a German electronic musician living in Berlin and was previously a co-owner of Shitkatapult records. Starting out with dance floor-oriented techno, he later started to create ambient music and more recently became "more interested in designing sounds than beats".In 2004, he appeared at...
.
In March 2009 they released an album with Apparat
Apparat (musician)
Apparat is a German electronic musician living in Berlin and was previously a co-owner of Shitkatapult records. Starting out with dance floor-oriented techno, he later started to create ambient music and more recently became "more interested in designing sounds than beats".In 2004, he appeared at...
under the name Moderat
Moderat
Moderat is an electronic music project that originated in Berlin, Germany. It started as a collaboration between Sascha Ring, also known as Apparat, and Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary, also known as Modeselektor...
. They have collaborated previously on an EP named Auf Kosten Der Gesundheit which was released as a limited 12" on BPitch Control
BPitch Control
BPitch Control is a German techno record label founded in 1999 in Berlin by DJ and producer Ellen Allien. In 1992 she became resident DJ at the legendary Tresor club in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz...
in 2002.
Modeselektor also appeared as main characters in Amy Grill's 2009 electronic music documentary, Speaking In Code
Speaking in Code
Speaking in Code is a character-based documentary directed by Amy Grill about people who are lost in the electronic music lifestyle.Shot in 11 cities and 5 countries, Speaking In Code provides a glimpse into the techno world through the eyes of Modeselektor, the Wighnomy Brothers, Philip Sherburne,...
.
Modeselektor is said to be big friends of Siriusmo, and regularly remixes or promotes his material.
In September 2011 Modeselektor released their third LP, Monkeytown.
Albums
- Hello Mom!Hello Mom!Hello Mom! is an album by German electronic duo Modeselektor, released on October 11, 2005. It was rated at 3.5 stars by Allmusic. The genre that Allmusic describes Hello Mom! as fitting into is Eurocrunk....
(BPitch ControlBPitch ControlBPitch Control is a German techno record label founded in 1999 in Berlin by DJ and producer Ellen Allien. In 1992 she became resident DJ at the legendary Tresor club in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz...
, 2005) - Happy Birthday!Happy Birthday!Happy Birthday! is an album by German electronic duo Modeselektor, and was released on September 10, 2007.-Track listing:# "Happy Birthday"# "Godspeed"# "2000007" # "Let Your Love Grow" Happy Birthday! is an album by German electronic duo Modeselektor, and was released on September 10, 2007.-Track...
(BPitch ControlBPitch ControlBPitch Control is a German techno record label founded in 1999 in Berlin by DJ and producer Ellen Allien. In 1992 she became resident DJ at the legendary Tresor club in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz...
, 2007) - ModeratModerat (album)Moderat is an album by the electronic project of the same name, and was released on May 11, 2009 on BPitch Control.- Track listing :# "A New Error"# "Rusty Nails"# "Seamonkey"# "Slow Match" # "3 Minutes of"...
(BPitch ControlBPitch ControlBPitch Control is a German techno record label founded in 1999 in Berlin by DJ and producer Ellen Allien. In 1992 she became resident DJ at the legendary Tresor club in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz...
, 2009) with ApparatApparat (musician)Apparat is a German electronic musician living in Berlin and was previously a co-owner of Shitkatapult records. Starting out with dance floor-oriented techno, he later started to create ambient music and more recently became "more interested in designing sounds than beats".In 2004, he appeared at...
(as Moderat) - Modeselektion Vol. 01 (2010)
- Monkeytown (2011)
DJ mixes
- Boogybytes Vol. 3 - Mixed by Modeselektor (BPitch ControlBPitch ControlBPitch Control is a German techno record label founded in 1999 in Berlin by DJ and producer Ellen Allien. In 1992 she became resident DJ at the legendary Tresor club in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz...
, 2007) - Body Language Vol. 8 (Get Physical, 2009)
Singles
- Death Medley (BPitch ControlBPitch ControlBPitch Control is a German techno record label founded in 1999 in Berlin by DJ and producer Ellen Allien. In 1992 she became resident DJ at the legendary Tresor club in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz...
, 2002) - In Loving Memory (BPitch ControlBPitch ControlBPitch Control is a German techno record label founded in 1999 in Berlin by DJ and producer Ellen Allien. In 1992 she became resident DJ at the legendary Tresor club in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz...
, 2002) - Ganes De Frau Vol. 1 (BPitch ControlBPitch ControlBPitch Control is a German techno record label founded in 1999 in Berlin by DJ and producer Ellen Allien. In 1992 she became resident DJ at the legendary Tresor club in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz...
, 2003) - Auf Kosten Der Gesundheit (BPitch ControlBPitch ControlBPitch Control is a German techno record label founded in 1999 in Berlin by DJ and producer Ellen Allien. In 1992 she became resident DJ at the legendary Tresor club in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz...
, 2003) with ApparatApparatApparat can mean:* Apparatchik, a functionary in the Soviet Union* Apparat , Sascha Ring, a German electronic musician* Apparat Organ Quartet, an Icelandic band* Apparat Singles Group, a fictional comic book publisher...
(as Moderat) - Turn Deaf! (BPitch ControlBPitch ControlBPitch Control is a German techno record label founded in 1999 in Berlin by DJ and producer Ellen Allien. In 1992 she became resident DJ at the legendary Tresor club in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz...
, 2004) - Hello Mom! The Remixes (BPitch ControlBPitch ControlBPitch Control is a German techno record label founded in 1999 in Berlin by DJ and producer Ellen Allien. In 1992 she became resident DJ at the legendary Tresor club in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz...
, 2006) - Weed Wid Da Macka (Shockout, 2006)
- The Dark Side Of The Sun (BPitch ControlBPitch ControlBPitch Control is a German techno record label founded in 1999 in Berlin by DJ and producer Ellen Allien. In 1992 she became resident DJ at the legendary Tresor club in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz...
, 2007) with Puppetmastaz - Happy Birthday! Remixes #1 (BPitch ControlBPitch ControlBPitch Control is a German techno record label founded in 1999 in Berlin by DJ and producer Ellen Allien. In 1992 she became resident DJ at the legendary Tresor club in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz...
, 2008), includes The White Flash (TrentemøllerTrentemøllerAnders Trentemøller is a Danish electronic music producer and multi-instrumentalist based in Copenhagen, Denmark.-History:...
Remix) as the B-sideA-side and B-sideA-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
. - Happy Birthday! Remixes #2 (BPitch ControlBPitch ControlBPitch Control is a German techno record label founded in 1999 in Berlin by DJ and producer Ellen Allien. In 1992 she became resident DJ at the legendary Tresor club in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz...
, 2008), includes The Black Block (Marcel Dettman, Rustie, Bytone Remix). - Happy Birthday! Remixes #3 (BPitch ControlBPitch ControlBPitch Control is a German techno record label founded in 1999 in Berlin by DJ and producer Ellen Allien. In 1992 she became resident DJ at the legendary Tresor club in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz...
, 2009), includes various remixes of 2000007 feat. TTC & Suckerpin.
Remixes
- Miss KittinMiss KittinMiss Kittin is an electronic music DJ, vocalist, and songwriter. Since rising to prominence in 1998 for her singles "1982" and "Frank Sinatra" with The Hacker, she has worked with other musicians such as Chicks on Speed, Felix da Housecat and Golden Boy...
- "Professional DistortionProfessional Distortion"Professional Distortion" is the first single from the Miss Kittin's first solo album I Com. It became her first solo song to chart on the French and UK Singles Charts...
(Modeselektor's Big Muff Mix)" - Thom YorkeThom YorkeThomas "Thom" Edward Yorke is an English musician who is the lead vocalist and principal songwriter for Radiohead. He mainly plays guitar and piano, but he has also played drums and bass guitar...
- Skip Divided (Modeselektor Remix) - BjörkBjörkBjörk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
- Dull Flame Of Desire (Modeselektor's Rmx For Girls) - BjörkBjörkBjörk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
- Dull Flame Of Desire (Modeselektor's Rmx For Boys) - RadioheadRadioheadRadiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
- Good Evening Mrs Magpie Rmx - Boys NoizeBoys NoizeBoys Noize is the stage name of Alexander Ridha, a German electronic music producer and DJ. It is similar to the name of Ridha's label, Boysnoize Records, which he established in 2005...
- Jeffer (Modeselektor Remix) - BonaparteBonaparte (band)Bonaparte is a Berlin-based indie punk band headed by Swiss songwriter Tobias Jundt. Jundt is the only permanent member, and there are up to 20 other live performers.The band is characterized by their expressive critically acclaimed live performances...
- Computer in Love (Modeselektor Remix) - Roots ManuvaRoots ManuvaRodney Hylton Smith , better known by his stage name Roots Manuva, is a British rapper from Stockwell, South London. He is currently signed to Big Dada.-Biography:...
- Witness (Modeselektor's Troublemaker Remix)
Production
- TTCTTC (band)TTC is a four member hip hop and electronic band from Paris, France. It is composed of MCs Tido Berman, Teki Latex and Cuizinier plus DJ Orgasmic. They were signed to Big Dada for their first LP Ceci N'est Pas Un Disque, the title of which referred to René Magritte's painting La trahison des...
- Une bande de mecs sympas (3615 TTC, 2007) - Fettes BrotFettes BrotFettes Brot is a German hip hop group founded in 1992.Fettes Brot is German for fat bread. "Fett" is a German slang term for "excellent" and brot is slang for "hash". The band took the name from a fan who called them "Fettes Brot" after an early gig, which was probably meant as a compliment, but...
- Bettina, zieh dir bitte etwas an! (Strom und Drang, 2008) - BonaparteBonaparte (band)Bonaparte is a Berlin-based indie punk band headed by Swiss songwriter Tobias Jundt. Jundt is the only permanent member, and there are up to 20 other live performers.The band is characterized by their expressive critically acclaimed live performances...
- Orangutang (My Horse Likes YouMy Horse Likes YouMy Horse Likes You is the second studio album by Berlin-based indie punk band Bonaparte. It was released by Staatsakt label in 2010, two years after the release of their first album, Too Much.-Track listing:...
, 2010)
Multimedia
- Labland (Dalbin, 2005) with Pfadfinderei, DVD
- Mdslktr (BPitch ControlBPitch ControlBPitch Control is a German techno record label founded in 1999 in Berlin by DJ and producer Ellen Allien. In 1992 she became resident DJ at the legendary Tresor club in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz...
, 2005), DVD + CD Box Set