Terre Thaemlitz
Encyclopedia
Terre Thaemlitz is a musician, public speaker, and owner of the Comatonse Recordings record label. His work critically combines themes of identity politics
- including gender
, sexuality
, class
, linguistics
, ethnicity and race - with an ongoing critique of the socio-economics of commercial media production. This diversity of themes is matched by Thaemlitz' wide range of production styles, which include electroacoustic computer music
, club-oriented deep house
, digital jazz
, ambient
, and computer-composed neo-expressionist piano solos. Graphic design, photography, illustration, text and video also play a part in Thaemlitz' projects.
ism and pansexual Queer
sexuality
, Thaemlitz has participated in panel discussions throughout Europe and Japan, as well as held numerous cross-cultural sensitivity workshops at Tokyo's Uplink Factory, near his current residence in Kawasaki, Japan.
Terre Thaemlitz's Soil and Tranquilizer releases in the early and mid-1990s served to introduce a "political" form of ambient music, continued in later releases such as Couture Cosmetique and Means from an End, which aim to recast the usually passive artist-listener-environment equation. Thaemlitz' colleagues in the political ambient music front include the sound activist group Ultra-red
. Following their remixes of Thaemlitz' Still Life with Numerical Analysis in 1998, Ultra-red joined Thaemlitz on the German label Mille Plateaux
for their first two albums; Second Nature: An Electroacoustic Pastoral (1999) and Structural Adjustments (2000).
Translucent vinyl re-issue of C.000 with previously unreleased outro "Pretty Mouth (He's Got One)"
Contains "Raw Through A Straw" and "Tranquilizer."
Italy: .::invernomuto::., 2005, Issue 3. Audio and photography.
Written, directed, filmed and edited by Terre Thaemlitz.
Originally released on VHS (Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2003, V.002). In English and Japanese.
Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2005/2003, D.001.NTSC | D.001.PAL.
Written, directed, filmed and edited by Terre Thaemlitz.
Commissioned by Lovebytes and funded by the National Arts Council of England. Released with "Silent Passability" on DVD (Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2005, D.000.NTSC). Originally released on VHS (Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2001, V.001) and DVD ("Volatile Media," UK: Lovebytes, 2002, DSP2).
Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2005/2001, D.000.NTSC.
Written, directed, filmed and edited by Terre Thaemlitz.
Released with "Interstices" on DVD (Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2005, D.000.NTSC). Originally released on VHS (US: Comatonse Recordings, 1997, V.000).
Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2005/1997, D.000.NTSC.
Directed by Iara Lee
, produced by George Gund III, (US: Caipirinha Productions, 1998). Interview.
Directed by Ninon Liotet and Olivier Schulbaum, (Germany: ZDF
2002). Interview and music.
Directed by Iara Lee
, produced by George Gund, (US: Caipirinha Productions, 1995). Three tracks featured on soundtrack. Sound engineering for trailer.
Identity politics
Identity politics are political arguments that focus upon the self interest and perspectives of self-identified social interest groups and ways in which people's politics may be shaped by aspects of their identity through race, class, religion, sexual orientation or traditional dominance...
- including gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
, sexuality
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
, class
Social class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
, linguistics
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
, ethnicity and race - with an ongoing critique of the socio-economics of commercial media production. This diversity of themes is matched by Thaemlitz' wide range of production styles, which include electroacoustic computer music
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...
, club-oriented deep house
Deep house
Deep house is a subgenre of house music that fuses elements of Chicago house into the 1980s jazz-funk and touches of soul music. In the early compositions , influences of jazz music were most frequently brought out by using more complex chords than simple triads which are held for many bars and...
, digital jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, ambient
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
, and computer-composed neo-expressionist piano solos. Graphic design, photography, illustration, text and video also play a part in Thaemlitz' projects.
Activism
As a speaker and educator on issues of non-essentialist transgenderTransgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
ism and pansexual Queer
Queer
Queer is an umbrella term for sexual minorities that are not heterosexual, heteronormative, or gender-binary. In the context of Western identity politics the term also acts as a label setting queer-identifying people apart from discourse, ideologies, and lifestyles that typify mainstream LGBT ...
sexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, Thaemlitz has participated in panel discussions throughout Europe and Japan, as well as held numerous cross-cultural sensitivity workshops at Tokyo's Uplink Factory, near his current residence in Kawasaki, Japan.
Terre Thaemlitz's Soil and Tranquilizer releases in the early and mid-1990s served to introduce a "political" form of ambient music, continued in later releases such as Couture Cosmetique and Means from an End, which aim to recast the usually passive artist-listener-environment equation. Thaemlitz' colleagues in the political ambient music front include the sound activist group Ultra-red
Ultra-red
Ultra-red are a sound art collective founded in 1994 by two AIDS activists. Originally based in Los Angeles, the collective has expanded over the years with members across North American and Europe...
. Following their remixes of Thaemlitz' Still Life with Numerical Analysis in 1998, Ultra-red joined Thaemlitz on the German label Mille Plateaux
Mille Plateaux
Mille Plateaux is an influential electronica record label founded 1993 by Achim Szepanski in Frankfurt, Germany. It is known for mostly releasing minimal techno, glitch music and other experimental electronic music.-History:...
for their first two albums; Second Nature: An Electroacoustic Pastoral (1999) and Structural Adjustments (2000).
Albums
- DJ Sprinkles: Midtown 120 Blues
Mule Musiq, 2008, MMD7 - Terre Thaemlitz presents... You? Again?
Mule Electronic, 2006, MED05 - K-S.H.E (Kami-Sakunobe House Explosion): Routes Not Roots / Ruutsu De Ha Naku Ruuto
Comatonse Recordings, 2006, C.013.CD - Trans-Sister Radio
Grain of Sound/Base Recordings, 2005, GOS018/BRCD00505 - Lovebomb / Ai No Bakudan
Double Disc DVD & Audio CD Re-issue
Comatonse Recordings, 2005, D.001 - Lovebomb / Ai No Bakudan
Mille PlateauxMille PlateauxMille Plateaux is an influential electronica record label founded 1993 by Achim Szepanski in Frankfurt, Germany. It is known for mostly releasing minimal techno, glitch music and other experimental electronic music.-History:...
, 2003, MP117 - Oh, No! It's Rubato
Mille PlateauxMille PlateauxMille Plateaux is an influential electronica record label founded 1993 by Achim Szepanski in Frankfurt, Germany. It is known for mostly releasing minimal techno, glitch music and other experimental electronic music.-History:...
, 2001, MPCD103/MPLP103 - Interstices
Mille PlateauxMille PlateauxMille Plateaux is an influential electronica record label founded 1993 by Achim Szepanski in Frankfurt, Germany. It is known for mostly releasing minimal techno, glitch music and other experimental electronic music.-History:...
, 2000, MP94 - Fagjazz
Comatonse Recordings, 2000, C.007 - Replicas Rubato
Mille PlateauxMille PlateauxMille Plateaux is an influential electronica record label founded 1993 by Achim Szepanski in Frankfurt, Germany. It is known for mostly releasing minimal techno, glitch music and other experimental electronic music.-History:...
, 1999, MPCD71 and MPLP71 - Love For Sale
Mille PlateauxMille PlateauxMille Plateaux is an influential electronica record label founded 1993 by Achim Szepanski in Frankfurt, Germany. It is known for mostly releasing minimal techno, glitch music and other experimental electronic music.-History:...
, 1999, MPCD53 - Means From An End
Mille PlateauxMille PlateauxMille Plateaux is an influential electronica record label founded 1993 by Achim Szepanski in Frankfurt, Germany. It is known for mostly releasing minimal techno, glitch music and other experimental electronic music.-History:...
, 1999, MPCD53 - G.R.R.L.
Comatonse Recordings, 1997, C.003 - Couture Cosmetique
Caipirinha Productions, 1997 (US)
Daisyworld Records, 1997 (Japan) - Die Roboter Rubato
Mille PlateauxMille PlateauxMille Plateaux is an influential electronica record label founded 1993 by Achim Szepanski in Frankfurt, Germany. It is known for mostly releasing minimal techno, glitch music and other experimental electronic music.-History:...
, 1997, MP34 - Soil
Instinct Ambient, 1995, AMB:007-2 - Tranquilizer
Instinct Ambient, 1994, EX-283-2
12" EPs
- DJ Sprinkles: Grand Central (Motor City Drum Ensemble Remixes)
Mule Musiq, 2009 - DJ Sprinkles: Brenda's $20 Dilemma (Kuniyuki Remix)
Mule Musiq, 2009, MM034 - DJ Sprinkles: Grand Central, Pt. I
Mule Musiq, 2008, MM033 - Terre's Neu Wuss Fusion: She's Hard Remixes
Mule Musiq, 2007, MM019 - You? Again? 3
Mule Electronic, 2006, M025 - You? Again? 2
Mule Electronic, 2006, M020 - You? Again? 1
Mule Electronic, 2006, M019 - K-S.H.E (Kami-Sakunobe House Explosion): Route 3 EP
Comatonse Recordings, 2006, C.013.EP3 - K-S.H.E (Kami-Sakunobe House Explosion): Route 2 EP
Comatonse Recordings, 2006, C.013.EP2 - K-S.H.E (Kami-Sakunobe House Explosion): Route 1 EP
Comatonse Recordings, 2006, C.013.EP1 - Comatonse.000.R2
Comatonse Recordings, 2004, C.000.R2 - The Opposite Of Genius Or Chance
EN/OF, 2003, EN/OF 013 - Teriko: Hystoric Trace ("Fake")
Hysteric Trace, 2003, INEX-002 - Terre's Neu Wuss Fusion: A Crippled Left Wing Soars With The Right
Comatonse Recordings, 2002, C.010 - Social Material: Class/Consciousness
Comatonse Recordings, 2001, C.009 - DJ Sprinkles: Bassline.89
Comatonse Recordings, 2001, C.008 - DJ Sprinkles: Sloppy 42nds
Comatonse Recordings, 1998, C.006 - Terre's Neu Wuss Fusion: She's Hard
Comatonse Recordings, 1998, C.004 - Comatonse.000.R1
Comatonse Recordings, 1997, C.000.R1
Translucent vinyl re-issue of C.000 with previously unreleased outro "Pretty Mouth (He's Got One)"
- Comatonse.000
Comatonse Recordings, 1993, C.000
Contains "Raw Through A Straw" and "Tranquilizer."
7" singles
- Chugga: A Big 7-Inch
Austria: Klanggallerie, 2003, GG73 - Selling
Netherlands: Bottrop-Boy, 2000, B-BOY 003 - A-MUSAK
Germany: A-MusikA-MusikA-Musik is a record label for experimental music, a record distributor and a music store. A-Musik is based in Cologne and was founded by Georg Odijk in 1995. The A-Musik record label also runs sub-labels Fuji Rekodsu and Sieben....
, 1999, A-14
DJ mixes
- DJ Sprinkles: DEEPERAMA (Module Party 5)
Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2003, DCM5 - DJ Sprinkles' DEEPERAMA (Module Party 8)
Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2004, DCM8 - PASTIME PARADISE
Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2004, DPP1 - DJ Sprinkles' DEEPERAMA (Module Party 9)
Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2004, DCM9 - DJ Sprinkles' DEEPERAMA (Module Party 10)
Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2004, DCM10 - DJ Sprinkles' DEEPERAMA (Module Party 14)
Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2005, DCM14
Internet-only releases
| Below Code To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Comatonse Records, Terre Thaemlitz released a free best-of compilation CD. Physical copies are no longer in print, but MP3s are available for free download (along with a bonus track that did not fit on the original release). Comatonse Recordings, 2006, C.012 |
Radio dramas
| Trans-Sister Radio Germany: Hessischer Rundfunk Hessischer Rundfunk Hessischer Rundfunk is the public broadcaster for the German state of Hesse. The main offices of HR are in Frankfurt am Main. HR is a member of the ARD.- Studios :... Radio, Channel HR2, Frankfurt M, 2004. Premier airdate November 17, 2004. Hörspiel, Redaktion: Manfred Hess. Also released on CD (Portugal: Grain of Sound/Base Recordings, 2005, GOS018/BRCD00505). The Laurence Rassel Show (with Laurence Rassel), (Germany: Hessischer Rundfunk Radio, Channel HR2, Frankfurt M, 2006). Premier airdate April, 2006. Hörspiel, Redaktion: Manfred Hess. |
Filmography
- ffwd_mag (DVD + Magazine)
Italy: .::invernomuto::., 2005, Issue 3. Audio and photography.
- Lovebomb / Ai No Bakudan (Full-length film/music videos)
Written, directed, filmed and edited by Terre Thaemlitz.
Originally released on VHS (Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2003, V.002). In English and Japanese.
Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2005/2003, D.001.NTSC | D.001.PAL.
- Interstices (Short film/music videos)
Written, directed, filmed and edited by Terre Thaemlitz.
Commissioned by Lovebytes and funded by the National Arts Council of England. Released with "Silent Passability" on DVD (Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2005, D.000.NTSC). Originally released on VHS (Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2001, V.001) and DVD ("Volatile Media," UK: Lovebytes, 2002, DSP2).
Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2005/2001, D.000.NTSC.
- Silent Passability (Ride to the Countryside) (Music video)
Written, directed, filmed and edited by Terre Thaemlitz.
Released with "Interstices" on DVD (Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2005, D.000.NTSC). Originally released on VHS (US: Comatonse Recordings, 1997, V.000).
Japan: Comatonse Recordings, 2005/1997, D.000.NTSC.
- Modulations (documentary)
Directed by Iara Lee
Iara Lee
Iara Lee is a Korean Brazilian film producer and director based in New York City. She is better known as the director of the documentaries Synthetic Pleasures and Modulations, as well as for her involvement with the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla", in which at least nine pro-Palestinian activists were...
, produced by George Gund III, (US: Caipirinha Productions, 1998). Interview.
- Neue Kraft, Neues Werk (Transcodeur Express) (documentary)
Directed by Ninon Liotet and Olivier Schulbaum, (Germany: ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
2002). Interview and music.
- Synthetic Pleasures (documentary)
Directed by Iara Lee
Iara Lee
Iara Lee is a Korean Brazilian film producer and director based in New York City. She is better known as the director of the documentaries Synthetic Pleasures and Modulations, as well as for her involvement with the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla", in which at least nine pro-Palestinian activists were...
, produced by George Gund, (US: Caipirinha Productions, 1995). Three tracks featured on soundtrack. Sound engineering for trailer.
Awards
- Album of the Year, 2009, for DJ Sprinkles - Midtown 120 Blues, Resident AdvisorResident AdvisorResident Advisor is an online electronic music magazine dedicated to the global dance music scene. The website won a People's Voice award in the 12th Annual Webby Awards in 2008.-Site History:...
- Honorable Mention In Digital Musics, 1999 ORF Prix Ars ElectronicaPrix Ars ElectronicaThe Prix Ars Electronica is one of the most important yearly prizes in the field of electronic and interactive art, computer animation, digital culture and music...
- Best Ambient/Experimental Artist 1997, 1997 Readers Poll Results in "URB Magazine" (US: March/April 1998)
- Best DJ 1991, Underground Grammy Award from the House of Magic, Midtown ManhattanManhattanManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
drag circuit
Interviews
- "An Interview with Terre Thaemlitz" - PERFECT SOUND FOREVER, Feb. 1998
- On: "Means From an End" - AmbiEntrance, 1998
- "Terre Thaemlitz's polymorphous electronica exercises its right to be perverse" - The WireThe Wire (magazine)The Wire is a British avant garde music magazine, founded in 1982 by jazz promoter Anthony Wood and journalist Chrissie Murray. The magazine initially concentrated on contemporary jazz and improvised music, but branched out in the early 1990s to various types of experimental music...
: 206, April 2001 - "Private Studio 2002: Terre Thaemlitz" - Sound & Recording Magazine: 249, Jan. 2002
- "The Questionnaire by Thierry Massard" - Dec, 2007
- "Exclusive Interview with Terre Thaemlitz by Gabriel Brunner" - gopopular.com, 2007
- "DJ Sprinkles : House of mirrors" - XLR8R, 2009
- "LWE Podcast 14 : DJ Sprinkles" - Little White Earbuds, 2009
- "RA.188 Terre Thaemlitz" - Resident AdvisorResident AdvisorResident Advisor is an online electronic music magazine dedicated to the global dance music scene. The website won a People's Voice award in the 12th Annual Webby Awards in 2008.-Site History:...
, 2010 - Red Bull Music Academy - Terre Thaemlitz - London 2010 video interview and transcript