A Different Jimi: Egoexpress co-founder returns

A Different Jimi: Egoexpress co-founder returns

14 July, 2008 | 6.53AM

• Written by: Lee Smith
• Filed under: Music News: hamburg

For many electronic music fans outside of Germany, the Hamburg scene has only recently come to light, with labels like Diynamic, Liebe*Detail, and Dial emerging as some of the most talked about underground imprints of the minute.

However, techno veterans Egoexpress have been flying the flag for their hometown since the early ‘90s, and now one half of the duo is back with a new label, a new alias, and one of our favourite sleeper tracks this summer.

During the mid-’90s, while the rest of the techno scene was going crazy for the furious rhythms of Jeff Mills or the wayward experimentalism of Warp-style electronics, Jimi Siebles and Mense Reets were busy honing down their own quirky, playful take on the acid-fried grooves of 303 maestros such as Hardfloor and Mike Ink (aka Kompakt’s Wolfgang Voigt).

Their debut album, ‘Foxy’, came out on esteemed German label Ladomat 2000 in 1996, but failed to gain much attention outside of their homeland with its quirky yet upfront nature at odds with the ultra-serious modus operandi of techno at the time.

With an ear for club-rocking dynamics, the album – and the minor hit it spawned, ‘Telefunken’ – prefigured not only the emerging UK tech-house scene, but also the way-off sound of electroclash, mixing straight dance beats with raucous riffs and a dose of humorous trashiness.

While the UK and the US fell into a drawn out prog obsession in the late ‘90s, Egoexpress continued to build their profile in Europe, with legendary performances at festivals like Mayday sealing their reputation as a live force to be reckoned with.

As minimal house and techno began to creep into prominence over the following years, Egoexpress adapted their sound to incorporate lush melodies, slick tech-house beats, and the occasional foray into ethereal ambience.

Their 2nd album, ‘Hot Wire My Heart’, appeared on Ladomat in 2005, and was a critical and commercial success, opening the ears of many listeners to the burgeoning Hamburg scene.

However, for various reasons, Egoexpress stopped recording soon after, with both members going on to dabble in their own projects, both as DJs and occasional producers.

Fast forward to 2008, and Jimi Siebles is back with his own label—It’s—and a stunning release that’s been receiving props from D’Julz, Sebo K, Karotte, and Laurent Garnier, who says the EP is “just what I love – excellent!”

We’re particularly digging the pop-infused, summery vibes of ‘1753 Angelo’, a quietly gorgeous daytime terrace track that’s guaranteed to rock all but the sternest of dancefloors.

Maybe, after all this time, Mr Siebles and his new label will start to achieve the wider recognition they so thoroughly deserve…

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