Label Profile: Dial Records

Label Profile: Dial Records

17 February, 2010 | 7.28AM

• Written by: Terry Church
• Filed under: Music News: dial records, lawrence, sten

Dial Records is an apt name for a label that constantly changes sound.

When Hamburg flat mates Peter M. Kersten and David Lieske started their imprint in 2000, they hoped to create something without musical borders.

A decade later that wish is a reality, but they still plug away nonetheless. Dial Records continues to be a home-from-home for some of electronic music’s most unconventional, and some would say intelligent, sounds, including Pantha Du Prince’s deep house experiments, Efdemin’s understated house and techno flourishes, and Pawel’s melodic excursions.

It is also a place for its co-founders to release their own music. Kersten’s emotionally-charged deep house and minimal techno as Lawrence or Sten, has given Dial an eager following, and Lieske’s own Carsten Jost received plaudits back in 2001 for his album ‘You Don’t Need A Weatherman To Know Which Way The Wind Blows’.

But there is so much more to Dial then mosaic club cuts. From piano concertos, to sugar-laced pop, ambient breakbeat, and sonically sparse soundscapes, Dial offer a rich 360° view of electronic music.

As the label gears up to celebrate its 10th anniversary in March, we sat down with its co-founder Lawrence aka Peter M. Kersten to find out more about Dial Records, its early beginnings, and its greatest releases.

What does Dial Records stand for?

Dial stands for a bunch of eccentric people releasing deep touching music.

What criteria do you have for tracks on Dial?

Most of our tracks are made by close friends. I guess sympathy is an important term for our choice of artists and music, they should all be lovely and interesting people.

So which artists are crucial to the label?

After the artists that create the greatest dancefloor music for us like Carsten Jost, Pawel or Pantha Du Prince, it is the musicians who don’t focus on club music that mean a lot to me and the label. People like Christian Naujoks, Dominique, Phillip Sollmann solo, and Phantom Ghost.

That’s an eclectic group of artists.

In genre terms, there are absolutely no borders within the Dial release policy. We’ve released pop, classically inspired pieces, and sine wave drones. But at the same time we are a very critical little family and listen carefully to a wide range of music.

Our taste is very specific even though it touches almost every kind of music, whether that’s jazz, house, or noise.

Do you think electronic music is still as open-minded as it once was?

I think there is a fresh non-trendy vibe going on at the moment, which is doing away with conventions. Koze’s Pampa, Mule Musiq, Ricardo Villalobos, Christian Naujoks, Efdemin - all of them show that the dancefloor is a place for human beings and individuals with so many different weird ideas.

I expect a lot of exciting stuff to abandon the borders of dance music once more. Space is the place!

How did the label begin?

We started with a whole universe of inspirations from Theo Parrish to La Monte Young. That’s maybe why there is no specific sound. But from the very beginning, people spoke of a Dial feeling, a certain vibe, they could feel in our music.

Would you say that is something that defines the domain you’re a part of? Is there a group of labels that you’d consider closely aligned to Dial?

Actually we do not see ourselves as part of any domain. There are labels that I should mention though, like Mississippi, Honest Jons, Sound Signature, Pampa, TomLab, Underground Quality, Philpot, and Smallville - there’s a lot of good labels actually.

You’ve been running longer than most - 10 years now. What have you learned as a label owner?

Do not pay attention to any sense of rationality, try to keep it unreal. Don’t cut out other interests like political issues, art, or fashion. Everything is possible if you believe in it.

Do you have any special plans for the label’s 10th birthday?

Firstly, we’re releasing a compilation which will include tracks by some classic Dial artists, plus a bunch of ‘newcomers’ - Dial debuts will come from Isoléé and Kassian Troyer.

Our 10 Year anniversary tour starts in March with a big birthday bash at Berghain and Panorama Bar.

Sounds fun. How are your parties going?

Panorama Bar is our main residency. It’s still an awesome wayword place. Besides that, there is a new and growing house scene in Hamburg around my record shop and label Smallville, where we always have amazing all-nighters.

My favourite moments are maybe the less peculiar ones, like when the crowd just catches that unique magical moment. And we love the first two hours at Panorama Bar as there’s always a lovely solemn vibe going on.

What plans do you have for the label for the rest of 2010?

More birthday gifts will be released with albums from Efdemin and John Roberts later this year. I am listening almost every day to those records and they make me happy.

Isolée is going to have a 12-inch later this year and we’ve just received a fabulous demo by our beloved Roman Flügel, Our sub-label Laid will keep on being the source for quality house music.

Lawrence’s top Dial tracks

Dial Records’ co-founder Lawrence guides us through some of his favourite ever Dial tracks.

Christian Naujoks ‘Off The Rose’

This track comes from a whole album that has no musical borders and spreads love. Fantastic!

Carsten Jost ‘Krokus’

This is quite the Dial classic, isn’t it? Awesome! And it’s unbelievable that this tune is almost 10 years old.

Pigon ‘Promises’

We love techno music! Pigon aka Rndm, and Efdemin show their deepest love to Detroit with this - sorry to use this term - hypnotic track.

Efdemin ‘Bergwein’

Truly one of the biggest moments in Dial Records’ 10 year history. Efdemin will be back in May with a full length album.

Pantha Du Prince ‘Butterfly Girl’ (Pantha Du Prince Lost The Beat)

One of the greatest works by Dial’s resident superstar Pantha Du Prince. Another epic ambient piece.

Nike.Bordom ‘Ahacid’

This is so far behind the moon. This whole EP is a grand statement in minimal techno.

John Roberts ‘Mirror’

House Music saved our life. Again. I’m so excited to release John Robert’s debut album in late summer 2010.

Pawel ‘Alvin’

Pawel’s ‘Alvin’ is minimal music kisses Detroit strings. Gorgeous!

Lawrence ‘Fifteen Minutes With You’

This is another Dial classic tune.

Dominique ‘Lad’

‘Lad’ is my favourite pop song on Dial Records. I adore Dominique!

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