various - This is Frankfurt

various - This is Frankfurt

28 August, 2009 | 9.56AM

• Written by: LuckySounds
• Filed under: Music News : chris liebing, l.exx aurel, martin buttrich, this is frankfurt, timo maas

Mainhatten, Bankfurt, Krankfurt… The Hessian metropolis has got just as much nicknames as faces. For one part (mostly ignoramus) hardly more than a cold block made of glass and reinforced concrete, for the other part (insiders) temple of the electronic passions without any competition. It is certain: Concerning the parties, the people from Frankfurt belonged always to the sort of the insatiable, stubborn, indefatigable. Not surprising, because the seductive concentration of Djs who form the dance culture, of producers and clubs may be unchanged and unique worldwide.
If Trance, Hardcore, Chill Out or Hard Tech in the shape of “Schranz” - there is hardly an important style which has not found its origin here or at least was considerably supported. If in institutions of yesterday like the “Cocoon Club”, “Robert Johnson” or “U60311”, it is still effective: everybody’s equal in front of the DJ-god. Commercials and harlots, bankers and pimps – it is still this main idea which bears the party event in the Main-metropolis.

Mainhatten, Bankfurt, Krankfurt… The Hessian metropolis has got just as much nicknames as faces. For one part (mostly ignoramus) hardly more than a cold block made of glass and reinforced concrete, for the other part (insiders) temple of the electronic passions without any competition. It is certain: Concerning the parties, the people from Frankfurt belonged always to the sort of the insatiable, stubborn, indefatigable. Not surprising, because the seductive concentration of Djs who form the dance culture, of producers and clubs may be unchanged and unique worldwide.
If Trance, Hardcore, Chill Out or Hard Tech in the shape of “Schranz” - there is hardly an important style which has not found its origin here or at least was considerably supported. If in institutions of yesterday like the “Cocoon Club”, “Robert Johnson” or “U60311”, it is still effective: everybody’s equal in front of the DJ-god. Commercials and harlots, bankers and pimps – it is still this main idea which bears the party event in the Main-metropolis.

The label “LuckySounds” takes care of a tradition with “This is Frankfurt”, how it started at the beginning of the nineties with seminal samplers like “Frankfurt Trax”. The creation of an image of what Frankfurt is currently formed by dance music. With dominant artists and tracks as well as newcomers and labels, stylistic undercurrents and counter-currents. Therefore “This is Frankfurt” gives an extensive overview with its proud 20 tracks in total but without being able to raise any claim for completeness. Because for that, the scene FFM is – fortunately – much too colourful.

An electro pop cultic hit which has become a hymn for the FFM party people because of the lyrics: “Wo kommen wir her” (Where do we come from) from La Rez in the sensational remix of Frank Kusserow. Martin Buttrich has worked out the status of a legend, not only as co-producer or remixer (et al. Moloko, 2Raumwohnung) but meanwhile also as solo artist. Here represented with the highlight “Hunter”, the man from the Taunus, proves how to create something with a handful of shuffled bass- and percussion sounds, what is still moving the scene of Frankfurt: minimal tech with grip(s) and character.
With L.exx Aurel’s upset Micro Tech-definition “311”, the first of five very important tracks in total follows, which represent the young generation of producers of the FFM-nightlife and which bears the label “LuckySounds”.
Further examples are the duo “Groovemagnet” with their Roland “Jupiter”-dominated reminiscence at the 80ies’ Electro Sounds (track 15), Lars Schneemann’s Electro House of slighter uplifter “Elektrix” (track 17) or also the licked Tech House sex feat “Far Out” from Laurel (track 16). The number of title 5 is perfectly filled with the freak-funky “Stereos And Such”, produced by the French guiding light of the Minimal Tech “Popof”, published, as well as the former “Dark Fader” by Butch, at Thomas P. Heckmann’s new successful label “AFU ltd.”. Pascal FEOS as primary techno-pillar of Frankfurt, already from the first hour on, then ties in with the ultra-deep Floorfiller “The Wizard”.
Brian Sanhaji is about to become a famous name in the dance-biz, who takes his irresistible and hot Happy Hook-loaded spin with “A Simple Thing” (track 9).
As 12-inches-original, by the way published on CLRecordings – and a sampler which is called “This is Frankfurt”, wouldn’t hardly be more than a bad joke, when there also wouldn’t be a track of the man, who founded the label: Chris Liebing. “Tubular Bells” is, without any doubt, one of the youngest highlights of the DJ-iconic figure, a real techno-charging station with metallic Hypno-Hook suitable to the title. Directly following a fulminant highlight will be delivered by a producer, who hardly a second one has had international success, by crossing the border to the dance pop full in content: Timo Maas. Therefore “Subtellite” is an exemplar, how he is able to create a breathtaking monster-track with recognition value, by using Flamenco-flair for more than 12 minutes. And until finally Michael Stapf (Toxic-Family), the former member of the legendary DJ-crew “Die Verdächtigen” with “Twilight of Gods” marks the end of it, further local heroes like Anthony Rother in a robe by Beuys, by Telekraft and the moderntronic-guidepost “Planet Telekraft” or also Beat-Berzerker Andreas Kauffelt in the team with Toby Izui and their Asia-slammer “Sabako” blaze their trail.

“Don’t mess with Frankfurt” an old proverb says. And at least from the perspective of dance music it is a sentence which has still unlimited validity. And even someone who came here from the other end of the dance-universe, in order to spend a weekend in Punkfurt, has left the city again with the words “I haven’t seen something like that, yet...”

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