Green Lashes EP

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Title : Green Lashes EP
Release Date : 24. February 2023
Catalog ref. : 022

Never hesitating to play to their strengths and tap into the techno capital’s hidden talent pool, Sound of Berlin kickstarts 2023 with a 29-year-old upcoming producer Marie Tjong-Ayong’s debut ‘Green Lashes EP’, out on 24 February. Sonic forest bathing packed with minimal, percussive lushness, it is a release that sometimes evokes the abstract polyrhythms on Bambounou’s ‘Final Conference’, at other times the glitched-out grooves of Facta’s ‘Emeline EP’. At its centre, the EP reminds us of the power of electronic music to create headspaces no other genre can – even enable us to become one with nature amidst the modern concrete jungles. “Overall, the EP represents for me a kind of transcendence, nature and body,” she described her debut.

Putting the best foot forward, the opener ‘Kick In The Garden’ does exactly what it says on the tin. Minimal techno without the bells and whistles, reverb kicks dominate the lower end and syncopated doubles of rimshots propel the beat forward, chopped-up chords chirping and panning around as if you were playing tag in someone’s backyard. “Kick In The Garden is a very playful, groovy piece,” Tjong-Ayong described the track. “I hope it animates to dance.”

A different ballgame entirely, ‘Than Sadet’ is a 7-minute scenic drive named after the National Park on the island of Koh Phangan off the east-coast of Thailand. “Than Sadet is a journey,” Tjong-Ayong summed up. “I produced this track within one day in Thailand, on a beautiful island. It represents the many colours and sounds of the island as I perceived them.” At 118 BPM, bottom heavy with juddering baselines and thick organ chords held for full eight bars at a time, Tjong-Ayong keeps the track ebbing and flowing through the subtle melodies, holding the energy, and then releasing it one gigantic wave – the Balearic vibes in Tjong-Ayong -style.

“These tracks are my first finished ones as a producer. I wanted to give myself complete freedom to create something with my possibilities,’ Tjong-Ayong explained. “To enter a new musical space and leave old habits and feelings behind when making music.”

For a lot of people, pandemic was a blessing in disguise. Ayong was one of them. “During the pandemic, all possibilities to play live broke away, new ways opened up,” she recalls. “Since I had been listening to techno and house for a long time and started to collect vinyl, I also started to deal with the production of this music. Ableton was pulled onto the computer and the first drum machines and synthesizers were procured.”

Spring EP

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Title : Spring EP
Release Date : 24. June 2022
Catalog ref. : 017

Over the years, the Melbourne producer has proven she can navigate a vast spectrum of music genres while keeping production values consistently high. However, if one thing should be the conductive line between her productions, it would probably be her elegant taste for atmospheric textures, and sophistication. Spring reflects this idea. She explains: “I had a couple of months off work in early 2021 and made a tonne of music. I found I was changing my taste through the lockdown, and these two tracks represent that. “

The first track on her EP, “Spring”, is a colourfully mellow bouquet oscillating between electronica, breaks, ambient and trip-hop. An electronic lullaby of sorts, radiating a combination of vaporous textures and meticulous drum programming – an invitation to contemplation. 

“Laying Low”, the second track of the EP, takes an entirely different approach – an uncompromisingly acidic piece composed on top of broken technoid rhythms, creating a foggy atmosphere finely calibrated for sweaty dance floors.

These two vignettes constitute a complex yet delightful treat for the ears. In that sense, Spring EP is nothing if not transportive.

Hear Spring EP: https://katiedrover.lnk.to/SpringEP

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1 Year Compilation

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Title : Sound of Berlin - Year One Compilation
Release Date : 17. December 2021
Catalog ref. : 012

What exactly is the Sound of Berlin? What made Berlin the capital of electronic music? How did a city develop such a unique club and nightlife culture, counting more than 270 clubs and music venues, innumerable number of event organizers, party promoters, artists and music labels? Is techno the only music genre that defines Berlin’s sound? Those are the questions that occurred to our label while since our first release im December 2020.

2020 has brought a deep uncertainty to the music scene and redefined its own existence. It made people reflect on the importance of culture, music, and social gatherings. But it also opened windows to opportunities and new projects, with one question in mind – how could music thrive in the time of coronavirus? New forms of consuming music appeared – live streams, NFTs, Instagram Reels – streaming platforms exploded their listening time, and artists had to find new ways to connect to their fans. 

But music had to live. Music had to be released. Berlin had to shine. As a documentary, multimedia platform, playlists, and radio shows, aiming to amplify the voices of Berlin’s music scene, Sound of Berlin had to be a label. 

By signing newcomers as well as established artists, our team brings artists from different landscapes in order to share their stories as well as their connection with Berlin. Every month, Sound of Berlin introduces a new 2-track EP, ranging from techno to minimal, house, experimental, IDM, new wave, deep house, accompanied by a music video.

Launched in December 2020, the label has released eleven EPs, including the releases of Marc Houle, Alinka, Chymera, and Artefakt, with an amount of six nationalities, and five female artists – Rose Bonica and Olivia Corsi as videographers, Alinka, BB Deng, and a half of INIT as producers – as well as the releases of eight animated music videos on Youtube.

On December 17, Sound of Berlin – Year One Compilation has been released on all digital platforms, including a bonus track by Cleymoore.