Deep Impressions

Panorama Bar resident Prosumer, who hails from SaarbrЯcken in south-west Germany, will DJ at The Spice Cellar on Saturday May 31. Achim Brandenburg drew the Prosumer pseudonym from Alvin Toffler’s novel The Third Wave (you’re across that, right?) and has established himself as one of the most knowledgeable DJs on the club circuit, earning a regular spot at Panorama Bar. Drawing on the soulful sensibility of early Detroit and Chicago records, Prosumer has released on revered labels such as Running Back, Playhouse and Ostgut Ton, collaborated with Tamo Sumo, and put out his debut album Serenity – a joint work with producer Murat Tepeli – in 2008. Prosumer’s Panorama Bar 03 compilation was released a few years back to widespread critical acclaim (not least on this hallowed page), collating gems from Morgan Geist, Jeff Mills, Uwe Schmidt, Theo Parrish and showcasing the discerning club eclecticism that dancers can expect from him in a few weeks at Spice Cellar. A man of taste and integrity (close cousins, it must be said), Prosumer went on the record as saying he “would love to see everything being less about hype and more about passion for music … I wish there to be more people not looking at the media to tell them what is hot but to go out there and experience and find out themselves.” Though in this case, it’s a good thing you’re looking to the media for guidance as I can direct you towards Prosumer’s forthcoming show. Be careful of biting the hand that feeds, Mr. Brandenburg.

DJ Harvey has an album in the works for Smalltown Supersound under the name Wildest Dreams. Harvey is a venerated figure in the club sphere, courtesy of his iconic series of Black Cock edits that were pressed throughout the ’80s and ’90s, his marathon DJ sets at his Sarcastic Disco warehouse gigs and his studio work as Locussolus. Harvey has also remixed LCD Soundsystem, Lindstrњm, Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr’s criminally underrated Electronic outfit. His Wildest Dreams album was originally recorded a few years back in a mere week, drawing its inspiration from the LA skyline, which we all know looks better with some razzmatazz under your belt. The album is apparently laden with guitars, drums and Harvey’s own vocals. You can wrap your ears around it when it drops in late July.

Berlin-based producer Phonique has just released a 23-track ‘best of’ compilation on Steve Bug’s Dessous label, entitled – wait for it – Best Of Phonique. Phonique has been crafting quality deep house for 17 years and has notched up over 100 releases, establishing himself as a club producer of note with his surfeit of EPs while exploring soundscapes more suited for home listening/lounge lazing throughout his three artist albums. Both sides of Phonique’s sonic persona are represented on this anthology, with two collaborations with Norwegian Erlend ѓye from The Whitest Boy Alive and songs such as ‘Trouble’ showcasing more downtempo and at times jazz-infused motifs. These tracks are counterbalanced with club-oriented cuts such as the Gui Boratto co-produced ‘Blindfolded’ and a Tiefschwarz remix.

Wolfgang Voigt, a co-founder of the canonical Cologne label Kompakt, is set to release a new album called RЯckverzauberung 9: Musik FЯr Kulturinstitutionen. Following on from last year’s Die Zauberhafte Welt Der Anderen that he co-produced with his brother Reinhard, Wolfgang’s forthcoming release is an experimental, ambient affair, recorded as part of his sound installation at an exhibition at the Berlin’s Haus der Kulturen (oh come on, you don’t need me to translate that do you?). Voigt buffs should be aware that the album’s release will be limited to a run of 500 and will be available on Voigt’s Profan label from Monday July 7, which is a date to mark down in your techno diary if you want to ensure you’re one of the lucky ones.