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12"
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AER 028EP
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The Tuff City Kids know exactly how to juggle with different styles, until they come up with a fresh new sound that transforms an ordinary rave into an unforgettable happening. In this case they are mixing real performed kraut rock drums, '90s proto trance-balearic strings and an unexpectedly new, enthusiastic way of working with Alter Ego's trademark melody hook. Their 808 electro-remix for the track "Gate 23" is keeping to the premise of the legendary New York punk rock band The Ramones, that the music has to be the pill itself.
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12"
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AER 027EP
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Alter Ego (Roman Flügel and Jörn Elling Wuttke) present the first vinyl single on their own Alter Ego Recordings. Drawing on their entire back catalog, their label is dedicated to classic material, previously unreleased material, forgotten gems, and brand-new remixes. This 12" contains two Alter Ego classics remixed by Luke Slater in 1993 and 1994. His remix of "Soulfree" employs a Basic Channel-style sound design with dubbed chords and a full-bodied bassline. His slamming remix of "Lyrcra" has been in the bags of Sven Väth and Andrew Weatherall; its cascades of flanged sounds drift in and out alongside no-nonsense drums and percussion.
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10"
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KLANG 133EP
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Alter Ego's "Gary" is a massive tune with a menacing drone-bass and some winking wavepunk. Remixer Tiga takes "Gary" back to the early '90s, slows it down to 120 bpm, and adds a sweet and moody atmosphere of smooth Italo-disco. "Gary" goes POP for the B-side with Product 01's catchy electro-pop mash-up. Vocalist Rochelle Vincente Von K asks "Gary" to visit her private "Boys Club" where both tracks were put together into one new wave/new rave hit.
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12"
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KLANG 135EP
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Nerk and Dirk Leyers, Modeselektor, Deepgroove and Jamie Anderson remix tracks off Alter Ego's Why Not?!. Nerk and Dirk give the sub-bass inferno "Fuckingham Palace" even MORE bass, while Modeselektor carry the principle of "comic techno" to the absolute extreme. Deepgroove and Jamie Anderson turn down the stomping beat of the original "Queen Anne's Revenge" a little bit, but it's still incredibly edgy.
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12"
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KLANG 127EP
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DJ Koze and Supermayer remix Alter Ego's hit, "Jolly Joker." DJ Koze switches the track completely and tames the wild-galloping original with something you could call an Afrobeat bridle. Supermayer are a lot more careful, saving the essential sounds and the spirit of the original. And instead of using striking effects, Supermayer prefer to push the track in their discobeat mix slowly and subtly to the limit.
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CD
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KLANG 017CD
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2007's Why Not?! saw Alter Ego sky-rocket and chart into the stratosphere, and now Why Next?! features some of the most prominent names in techno tackling some of their favorite songs off the album. On Why Not?!, Jörn-Elling Wuttke and Roman Flügel confronted the nervous turmoil of the dancefloor in this era of NuRave and squiggly sounds with a treatment of techno that is humorous and extreme, with rave-reeling, sound exploration and roaring laughter. On this remix album, we see Why Not?! through the eyes of outstanding producers, ranging from Joakim to Deepgroove & Jamie Anderson, from Carl Craig to Supermayer. These are tracks that no one would have expected -- with corny jokes and sound research, grotesque gags and mind-expanding wobble merging closely. Carl Craig feeds his sampler with glittering glamrock chunk, unsettling his usual elegant sound cosmos. Tim Deluxe's ultra-tight groove elaborates on the exuberance of "Why Not?!" with even less restraint. Nerk & Dirk Leyers make short work of the original "Fuckingham Palace," smartly rendering the bass line into swarms of bass lines. Deepgroove & Jamie Anderson's remix lulls the listener into an illusion of security before it is hoovercrafted away. DJ Koze delivers an Afrobeat version of "Jolly Joker," Joakim makes the groove and bass stabs of "Why Not?!" sound more mechanic and angular and cartoon-like. Modeselektor changes "Fuckingham Palace" into a dubstep track, adding the pot-bellied humor of ragga (or is it gabba?) to this otherwise gloomy genre. Supermayer extract a very special left-field moment, Adam Sky transforms pure mania into pure pop music, Alter Ego themselves expose more glam-rock moments with a "Boys Club" version of "Gary," with vocals from Product 01 and the bonus track turns emo timbres into bleep.
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12"
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KLANG 132EP
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First there is a jolty-beat, which is pretty unusual for an Alter Ego track, but then the whole room trembles under the evil-grumbling bass. When the synths raise up and the fire of "Gary" builds to its peak, Alter Ego have won. When played loud, "Gary" is pure rock n' roll! Carl Craig owns the remix, and the synths dominate. Sweat, spilled beer, arms raised... this is what rock n' roll looks like on the dancefloor.
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12"
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KLANG 130EP
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This is the Alter Ego hit mix Part II. Tim Deluxe remixes "Why Not?!" into a phat, crowd-pleasing peak time slam. The B-side is a little more subtle with slowly rising hysteria rather than insanity on every frequency. In between this one breathes the spirit of the old Decoding The Hacker Myth days, before a killer bass line reminds you that this is a dance record.
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CD
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KLANG 015CD
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It's been three years since Alter Ego's last album, Transphormer, so Roman Flügel and Jörn Elling Wuttke unleash more of their madness upon the world. Why Not?! may not be the Alter Ego album you've been expecting. Picking up where Transphormer left off, it's frontloaded with all the ballsy Alter Ego hallmarks you've come to expect: buzzing squalls of synthesizer, leads that cut like a blowtorch, and rhythms that pack a rock 'n' roll punch to house and techno's jacking package. It's raw, dirty and just barely restrained. But Why Not?! is something else: it's funny. Maybe even a little bit goofy. This is techno, but it's not of the stonefaced, screwfaced variety. It's good, clean fun -- well, except when it's dirty, which is most of the time, given Alter Ego's affection for ragged waveforms and distortion-crusted drums. Most of all, it's dizzying, which might have something to do with the fact that virtually every track is slathered in grand, sweeping sounds with their portamento settings tuned to Roller Coaster. Listening to the album feels a little like racing down a playground slide that's been hooked up to a moderate electric current, and landing in a pile of mud. It's safe to say that NEVER before has classic house, techno and ragga/dubstep been combined in such a way. This record is destined to cause a stir amongst the current wave of French party crashers. Alter Ego have never been the most reverent of acts -- just consider the name of their early incarnation, Acid Jesus -- and on Why Not?!, from the titles to their tunes, their irreverence hits a restless new high, without ever sacrificing the all-powerful groove.
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2LP
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KLANG 124LP
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Double LP version. Deluxe gatefold jacket.
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12"
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KLANG 123EP
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The title track to Alter Ego's full-length is stomping and playful at the same time, and surprises with sudden changes in the arrangement and sound, which really breathes life into it and makes you smile. It's more or less due to those highly amusing breaks -- retro-futuristic on the one hand, and very modern on the other -- that really make this tune work. This is the new style: get ready. This is the full-release two-sided version with cover art and Joakim (!K7, Versatile) remix added.
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12"
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KLANG 123LTD-EP
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Alter Ego are back! And Why Not?! This strictly limited one-sided 12" is a foretaste of their upcoming album. The track, stomping and playful at the same time, surprises with sudden changes in the arrangement and sound, which really breathes life into it and makes you smile. It's more or less due to those highly amusing breaks -- retro-futuristic on the one hand, and very modern on the other -- that really make this tune work. This is the new style: get ready.
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12"
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KLANG 117EP
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"'Blitz' is truly as fast as lightning! But on the same hand very meditative in its restlessness and liveliness. Featured also: mighty hand-claps which should convince everyone to play this track. With side B's 'Blank,' the deputies of distortion are back. A stoically running track with constant cowbell use and massive groaning sounds that no one can destabilize. Then there's this short but wonderful percussion solo after 3 minutes..."
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12"
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KLANG 116EP
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"As part of the re-release of the Decoding the Hacker Myth album, Alter Ego present alternate versions of two tracks from this 1996 gem. Back in the days, the guys locked themselves in their dub laboratory named 'Klangfabrik' and came out with a different view on 'Lycra' and 'Brom.' The first one turned out a cool electro dub track with lots of spooky synths and heavy bass sounds. Alter Ego's apparent love for distorted sounds already shows up here towards the end of the mix when they crunch and squelch everything that's left. Rough 'n ready!"
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CD
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KLANG 014CD
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"The perfectly remastered issue of the classic 2nd Alter Ego album from 1996 (originally released on Sven Väth's Harthouse label those days). It was the band's very own wish to release this timeless album again in proper sound quality. It still is one of their favorite and most important works of all times. The sound and the music is totally outstanding and a class on its own. Klang Elektronic is proud to present an absolute piece of electronic history."
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12"
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KLANG 113EP
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"It's 10 years (!) since Alter Ego released their laid back album Decoding The Hacker Myth on Harthouse with a couple of now legendary remixes. To celebrate its upcoming re-release, we start with this little mouth-watering 12" with two outstanding mixes by Wishmountain (Matthew Herbert) and Andrew Weatherall & Keith Tenniswood's 2 Lone Swordsmen alter ego... plus a rare track by Alter Ego themselves!"
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12"
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KLANG 101EP
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"'Finally It Has Happened To Me...' folks, but this ain't got nothing to do with Mrs. Peniston, this is definitely the final chapter in the might mighty Alter Ego remix project that came out of their last studio album Transphormer. Thus we have the title track remixed by two current Klang Elektronik and Playhouse stalwarts blazing the trail with their individual touch! Let's start with Johannes Heil's take on the groaning speedy 144bpm original."
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12"
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KLANG 099EP
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Remixes by Isoleé, Matt John, Alter Ego. "Another track of the Alter Ego album finds its way into our remix catalogue. 'Gate 23' (Lost on Arrival...) is now under refinement. The first remix is a dub version of Alter Ego themselves, the second one is a remix of our favourite from the German northcoast, Isoleé. On the B-side of this 12", the maxi is concluded with a 'Daktari' remix by Matt John."
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2CD
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KLANG 012CD
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"With Transphormer, Alter Ego presented an album that received unanimous approval and was one of the most important albums of the last two years. Far from typical production patterns, they have created a style of their own that never forgets the concept of 'techno' but yet manages to absorb song structures and sounds from pop music in a most abstract way. Apart from the phenomenal success of 'Rocker,' almost all the other tracks have also been released as single outtakes and remixed. The reason for the unprecedented number of releases is the remix exchange project between Alter Ego and various producers, making the Transphormer process easier to understand as regards its creation and effects. And it by no means falls into the pattern of 'Mixes For Cash' (as the title of an Aphex Twin remix album says), but offers each artist working on a track an Alter Ego remix in exchange. To them a remix always means more than those hurriedly knocked up, target-group-oriented marketing tools that other bands produce. In the past, big remix works have often founded, changed and considerably led to the development of entire music genres. This also reflects the team spirit of a worldwide scene that, despite the varied approach, shows a lot of respect for fellow musicians, enabling it to keep redefining itself and progressing. CD1 of Transphormedpresents all the Alter Ego remix classics that have significantly influenced the Transphormer album. The mixes on CD2 are titles exclusively taken from the Transphormer album, and, as mentioned above, tracks that have been reworked by various producers as part of the remix exchange project. They are thus not all stylistically homogeneous, but display a large variety of different approaches." Artists (CD1): The Human League, Octave One feat. Ann Saunderson, Spektrum, Primal Scream, 2Raumwohnung, Chicks On Speed, Reinhard Voigt, Solvent, Riton, Tiefschwarz, Alter Ego. Remixers (CD2): Tiefschwarz, Robag Wruhme, Solvent, Isolee, Losoul, Ricardo Villalobos, Rework, Ewan Pearson, Riton, Eric Prydz.
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12"
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KLANG 095EP
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"Losoul's our first travelling companion and shows us one of his famous basslines first while doing some action in the tube. It's one hell of a bassline that varies in marvelous ways throughout the entire stoic, reduced minimal track. Next in line is Mr. Anu Pillai aka Freeform Five who beats the bush like Prince would do and throws in some cool n' funky guitar n' bass licks that mingle perfectly with some original Alter Ego sounds still intact. There's even a girl singer sending out strange messages and sentences like 'You Hide In Bushes'... and as we've already stepped into mystic land, let's give the top old boys themselves some shouts and cheers for their spooky, doomy and unreleased new track entitled 'Fragile!'"
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12"
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KLANG 094EP
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"Time to 'Beat the Bush' now, so get on board this massive ocean liner that the brothers Tiefschwarz have launched to sail the oceans of sound worldwide.... skip over to the B-side and listen to Ewan Pearson's 'Slow NRG Edit' which is slow indeed compared to the T'Sschwarz monster but could well be a lesson in groove, attitude and style! Hard rockin', head noddin' state of the art remix delivery! London's finest Riton, courtesy of Manchester's Grand Central label, speeds up 'Tubeaction' for some more action in London's subway system... will excite even more dancers when played loud at your favourite club."
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12"
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KLANG 092EP
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"These are the final 'Rocker' remixes. Touched by the hand of Josh Wink this smasher get's the full AAACIIIEEED!!!treatment and will definitely rock floors all over the world once again. Backed by the slow and groovy remix by Grime mastermind Plasticman and Earl Shilton's Heavy Metal guitar riffing, this 12" contains music for everyone, whether it is the dope beatz fanatic, the metal head or the acid freak."
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12"
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KLANG 089EP
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Remixes by Reinhard Voigt, Rework & Solvent! "Off we go with some bangin' sounds straight outta Com.. eh... Cologne! The one and only Reinhard Voigt starts with a delay heading into straight ass whipping and slapping techno territory! It's 1-2-3-4-GO with a speedy 130 bpm and dark and beautiful sounds like simple rave signals... This one's working the floor and the crowd, you'll see! Cologne did it again! From Cologne it's straight to Stuttgart, home of the ever so brave Rework guys and girls."
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12"
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KLANG 087EP
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"Time for some remix action on tracks from Alter Ego's fantastic album Transphormer. Starting with 'Daktari', this percussive, slightly broken beat tune, no one else than Ricardo Villalobos gives this genre crossing track the full treatment. Robag Wruhme, the guy from Musik Krause and Freude Am Tanzan begins with some strange coughing sounds coming from an old people's home..."
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12"
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KLANG 084BEP
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"Without exaggerating one can say that 'Rocker' is already one of thee dancefloor events of 2004. Wolfgang Voigt calls it 'noble techno', DJ Koze says, he didn't experience such reactions since Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' and the limited one-sided 12" went strictly to number 1 in the German Dance Charts. And now it's time for the official release with a remix by French guys Blackstrobe. Ivan Smagghe's project is, together with Tiefschwarz, part of a spearhead of a new sound which the British call Electronic House whereas in Germany it's simply called Rock-Techno. Song structures and a sound that owes much to the eighties but avoids the mistakes made in the nineties gave way for Blackstrobe as the ideal candidate for the remix."
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