Hit Thing records was formed in Hamburg, Germany in 2000 by percussionist/composer Toby Dammit and Guido Randzio, co-owner of The Residents' European label Euro Ralph. Hit Thing is obviously not afraid to reach into completely different musical genres, but they retain a consistent level of taste for the unusual. The label's focus is to build a varied catalog of historically-important re-issues and cutting edge contemporary releases, each conveying mystery combined with astonishing musical production. From their start, the label released 1950s theatre organ music, 1980s Berlin dance/underground, modern and vintage film soundtracks, gatefold vinyl editions, and experimental psychedelic DVDs. Careful attention is directed towards packaging and artwork; CDs are packaged in resplendent digipaks made in Germany. Hit Thing has quickly built a strong reputation for remarkable recordings combined with award-winning photographers, filmmakers, painters and designers. The results are truly unique and guarantee the listener numerous levels of surprise and satisfaction.
Web site:
www.hit-thing.com
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viewing 1 To 7 of 7 items
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HIT 011CD
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"From the Swedish cellars arises a new star on the electropop heaven: Appareil. When their first single 'Nightvision' was released two years ago it was instantly a hit on the alternative dancefloors of Sweden. Since then Appareil has been touring a lot and played live on various electroclubs in Stockholm and in other Swedish cities. Appareil has also played at Lectrolab's Festival at the Spitz in London and in clubs in Tallinn, Estonia. Now its time for the rest of the world to share Appareil's vision of suburban desperation where traditional Swedish wooden furniture meets the ecstasy of electronic beat. Even in their most dance-friendly songs there's a certain melancholic streak which maybe can be described as typical Swedish. Music to be played at night in a car running through a dark forest in late autumn when leaves cover the road. The band Appareil from Stockholm are Henrik Hannebo, Johan Hinders, Martin Kraepelienand Erika Johansson. Appareil was created in April 2002, but has its roots in the predecessor Apparat. In the beginning Appareil was a duo, but in December 2002, Martin joined the band, and in September 2004 Erika joined, so the band is now a quartet. In late autumn 2003, Appareil released their first single -- 'Nightvision.' In 2005 the first album finally appears internationally -- Judas Kiss. Swedish music magazine Groove says about Appareil: 'You can definitely dance to Appareil's music. The song 'Nightvision' bears echoes from the seventies and the eighties electroscene with bands such as Kraftwerk and Telex. And the happy and sparkling demo 'Dancer,' with its eurotechno-fills can release anybody's constraints on the dancefloor.'"
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HIT 016LP
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Deluxe double LP version.
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HIT 016CD
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Bertrand Burgalat is perhaps THE most critically-acclaimed composer/arranger/producer in France, and Hit Thing is honored to announce the international release of Burgalat's fourth full-length release, Portrait-Robot. Recorded in 2004 in Berlin and Paris, Portrait-Robot is a journey into the center of the mind of one of France's most important and controversial contemporary artists. Burgalat is world-renowned for his elaborate and sophisticated productions, for his Parisian label empire Tricatel, as well as working with artists such as Depeche Mode, Einstürzende Neubauten, Pizzicato Five, Laibach, Mick Harvey, Ladytron, Michel Houellebecq and Air. However, Portrait-Robot represents a significant shift from Bertrand's past musical endeavors, leaving listeners amazed at the scale of personal exploration and musical diversity. Portrait-Robot features stunning lyrics written by Alfreda Benje, aka Alfie. It also features gorgeous texts by Tricatel's own chanteuse April March. Many unusual guests appear, in addition to longtime collaborators Toby Dammit, Peter von Poehl and Dana Schechter. The musical dynamic is grand, layered in psychedelic extremes, subtle disco humor, dreamy bliss atmospheres, and moments of dire self-evaluation and confession. Portrait-Robot's unique album cover features a genuine "criminal" composite sketch of Bertrand produced by agents of the French equivalent of the FBI, based only on a physical description by novelist Elisabeth Barillé. Together, the combination of Burgalat's eye and brain medical scans, introspective lyrics, and a completely unparalleled approach to songwriting, recording and mixing, gives the listener an unusually rare focus on an artist. Hit Thing has packaged a deluxe edition of Portrait-Robot. The CD features a double fold-out digi-pack with 24-pages of lyrics and an artwork booklet, as well as two bonus tracks and an animated video for "Spring Isn't Fair," all of which aren't available in the French edition. For the vinyl collectors, Hit Thing will also release a double-gatefold LP edition pressed on 150 gram vinyl.
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HIT 015CD
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Armed with only his Heimorgel organ, one-man kitsch phenomenon Mambo Kurt reinterprets power punk and power rock classics from Kiss, The Ramones, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, etc., with the thickest of German accents. This first release on Hit Thing sees Mambo Kurt carrying on the traditions of Les Baxter, John Keating, Enoch Light, Herb Alpert, Ferrante and Teicher and other quirky easy-listening sound experiments. Mambo Kurt's reedy, off-kilter voice matches the hollow thinness of his organ sound and canned beats, lending an undeniably humorous delivery to these songs not normally suited to the leisure-suited. He has built a name for himself in Europe as a consummate festival performer and has curried the favor of the very musicians that inspire his work: bands like Faithless, Green Day, Rammstein and many others have expressed their admiration, and Happy Tom, the bassplayer of the Norwegian death-punk kings Turbonegro once said: "Mambo Kurt is a sexual Robin Hood!" Pick up Organized Crime for some organified rock ridiculousness.
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HIT 009CD
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"There's much ballyhoo about the new music of Berlin, but this album will actually leave listeners surprised. Thomas Wydler (drummer of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and formerly of Die Haut) and Toby Dammit (drummer of Bertrand Burgalat, Iggy Pop and Swans - naming a few) have created an album certainly like no other today. Morphosa Harmonia stretches many boundaries far from what anyone could expect from a couple of drummers. Thomas and Toby leave all typical cliché approaches to composition behind here. Of course the combustion of these two world-class percussionists results in some super cool acoustic and electronic percussion arrangements. But Mr. Wydler's explorations into synthesizer design and Mr. Dammit's vocal debut as a demented children's choir cannot be explained easily. There are remarkable guest appearances as well, including Jochen Arbeit (Einstürzende Neubauten), Beate Bartel (Liaisons Dangereuses), Christoph Hahn (Angels Of Light) and Martin Peter (Die Haut). A notable tradition in the floating mood of this record evokes the Cluster & Eno albums recorded by Conny Plank in the 1970's. In fact, Ingo Krauss, long-time engineer from Plank's legendary Köln studio, mixed Morphosa Harmonia. The songs drift by like little dreams with some genuinely frightening nightmares. Throughout, there is a stylistic blend of Pan-Pacific environmental influences mixed with Morriconesque melancholia. If this isn't enough stimulation, the entire Morphosa Harmonia package is crafted by Berliner art star Martin Eder. The Digipak contains eighteen watercolors by Eder, enhancing a deeply psychedelic tone. Eder's combination of bizarre feline portraits and female nudes mirror the dreamy dangers in the music. This harmonious marriage between contemporary art and audio recording confirm that Hit Thing is on to something far beyond the realms of your iPod."
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HIT 008CD
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"This Hit Thing CD release is really full of surprises. Co-producer Mark Howard, who produced Lucinda Williams' recent World Without Tears, as well as recording legendary albums with Bob Dylan, Daniel Lanois, Emmylou Harris, Marianne Faithful and Willie Nelson, has joined forces with a powerful new duo crafting an instrumental film for the mind. Percussive provocateur Toby Dammit (who has worked with everyone from Ryan Adams to Iggy Pop and Bertrand Burgalat) and a new master visionary pianist/organist named Luther Hawkins have poured two century-turnings into one romantic musical potion. Rumors are flying everywhere about the duo's elaborate backgrounds and Mr. Hawkins' claims of a 159-year-old career. The packaging for Karny Sutra is stately yet astoundingly bizarre. The cover features a new painting by Los Angeles art stars The Clayton Brothers that will leave you staring glassy-eyed for days. A deluxe Digi-Pak reveals breathtaking ancient William Mortensen lithographs and an elaborate 16-page scrapbook created by collage artist Michael Criley expands the musical imagery song by song. Nine passionate instrumentals (and one twisted barbershop quartet for good measure!) reveal a hearty debut of lovely waltzes of grandeur, furious heel-stomping Mexican dances, melancholic ballads, frightening escapades into ancient oriental exotica, and deeply psychological psychedelia. This is an album to cherish and live with in the greatest tradition where design and music tangle with mystery and fantasy. Karny Sutra pulls the listener into a world of romance and danger leaving one enthralled with Luther & Toby's knowing hands as an only guide. Note fans of Calexico, Les Baxter, Aphex Twin and Erik Satie."
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HIT 004CD
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"Certainly one of the strangest reissue stories you are likely to ever hear is the one of Georges Montalba. Hit Thing pulls back the pages of time 45 years to unveil the true and extraordinary stories behind the greatest Theatre Organist of mystery; The Legendary Georges Montalba! This CD contains the first two highly sought after Georges Montalba albums from 1957 and 1958 re-mastered in Hi-Fi Mono together in a deluxe Digi-Pak manufactured in Germany. Both album's original artwork were faithfully re-photographed by New York photographer Lary Lamay. A 16 page full color booklet explains the bizarre tales of how the child prodigy pianist/organist Robert Hunter got his hidden pseudonymic life entangled with the Priest of Satan himself Anton La Vey. The booklet contains numerous unpublished photos of both Hunter and La Vey and was written by Hit Thing co-founder Toby Dammit and Mr. La Vey's second daughter, Zeena La Vey (former High Priestess of The Church Of Satan). Hunter's incredible 60 year career rolls past with one of the oddest assortment of characters you can imagine including Leopold Stokowski, Carol Channing, Shirely Temple, Eleanor Roosevelt, Nelson Eddy, Judy Garland, Two Popes, George Burns, and John & Jacquelyn Kennedy to name but a few! Hit Thing conducted a dedicated seven-month worldwide search to dramatically find Robert Hunter still alive in his last month of his life. All 18 tracks from both albums are here clocking in at a hefty 71:00 disc. The sounds of Montalba will settle both you and your ears into your very own cushy velvet Theatre seat for the most elegant of evenings within your home."
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