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CD
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PLAY 024CD
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This is the third full-length from Germany's Peter Kremeier aka Losoul on the Playhouse label. The man who used to call himself Don Disco and created monoliths in the history of Playhouse with tracks such as "Open Door," "Brother In Love," and "Lies" has chosen Care as the title of this record, as he muses over the state of a culture in dire need of reformation, conscience, and true nurturing. Influenced by his life and viewpoint as a DJ and live act, this album includes pieces like "Lords Of Sanity" that draws upon certain moments and dynamics in clubs that elude description, where functionality and individuality are not always opposites. "Gridlock" carries the unconventionally deep and hypnotic Losoul groove into the year 2009, while "Sunlite" lifts the industry ruins of the Motor City like a phoenix from the ashes: a homage without any plagiarism. A didactic masterpiece for all those who have forgotten about their local paper in favor of the Detroit News. The tracks on this album were composed with utmost meticulousness, as one would expect of Losoul -- absolute dedication and the right awareness of space and sound. Losoul does without the fuss that producers often fall victim to when seeking expression in album length. There's no superfluous nonsense or false tricks intended to communicate supposed versatility. The beat is the vehicle here. Care is a lucid and pure declaration of belief in a form of house and techno that has not forgotten its roots and loves them dearly, but isn't scared of stepping outside of them. Melancholy is a part of it just as much as comprehensible and authentic positivity. In other words: cheerfulness that has met sadness before.
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2CD
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PLAY 023CD
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Playhouse continues its legendary and notorious compilation series named Famous When Dead with its sixth edition. Conceived to collect and present the label's 12" highlights, this time the package comes as a 2CD for the price of one, including a bonus CD lovingly mixed by label owner Heiko Schäfer aka Heiko M/S/O and containing partially alternate tracks by the artists on this compilation. On this sixth edition, the echo chamber, the disco dancefloor and the bass-bin are once again the central, magic spaces in which Playhouse has cultivated its universal, totally modern and always timeless house sound for 15 years now. Within the endless interplay of tradition and modernity, the Playhouse team has again impeccably balanced the mix of this new compilation. On one hand, the parameters of house music have been set in stone since the Neolithic Age: the never too-rapid pace, the use of minimal means for maximum impact, the claps with their humane amiability, the bass lines with their viciousness, etc. On the other hand, how this has been interpreted in 2008 is totally unique: crisp and transparent in the high-end, with a pounding punch and warm body in the low end. All this is best experienced on an excellent sound system like the label's home-base Robert Johnson in Offenbach, or at Panorama Bar in Berlin, where Playhouse has a monthly residency. In sparse, intense rooms like these, the assembled and highly reactive elements flourish to their fullest. Artists include: Losoul (feat. ThisTime), Roman IV, MyMy, Simon Baker, Todd Terje, X-District, Holger Zilske, Goldfish & Der Dulz, Rework, Chloé, Prosumer and Common Factor.
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CD
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PLAY 016CD
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State-of-the-Playhouse-art compilation, featuring Villalobos, Isolee, Losoul, Tejada, Lindstrom, Spektrum, Recloose, Captain Comatose, etc. "Is it not true that it no longer matters nowadays whether an awesome Detroit track was played on tape at Motorcity, or compiled in Cologne, Warsaw or Buenos Aires? We think so and are looking forward to meeting the Belgian musician in Brooklyn, while feeling the epic atmosphere of the universe's vast expanses in cold, distant Norway. In London, Andrew Weatherall and his swordsmen unpack their guitars and drums once more and even in Hamburg Isolée is willing to get out his 6-string for 'Schrapnell' to create emotive sound foundations on Recloose. Long-runners such as Tiefschwarz's remix of Spektrum's floorfiller rub shoulders with tranquil electro-pop from Rework. My My in Berlin display a similar approach as the two gentlemen in California by the name of Tejada/Leviste. Two captains who want to set the disco boat alight with us and Max Mohr's 'Old Song' tastes like the first sip from a glass of good wine. And finally, Losoul, one of Playhouse's very first artists, creates a 10-minute house track with singer Malte that avails itself of the German language without even feeling awkward. That's what it looks like, our Playhouse. Variety is the motto on Famous When Dead IV, a representative cross-section of the best tracks in recent years. No more, no less."
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PLAY 010CD
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"We had only just come to terms with the fact that the 80's have meanwhile been exploited to death. All the references and quotations were fun, and, in many a place, the pop and the dancefloors were driven to a frenzy. Yet can one revive it all anew? Can one shed one's experience of NoWave Funk, bone dry bass and vocoder vocals once more and rediscover the whole thing? Of course one can. It happens almost automatically, if you encounter the right kind of music. Music that, with its magnitude of ideas, self-confidence and energy, in other words purely by its mere existence, wipes away any dust that may have gathered. Spektrum stood in front of a mirror and saw themselves smiling in it. But soon the mirror warped under the strain of retro-styles and got stained because pop history spat on it. Spektrum, however, began to scrape at the surface with one or two 12"s and noticed that the smile was still there. Luckily, many people noticed this too. Breaker and Freefall took over the clubs, DJs sighed 'My salvation!', and 'Freakbox' subtly drew attention to itself in such an irresistible way that the general nodding of heads meant not only dance but also approval: yes, one had to experience it. Spektrum smashed the mirror. Splinters. Enter The...Spektrum."
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CD
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PLAY 004CD
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Second awesome volume in this series, featuring tracks from: Brooks, Mille & Mr. Hirsch, Weekender, Hi-lo, The Soft Pink Truth, Shake, Swayzak with Kirsty Hawkshaw, Playgroup, E-troneek Funk, Shalark, Hans Platzgumer feat. Catriona Shaw. "The long-awaited continuation of the Famous When Dead series reminds us -- those who refuse to stop believing in the essence and virtue of house -- that Playhouse is perhaps not solely, but nevertheless substantially a DJ label: made by DJs for DJs. Well, and DJs love rummaging around in records, discovering records, and most of all, they love presenting the ones they treasure most to the people out there. To even discern these jewels in times of massive vinyl overkill requires a special kind of sensitivity that seems to have been added to the air we breathe in our Playhouse offices. Consequently, part two does not present an overview of the label-own productions, but an outlook on some of the label organisers' personal top preferences. Therefore this isn't a factory tour, but a world tour, and in this case from the perspective of the man who put together this compilation: DJ Ata. Featuring eleven (club) tracks that have more in common as far as the mood is concerned than the style, the type of tracks you want to remember long after an intensive night on the dancefloor has ended, and thanks to this album you can. It includes relatively illustrious (but still very much alive) names such as Swayzak, Playgroup or Hans Platzgumer -- who helps you to come down from this trip with a beautiful downtempo number -- but mainly (still) fairly unknown formations like The Soft Pink Truth, Shake, Shalark or E-Troneek Funk. Not forgetting Mille & Mr. Hirsch, Weekender and Hi-Lo who complete this dazzling compilation of exquisite deepness. The sound is timeless and unpretentious, and in its abstract diversity as direct and gripping as top-quality soul or funk, hence akin to classic Playhouse acts such as LoSoul or Isolée. Ata has done intensive aural research and found contemporary showpieces of his favourite basic ingredients: phat bass lines, dry beats, warm pads, all set to jazzy-organic sounds. A true bonanza for character DJs beyond happy disco house. But one with an almost serious, ceremonial atmosphere. This reminds us that in the best case, house music can even be healing and holy. It's become pretty difficult to conjure up these kinds of powers nowadays. Ata can do that blindfold."
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