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October 06, 2004
Elektronische Musik Interkontinental
I conducted and wrote this interview back in March of 2003. Nobody would pick it up (probably cause the tone I used is so stodgy), so its been languishing in my /docs since. But I thought it still relevant...
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Interview w/ Riley Reinhold – Proprietor of Traum Schallplatten, Köln Germany.
It’s no disclosure that Riley has been, and still is, a central figure of the exceptionally prolific techno scene of Köln since the late 1980’s, functioning as DJ, journalist, and label curator. So in celebration of Traum’s second compilation and 5th year of operation – through the obstruction of language and with the ease of email, I spoke with Riley about music, his story, and the city of Köln.
David Marston: I’d like to first do the biographical and historical basics. The obvious: how did you and Jacqueline approach this project together and what was the inspiration to start Traum? In addition, what was the motivation behind starting the more DJ-friendly imprint, Trapez?
Riley Reinhold: Hi, we run the label together. The city of Buenos Aires inspired us. A spiritual experience that confronted us with new and of course old ideas, music that we knew about from the 80ies, fused with the beginning of the 90ies. The seemingly context free environment -non domestic- allowed us to experience music rather than anything else. We were overwhelmed by the richness and textures of that composed electronic and pop music from a part of the world we knew nothing about. We had enough energy to start a label after DJing for more than 10 years. For me the label Traum is very personal. We were lucky things happened as we started. Philippe Cam, Waki, Dinky, Process.... Trapez stands for clublife, sweet, beats. Less personal, more historical for me. On the contrary, a way of doing and seeing and liking. Jacqueline runs both label, Traum and Trapez. She does all graphics for CDs and LPs and 12”, all the cover art. I only do the scouting of the artistes, the communication with the artist!
DM: What is your musical background, or more appropriately, how did you become involved with dance and ambient music? Tell us some about your work with Kompakt, DeBUG, and your duties as DJ RRR. Finally, are there any music projects you’ve composed floating around out there?
RR: We do not think in terms of ambient music, rather music with soul. Things that move us now. Some info about me. Started DJing in 1984. Founded my own sound-system together with my friend Sascha Kösch (later chief editor of DeBUG) in 1989. Was recognized by the likes of Mike Ink and friends as one of the few DJs that supported their music at an early stage. A friendship evolved. Between 1989 and 1994 organized and took part at groundbreaking events, introducing new electronic music in new environments in Köln. From 1991 and 1993 belonged to the early Force Inc, together with Ian Pooley, Tonka, T.P. Heckmann (Live), Alec Empire. At the same time began writing in for the most popular indie magazine in Germany, SPEX, with a monthly page called Techno Control. Numerous interviews with people that were not know at that time: like Dave Clarke, Luke Slater, Dave Angel, UR, Cheap Records, and Herbert. Was sent to London in 1994 to meet the Aphex Twin and to write an article about the vast emerging Break Beat scene together with Sascha Kösch. I toured with Exit 100, Alec Empire, TNI (Pooley and Tonky) to cities within and outside Germany. Also played with the Finnish group Pan Sonic on different occasions in Köln and Berlin and DJed on Raster/Noton nights with Carsten Nikolai in Berlin and other cities, was a resident at the legendary ELEKTRO club in Berlin 1993. Held lectures about electronic music from Köln and Djed clubs all over the world, in addition to engagements with the Goethe Institute of Buenos Aires, Grupo Montevideo of Santiago Chile. Also performed at the Sonar in Spain, Popkom in Germany, and Mutek in Canada.
Released records: Triple R & Walker – "Aufräumen EP" (XXC), Triple R – “Red Flame EP” (Disko B), Triple R – “Rendezvous” (EMD), Kompakt Köln Compilation (Kompakt CD 1), Bored Beyond Belief Compilation. In November of 2002, I released an official Kompakt Mix CD called FRIENDS.
DM: Traum has a very obvious international presence in the artists it chooses to release. Tell us more about your ideas on why you see that as an important curatorial direction.
RR: It is good to involve strangers, not always to work with the known, professional producers. Also youth is important for us, the energy it is creating the speed it achieves.
DM: Köln has an amazing amount of labels and artists – in addition to spaces and events – producing a large and hugely important body of contemporary electronic music. Perhaps you could also share your perceptions of Koln’s role & influence on the international milieu of electronic music.
RR: Köln is a small town, with little spaces to loose yourself; people create their own space in music, freedom. We have a unique fusion of artistic people doing techno for more than 10 years, not necessarily electronics, but techno. We have about 20 techno labels I know of which I like, another 10 electronic/noise ones, several drum and bass and house producers. We all know is other some master for other, Kompakt has the biggest record shop, people come there, and we meet in clubs. We appreciate the work of each other. If you check my mix CD on Kompakt, you see some labels I like. The CD is a bit of a thank you to the small labels and their super music I appreciate very much.
DM: Tell us about Philippe Cam’s work, as you’ve done 5 remarkable releases of his to date. In relation, tell us about the ‘Psychometry’ triptych on Trapez by Akufen.
RR: He [Cam] came, we spoke, he sits, he eats oysters, one every day, he likes Burroughs, he could be a friend of him, he makes film music, he is very French, he drives an old car. New music will come from him, totally new. Marc [Akufen] is also French-Canadian, supports the French culture. We are waiting for his new Psychometry 12 on Trapez!
DM: Some releases – I’m thinking of Waki, Cam, Vaisanen – pay close attention to music’s avant-garde lineages, but in a brilliantly contemporary reformulation of these forebears. Other artists map newer genres with a deftness and clarity, tracing more recent genealogies of Detroit techno, electronic pop, and German minimalism, all the while creating new and singular works of splendor. Yet all of these releases, regardless of their referential qualities, appease to the atmospheric and melodious inclinations of an idealists ear. They aren’t weighted down by theory or cynicism, and they trade in both emotion and reason. Tell us more about your take on these issues.
RR: Non-dogmatic and certainly I know a bit alongside these people that wrote music some time ago, that I like.
DM: Being journalist/critic, collector/DJ, and of course curator, gives you a special position to comment on the relationships of all of these actors, and the multiple ways in which they connect with each other. Would you comment?
RR: We are proud to say Traum acts start to communicate and set up their own events- invite themselves, building their own system/logistic. Well, as I can emphasize, Traum and Trapez is not music for the sake of music, but also stay in a close relationship, of how music develops. It reacts to the context. Maybe a German context I agree. The German scene is the biggest in the world I guess. It is still after all these years a very lively scene (not like England’s techno scene). It is based very much on idealism, small clubs, and nice people. Our music is devotes to this culture. And as the years go by it changes. You will hear the changes. You might not like all of them, but we feel we can be freer in a lot of decisions and this makes us happy. We like a lot of music, and I like music that generates maybe not a new feeling but creates something modern in itself. Maybe only the work on the sound technically changes for example.
DM: What is the future of Traum?
RR: The future is not to rest, but to follow the tracks of youth culture and pop culture with a techno soul. New CD on TRAUM coming soon from Kate Simko and Andres Bucci, another CD from South America, Chile, and a new MIA on Traum and on Trapez. We are proud to release! Different music, to the maximum.
Posted by jmarston at October 6, 2004 02:40 PM
Comments
Dave-
to these companies put out colored vinyl? what is this, like Lps? dj records? or is it cd's?
WHo put out the last Banco De Giao record?
do people collect vinyl in electronica? Like for example, is the first Kraftwerk LP worth money these days? What about the First Goldie album?
Posted by: Joe at October 6, 2004 06:14 PM
to my knowledge Traum/Trapez has never put out a colored vinyl release. they put out both LP's and CD's. i'm pretty sure they've never done a 45 either.
my favorite colored vinyl release is Aphex Twin's "Classics" on R&S, pressed on aqua blue vinyl...on my top shelf. Drop Bass did a cool ESP 10" release with their signature skull picture in the vinyl, but thats cause i'm from wisco/mpls.
early kraftwerk releases may perhaps bring some money, but being on a major label, not so much. its usually the very small pressings, white labels, or very early works by heavily collected artists/labels that will bring out the hounds (myself included). late 80's early 90's. depending on your particular taste of 'genre', within electronic music, will dictate to a large degree what you'll pay top dollar for.
Posted by: Dave at October 7, 2004 11:12 AM
joe, i don't like banco de gaia, cheese slab.
Posted by: Dave at October 7, 2004 11:14 AM
I've got a LP version of Aphex Twin's "Ventolin" at home, you want it?
we were trying to ebay it with some older jungle records I bought once, but they didn't sell...I figured that people didn't really collect the vinyl.
Posted by: Joe at October 7, 2004 02:22 PM
i've got ventolin. what are those old jungle records? i'll take those in Dead Dread minute.
Posted by: Dave at October 7, 2004 02:26 PM
The Jungle records say "rhythm confusion" on them.
I think thats it.
I also have a bloody fist LP on grey vinyl at home too, its straight noise.
I also have psywarefare and Forced Down on vinyl communications records.
what's your address, I'll fire the records up there, you can keep them or use them to make this years christmas ornaments.
Posted by: Joe at October 7, 2004 04:10 PM
dinkus?
Posted by: Erik D at October 20, 2004 11:15 AM