Akiko Kiyama

Japanese, Tokyo born Akiko Kiyama has been a prominent figure on the minimal techno scene since her first released productions in 2004. The first female minimal tech producer to have come out of Japan now lives and works from Berlin, Germany. Akiko grew up with an education dominated by music, a classically trained pianist and guitar player by the age of twelve, she went on to explore and teach herself how to fuse her classic skills with sounds created by electronic equipment. Over the years that followed Akiko fell deeper into dance music, eager to evolve and create electronically manipulated sounds and atmospheres, she began producing in 2002.

Kiyama’s first works were released in 2004; her debut EP ‘Dimension’ on London’s Sud Electronic received outstanding support from the industry and names such as Richie Hawtin, Sven Vath and Ricardo Villalobos. Inspired by such an overwhelming debut Akiko went straight back into the studio, the result of which was her ‘Like Ancient’ track being licensed by M-nus Records and going on to appear on Richie Hawtin’s DE9 Transitions Compilation. Akiko’s sound is a complex pattern of sounds. Raw and industrial, dark and moody, her signature sits firmly within the minimal style, but with a melodic structure that gives shape and structure.

It’s rare that a sound so minimal results in something so engrossing, something that sucks you in and keeps you listening intently on what’s going to happen next. Akiko’s tracks feel like stories, captivatingly told through her experimentation with sound. Now based in Berlin, Akiko holds a hefty 15 releases to her name on world renowned labels such as Contexterior, Thema, Lick My Deck and Safari Electronique amongst others. ’7 Years’, Akiko’s first solo album, released in 2008 on District of Corruption is an eleven track showcase of this artists complex talent. Live performances in London’s Fabric, Berlin’s infamous Berghain and many more worldwide; Akiko Kiyama continues to develop, produce and release as well as pushing the boundaries of minimal techno with her live set’s performed around the world.

Bruno Pronsato

With his heady, intricately woven tracks and ominously funky live performances, Bruno Pronsato is one of techno’s most intriguing artists. His sound is full of contradictions: abstract but organic, sexy but drab, and though most of his records could easily stir a dance floor, they exist purely for themselves, never compromised for club potential. In music, as in life, Bruno likes to get weird, and the suspense that permeates his music often earns him the title of ‘minimal’. But it’s the deeply emotional moments – the warm, amber tones of tracks like ‘What We Wish’, ‘At Home I’m a Tourist’ and ‘The Make Up The Break Up’ – that point to Bruno’s true objective: as he blurted out to an Italian journalist last year, ‘I just want to make romantic techno’.

“In 2006, Bruno moved from Seattle to Berlin to do techno full time, and it wasn’t long before he made a name for himself. His debut 12″ was released in 2003 on Orac, a Kompakt distributed label, and was followed the next year by a full-length album, Silver Cities. Soon Bruno had the attention of labels like Philpot and Musique Risquée, both of whom released Bruno’s next EP’s. By 2005, Bruno’s live performance – an unusually nimble and improvisatory act – began receiving praise from XLR8R, The Wire, and dozens of underground European zines. It also piqued the interest of Ricardo Villalobos and Perlon boss Zip, who invited Bruno to play in their laptop super-group, Narod Nikki.

Around this time, Bruno formed a duo with Sammy Dee called Half Hawaii. The pair played at nightclubs around Europe and international festivals like Mutek, and released two slick minimal records on Perlon and Hello? Repeat. But Bruno’s real breakthrough came in 2007 when he released ‘Why Can’t We Be Like Us’, a strange and beautiful album that received a ’5/5′ from Resident Advisor and endless accolades throughout the blogosphere. This secured Bruno’s position as one of techno’s most imaginative and virtuosic artists, a reputation he easily maintained with his next two releases: the weird and sultry ‘Where’d You Learn to Kiss That Way’ on Hello? Repeat, and ‘Take 1/ Take 2′, a jazz-infected house jam he did with Daze Maxim, under the name Others.

In 2009, Bruno started his own label, thesongsays. It was partly a matter of necessity; he needed an imprint for his most ambitious work yet, a 38-minute epic called ‘The Make Up The Break Up’, so he decided to simply release it himself. Possibly his best work to date, ‘The Make Up The Break Up’ received a deluge of praise upon its release, including another ’5/5′ from Resident Advisor. Later that year, thesongsays released its second record, a debut EP called ‘What I’ve Lost’ by Benoit & Sergio. Dripping with half-ironic romantic sentiment, What I’ve Lost is a daringly unfashionable EP that, perhaps even more than his own tracks, reveals Bruno for who he truly is: a post-punk inspired techno artist that loves staying up all night, sipping whiskey with his pinky crooked.” (words by Will Lynch)

Cabanne

Jean-Guillaume Cabanne owns a solid education as a Jazz musician and used to hold the guitar in various Paris underground funk bands. Cabanne really got over to electronic music with two EP’s for Logistic Records in 1997 in collaboration with John Thomas. He had discovered electronic music in the beginning of the 90′s and was already active in the house and techno scene in Paris, helping to promote events and occasionally working the lights at the famous Rex Club. In 2000, he is given the opportunity by the Logistic team to set up his own sub-label Telegraph, exclusively dedicated to the music he stands for. In the meantime, he also releases on a few other groundbreaking

labels like 7th City, Perlon or Karat. In 2005 he creates his own label, Minibar Music, quickly setting a reference in this particular style of music. Cabanne also likes to engage in group activities, most noticeably with Ark as Copacabannark, with David Gluck as Ultrakurt or with John Thomas for his Blackstage project. Cabanne now has a solid 10 year experience as a DJ and live musician, touring around the world’s most reknown clubs and occasionally participating in improvised jams with Ark, Thomas Brinkmann, Daniel Bell, Audio Werner and most notoriously the Narod Niki live project initiated by Ricardo Villalobos.

2010 saw a turn in Cabanne’s career with the inauguration of the Minibar in the centre of Paris, a small, human-sized place somewhere between a bar and club, where lovers of music and experimental art can gather and create. 2011 will also finally see Cabanne’s first solo album.

Den

Den was born and brought up in Tokyo, but he was living in several cities around the globe such as St. Pauli or London and is currently living in Berlin. He started his music career as a freelance cm/cf music creator. He has done loads of jingles, aswell as soundtracks, games and ringtones. Den started djing around 1998 and has played alongside with Andy Vaz, DB, Fumiya Tanaka, and many other mostly minimal artists in London (Mark Henning, Ekkkohaus, Sebastian Russell, Italoboyz etc.). His releases are now on sale or coming up on labels like ‘Them’, ‘Multi Vitamins’, ‘Clever Music’, ‘Op.disc’ etc. To produce his music, he is mainly working with cubase, max/msp, and ableton on win/mac platforms.

Easy Changes

The russian duo Denis Cast and Kilrill Sil better known as ‘Easy Changes’ are currently living in Berlin. They made a lot of noise with their two releases on Foundsound records. They continue to develop their unique symbiosis of rhythmical patterns with the world of mysterious sounds and sub minded mood currents. Easy Changes create unique suspense that catches the ears of techno fans all over the world. As a result the core of their music has continued progression, like a story with multi scenarios between the current and future life. Traveling during touring has influenced the artists and gave them lots of inspiration that keeps coming out in a beautiful forms of music.

In just two years the duo grabbed the attention of the underground techno circles around the world. They release music on labels such as ‘Foundsound’, ‘Mean’, ‘Stock 5′, ‘Multivitamins’,  ‘Igloo’, ’31337records’ and more. Easy Changes play a major role in the Russian underground scene. They also run their own label ‘Nervmusic’, which is Moscow’s first minimal techno label that broadcasts super exciting music from Russia with love.

Miskate

Originally a Pittsburgh DJ, Kate held down residencies at Laga, Zythos, and was Co-founder of Savitri Sundays. She received a degree in anthropology (and a minor in music) at university of pittsburgh – where she also participated in a gamelan ensemble. Her interests in sound began at a young age – first playing violin, then piano, then guitar, now sample-based electronics (often incorporating her own singing voice among other found sounds). Her regular bookings playing deep, minimal house and techno encouraged her move to Philadelphia in summer 2001. After relocating, she has taken responsibilities as Co-organizer of both the Foundsound record label and the Pitchspork monthly.

There she was hosting names like Magda, Matthew Dear, Sammy Dee, Geoff White, Jeff Milligan and others. Her production debut came in may 2004 with the release of ‘Rip It Cookie Muenster’ (Foundsound 01), featuring a remix by Matthew Dear.

Omar Salgado

Omar Salgado is a DJ and producer born in Buenos Aires in 1980. He took his first steps into the field of electronic music at the age of 18. His first contacts were made while he was living in the province of Santa Cruz in the city of Rio Gallegos, studying digital technology and midi. 2002 in his residence in the capital of Buenos Aires, he started studying music composition with electronics, motivated by the idea to produce his own music. In 2003 he decided to start playing live his favorite styles ambient, minimal techno and microhouse. His influence came from labels like Alphahouse, Einmaleins, (Un-)Foundsound, Rrygular, Mobilee, Microcosm, Telegraph, Audio808 and Igloo.

In 2006 he released two tracks for an Unfoundsound compialtion and one month later he released his own EP ‘Miniatura’ on the same label. Today Omar is also working on a new project without groove where you experience the sounds of ambient, idm, downtempo. On the other hand he continues to develop his main project of minimal techno and presenting his live and DJ sets.

Someone Else

is Philadelphia’s Sean O’Neal, co-founder of the Tuning Spork and Fuzzy Box record labels. O’Neal’s production skills are garnering respect among internationally renowned djs and labels alike, as reflected by his releases and remixes on Musik Krause, Tuning Spork, Foundsound, Mo’s Ferry, Microcosm, Nummer and many others. A stalwart of Philadephia’s deep house, minimal techno and experimental communities, O’Neal also co-organized various events, hosting performances by Magda, Matthew Dear, Sammy Dee, Geoff White, Jeff Milligan, Dan Bell, Dinky, and many others. His current occupations focus on running Foundsound and Unfoundsound records. He comes from a musical family. 

His grandfather was a high school music teacher and also played bass with Bill Hailey and the comets. His father was also in various rock bands throughout the ’50s and ’60s. Since 1994, O’Neal has been the force behind his ever-evolving, kitsch-driven electro-pop outfit, flowchart – releasing dozens and dozens of albums, singles, eps and comp tracks on different labels from all over the world. He holds several dj-residencies in Philly and continues to spin and play live all around the country and world – such as Russia, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Spain, England, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Slovakia, Canada, and most major American cities. When he’s not making music or touring around the world, he writes part-time as a journalist for various music magazines and newspapers.