The Brvtalist is pleased to premiere a new track from Terence Fixmer x Phase Fatale. We present today the dark, driving EBM laced work “Cigarette Glow”, which comes off Ostgut Ton upcoming release ‘Fünfzehn + 1’, out November 5th on Bandcamp.
As a new light sparkling from the shadows of the silence, Ostgut Ton | Fünfzehn + 1, shines as a celebration. We're talking about a compilation encapsulating 16 years of Ostgut Ton for parent club, the multi cultural Berghain. Re-scheduled from its planned original release in 2020, the music within captures the basic roots of the label and the club aesthetics in its multitude of assorted spaces and musical manoueuvres.
The artists involved in Berghain and Ostgut Ton’s sphere worked together, mostly in pairs, in order to create expansive music forms, each of them dedicated to the club’s five different floors and represented by a unique 12" vinyl. The result is a diverse kaleidoscope, sometimes in a functional pattern and other times, going towards abstract sonic tributes; well crafted homages to the spaces in which they have both influenced and been influenced by.
The pandemic restrictions resulted in the temporary closure of the club, however the collaborative spirit of the 5x12" boxset shows now, a full renaissance of all sorts, an attempt to transcend all the isolation and to regain the tasteful memories of music and space that had been inaccessible, proving they are not forgotten.
Pick up the release here now and read below the Q&A with Phase Fatale (Hayden) and Terence Fixmer about their new track, upcoming releases and more.
-Melanie Havens
Melanie: Tell us about the track we are premiering today, “Cigarette Glow”.
Hayden: It was an obvious and natural decision for us to collaborate together for the Ostgut Ton compilation, both coming from different generations of this more EBM and industrial inflected techno. Our track was slated for the Lab.oratory part of the compilation, so from my own personal experiences there, we shaped the track in this more classic DAF type sound, but of course with our own contemporary touch, that fitted with that space and atmosphere, the kind of music you’d hear inside. Muscle, sweat, leather, etc.
M: You recently recorded a stream via ARTE Concert, where you both played with your live setups. How was the creative process of combining it? Could you give us an insight about the technical part as well?
Terence: We trained two afternoons, to find combinations creatively from both our universes and technically, so that there was a good flow.
On my side, I had an Octatrack which sends triggers to my modular. Then in the modular I used a sequencer such as the Voltage Block from Malekko. Both are linked to different VCO such as Piston Honda or the DPO or Braids. Then we built the live set that way: I sent some loops, while Hayden sent a rhythm with his drum machine and other loops and samples.
M: Which other track or tracks from the compilation caught your attention the most and why?
T: I would say Comets’ “Remember The Future”, there is this kind of disco, electro mood in it and at same time fresh and happy.
H: The same for me, it has that italo vibe to it while still being driving and having that edge, which is a sound I’ve been digging lately.
M: What impact has Berghain had on you? Share an experience that stood out.
T: Historically Berghain has a strong impact on me, but I’ll go further in the time as I link Berghain to its ancestor the OstGut club, which was the first club I played in Berlin in 2000. And both clubs were in terms of sound, crowd totally unique, from another world. The perfect definition of what a club should be. What is amazing in this club is that in some point you disconnect from the reality, you go into a space time, and you come out of the club you realize you spent 10 or more hours in a club in a row without noticing it. About details: what happens in Berghain stays in Berghain :-)
H: Coming from the states originally, there wasn’t a place there in my time that could come close to match the level of music quality, intensity, or freedom of Berghain. Being able to hear and see the melding of different styles really pushed me to develop my own style. Just even the sound of the metal rattling or the sound of glass bottles smashing down the stairs was enough. Experiencing some closing sets from the likes of Function or Silent Servant through that sound system can show the full power and depth that techno can have. Where each frequency band can be carved out and played with because of so much headroom on a well tuned PA in that large space. And then I could go back to the studio and take those sounds reinterpreted from a record played through that system which then can turn into an entirely new definition.
M: A few years ago, the EBM revival was at its peak. Where do you think it is now?
T: Honestly I even didn't notice that there was a peak. I do notice that people discover more that sound and like it, it expands proportionally with the scene’s expansion. And now this sound is a real part of the techno scene. On a personal view, it is music, and people can define it as they please. Many times tracks are mislabeled, so I don't really think anymore about what is a genre or a style, what is important to me is that the music should be strong and personal.
H: Peaks and revivals are only defined by the media when it proves beneficial for them to sell something to the masses. This music has been around since the 80s and never went away. Of course now the term is thrown around haphazardly and seemingly anything with a 16th note sequence and a snare drum can be called ‘EBM’ now to gain some cool points. Maybe the true stuff went a bit more into the underground again. There is still so much room to expand this industrial sound, escaping its tropes but with quality. It is electronic music after all, and the possibilities are infinite. However, at one point in the 90s, a lot of EBM turned into this shitty fast trance thing, and well… here we are again. I guess people never learn from their past mistakes.
M: What’s coming up next for you? Any new projects, releases, etc you’d like to share?
T: I produced quite a lot of music last year, so all the music is getting slowly in place for release. I did different remixes to come out, Yann Tiersen and Front 242 to mention. Then I produced some new tracks for Thomas Cohen ( Ex S.C.U.M singer) for his new project Sylph to come out on Mute Records. And of course I plan a new solo EP on my label Planete Rouge, on top of it I have my solo album ready too. In 2022 I will focus more on live than DJ sets.
H: We will take our collaboration live on the road next year. I’m still working with Pablo Bozzi on our Soft Crash album and have a few compilation and remix tracks in the pipeline. Lastly, I also have a solo album coming in the first half of next year and can say the test pressing already sounds pretty good.