The latest artist to talk to us about Five Records dear to him or her is Tensnake.
Hamburg DJ/producer Marco Niemerski, who shot to dance stardom last year after the release of ‘Coma Cat’, has been making music as Tensnake since 2006, clocking up releases on labels such as Running Back and Endless Flight, as well as remixes for the likes of Junior Boys, Sally Shapiro, Goldfrapp and Alex Robotnick. His latest offering is Tensnake Live +, a limited edition created by The Vinyl Factory, and featuring five exclusive new tracks and edits, including versions by Lone and Simian Mobile Disco, and pressed on 2 x 180g 12″ records, housed in an eye-catching, Droog-designed package which also carries a bonus Tensnake mix CD. More information here.
Over the following pages, Tensnake picks out five records from his collection that have retained their power to enchant and entertain over the years, and tells us a little bit about each one.
01: WESTBAM
‘MONKEY SAY, MONKEY DO’
(DANCE TRAX 12″, 1988)
“I really can’t remember when I heard this for the first time – it was obviously ages ago! But it has definitely stayed with me. The track is a perfect fusion of African rhythm and German electronic music and not just because of the Kraftwerk sample. I do love both worlds, and Westbam and Jankuhn did a great job of bringing them together here. The track still sounds fresh and, if you want to see it this way, it’s a nice blueprint for a simple, effective and timeless dancefloor bomb.”
02: CE CE ROGERS
‘SOMEDAY’
(ATLANTIC 12″, 1987)
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“Did I hear this or Liquid’s ‘Sweet Harmony’ first? I heard Liquid first! Then two years later I became a big fan of Ce Ce Roger’s ‘No Love Lost’, did some research and found the track ‘Someday’. It’s one of those tracks I’ll never get tired of. My attitude to sampling is simple: sampling is an essential technique of yesterday’s and today’s electronic music productions. Most of the 90s club music would not have been possible without sampling. Or imagine hip-hop without sampling!
“But I really do like it when people use it [sampling] in a creative way. Make something new of the original. Of course I do use samples myself but all my melody and harmony parts are sample-free. I prefer to play them on my own or to recreate the sound and vibe of a sample I like. I like the process of creating it and coming close to the sound I already have in my head.”
03: THE ORB
‘LITTLE FLUFFY CLOUDS’
(BIG LIFE 12″, 1990)
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“Is this an ambient record? I’m not sure really, because I would totally play it in any club! I was about 17 when I first started going out to clubs in the 90s. There was this house club in Hamburg called Front that was new and exciting and totally opened a whole new universe of music to me. Before that I was listening to mostly indie guitar music!”
04: FRANKIE KNUCKLES
‘YOUR LOVE’
(TRAX 12″, 1987)
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“There used to be a radio show in the US called WBMX and my friend’s older brother went there on holiday and recorded the radio show onto tape and brought the tapes back. This was the first time that I heard Frankie Knuckles’ ‘Your Love’. It’s just so good, this song has it all: an amazing bassline, a simple but very effective arpeggio that you will never forget, an incredible hook line and a really special vibe. I always appreciate hearing a couple of classics in clubs, because compared to some of the more loop-based sets you hear these days, the right classic at the right time can add a bit of character.”
05: FONDA RAE
‘OVER LIKE A FAT RAT’
(VANGUARD 12″, 1982)
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“I caught the disco/boogie bug from my older brother who was really into it when I was about 10, and I used to hear him playing all his records in his room next door. Apart from the fact that it is a great record in it’s own right, and it makes me happy every time I hear it, ‘Over LIke A Fat Rat’ is just one example of amazing production by Leroy Burgess. Not every song necessarily needs a vocal but of course sometimes vocals can transport a song to a whole other level. I’m definitely going to work with some different singers on my forthcoming album!”
