[feis]

[feis] was an short-lived label activated at the millennium turn. It was based in Stuttgart as I gather, run by two until recently unknown persons, that nevertheless influenced subtly yet greatly the evolution of modern dance music.
We are talking about the chiefs (and main artists) of the older incarnation of Monoid (older techno fans will surely remember this label) and partners in Plastic City's Soda Inc. and Lexicon. One of them is Len Faki aka Lamonde, better known now for his recent releases in Club Berghain's quality techno label Ostgut Tontraeger. Later he also established Figure and Podium. The other is Jost Gerisher aka Jon Silva, owner of Cologne's Pesto house label.

Borrowing from German techno and the French neo-electro scene, its releases were so difficult to pinpoint by an conventional ear that (with few exceptions) they remained in relative obscurity. Shortly after this mixed CD compilation (sadly there never was a Vol.2) the ship was abandoned, as their distributor went broke. As for their music, all I can say is that it's no joke at all. A multinational, futuristic mix of weird techno and weirder electro with many hard Chicago touches, sometimes spiked with acid and even jazz, always aiming for the throat.

Other artists released here were the mighty Bolz Bolz, New Yorker John Selway, crazy Englishman Si Begg, The Hacker, Jason Leech of Subhead, old Plastic City friend Kriss Dior or else Bassface Sascha, dark minimalist Rotorik (later TET) and Denard Henry. Every release has something interesting to say and a certain edge in them, pointing the way towards the future to come. This all-merging, experimenting mentality showcases better itself in the few wonderful albums, Selway's 'Edge Of Now', Bolz Bolz electro classic 'Human Race' and the weirdest of them all, Lamonde's 'Music For Some Place Other Than This' (no other title could be more adequate).

Few tracks made it as hits (supported largely by the Turbo posse), like Si Begg's 'Welcome To The Discotheque' (first on Mosquito), Bolz's 'Take A Walk' (with a Dima aka Vitalic remix), or Selway's 'Moving Effortless'.

A good insight on a mostly unknown label, presenting some not at all unknown artists.

VA - 2002, Feis Labelcompilation Vol.1
Part 1 - Part 2
Info here.


P.S.: As I found out here, the label is revived with a new release.

Edge Of Now

A speaker announces:
'Welcome to the Edge of Now'
And the menacing bassline kicks in. Then, a synthetic, in-your-brain voice transmits:
moving effortless
trying to forget
everything everything
feeling nothing
seemingly forever, while wave after wave synths wash our ears, each turn more lush and fat, a maximalist's joy of frequencies over slowly building fast pumping beats. Apparently, thoughts from that euphoric state that most people reach only at the peak of the curve of an extensively brain-damaging night. To its credit, the track ends with an equally burnt-out
moving
feeling
everything
Good times.

This is John Selway's debut solo album, as far as I know. I only have the LP of the [feis] (*) label version; I feel it fits the label's profile perfectly and that's why I used this cover (I happen to like it more, also) instead of the initial Ultra release's original. With its mix of techno/ electro beats and melodies, and with a couple of immediate hits ('Edge Of Now', 'New People', 'Digitalemotion'), it was a constant in my box for many years; I placed it close to Kiko's 'Midnight Magic' (*), and that's a really big compliment on my behalf.

I recently came upon this rip from the CD release and decided to share it at once. It stands as far away from minimal as you can get; fat, rich synthetic melodies riding over-compressed beats, it even sounds trance-like and oldschool. And mostly different from other Selway's more known works (say, his Smith/Selway collaborations). But I liked it then and still like it now, so here it is. Credits to the original uploader.

Selway - 2001 Edge Of Now
Info here.

Human Race

From Len Faki's never forgotten [feis] label (check here first), an album to fill the emptiness inside every poor robot.

Infinite respect to Bolz Bolz from Cologne for the World Electric label and for introducing me to the Kitbuilders; most of all though for just doing what he did, being at the right place in the wrong time and still coming through. Comparable (but not similar) only to also analog-based 'Rest' from Isolée.

A modern classic.

Bolz Bolz - 2001 Human Race
Info here.