BIOGRAPHY
by Shilo Urban
Wildly diverse, infused with exuberance and inspired by a slap of the absurd, Modeselektor's inarguable grooves seem to emanate from every conceivable musical genre, creating a controlled chaos whose sonic expression elevates the eyebrows and heartbeats of critics and dance floors around the world. (...)
The electronic production team of Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary came of age in Berlin shortly after the fall of the infamous Wall in 1989. It was a place and time where breaking down boundaries was not a convenient meme, but rather a literal description of what was going on outside their front doors. Germany was a stew of mixed emotions, high hopes and insecurity, all existing at the same time as the reunited populace attempted to right itself anew. (...)
In 2001 Modeselektor met Ellen Allien who quickly signed the promising minds to her label BPitch Control, one of the most highly respected techno labels in the world. The catapult was loaded.
A series of singles, EPs and remixes ensued, along with exciting collaboration with Parisian rap group TTC as well as Berlin wunderkind Apparat under the name Moderat. Modeselektor began to draw international attention and soon snagged the ears of one Thom Yorke, who declared his love for their music on television. Now immersed in the European artistic community, the producers presented sound installations at the Centre Pompidou in Paris and lectured at the Merz Academie in Stuttgart.
After years of intense touring all over Europe, in 2005 Modeselektor finally released their first full-length album Hello Mom! on their home label, BPitch Control. Cue the world tour and rave reviews for a release that soared beyond the normal strata of electronic output with its potent celebration of sonic diversity, equally as enjoyable for the headphone listener and the sweaty clubber at 3AM.
As if there was any question about this duo's aptitude, in 2007 the album Happy Birthday! (BPitch Control) dropped and subsequently detonated with supreme force. Minds frothed and limbs flailed as the next era of grime-techno-dubstep-acid-hip hop-electro-IDM was inaugurated, influencing producers and DJs around the world to employ Modeselektor's samples and methods to bring a boundary-less musical experience to their listeners as well. Happy birthday indeed.
No longer teenage rabble-rousers but young fathers, Modeselektor was named "Best Dubstep and Grime Artist" in the 2008 Beatport Awards, and hit the road with Radiohead and then Ellen Allien. Obviously the two play well with others; their list of collaborators and guest vocalists had grown into a "Who's Who" list of the continental underground: Paul St. Hilaire, Team Shadetek, Sasha Perera, Puppetmastaz, Maxïmo Park, Otto von Schirach and Siriusmo.
Reigniting their production work with fellow Berliner and Renaissance man Apparat, Moderat released a self-titled, all analog album in 2009 to massive critical acclaim. The creative synergy of Modeselektor's robust, bass-slapping sound and Apparat's dark and dreamy intricacies highlights the best elements of each style, resulting in a dynamic musical experience that is expressed well by Moderat's engaging and inspiring live performance.
Accompanied by Pfadfinderei, the dream team toured the world, playing the largest festivals in existence and garnering multiple awards for both the album and their innovative live presentation, including Resident Advisor's award for Best Live Act of the year in 2009.
Appropriately, Modeselektor had always described themselves as more of a live act, not studio musicians - the opposite opinion from most producers who prefer the hermit role. Their love for the live music experience is perhaps a relic of growing up in a bounded environment; coming from a society that was restrained for so long, they now relish the communion that performance provides. (...)
Modeselektor continues to be an instrumental player in their home city's cultural agenda, curating an entire stage at the 2010 and 2011 MELT! Festival in Berlin. Busy building the Monkeytown empire with showcase events and the release of the compilation series "50 Weapons of Choice," Modeselektor continues to play major music festivals across the globe, with plans to tour North America this fall.
In the studio constantly over a very cold and hard winter, Modeselektor will soon present the world with their third full-length album Monkeytown, which will be released on the duo's own Monkeytown Records on September 30 in Germany, October 3 in the UK and October 4 worldwide.
With massive energy, a panoply of guest artists and divergent sounds from across the sonic spectrum, on Monkeytown Modeselektor will once again take us on a journey through their world, where the dance floor is heaving, the music is magnanimous and the boundaries were broken a long time ago.
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