Tag Archives: mannequin records

MAS 2008, heimelektronik, Electronic Corporation – heimelektronik & MAS 2008 – Electronic Corporation 1998-2006 (Mannequin Records)

Posted by John Lithium on

Label Description: Mannequin Records is elated to present Electronic Corporation “1998–2006”, a compilation bringing together rare and long unavailable recordings by the German electronic projects heimelektronik and MAS 2008.

Active around the turn of the millennium, both projects share the involvement of producer Ive Müller while developing distinct collaborations and approaches to electronic music. H.E.I.M. Elektronik was founded in 1996 by Holger Erlenwein and Ive Müller (after the two artists split in 1999, Müller continued using the name), while MAS 2008 is the project of Ive Müller together with René Kirchner. Though separate entities, the two projects explored a similar sonic territory: stripped-down electro, minimal electronics and machine-driven body music shaped by analog hardware and a raw DIY production ethos.

The roots of Müller’s work go back to the final years of the DDR. As a teenager he worked as a licensed DJ — officially known as a “Schallplattenunterhalter” — operating a travelling disco across Saxony. With limited access to official Western releases, music circulated through cassette recordings taped from West German radio stations such as RIAS Berlin, NDR2 and Bayern3. Together with friends he travelled between youth clubs and discos around Leipzig with a “rolling discotheque”: a Russian Wolga pulling a trailer loaded with Electro-Voice sound systems sourced through the black market.

At the turn of the 2000s this background in underground electronic culture resurfaced in a series of recordings rooted in electro, EBM and minimal machine music. The tracks collected on Electronic Corporation 2000–2002 capture this moment: cold sequences, driving rhythms and stark synthetic textures produced with a direct and uncompromising approach.

Compiled and remastered by Rude 66 from the original sources, Electronic Corporation 2000–2002 documents a small but fascinating chapter of German underground electronics from the early digital era.

For fans of: Le Syndicat Electronique, I-F, Dopplereffekt, Drexciya, Legowelt, Adult., The Hacker, DMX Krew, Gesloten Cirkel, and early Bunker Records electro. 

Tracks recorded between 1998 and 2006, originally released across various Electronic Corporation catalogue numbers.

All tracks composed, programmed and recorded by Ive Müller & René Kirchner.

Mastered by Rude 66, 2025.

Lagowski/Chromium – Chromium Industries 1991-1992 (Mannequin Records)

Posted by John Lithium on

Label Description:

Mannequin Records is thrilled to announce the upcoming release of Chromium Industries, a double LP (MNQ 162) capturing the innovative spirit of two pioneers of electronic music: Andrew Lagowski and Paul (Howie D) Howard. This long-anticipated album marks a return to the seminal sounds of the Chromium Industries label, which emerged as a crucial platform for boundary-pushing techno and electronic music in the 1990s.

Andrew Lagowski, a name synonymous with exploration in electronic music, has been at the forefront of sound innovation since the early 1980s. Known for his work under various aliases, including Lagowski, Legion, and S.E.T.I., his early output in experimental and industrial sounds paved the way for his later techno-focused ventures. Albums like Knowledge (S.E.T.I.) and Nadir (Lagowski) highlighted his pioneering approach to unconventional sound sources and production techniques. In the 1990s, his work with Chromium Industries brought him into the techno spotlight, with a series of influential 12” singles that helped shape the electronic music landscape. With over 60 albums and 10+ singles to his name, Lagowski’s versatility and dedication have garnered him a loyal following and lasting influence across genres.

Paul Howard, aka Howie D, brought his DIY ethos from the punk scene of the 1970s into electronic music. As a founding member of The Frames and co-founder of the Brain Boosters and Spacematic labels, Howard has consistently pushed boundaries. His early forays into hip-hop saw him release the genre-pioneering jazz-rap track Miller Light as Fission. The transition from punk and hip-hop to electronic music was a natural one, culminating in his creation of Chromium Industries after a fateful night hearing Lagowski’s Vermilion at a London party. The label brought some of the most unique techno releases to the scene, with tracks like Blue Anomaly causing near-riots on the dancefloor. Since then, Howard’s work has evolved to include multiple aliases, including The Legend That Is, Phase Collective, and Skulpture.

Chromium Industries 2xLP is more than an album; it’s a legacy preserved and reimagined. The double LP transports listeners to an era when electronic music was in full experimental bloom while showcasing the genre’s continual evolution.

Chromium Industries 2xLP will be available for purchase from January 2025 through Mannequin Records and select distributors. This is an essential release for collectors, DJs, and anyone who reveres the legacy of 1990s techno and the boundless potential of electronic music.

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released February 21, 2025

Mastering by Rude 66, Amsterdam 2024
Graphic design by Alessandro Adriani, Berlin 2024

Voltage Control – Voltage Control 1990-1992 LP (Mannequin Records)

Posted by John Lithium on

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Label Description:

Inspired by Front 242, Skinny Puppy and Clock DVA, Arno and Tibor were fellow students at the Center of Electronic Music (CEM) in Arnhem, Netherlands during the mid 80’s.

After getting a record deal with the Belgian Antler Subway, and started producing their first EP, originally meant as EBM. But since they were in the middle of proceeding, they took the chance to incorporate some of those influences in their first record, ‘Force D’Inquisition’, in 1990, which became one of the earliest Dutch house records.

Track A2 is the legendary ‘Apocalypse’, which was quite a hit at the time both in the EBM and acid scene, with gentlemen like Frankie Knuckles playing it in his sets.
Arno Peeters was later part of Random XS and Urban Electro and worked solo as Spasms on Djax-Up-Beats.

credits

releases July 5, 2024

Voltage Control were Arno Peeters and Tibor Fülöp.
All tracks originally released between 1990 and 1992 on Antler Records and licensed directly from Arno Peeters.

Remastered by Arno Peeters.
Graphic design by AA.
Photos by Jolanda Cleo Kempers.

In memory of Tibor Fülöp, 17-03-2010.

MNQ 161