The Rrose Sélavy EP, Âme’s first solo release of 2010, references the work of Marcel Duchamp in its title and in the playful manner that they toy with evolving melodies and reappearing ideas that is very much in line with Duchamp’s playful approach to his art.
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Newworldaquarium, The Force (Âme Remixes)
October 28, 2009 – 10:01 PM
A fellow LWE contributor, writing for a rival website, admitted to initially questioning the wisdom of tasking Âme to remix Newworldaquarium. Dismissing much of their output as merely “a number of decent house records”, the charge leveled at Messrs Kristian Beyer and Frank Wiedemann was that they lacked the caliber to add any new perspective to NWAQ’s singular vision. While most impartial observers may not share that particular view, the match up did seem a little curious at first glance. The German duo’s work is frequently characterized by its almost fussy nature; every element is finely tuned, layer upon layer, until the track resembles a bespoke, intricately designed coat in which every pocket, flap and button is immaculately detailed. NWAQ’s pieces are no less luxuriously made, but its more about the cut than the material; endlessly looping soft-as-cashmere grooves that you’re happy to listen to, well, endlessly. Certainly conflicting approaches, and to stretch the clothing analogy to fraying point, as head-scratching a collaboration as the recent A.P.C. x Supreme hook-up.
Talking Shop With Innervisions
August 24, 2009 – 12:01 AM
We’re happy to report that the subject of our latest interview is the spectacular Innervisions label. Born under the auspices of Sonar Kollektiv, Innervisions ventured off on its own with founder Steffen Berkhahn aka Dixon (and later Frank and Kristian of Âme as well) at the helm. Although there is no one Innervisions sound, it’s fair to say the label releases deep and innovative house music from a stable of in-house artists including Âme, Henrik Schwarz, Marcus Worgull and Tokyo Black Star. Forward-thinking 12″s from Laurent Garnier, Château Flight, Stefan Goldmann, and Culoe De Song are further signs of the label’s stringent quality control; compilations like Muting the Noise and the Innervisions-curated The Grandfather Paradox (for BBE) underline how their vision extends beyond the dance floor. And with the recent launch of the Innervisions web shop they’ve begun sharing their taste-making insights with fans directly. Dixon was kind enough to let LWE pick his brain about filters, how to best present a record and the label’s unusual birth before playing live at DEMF as part of A Critical Mass.
Âme, Setsa/Ensor
May 5, 2009 – 8:40 AM
Unlike many contemporary producers, Karlsruhe-based duo Ame do not seem particularly attached to the methods and aesthetics that have brought them critical and popular acclaim. There have been no variations on their international breakthrough, “Rej,” or retreads of “Where You At” territory, even though doing either could have meant them broader notoriety. Rather, Kristian Beyer and Frank Wiedemann are committed to not repeating themselves, which means each new platter is a stylistic surprise. Their principled approach has not come without a few puzzled looks — “Fiori” in particular caught some listeners off guard with triplet clusters and lush, proto-techno orchestration — but it’s certainly solidified the group’s fan base and positioned them at the cutting edge of electronic dance music. Yet even those who welcome their curve balls may be surprised by the organic rawness of “Setsa/Ensor,” Ame’s challenging new single.
Henrik Schwarz/Âme/Dixon, The Grandfather Paradox
April 1, 2009 – 7:06 AM
This seems to be the learned lesson of the Innervision team’s stunning 2-disc comp The Grandfather Paradox. Their laser-focused curatorial skills deftly traverse a musical history so broad that we’re left with a series of epiphanies about form and genre that taken together read: we were minimal, even when we didn’t know it.
Little White Earbuds September Charts
October 2, 2008 – 9:10 PM
Chart courtesy of The Economist.
01. Âme, Fabric 42 [Fabric] (buy)
While few mixes have received many repeat listens at LWE HQ this year, Âme’s Fabric 42 has proven to be a huge exception. Not only does the mix mirror the sounds inspiring Âme’s own music, it’s woven together with a definite narrative and purpose, flowing from [...]
Little White Earbuds Interviews Âme
September 26, 2008 – 5:06 AM
Photo courtesy of Fabric.
The exposure afforded by releasing one of the decade’s biggest house tunes led to a turning point in the musical careers of Kristian Beyer and Frank Wiedemann, the duo known as Âme. Instead of moving closer to commercial viability, Beyer and Wiedemann embraced the uniqueness of their vision and grew weirder, following [...]
Henrik Schwarz, Âme & Dixon, D.P.O.M.B. EP
August 11, 2008 – 6:49 PM
Photo by Maximilien Brice
[Innervisions] (buy vinyl) (buy mp3s)
Any time Henrik Schwarz, Âme and Dixon all grace the same slab of vinyl, chances are it’s going to be a big deal. This precedent was set in 2006 with the quickly canonized “Where We At,” capturing the warily optimistic zeitgeist with a prescient Derrick Carter vocal sample [...]