[Phil e]

Michel Baumann has had a good 2008, with his Soulphiction album Do You Overstand as one of 2008′s quiet achievers, and a few great Jackmate singles. On “Malawi Dub” he’s got the architecture of the track just right. This one builds effortlessly from its humble beginnings, where hands slap against bongos, before the four to the floor pounds its foot into the ground, claps ignite the air like firecrackers, and a cowbell spins its way across the stereo spectrum. It reaches its head of steam when the hand percussion moves from soloist to orchestra, while halatial drones spin in the air, and hi-hats ring out across the skyline. The percussive workout that kicks in at around the three-and-a-half minute mark has the same off-kilter feel as Villalobos’ wandering jams, but Baumann keeps it focused and brief — it’s out of earshot within ninety seconds as he’s onto the next thing. Despite this, “Malawi Dub” doesn’t feel busy or forced; rather it’s taut and essential –- there’s nothing flashy or extraneous here.

“In Flux” opens with a procession of spectral bells, which reminds me of second-wave Detroit techno a la Jeff Mills’ more astral projections, but it’s brought down to earth by a seesawing two-chord vamp on what sounds like a harmonium or sruti box. That kind of relative incongruity is what sometimes makes Baumann’s tracks -– he can slot together the unexpected so both components feel completely logical next to each other. I also like how “In Flux” sounds both oceans-deep and feather-light at the same time. Mournful but not navel-gazing, “In Flux” is one of Baumann’s more beautiful productions. “S…..Out” begins with a somber melody worthy of Lawrence and continues with similar reserve. Ever-ascending motifs drift by as a triangle marks out a spine-tingling pattern, Baumann stretches jazz keys across the track’s instigating rhythm, striking notes as though he has no plan or process, just feeling around for the right moment. It’s nice, though short, and a little inconsequential. The feeling here is of some good ideas not given enough time to truly develop, the flipside of the pace with which “Malawi Dub” shuttles through ideas.

Welcome to the seventh edition of our series of short interviews affectionately titled Talking Shop. The majority of media and fan attention gets showered on the artists who create the music we love to listen to/DJ with/dance to, and for good reasons. But without the hard work, keen ears and business savvy of label staff, we’d be stuck only streaming tracks on Myspace. Number seven brings us to the Stuttgart-based sweethearts of Philpot. What started as a DIY musical outlet for Tobi Ettle and Michel Baumann — better known as Jackmate, Soulphiction and Manmade Science — quickly expanded to their Music Krause friends and beyond. Their discerning ears have brought us quality deep house and techno from DJ Koze, Move D, Bruno Pronsato, The Mole, and newcomers Break SL and Tim Toh. Baumann was kind enough to discuss the label’s methods for choosing new talent, dogmatic DJs and what Philpot is definitely not.

Please tell me about the beginning of Philpot. Why and how did you start out?

I do the label with my close friend Tobi Ettle who also runs a record shop called Paul’s Musique in Stuttgart. First we started Philpot as a label for my own stuff as Soulphiction, ’cause at that time we started there where no labels in Germany where I could send my tracks to… just Perlon, where I still put out tracks. Over the years friends like the Krause Duo, Bruno Pronsato or DJ Koze handed me some very good music too, so mainly it’s friends and my own projects Soulphiction, Manmade Science and Jackmate that we release on Philpot.

How did you decide on the name Philpot?

Philpot is Larry Levan’s original family name, and Larry Levan stands for me as a symbol of how various dance music can and should be.

How did you select the artists for Philpot’s roster? Do you get many demos?

It all started with our friends and we slowly added some new faces like Break SL, Tim Toh, IKE and finally Reggie Dokes (Psychostasia Detroit). If we feel more than seven out of 10 tracks of an artist, he’s in… and there’s not so many artists who at least have produced 10 different tracks at all. Since three years ago we get loads of demos, and I really ask myself if some people ever listened to our releases before they send stuff. We are diverse, but we ain’t minimal! But we still listen to everything we receive.

What is one of your favorite releases on your own label? Why?

Actually Tim Toh’s “Join the Resistance” series! Part 1 is out right now, 2 and 3 will follow in the second part of the year, including a Lawrence remix. Tim Toh is so intense and yet very musical, I’ve rarely heard music like that over the last years. These tracks are alive! But I really still like all of our releases, [so this is] just one I will mention now.

According to many doomsayers, running a record label isn’t one of the “smartest” fiscal things to do. How do you keep Philpot running with sales “as they are”?

As long as we are even with our costs and the artists are paid, we’re absolutely fine with it! And I really feel that reduced sales are mainly a problem in Europe, ’cause we still sell the same amount of vinyl in Japan or the US. Philpot could have never existed with only the base of our sales in Europe though. We both don’t financially rely on the label — that would be absolutely nonsense anyway.

Do you think mp3 blogs like mine hurt the music industry? Do you think blogs have a role in the future of dance music promotion?

Blogs are a great opportunity for labels like us to spread and get an instant response. It’s a form of ad for us and we don’t normally do that so much, so it helps a lot. I like to dig in ‘em too, mainly about old disco stuff or Les Baxter Soundtracks. The thing we hate is the album-sharing part, cause they do it in lame quality and they surely don’t ask.

There is no shortage of labels in dance music. What does Philpot do to stand out from the crowd?

Oh, I don’t know. Dance music today is very dogmatic in style, DJs are, and we try not to be. We release music we think of as quality music, no matter whether hip-hop, house or techno is the Teacher. We try to be a classical record label.

As technology advances further, vinyl is moving closer to becoming obsolete to many DJs. What are your feelings on this? Do you think the end of vinyl is in sight?

No vinyl, no spirit… just speaking for myself. Even I play CDs with unreleased stuff or edits, but I still carry at least 20 kg of wax. And I still hate that too!

What are a few other labels you respect/revere most?

I absolutely love Perlon, mostly for Zip’s and STL’s productions. Musik Krause from Jena and Freude am Tanzen are close friends and exceptional labels too. Internationally, Firecracker and Stones Throw are huge! Inspirational labels were NuGroove and Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman label. We always liked variety.

What can we expect from Philpot in the next year or so?

We’ll finish the Tim Toh “Join the Resistance” series with two other parts this year, then there will be a new Manmade Science 12″. Reggie Dokes joined our label and will release an EP in October 2008; furthermore, there will be releases by IKE, Vakula and MXM till the end of this year. In 2009′s first half we’ll release the Break SL Album, some Metaboman tracks feat. Ty and Clueso and a new Soulphiction 12″.

[Arearemote]

Sex can be any number of things for its participants; but if the experience is up to par it can become all encompassing to the point one’s sense of time, restraint and self consciousness are thrown to the wind. Relative newcomer Pitto (Geurt Kersjes) has managed to capture that enraptured feeling with his latest track, “Sexvibe.” The Dutch producer has moved away from the piano-laden deep house of his Phil E debut — the flipside to Jackmate’s “Nomads” — and indulged in frothy, massively physical loops on the second Arearemote.

In its construction, “Sexvibe” is hardly different from the first house tracks which intertwined loops of disco, funk and soul soul samples. Where Pitto excels beyond the simple formula is in source material selection, starting with a galloping house beat and generously air-thickening bass tone. From there he pushes the tension higher and the dancers harder with hypnotic layers of guitar upstrokes and a woman ceaselessly purring the title (possibly hinting at The Mole’s “Border Times”). That’s just the first half. After a short breath-catching lull, a fierce new loop of interlocking string and horn stabs rises to the fore, an exhilarating blend of sinister and pleasurable tones to get the hands in the air. “Sexvibe” is a whirling dervish of a house tune that intoxicates and distorts as it repeats its seductive mantra; it’s also an impressive second effort for an otherwise obscure producer. I look forward to getting sweaty and lost in Pitto’s future releases as well.