Matthias Tanzmann - Fehrplay

Few people are more synonymous with deep and tech house than Matthias Tanzmann. Ever since first emerging from his native Leipzig in the mid-nineties, the German producer, DJ and label boss has helped to define and redefine the genres through his releases on his own label Moon Harbour and his much talked about DJ sets.Most notably these sets happen at DC10 in Ibiza, where he is resident for the Circo Loco crew, and which often see him team up with friend and peer Davide Squillace. The pair has also recently partnered in the studio with Desolat’s Martin Buttrich as Better Lost Than Stupid, a new collective that is working on a debut album and aims to unleash a brand new live show in the coming months following on from some well received b2b2b sets in recent times.When working solo Tanzmann very much has his own sonic identity, as evidenced by standout EPs such as Bulldozer, Chano and Tilt and his debut album from 2008, Restless. As a remixer he has been in constant demand over the years, turning his hand to acts as diverse as Booka Shade, Moby and Josh Wink. The results were recently collated on his Remixes 2002-2012 compilation, which showcased just how adept and adaptable he is as a remixer.Over the years, Matthias has also mixed it up for some of the most respected CD series, including Fabric in 2012, Circo Loco in 2011 and many others. His DJ style is unique in the way it threads together elongated grooves, subtle melodies and infectious basslines into soundtracks that never lose sight of the groove and keep people locked in for hours on end.The breadth, depth and consistency of his Moon Harbour label over the years are also testament to Matthias Tanzmann’s dedication to electronic music. The label has released countless EPs, LPs and compilations, and has A&Red new talents and nurtured established stalwarts in equal part, from Sable Sheep to Dan Drastic, Ekkohaus to Luna City Express. He might have been doing this for well over a decade, but in 2014 Matthias Tanzmann remains as influential as ever.

What do Billboard and the sleepless city of New York hold in common? For one, they have all bowed to the uplifting talents of Norwegian breakout Fehrplay. With his name cemented to the lifeblood of progressive house and the global club circuit adding to his 360-degree explosion, 2013 has set the young European trailblazer into one of his most prolific streaks to date. Never one to talk down his Norwegian roots, the life and times of Jonas Fehr have not been limited to one global locality. Taking to the dance mecca that is Manchester as a student, the young producer quickly found solstice in the city’s underground nightspots. Upon realization that education could never provide the hands-on experience Jonas craved, a degree in music production was promptly replaced by a first-hand ascent of the UK club circuit. The pieces would form together to see ‘Meow’, Jonas’s breakout offering, rack a considerable milestone and the first of many seals of approval from Pete Tong. An infectious landmark by all counts, Fehrplay has gone on to emulate that initial thrill of industry approval into his every musical venture.But for all his musical triumphs, a spot on Pryda Friends buoyant roster of talent has not hurt the young Norwegian’s chances at reclaiming the world of progressive house with unprecedented force. Whilst championing the sound of his peers within the Pryda Friends stronghold, his own sound has continued to differentiate and added to the label’s powerful grasp on the digital market. A concoction of cinematic scores and melodic composure, his lust to evoke emotion in a coherent manner for the club floor has made this a tough sound to box, but one that continues to thrill amid the cookie cutter generation. With an ethos that a good melody and poignant groove can reign indestructible, the journey from 2012’s ‘Incognito’ to ‘I Can’t Stop,’ ‘Phantom’ and the deep and melodic ‘Monte’ has kept fans and industry tastemakers in awe. From outspoken euphoria to cuts from the playbooks of deep house and techno, his studio repertoire to date plays with unlimited calibre.In the club, Jonas has shown an encyclopedic musical knowledge. Relishing the opportunity to play personal favourites, new and old, and cuts that never quite broke into the digital market, his ability to draw music from across the dance music spectrum has proven an undeniable asset. It is this approach has seen him successfully captivate the American market with an agenda as educational to fans new-and-old as it is indicative to fuelling global club land and its ever-expanding dance floors. His industry laurels, however, are yet to be rested upon. Expect high profile collaborations, further North American unearthing, an extended global spree and a considerable return to the uplifting progressive sensibilities that first established Fehrplay as one of the hottest Scandinavian talents to not only reclaim, but redefine the sound of modern progressive house.