Berlin Undercover: Tribute to the Berlin Underground Scene
- 02/06/2023
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Sound of Berlin continues to surprise us with their latest idea: Berlin Undercover, a compilation of covers spanning more than four decades of music. From 1970s prog-rock to 1980s new wave, 1990s trance and 2000s downtempo, all revisited with a 21st-century twist. Expect a ton of driving grooves, pulsating electro-funk, shimmering synth-pop, feverish deep house and haunting techno. In short, true Berlin underground style at its best.
You can also find the compilation here
THE SOUND OF BERLIN TRACKLIST
CYRK – Tubular Bells (Mike Oldfield Cover)
Low Volume – Greece 2000 (Three Drives On A Vinyl Cover)
Namito – Café Del Mar (Energy 52 Cover)
Northern Vector – Jazz Is The Teacher (M500 & 3MB Cover)
Olin – All That She Wants (Ace of Base Cover)
Marc Houle – Computer Madness (Steve Poindexter Cover)
Cleymoore – Schism (Tool Cover)
Anton Kubikov – Café de Flore (Doctor Rokit)
Dan Curtin – Der Klang der Familie (3 Phase Cover)
BB Deng – Bizarre Love Triangle (New Order Cover)
DESCRIPTIONS OF EACH TITLE
Initially, Sound of Berlin’s objective was quite simple: to showcase Berlin’s music sceneits heritage, its artists and their unique aesthetic sense. But then the team asked themselves a question: “Why stop there? Why not take this opportunity to explore the musical origins that are an integral part of these producers’ complex sonic mosaic?”
Sound of Berlin has given the artists total freedom to choose a song that has had a profound effect on them and that they consider to be emblematic, so that they can create their own interpretation of it. A “cover” is defined as a previously unreleased recording of a song previously released by another artist, retaining the original lyrics and melody, but making changes in key, tempo, rhythmic signature and instrumentation.
CYRK – Tubular Bells (Mike Oldfield Cover)
You won’t believe CYRK’s incredible work on Mike Oldfield ‘s cover of ” Tubular Bells ” , a haunting prog-rock instrumental from 1973. The result is simply fascinating, reminiscent of John Carpenter’s cinematic universe rather than the frightening soundtrack to ” The Exorcist “. Giving the track a whole new dimension, blending electro-funk and synth wave, Goossens and Hetzel have preserved the main theme while lowering the tempo, creating a veritable neon-lit fresco. Dramatic synth riffs, leaping bass lines and spectacular percussion fill this sonic tableau with captivating energy.
Low Volume – Greece 2000 (Three Drives On A Vinyl Cover)
You can’t imagine how powerful the choice of Low Volume(Pawas Gupta and Ambrish Yadav) for their cover of ” Greece 2000 ” by Dutch duo Three Drives On A Vinyl, released in 1997, is. According to Pawas Gupta, the track became a veritable anthem as soon as it was released, and retains that aura even after almost 25 years. It’s timeless. By toning down the original stab sequences with a TB 303 bass line, atmospheric strings and reverb effects, Low Volume has succeeded in extracting the cosmic essence of the original and infusing it with a delicate Mediterranean touch.
Namito – Café Del Mar (Energy 52 Cover)
If you’re up for the challenge of revisiting a track ranked by Mixmag as one of the 50 best of all time, then you’re not lacking in audacity or talent! And that’s exactly what Namito (Ali Khalaj) has done with his cover of Energy 52’s” Café Del Mar “, a track that revolutionized the genre. By arpeggiating these emblematic notes and superimposing them over sustained chords, Namito has metamorphosed this raw trance into a refined, contemplative composition, offering a melodic techno experience that unfolds over a duration of 8 minutes. It’s a feat to be applauded!
Northern Vector – Jazz Is The Teacher (M500 & 3MB Cover)
For the Northern Vector band (Mark Thibdeau, Matt Thibdeau and Mike Shannon), paying tribute to their idols (Juan Atkins, Thomas Fehlmann and Moritz von Oswald) by tackling M500 & 3MB ‘s unforgettable 1993 track “ Jazz Is The Teacher ” was quite an adventure. “Learning the jazzy keyboard parts and synthesizer chords took some effort. But it was a great learning opportunity. They spent a whole afternoon in Mike’s studio coming up with ideas. They moved away from the original synth layers, emphasizing the bass line and adding a jazzy touch with soft major sevenths, while retaining their signature sound. Their tech house version has what it takes to set dancefloors alight this summer.
Olin – All That She Wants (Ace of Base cover)
Berlin Undercover‘s most surprising moment is undoubtedlyOlin ‘s(Jason Garden) daring interpretation of the 1992 reggae-pop hit ” All That She Wants ” by Swedish band Ace of Base. By changing keys, altering chords and adding 808 breaks, Garden’s frenetic, dubby electro-funk mix is the closest thing we’ve heard to a collaboration between the Yellow Magic Orchestra and Aphex Twin in a most peculiar parallel universe.
Marc Houle – Computer Madness (Steve Poindexter Cover)
In Berlin Undercover, Marc Houle continues his quest for exploration with his stunning version of Steve Poindexter‘s singular 1989 acid-house track. This track is a true example of how to create an underground hit with limited means and a restricted budget. Striking a balance between the essence of the original and his own artistic imprint, Marc Houle recreated the mythical chiptune samples of a battery-operated Casio, while substituting the CZ-101 samples with a bass drum and acoustic toms. The raw, analog energy of the original is sublimated by the addition of drums from elsewhere, giving a new dimension to this exciting project.
Cleymoore – Schism (Tool Cover)
On the album Berlin Undercover, Cleymoore (Bruno Santos) shares his passion for rhythmic intricacies through his downtempo cover of TOOL‘s 2001 track ” Schism “, famous for its staggering time structures. Recreating the emblematic bass line with an organ and staggered hi-hats, enriching the melody with layers, while retaining the track’s fluidity and progression, Santos breathes new life into this progressive metal masterpiece, somewhere between the sounds of Pye Corner Audio and Recondite.
Anton Kubikov – Café de Flore (Doctor Rokit)
Anton Kubikov brings a touch of Chicago to the streets of Saint-Germain-des-Prés with his revisited version of ” Café de Flore “. This track, released in 2000 by Doctor Rokit (one of British producer Matthew Herbert‘s many pseudonyms), perfectly embodies the essence of Parisian coolness. By increasing the tempo slightly, leaving Herbert’s accordion and acoustic guitar aside, and integrating a steel percussion instrument and subtly reverberating atmospheric layers into a bouncy 4/4 rhythm structure, the French downtempo metamorphoses into a jazzy microhouse, bearing Kubikov’s distinctive stamp.
Dan Curtin – Der Klang der Familie (3 Phase Cover)
Without complicating matters, Dan Curtin appropriates ” Der Klang der Familie ” from 3 Phase feat. Motte a true underground hit with a solid pedigree, with its instantly recognizable hypnotic synth riff that’s been sampled countless times, from hardcore breakbeat to gabber. It’s only fitting that you pay homage to the ’90s sound as a whole by playing with rhythm using snares and claps, and letting a TB-303 sing along creating squelchy tones. Your version transcends boundaries with superior clarity while remaining true to the uncompromising spirit of the original.
BB Deng – Bizarre Love Triangle (New Order cover)
To close Berlin Undercover in style, let yourself be carried away by BB Deng’s refreshing reworking of New Order‘s famous 1986 synth-pop track, “ Bizarre Love Triangle “. Forget Peter Hook ‘s signature moment and discover an offbeat Hi-NRG-style bass line. Let the melody enrich itself to the ninth degree and, big surprise, take the microphone. Deng’s lush musical tribute would fit perfectly into a Best of Eurodisco compilation alongside “ You’re My Heart, You’re My Soul ” and ” Voyage Voyage”. It has nothing to envy the versions of Desire (Johnny Jewel) and Sugar for Sugar (Scarlett Johansson).
