ARTIST INFO

 

The story of Phoneheads so far: 1997. Düsseldorf, the home of electronic music in Germany, birthplace of Kraftwerk, Der Plan and Mouse On Mars, is witnessing the birth of yet another remarkable act.

 

Philipp Maiburg was still an architecture student when, as the Drum & Bass DJ hosting the popular Wednesday Breaks in the Unique Club, he met Michael Scheibenreiter, the producer working in the legendary Atatak Studios, and it was not long before the duo founded the Phoneheads. Their first 12'' single, 'Garlick/Bassball' came out in the same year on INFRACom! Records and was immediately blessed with excellent reviews in the pages of such Club Press titles as Groove and DE:BUG.

 

1998. This year saw the release of their next 12'' on the Cologne Mehrwert Label from a Groove Attack background.Their first video promo, which they produced themselves to accompany the release, was immediately integrated into the programme schedules of stations such as VIVA and MTV. They were soon in demand for remixes and a D&B compilation album (Quiet Storm /ID&T Music ´98). Philipp Maiburg becomes one of the first German Drum & Bass DJs to be invited repeatedly into the legendary London 'Blue Note Café'.

In October 1998, their third 12'', 'Syrinx/Noiß', was released, this time returning to the INFRACom label. Only a week later, the Phoneheads re-entered the German Club Charts at number 9 and remained in the listings for 8 weeks. A video clip was also produced for this single – it became the first German D&B video clip to remain in rotation on VIVA 2 for 4 weeks. The video was also featured in various other programmes, such as Berlin House, WAWA and DEEP. MTV and VH1 also showed the video in Partyzone, Dancefloor & Chillout zone and in the programme 'Wanted'. And that was not all. They climbed to number 2 in the MTV dance charts, and the Phoneheads video was selected as the reference item on MTV's Internet homepage (January 1999).

It was now clear that the Phoneheads could align themselves alongside Megashira, Makai and Fauna Flash to the first column of German D&B Producers.

 

1999. This year saw the release of their first and extremely successful LP, entitled 'Peak Position'. It was already well-known that they are fond of expansiveness and have nothing against an element of harmony. But at the same time they also know how to pack a punch. (Spex 09/98) Ever since the Phoneheads, Düsseldorf has taken on a new meaning on Germany's Drum & Bass map. (Groove 10/98). With the release of this record, the Phoneheads have advanced to becoming a serious factor in the German Drum & Bass world. (DE:BUG 10/98). No less popular as DJs, they accompanied the top British act EZ Rollers on their European tour in the same year.

Until this day they have toured through the whole of Europe, even as far as Siberia, and played at such festivals as Electronic Beats, Nature One, Splash!, INTROducing, Sonne Mond und Sterne, Snowzone, and the Bizarre Festival, and they have also held their regular 'Wednesdays Breaks' series, at which virtually every reputable Drum & Bass Act has guested. They have, as a result, created a whole network of friends, and the first fruits of these associations are being borne out on 'Phoneheads Plays.

 

2000. the second album, also highly musical, is entitled 'Second Sight', and succeeds in landing the Phoneheads both recognition and an enthusiastic response in the British club press. It is also deservedly taken notice of by certain media outside the music business. The Phoneheads' highly desirable second album 'Second Sight' (Jockey Slut,UK). This is, after all, Drum & Bass at its best. (Jockey Slut,UK). Their latest LP is a marvel to behold, moving from the Dancefloor to the outer reaches of Space Funk with ease. The Phoneheads are sure to make the leap to fully-fledged superstardom in no time (Knowledge,UK)

This fabulously cool and highly desirable album combines butt-kicking breakbeats with chilled, mellow interludes worthy of Massive Attack. (Sunday Telegraph,UK). If you are the kind of person who takes notice when Goldie or Kruder & Dorfmeister are being played in the bar, you may well find you like this. (MAX,D)

2002. The 'Phoneheads Plays' is on its way.

 

Remixes by Phonheads

 

Anarchist Academy (Community,1997)

Laub (Kitty Yo,1998 and 1999)

Ghettoblasta (Epic,1998)

Jem (Smarten Up - Virgin) (1998)

A Certain Frank (Atatak - EFA) (1999)

Jorge Ben (Mojo Remixed – Universal,1999)

Tocotronic (Lado,2000)

Mark Murphy (Mojo Remixed – Universal,2000)

De Phazz (UCMG 2000)

Xaver Fisher (Unique,2000)

Megashira (INFRACom,2001)

Beyond the Iron Curtain (Crippled Dick,2001)

 

 

Releaseinfos for Debut Album "Peak Position"

 

In the last years, the sound of drum'n'bass has gotten darker and harder as it has concentrated itself on the underground. But now the time is ripe once again for fusions that allow a wider public access to the drum'n'bass sound. In England this (move toward accessability) has meant the enhancement of tracks with jazz and funk elements. The Phoneheads take things a step further on their debut album "Peak Position". They succeed in adding an electronic component as well as harmonies to the whole thing without drifting off into the techno realm, or following one of the style-dogmas preordained by British bands. With "Peak Position"; a pop-music is created that does not serve the uni-dimensional genre cliches, but rather releases new energies. This is a strength that these two guys from Düsseldorf have always possessed. This originality of sound is surely an important part of the recognition that has already been bestowed upon the Phoneheads following the release of their first maxis.

 

Already with the release of their second maxi "Monoplane/Circuit Breaker" (Mehrwert Records), they received wide recognition in the press, as well as several selected airings of their self-produced video clip on Viva. Their third maxi, "Syrinx" and the accompanying video, that was released by INFRACom! in September 1998, provided the big breakthrough and it was shown on MTV as well as Viva 2. Viva put the track on its rotation for four weeks and invited the Phoneheads to be studio guests On MTV "Syrinx" made it all the way up to number 6 on the club charts and was selected as the most representative MTV video for the MTV-homepage At the same time the single climbed in the German Club Charts (DCC) to number 4 and was on the daily rotation of many German radio stations. Across the channel the legendary British radio veteran, John Peel, has dropped the Phoneheads into his show on BBC 1. And since they toured through Germany in December '98 with the Ez-Rollers (Moving Shadow/London) they are the most popular D'n'B group in Germany. In addition, the Phoneheads also belong to the first class of German D'n'B producers along with Megashira/Makai, Bassface Sascha, and Fauna Flash who are also getting attention in England, the motherland of drum'n'bass music.

 

A further strength of the Phoneheads is their musical openness. Phillip also serves as DJ, among other things, for the live performances of the band Laub (Kitty Yo Records, Berlin). The debut album from the Phoneheads unites a variety approaches. The opening track "Montana" the drum'n'bass blueprint to a variant of contemporary disco-jazz (house), and without relying on a retro factor with the sample or sound selections. With "Black and Blonde" and "Comano" the Phoneheads indicate/hint at related genres and display the ability to venture beyond the boundaries of the straight drum'n'bass sound. "72" demonstrates the hard, direct side of drum'n'bass that has been established as the future of club dance music here at the turn of the century, while "Sinister" with its ironic laughter, takes a look back at the dark sound of the last year.

And, as an added bonus, the remixes included on "Peak Position" have not been previously released on any CD.