Spezialmaterial

Spezialmaterial formed in an organic process in the late nineties. So far, the Zurich based Label has released the works of 51 national and international acts on more than 30 records. With innovative sound scapes and technical savvy, Spezialmaterial artists have not only won numerous prizes but also made themselves a favourite in the specialized international press. The acoustically and visually impressive live presentations, the outstanding graphic design and visionary booking made the label a seal of quality for the sophisticated.

 

The musicians of Spezialmaterial have played on all continents except Australia. In Switzerland, Spezialmaterial acts shine with new projects every year at festivals such as Les Urbaines, Kilbi Bad Bonn, Shift Festival. Unusual musical encounters, for example remixing Mahler live with the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra or impro-configurations like Deconstructing Drumboys (2 drummers, 2 instrumentalists, 2 electronics and live-drum-remixers) show a globally unique label. Long ago Spezialmaterial has widened its spectrum beyond electronic music to include genre-crossing, acoustic song projects.

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Since the mid 1990s, a small group of friends from central Switzerland have regularly been promoting the best in electronic music from around the world. This collective has spawned several live acts, a number of djs, and most importantly has evolved into the label Spezial Material, based in Zurich.

The strong aesthetic underlying the production of flyers for all of their events continues as a core principle and can be found today in the approach to both the construction of the music and its packaging. A large network of creative individuals contributes a range of talents to the label, ensuring that each release becomes a valued item in its own right, and part of a consistently high standard maintained since the birth of SM in 2000.

Most of the acts on SM have spent many years supporting those at the forefront of the international electronic underground, have had a long history of sonic exploration and development, and have been able to refine their sounds and keep up with contemporary trends. Now SM provides a platform for a variety of international producers, as well as promoting homegrown talent.

Although hard to describe easily in brief, SM music as a whole tends toward the more experimental, abstract side of electronica, breaking up the monotony of repetitive beats and replacing them with a variety of crunchy, broken or crystalline rhythms. Innovative use of sound sources for samples and strong melodic sense combines with jagged percussion and swirling ambience to produce a refreshing and idiosyncratic take on so-called IDM.

Guy Veale ...