As Mobilee Records celebrates its tenth birthday, Berlin based producer Re.You delivers the next chapter in the label's Back to Back series. As well as having some of the most quirky album artwork out there, the label has built a reputation for delivering the goods when it comes to melodic deep house. Part of the mobilee family since 2012, Re.You has also featured on Keinemusik and has previously teamed up with Rampa as RAR releasing on Sven Väth's techno label Cocoon Recordings.
The first CD is packed with 20 tracks released on the record label in 2014, showcasing the best from the year just gone. Included is Maya Jane Coles' mighty return to the imprint with enchanting house number From The Dark, then things heat up mid-way through with rough-and-ready Midnight Protein from Ray Okpara. There are groove-ridden tracks from label boss Anja Schneider and Rodriguez Jr, as well as a track and remix from Re. You himself. Between the deep and alluring moments is Ranacat's disco driven Mad Men, and Subb-An's weighty remix of And.Id's anthem, Erotica.
CD2 is where Re.You's work truly kicks off, incorporating elements from the label's past to compile two half hour sessions. Using a spoken word sample from his own track Vivid he takes synths from Rodriguez's 2011 Bittersweet and a melody from Rancho Relaxo, reworking it into something new. His approach makes for an embodiment of mobilee's sonic, with glittering tones of house and techno, whilst retaining his own seal on it. There are three exclusive remixes of Re.You's chucked in for good measure, plus a brand new collaborative track with Ninetoes on Union, making for a hypnotic finale rich in percussion.
Below, Re.You answers our questions on the making of the compilation...
What part did you play in curating CD1?
“I sat down with Anja Schneider and Ralf Kollmann to discuss which tracks we'd put together. We suggested different tracks to each other. I think it's representative for 2014.”
How did you go about the mammoth task of picking elements from mobilee's back catalogue for CD2?
“I roughly knew which tracks from which artist I wanted to use. I decided to ask each musician for one or two parts of each track. I would have loved to have integrated much more, but I tried to find a good balance between classics and new ones.”
Do you see it as a reappraisal of mobilee's first decade?
“There are many more great tracks on mobilee, which I feel need to be integrated in my session to say it's a reappraisal. But of course it's a little journey through the history of mobilee.”
Does it include your own favourites' from the last 10 years of mobilee?
“Of course, one of my all time favorites is Sebo K's, Scenario and the collaboration track between Sebo and Anja, Rancho Relaxo. Scenario isn't that old but already a classic tune for me. Another big tune, as well from Sebo, is Moved. I used Prosumer's vocal in the first session. Then there is genius Rodriguez Jr, he sent me some synth lines which I reenact with my own synths to add a little more Re.You to it."
Session 1 feels quite abstract, while session 2 feels more tribal and fluid. What was the intention putting them together? Were you trying to form a narrative?
"Yes, I tried to tell a story with the sessions. In the first session I wanted to generate a warm feeling, which gets you into the mood of a night. Session two is building up on it and it gets a little bit crazier."
How did the collaboration with Ninetoes for the finale of CD2 come about?
"We became good friends after we met at SEMF festival. A while ago we sat down in my studio to jam a little and tried out my Moog Minitaur. The result was the track, Union."
How was BPM? You've just been performing in the US, how does playing there differ from the Berlin club scene?
BPM Festival was great. I was really happy to play the Kraftek Showcase together with Pleasurekraft, Tiger Stripes and Technasia. Afterwards I played in New York at Verboten and in Miami at Treehouse. It is very different to Berlin. Everything is very strict and the bouncers are super serious. You need a wristband for everything. The best party I played was for Robot Heart at their Halloween Party in Brooklyn, that was outstanding."
View this feature in the Ibiza Spotlight Magazine, Issue 004.
WORDS | Emma Gillet
