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		Atomhocky - Play Off At The Digital Gate album from Poets Club Records ('03.1.18) CD (PCR027CD / import from Germany): 1943 yen

ドイツの重鎮JAZZANOVAと共に活動する「ATOMHOCKY」ことROGALLとKASARは、過去ソナーコレクティブ(COMPOST)主催のイベント"BOOM"や"BIG CHILL"等に出演し、大きな注目を集めたユニット。メンバーのROGALLは、「Sonarkollektive」傘下「No Zession」レーベルを主宰し、ソロ名義「Phantom」としても活動中、またDJとしてJAZZANOVAのツアーDJを勤める等、幅広い活動を展開するドイツ・クラブ・ミュージック・シーン注目のアーティスト。
一方、マスタリング・エンジニアでもある相方のKASARは、ドイツの名門JAZZレーベルMPS/SABAからリリースされたKarel Velebny や Sonar Lodgeのリミックスを担当する等マルチな才能を発揮するサウンド・クリエーター。
この2人のプロジェクト「ATOMHOCKY」が2年をかけ完成させた待望のファースト・アルバム「Play off at the Digital Gate」は、ニュー・ジャズ、ブレイク・ビーツの枠にとどまらない新しい「ATOMHOCKY」スタイル／サウンドを確立している。そして今回、同時発売となる2枚の12"インチシングルは、アルバムからそれぞれ2曲ずつ収録したDJには嬉しいシングルカットをアルバムと合わせてリリースの大推薦盤です。

track#		title
1		Most
2		Hi tech
3		Somewhere
4		Melange a trois
5		Never get out
6		S.O.U.L.
7		I donﾕt care
8		Get real
9		Bluebeat
10		Fast forward
11		Miracle - bonus track

The story so far ...
Berlin 1997: Stefan Rogall puts the legendary sound system ﾒAnalogue Freestyleﾓ on ice. He founded it in 1995 and it quickly developed into a melting pot of the most important musical trends at the time. Yet in 1997 he wants to explore new musical territory with his partner Kasar: Atomhockey was born!

Rogall and Kasar take their time to develop an original sound. Inspired by Djing, Rogall first creates a new rhythm that is to become the basis for a fresh, uplifting sound, unburdened by previous club music. Right from the beginning, Atomhockeyﾕs music is supposed to set a standard of its own that doesnﾕt use hip musical genres or even meet any of the already established ones like House, Hip Hop or DrumﾕnﾕBass. And Kasar as a keyboarder/composer and Rogall as a DJ complete one another ideally to realise this idea. A unique style comes into being.
The first EP ﾒKick Offﾓ, that fully realises their ambitious project, comes out on Rogallﾕs label NoZession/Sonarkollektiv in Spring 1998.

Subsequently, Atomhockey, supported by prestigious Jazzanova amongst others, have performed as a sound system at various Sonarkollektiv parties in Berlin and the rest of Germany, at festivals such as ﾒBoomﾓ (2000) in Portugal or ﾒBig Chillﾓ (2000) in Great Britain. Each performance has resembled a little revolution: The crowd loves the sound while specialists start to brood over what they actually hear. Comparisons abound and analysis brings forth family resemblances with Detroit, Break Beats or even NuJazz. But: An Atomhockey set is an Atomhockey set is an Atomhockey set...

In 2000 already , Rogall and Kasar thought about producing an album that staged a live set. However, itﾕs taken another two years to finish the CD you have in your hands now.

Poets Club Records became aware of Atomhockey relatively early on. In 2000 Atomhockey did a remix for Slop Shop which was particularly well received in the US and Japan, where it was licensed for various compilations. They produced the exclusive track ﾒMostﾓ for the Poets Club Recordsﾕ compilation ﾒInside 03ﾓ which came out in late 2001. This track, by the way, with its catchy string arrangement has become an opener of many DJ-sets since.


Stefan Rogallﾕs career in Berlin started at the then legendary Club ﾒDelicious Doughnuts Researchﾓ where he was a Saturady night resident from 1994 to 1998. Now heﾕs played his records in pretty every important club in Berlin (WMF, Maria, Cookies, Icon, etc.).

From 1998 heﾕs toured with Jazzanova and made a name for himself in specialist circles as a DJ.
In addition, he started organising parties at Berlinﾕs notorious and splendid theatre venue Volksb殄ne in 1996 already. These were hosted by Sonarkollektiv and were supported by guests like Bugge Wesseltoft, Tosca, Peter Kruder, or Kreidler.
In 2001 he initiated ﾒIn Sessionﾓ festival, again choosing Volksb殄ne rather than a large club as a venue. The line up was formidable: Next to Jazzanova, Rechenzentrum and Micatone famous and unforgettable Lady Miss Kier (Deee-Lite) as well as London based The Bays (with Jimpster) played for a mixed and cheering crowd.

Apart from excursions into live musicﾑfor instance with ﾒAnalogue Freestyleﾓﾑheﾕs always wanted to make his own music and started to become a dedicated studio cyborg in 1997. As it turned out with success: By now heﾕs issued various tracks and records, including an album by Micatone. As a member of the band heﾕs responsible for selecting sounds, arranging tracks, producing them and working on remixes as recently for Nicola Conte.

A special honour for Rogall was being able to work together with the drummer Tony Allen. The result of this fruitful joint venture was the track ﾒRogallenﾓ on the album ﾒAllenko Brotherhood Ensembleﾓ which came out in 2001 on Comet Rec. (Paris). ﾒRogallenﾓ perfectly mediates Rogallﾕs off beats and Allenﾕs afrobeat drum patterns. Just listen to it!

Rogallﾕs most recent CD ﾒIn Sessionﾓ (Sonarkollelktiv Rec.), on which he proves just how good a DJ he is, features next to his own tracks well-known artists such as Seiji, Stereotyp, Sugar B. or U.F.O.

Kasar is multitalented. As a vital part of the studio he shares with Rogall he not only provides musical knowledge and inspired ideas but also contributes to their various projects as a producer. Heﾕs also done some remixes for Karel Velebny and Sonar Lodge. Other than that he works as a Mastering Engineer and Vinyl Cutter at Calyx Mastering. His life is club music!
So far Kasarﾕs issued to EPs on NoZession/Sonarkollektiv as well as a couple of exclusive tracks on various compilations, for instance on ﾒBrazilectro II.ﾓ He plays an important role in producing Micatone and even toured with them as their keyboarder in 2001!


Atomhockey ﾒS.O.U.L.ﾓ PCR 025-12ﾒ
Atomhockey ﾒNever get outﾓ PCR 029-12ﾒ



Releases/ Remixes:
1997 Atomhockey ﾒHinterhofliftﾓ (on ﾒDelicious Doughnuts Vol. 2ﾓ Comp.) (Jazzanova Records)
1998 Atomhockey ﾒKick off EPﾓ (No Zession / Sonar Kollektiv)
2000 Slop Shop ﾒBlue Angel/ Atomhockey Rmxﾓ (Poets Club Rec.)
2001 Atomhockey ﾒMostﾓ (on ﾒInside 03ﾓ) (Poets Club Rec.)