Phillip Sollmann’s work in computer music and drone under his birth name has long been distinct from his career as a DJ called Efdemin, but with his latest album, Decay, the two worlds are becoming ever closer. LWE talked to him recently about the merging of these two worlds, the Internet, and the history of electronic music.
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Efdemin, Decay
April 1, 2014 – 12:01 AM
On Decay, Efdemin’s third album, the chilly repetition and careful attention to silence, space and reverb in his work is clearer than ever.
tobias., Remixes
May 9, 2012 – 10:01 AM
Ostgut Ton launches its Underton sub-label, an outlet for remixes, with Efdemin and the duo of Ricardo Villalobos & Max Loderbauer’s takes on Tobias Freund’s debut LP.
Efdemin, Chicago Remixes (2)
January 17, 2012 – 11:01 AM
This latest batch of Chicago remixes — featuring Deadbeat, Fred P, Rndm, and Efdemin himself — doesn’t exactly reimagine the material as a Tavi Gevinson ensemble, at least one of the inclusions may turn some heads.
Pigon, Sunrise Industry
August 18, 2011 – 12:01 AM
On their first release in three years, Pigon offer both explorations in patience-testing sound design and ultra-hushed deep house, a bewitching EP if you can strain your ears enough to hear it properly.
Talking Shopcast 04: Efdemin is archived this week
July 10, 2011 – 10:01 PM
Talking Shopcast 04 was a mighty 72-minute house mix by Diamonds & Pearls associate Efdemin. Make sure to add this stunner to your collection before it’s archived this Friday, July 15th.
LWE 2Q Reports 2011: Overrated
July 8, 2011 – 12:01 AM
For LWE’s final 2Q Report, Anton Kipfel examines five of the year’s most overrated records thus far.
Efdemin, Chicago
August 25, 2010 – 10:01 AM
When questioned about the mildly provocative title of his sophomore album as Efdemin in a recent interview, Philip Sollman deadpanned that he had merely chosen it as bait for journalists.
Tiga, Gentle Giant Remixes
July 20, 2010 – 10:01 AM
While Montreal’s Tiga might not pique your interest by himself, the remixes of his “Gentle Giant” by Martyn, Efdemin, and Mathew Jonson are certain to get your attention.
Efdemin, Métisse 2.5
June 18, 2009 – 9:59 PM
Some two years after the original release of “Acid Bells,” Efdemin’s subtle and refined piece of minimalism, Martyn gets his hands on it and takes it to a whole new level. This had apparently been in the works for some time but was held off until Martyn’s full length was released. While you can hear the unmistakably bold drums employed by the Dutchman in his “Dark Mix,” there’s not a lick of the sweet pads and soothing textures that proliferated Great Lengths. Instead, Martyn heightens the percussion, adding densely packed tribal elements on top of the metallic bells from the original and fires up a barely contained bass line, like a monster come down from the hills to frighten the poor village folk. Uneasy strings are drawn out and just seem to hang in the air, adding tension to the track, playing off the brash sound of the bells.
Tobias. & Efdemin, Phantasma Vol. 1
April 21, 2009 – 8:00 PM
To anyone who’s been following house and techno recently, a split EP by Efdemin and Tobias. sounds like a sure shot. The former has delivered several years of ceaseless quality, while the latter had an especially impressive run in 2008. Both are at a point where it seems they can do no wrong. Unfortunately, “Phantasma Vol. 1” disproves this notion. As the first installment in a series on Diamond & Pearls Music, it’s decent at best — more than can be said for plenty of releases in general, but much less than we’ve come to expect from these two.
Talking Shopcast with Diamonds & Pearls Music
April 16, 2009 – 10:10 PM
Number four brings us to the eclectic and far-reaching Diamonds & Pearls Music, a distributor, record label and production studio in one. DnP has taken its time releasing records, selecting a coterie of top notch producers to fill its diverse slabs, such as Henrik Schwarz, Ricardo Villalobos, Luciano, Matthew Styles, tobias., Efdemin and more. DnP is also responsible for getting records from Mikrodisko, Beatstreet, Contentismissing, Enliven Music, Pastamusik and many more in shops around the world. All three of DnP’s founders were gracious enough to answer our questions; and although they insisted on relative anonymity, it didn’t stop them from giving us one of our best Talking Shopcasts yet. To top things off, Efdemin crafted an exceptional exclusive mix (available below) that might make it difficult to sit still long enough to read the interview.
Pigon/Marcel Dettmann, Kamm/Plain
October 13, 2008 – 8:13 PM
[Beatstreet] In Marcel Dettmann’s rather enigmatic Discogs bio, we read that he sees techno as “a determination of both his life and music” which continually leads him on a “quest for the optimal track.” It’s a touch ridiculous in its overstatement, but it’s the kind of hyperbole that sheds a very bright light on Dettmann’s […]
Various Artists, You Are My Mate
June 29, 2008 – 9:50 PM
[Dial] Dial had been releasing its lean and emotive variety of techno/house for nearly seven years before breaking to a larger audience, but the recognition could hardly have come at a better time. Last year the Hamburg-based label, owned and operated by Peter M. Kersten (Lawrence/Sten), Turner and Carsten Jost, cranked out two of their […]
Till Von Sein, Sein Days
March 16, 2008 – 8:18 PM
[Morris / Audio] Till Von Sein’s innate, sophisticated ability to channel the American deep house sound through the prism of Berlin techno is something to behold. This ability has put him among the ranks of Berlin’s impressive list of house loving producers including Efdemin, Sebo K, or Prosumer etc. Late last year, Till Von Sein’s […]
Little White Earbuds January Charts
January 31, 2008 – 10:53 PM
Graphic via The Economist 01. Ben Klock, “October” [BPitch Control] (buy) No rest for the wicked, it seems, as Ben Klock drops another heavy one on fans with “October.” Like a ghost in an aggressive, pounding machine, the title track’s melody billows upwards and is zapped into place by laser precise synth strokes. “Similarity” relishes […]
Efdemin, Lohn & Brot Remixes
January 7, 2008 – 11:03 PM
[liebe*detail spezial] (buy vinyl) (buy .mp3s) For their latest spezial release, liebe*detail reaches back to Efdemin’s 2006 breakthrough track, “Lohn & Brot” (“Wages & Bread”) and enlists two disparate yet similarly revered producers — Tobias Freund and Sebo K — to have another look. First up is Freund (as tobias.), a electronic veteran whose career […]
LWE’s Top 20 Albums of 2007
December 27, 2007 – 12:28 PM
01. Matthew Dear, Asa Breed [Ghostly International] (buy) Each release from Matthew Dear reveals something new about this multi-faceted producer, and Asa Breed, his second full-length album as MD, was hugely revelatory. The depth, heft and pop sensibilities of Dear’s songwriting are on full display, and for it, Asa Breed stands tall over all its […]
Gaiser, Withdrawal
October 8, 2007 – 3:55 AM
[M_nus] As the soulful shades of deep house again find their way into many releases this year, the still thriving industry of minimal techno has responded, in some ways, in kind. Whether it’s the melodically blushing simplicity of Efdemin and his work as Pigon; or perhaps the echo-eco-system of Deepchord and his Echospace project; or […]