VA - 10 Years Of Monkeytown (2019)

Ten years, a hundred releases and countless tracks: Monkeytown is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a compilation of new and exclusive productions by the artists that shaped the label.

"These artists represent electronic music in all its shades, from more experimental to dancefloor focused approaches. Monkeytown has always tried to combine both spheres simultaneously, never neglecting fun nor freethinking. The 12 tracks from the likes of Shed, Mouse on Mars, FJAAK, Redshape, Anstam and many more showcase and celebrate the label’s continuing mission: to explore new sounds and to seek out new bangers.

Monkeytown was launched in 2009 by Modeselektor. Originally conceived as a means to release music by friends and Modeselektor’s own records, it soon developed into much more. The label and its offshoot 50Weapons became key players in connecting the various strains of dance and bass music, the scenes of Berlin, London and everyone affiliated to these. This compilation unites artist that stick with the label since the very beginning, like Siriusmo or Anstam, and newer family members like Catnapp or FJAAK.

Over the years, some renowned producers found their way to Monkeytown, among them Shed and Redshape. These two of course provide the techno and house part of this collection, while Gajek’s kraut-influenced electroacoustic piece or Alex Bank’s blissful opening ambience show that it’s not necessarily all about beats. We got a lot of beats though: Dark Sky and Robot Koch like them rolling and sweetly broken, Mouse on Mars smartly frenzied, and Modeselektor themselves contribute a multidimensional track in honor of the famous Roland Space Echo, the device which lent them their name. There’s also a world premiere inhouse collaboration by Otto von Schirach and Catnapp, a weirdo match made in heaven. Next to releasing great records, the best thing a record label can achieve is to have a sound of its own."