Superpitcher

For years, the scene around Cologne’s Kompakt label favoured spartan sonics and faceless producers. Then, along came Superpitcher, who fashioned himself a sad-eyed troubadour forever deep in his feels. Born Aksel Schaufler in 1973, he grew up on glam rock and New Wave—influences that would eventually trickle into his electronic productions in the form of shuffling drum grooves and misty-eyed synth melodies. He joined Kompakt in 1999 with the “Soft Machine” 7-inch—a nod to his rock roots—and then, with songs like 2001’s “Tomorrow” and 2004’s “Happiness,” he established his trademark style of purring vocals over downcast, minimalist grooves. Still, despite his melancholy leanings, a mischievous streak runs through his work, whether in the Dadaistic lyrics of a track like “Rabbits In a Hurry” or the epic runtimes of 2017’s The Golden Ravedays series, where stripped-back grooves are stretched out to 15 or 20 minutes a pop. Hedonistic tributes to getting lost in one’s emotions, they’re a perfect encapsulation of Superpitcher’s deeply Romantic spirit.