Modeselektor

The thumping heartbeat of post-reunification Germany, electronic powerhouses Modeselektor emerged at the top of the ‘90s with rebellious, jittery hybrids of techno, ambient, happy metal and Russian crunk. Modeselektor was formed in 1992 by producers Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary, who met at underground Berlin parties where Szary frequently spun acid house under the moniker Fundamental Knowledge. They began performing and producing remixes together soon after, signing to influential label BPitch Control by 2000 and teaming up with Apparat mastermind Sascha Ring two years later to form parallel supergroup Moderat. For over a decade, Bronsert and Szary soaked up new sounds and textures from electronic music and hip-hop, extrapolating freely and pouring every lesson into their mould-breaking 2005 debut LP, Hello Mom!. Further challenging the minimalist seriousness often associated with Berlin's dance music scene, 2007's Happy Birthday! gleefully layered saturated synths, warbling basslines, and dancehall vocals, while also boasting guest appearances from TTC and Radiohead's Thom Yorke. On 2011's Monkeytown, the pair embraced glitch and sultry R&B on cuts like “Shipwreck” and the meta “Berlin (feat. Miss Platinum)”. Modeselektor are regarded as one of the most thrilling live electronic acts of their generation, and while the global shutdown in 2020 brought their extensive touring to a screeching halt, pandemic stillness also inspired much of their contemplative 2021 release Extended.