Freund der Familie

German electronic duo Freund der Familie ("Friend of the Family") produce a warm, velvety fusion of multiple genre styles with "deepness" always at the forefront. Formed in Berlin in the early 2000s by Mirko Hunger and Klaus Rakete, and later moving to Leipzig, FDF released their first singles in 2006, making a stir with a genre-busting mélange that incorporated everything from ambient and dub techno to deep house, IDM, breakbeat, and even dubstep. They launched their own eponymous label in 2008 with the single "König der Welt" ("King of the World"). The label became home to all of their subsequent releases, with the exception of a couple of singles on Telrae, and also sporadically released recordings by other artists, including Achim Maerz, Nyra, and YWF. FDF's debut album, Alfa, appeared in 2013, and the follow-up, Omega, arrived five years later. The duo became well-known for remixes; they reworked tracks by the likes of Sven Weisemann, Sinner DC, and Van Bonn, and were keen to let others return the favor, compiling remix packages for both of their albums, including the 2020 double-pack Omega Interpretations, Chapter 1. ~ John D. Buchanan