Serenity

This is Ostgut Ton's first artist album by Berlin's Achim Brandenburg aka Prosumer and Cologne's Murat Tepeli. If you are familiar with both their works, it won't be unexpected that Serenity is a flawless house album in the truest sense. Rather than a bunch of dance tracks stuck together, it's been carefully compiled to form a union of songs where emotions and excess are laced with a good measure of sexiness. For Achim and Murat, house is a universal language, a matrix for different atmospheres and moods. To cater to different listening situations, both at home and in a club, Serenity is released with two different track listings. The CD contains 17 tracks, whereas the double 12 has eight DJ-friendly, extended versions of the CD's most danceable tracks, as well as some exclusive to the vinyl. As a Panorama Bar resident, Achim has a lot of experience in how to move a dancefloor. His sets display the full spectrum of house with classics and newer productions that are well-mixed with a timeless quality. Inspired by their live gigs, Murat started some tracks that he played to Achim, who then selected from them and suggested vocals, lyrics, drum patterns or different arrangements. Subsequently, they finalized the ideas together and recorded the different drum and synth patterns to finish the tracks. Because Serenity also contains each of their solo tracks, they sent everything through a big analog mixing console onto a tape machine to give it a homogeneous and warm feeling. Prosumer and Murat Tepeli love the sound of analog machines, as well as the rough and direct qualities of Chicago house by producers and labels like Ron Trent, Chez Damier, Armando, Trax, DJ International, DJ Pierre, Cajmere, Fingers Inc. And Dancemania. This album also features grassroots tracks, swirling acid lines, and beautiful guest vocals by Elif Bier. These tracks deal with fury and mourning and illuminate both moments of calm and pandemonium.