IF? Records

IF? Records
Founded 1995
Founder Andrez Bergen, Brian Huber, Mateusz Sikora
Genre Hip hop, techno
Country of origin Japan
Location Tokyo
Official website http://if-records.weebly.com

Iffy muzak

Started by friends Andrez Bergen (Little Nobody), Brian Huber and Mateusz Sikora and Marc Luciano in January 1995, IF? released its first compilation within just a few months, featuring a line-up of purely Melbourne-based, and mostly new, experimental electronic and techno producers - including Voiteck and Zen Paradox. Then-Mixmag editor Dom Phillips nominated the Zeitgeist compilations at #4 in his choice of the Top 10 Melbourne-made records up to 1996.[1] Zeitgeist (1995) and Zeitgeist 2 (1996), were repackaged and distributed internationally through Belgian label Nova Zembla, a subsidiary of Kk.

IF? subsequently released a dozen CDs, tapes and vinyl EPs prior to the shift to Japan - all of which showcased local Melbourne producers, such as Little Nobody, Zen Paradox, Voiteck, Artificial, Honeysmack, Blimp, Son Of Zev, Soulenoid, Nod/Isnod, Guyver 3, TR-Storm, Q-Kontrol, Josh Abrahams, FSOM, David Thrussell, Mute Freak, Schlock Tactile, Beam Up, Brewster B, 8-Bit, Dee Dee, Digital Primate, and the LN Elektronische Ensemble.

IF? was a founding member of M.U.K. (Melbourne Underground Konsortium) and the Sunblock collective of Australian underground electronic music labels.

The label has released debuts and mixes by Australians like Zen Paradox, Voiteck, Soulenoid (a.k.a. Adam Raisbeck from Sense), Guyver 3 (G3), Little Nobody, Ben Mill, Artificial, Koda, Enclave, Blimp (Pro-Jex), Alkan, E383, Funk Gadget, DJ Venom, Kid Calmdown, Schlock Tactile, Marcella Brassett, Son Of Zev, Isnod, Enclave, Funk Gadget, Rysh Paprota, Pnau, Pocket, 5000 Fingers Of Dr. T, Kandyman, TDM, Slam-dunk Ninja, Kultrun, Bill Hunter, Pat Stormont, and the LN Elektronische Ensemble.

They have also sourced tracks and remixes from international producers like Si Begg, Jammin' Unit, Biochip C, Tobias Schmidt (Tresor), Tal (Sub-Rosa), Justin Robertson, Jason Leach (Subhead/Tresor), Steve Cobby (Fila Brazillia), Dave Tarrida (Tresor), Wyndell Long (Pro-Jex/Djax), Dasha Rush, Thomas P. Heckmann, Luke's Anger (Tigerbass), Donk Boys (Dirtybird), Patrick Pulsinger (Cheap), James Ruskin (Blueprint), Dave Angel, Justin Berkovi (Predicaments), Ben Pest, Paul Birken, Steve Stoll (Proper USA), Bill Youngman (Scandinavia), Voco Derman, Brixton (Holzplatten) - and, over the past eight years, from Japanese musicians DJ Warp (Elektrax), Captain Funk, Shin Nishimura (Plus Tokyo), Magnet Toy (Trope), Funkarmor, DJ Wada (Sublime/Co-Fusion), Alone Together, Masaya Sasaki, Toshiyuki Yasuda (formerly from Fantastic Plastic Machine), Naotoxin, M-Koda, Gadget Cassette, and Yamaoka.

The IF? Records remix EP Bare by Little Nobody, featuring Marcella Brassett on vocals, was adjudged Single of the Week in Beat magazine when it was released in August 2000.

The label's subsequent release, the Little Nobody album Action Hero, was one of the 4 final nominees for Best Album of the Year in the 2001 Australian Dance Music Awards, of which The Avalanches were the eventual winner.

The label has continued to release vinyl, digital releases and CDs in Japan, but in 2011 returned to Australia under the new direction of Sebastian Bayne.

IF? live showcases

IF? Records was the organiser of dozens of live electronic showcase events in Melbourne over the six-year period from 1995 to 2001, including a series of over 25 parties, first called "Zeitsprung," then Zoetrope at the Punters Club in Fitzroy, with live performances from people like Voiteck, Zen Paradox, Sub Bass Snarl, Josh Abrahams, TR-Storm, The Sonic Voyagers (Voiteck vs. Zen Paradox), Graham Mono, Son Of Zev, Blimp, Frontside, Soulenoid, Viridian, Honeysmack, Little Nobody, Isnod, Half Yellow, the LN Elektronische Ensemble, Guyver 3, Q-Kontrol, Schlock Tactile, and Tee-Art. Zoetrope 3 [12 June 1997] was reviewed in Melbourne's Beat magazine.[2]

The label also collaborated consistently with Melbourne clubs like Club Filter, Teriyaki Anarki Saki, Global Warming, Revolver, Centriphugal, Pony, the Rob Roy and Honkytonks, arranging live shows and IF? theme events, they organised benefit gigs for public broadcaster 3PBS, and they ran the Omniglobe underground warehouse parties at the massive Global Village complex in Footscray in 1995/96, featuring headliners Jammin' Unit (Germany) and Biochip C (Germany) - along with the mandatory inclusion of dozens of local live acts and DJs.

Up in Sydney, IF? often worked extensively with clubs like Frigid, Warm Up, Scissor*Paper*Rock, and Club Kooky.

Since moving to Tokyo in 2001, IF? has continued to release music and has also focused on introducing their Australian roster to the Japanese live scene, often in collaboration with Tokyo underground electronic music collective TTAK.

IF? releases


References

  1. ↑ Underground Melbourne, Dom Phillips. Mixmag, Vol. 2, #58, March 1996.
  2. ↑ Zoetrope 3 gig review, Keren Shuvaly. Beat, 18 June 1997.

External links