| "Timo gets
the balance of the understated underground just right" (Mixmag, Jan 00)
Timo Maas. Self-styled purveyor of 'percussive wet funk'. Producer and remixer
of more than 85 productions in three years, including classics like Orinoko's
'Mama Konda' (Top 20 UK & US club charts). DJ'd everywhere from Germany's
'Love Parade' to London's 'Turnmills' and Chicago's 'Karma'. Not to mention
a slew of forthcoming releases in Y2K, kick-started by the wickedly minimal
'Der Schieber', out March 27th on Perfecto Imprint 48K. Timo Maas is a man
with a mission, a man sick of the "cheesy shit" that clogs up the clubs
and the charts, stifling creativity: "I like the idea of building up a unique
sound, of working with different sounds to create something new and fresh.
I suppose I may always be the underdog but at least I won't have sold out
like some other German acts." Re-rewind to the early eighties: Timo, born
and brought up in Hanover, Germany, is just thirteen - but already storming
the decks: "I used to play at my friends' house parties, whilst they were
all too busy snogging each other." And as both Timo and the crowds steadily
grew over the next few years, he soon found himself playing the biggest
commercial clubs in his hometown - yet still managed to drop the odd credible
track into the mix... It was Timo's residency at The Tunnel in Hamburg,
at the time one of the biggest clubs in Germany, that marked his breakthrough.
Teaming up with resident Gary D, the duo produced an "aggressive trance"
record that would prove a landmark in his career. 'Die Herdplatte' instantly
won him acclaim overseas and led to his current involvement with hope recordings.
Soon he was booked everywhere from 'Lakota' in Bristol to 'Energy Parade'
in Switzerland, Austria, and of course his native Germany. Lucky he'd quit
his 9 year long job selling mobile phones for German Telecom by then...
After the success of 'Die Herdplatte' Timo spent his apprenticeship at the
renowned Peppermint Jam studios, learning "everything from recording to
distribution", and hooked up with resident producers Andy and Martin to
record under the moniker Kinetic A.T.O.M. The track was the irresistibly
funky 'Borg Destroyer', which sold an amazing 8000 copies - unaided by any
marketing, press, or TV campaigns. Yet it was the genre-defining 'Mama Konda',
recorded in 1997 under the incarnation 'Orinoko,' that caused the biggest
stir in the dance fraternity. A standard in the boxes of every DJ from Morales
to Sasha, 'Mama Konda' was a Timo Maas Biog/ Page 2 percussive floorslayer
that cemented Timo's reputation as the hottest kid on the block, reaching
the Top 20 in both UK and US club charts. Every record since the mighty
'Mama Konda' has sold around 10,000 copies, from its sequel 'Vila Nova'
to Bush releases like 'Eclipse' and 'Riding On A Storm.' Meanwhile Timo's
remixes have been garnering acclaim from all quarters, from his mixes of
Lustral's 'Everytime' (Hooj) and Big Ron's 'Let The Freak' (48K/Perfecto)
to 'Dooms Night' by Azzido Da Bass - "the mix that pulls together all the
different pigeonholes in the UK scene right now," according to one leading
dance magazine. And so if you've set foot inside a niterie recently, the
chances are you'll have boogied to one of this man's productions - as well
as hope recordings and current label Perfecto, he has also recorded for
Hooj Choons, FFRR and Bush (see enclosed Discography). Which, finally, leads
us to 'Der Schieber' (roughly translated as 'Pusher'), finally released
March 27th on 48K/Perfecto. A truly classic slab of 'percussive wet funk',
its darkly monotone riffs and solidly broody beats will surely herald the
arrival of Timo to the premier league. |
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