Followers of the German techno icon will know that he is fond of grand statements. And this time he's spot on: Teufelswerk - German for "Devil's Work" - is Hell's masterpiece. Across 16 exquisite tracks divided into two themes, "Night" and "Day", Hell weaves an intoxicating spell. The nocturnal side offers a contemporary interpretation of Chicago house and Detroit techno. It's sunnier sister disc finds Hell embracing the rich cosmic groove of his roots. A lush, narcotic odyssey, the album sounds unlike anything he's produced in the past. But at the same time, Hell has drawn on his wealth of experience and put everything he knows into Teufelswerk.
"The album is very personal," he says. "All my knowledge is there. I went back really far to the early-'70s. I don't think I can make a better record."
Coming from Hell, whose life mirrors his art, that's saying something. A cultural chameleon with an encyclopedic musical knowledge and a bold sense of style, Hell has carved a reputation as the Warhol - or should that be War-hell? - of our generation.
"Andy Warhol was a people's champion. He ruled the world in his way," says Hell, who once dressed as the pop artist for a photo shoot. "The Factory was pushing art, music, films and whatever you can think about every day. He was a rule breaker. He knew how to play and how to motivate people."
When Hell launched his International Deejay Gigolos Empire in 1996, his rebellious creative streak gave the label a punk DIY aesthetic. An open-ended techno imprint with a natural pop sensibility, Gigolo immediately stood out and attracted like-minded artists such as Fischerspooner, Vitalic, Miss Kittin & the Hacker, Tiga, even the Pet Shop Boys, Jeff Mills and Dopplereffekt. Today, Gigolo in Berlin is to Hell what the Factory in New York was to Warhol. Like Warhol, Hell is the man with the vision, whose enthusiasm and inspiration to this day is fueled by, and rubs off on, the close-knit family of musicians, fashion designers, photographers, film makers, video artists and actors who surround him. Fans of the label will remember the short-lived collaboration with Amanda La Pore, who can often be found in the Gigolo logo and on the Tiga & Zyntherius Video for "Sunglasses at Night." There are many examples of Gigolo and Hell blurring the lines between music and art, a popular aesthetic in Hell's arsenal and one that was celebrated in two gallery exhibitions; one in London, and one in Berlin both in 2007.
Hell - once, a long time ago, Helmut Geier - is 46 years old and has DJed for more than half those years. In 1985, he was one of the first in Germany to DJ house music, back when Steve ‘Silk' Hurley made the first Chicago house tracks. Later, through Gigolo, he put out lost classics by Chicago house legends Bobby Konders and DJ Pierre. He also re-released what's considered the first Detroit techno song, "Sharevari" by A Number of Names, and rekindled the career of new-wave heroes Tuxedomoon. One of Gigolo's key releases is Hell's compilation of early-'80s German post-punk, New Deutsch.
In 1992, Hell's haunting debut single, "My Definition of House Music" became a dancefloor hymn, selling 50,000 copies. Three years later, Hell recorded a live BBC John Peel Session in Munich, which came out as the "Original Street Techno" EP. As a producer, Hell has covered a lot of ground. He's one of the pioneers of German house and techno, and today, as Teufelswerk attests, he's in the finest form of his life.
Perhaps because he is so successful and does whatever he pleases, cutting a glamorous swathe through electronic music, the media tend to be kind to him. In the early days, they called Hell "das gute gewiessen des deutschen techno", which means "the good soul of German techno". No stranger to receiving awards for his prowess in the music business, in 2002, he was crowned Man of the Year by GQ magazine.
Those familiar with Hell's earlier albums, 1998's Munich Machine and 2004's NY Muscle, will recognize the "Night" half of this double-album. A raw mix of Chicago and Detroit influences combined with Hell's swashbuckling approach to electronics, this portion is for the dancefloor. Ten-minute jams such as "Wonderland" and "Electronic Germany" zoom and thrust with menacing intent. "The Disaster", the single produced by Hell and longstanding collaborators Mijk van Dijk and &Me, is the kind of labyrinthine techno trip that will disorientate any dancefloor.
"The "Night" album is what people expect from a guy like me," says Hell, who spins three of four times most weekends around the world. "I choose a lot of producers in different studios with different sounds and put my flavor there. It is from a DJ for the other DJs"
"Bodyfarm", a sinister cut co-produced by Frankfurt's Antony Rother, was inspired by the unsettling images of Taryn Simon, an American photographer and fine artist specializing in uncovering rarely seen sites from the domains of science and government (please visit tarynsimon.com). For "Night", Hell hooked up once more with hip-hop superstar P. Diddy for freestyle jack-track and future single, "The DJ". The pair had worked before on "Let's Get Ill" and "Check This".
The most pleasant, eyebrow-raising moment here is the collaboration with Bryan Ferry, "U Can Dance". This serpentine disco burner, a smoldering highlight of Teufelswerk, finally unites two of modern pop's suavest outsiders.
"I am very proud to work with Bryan Ferry, of course," says Hell, who encountered the singer in London when he was asked to remix Roxy Music a couple of years ago. Hell pruned "U Can Dance" in Vienna with his old friend Peter Kruder, of Kruder and Dorfmeister fame. Here, in Kruder's G-Stone studio, assisted by noted multi-instrumentalists Christian Prommer and Roberto Di Gioia, Hell and Kruder wrote and produced the "Day" half of Teufelswerk. This is Hell's enchanting interpretation of Kosmische Musik, that style of '70s psychedelic experimental boogie played by Can and NEU! This is the music that inspired the beginning of Hell's career.
"I have done Kosmische Musik in a new way," he says. "This is where I come from, I grew up with the early German electronic pioneers of music, and this is why I went in this direction. Often it is called German electronic avant-garde, or psychedelic music. I went back to the '70s and tried to do it in my own way."
Listen to "The Angst", the lead single from Teufelswerk, and you'll appreciate the direction Hell is taking with Peter Kruder at the controls. Celestial vocals cascade around an acoustic guitar figure as a motorik rhythm propels it ever skywards, sharing space, spiritually at least, with Pink Floyd, Kraftwerk and Can.
On "Day", "Germania", "Hell's Kitchen" and "I Prefer Women to Men Anyway" unravel with sinuous grace, culminating in a cosmic reading of Hawkwind's "Silver Machine". Hell is no stranger to covers, having tackled Barry Manilow's "Copacabana," Throbbing Gristle's "Hot On The Heel's" and German No-Wave band No More's "Suicide Commando" on Munich Machine. Although Hell was born in 1962, he was too young to fully appreciate the likes of Tangerine Dream and Amon Duul in their mid-'70s prime. He was more into Slade and Sweet. "Pop and glam-rock was more appealing to me because these bands looked great and were all over the TV." By the time Hell was old enough to dig Kosmische Musik, punk had arrived and he was into the Damned, who sounded new, fresh and powerful.
For Hell, then, Teufelswerk rounds up his life's work so far - and he has already led a remarkable life. It is dramatic, beautiful, dark and soulful, a milestone in German electronic music. "Teufelswerk represents the music in the best way: it's the work of the devil," he says, "and it's the work of me, the work of Hell."
Prepare to be moved, deeply.
- words by Piers Martin
AWARDS
GERMAN DANCE AWARDS 2001
Best DJ National, Best A&R, Best National Label
MUSIK AND MASCHINE 2001
Best International DJ
JOCKEY SLUT 2002
Best Club
GROOVE MAGAZINE 2002
Best Label, Best Remix
OUT SOON MAGAZINE 2003
Label of the Year
GROOVE MAGAZINE 2003
Best Video ( HELL - Keep On Waiting)
RAVELINE 2003
Best Remix (P.Diddy feat. Kelis "Lets Get Ill")
DEBUG MAGAZINE 2003
Best DJ
GERMAN DANCE AWARD 2003
Best Compiliation
DANCE STAR AWARD MIAMI 2003
Best International DJ
GQ MAGAZINE GERMANY 2003
Man Of The Year
MUSIC EXPRESS MAGAZINE STYLE AWARD 2005
Best Performer Domestic
DCC (Deutche Dance Charts) 2005
Nominated as best DJ and best label (Gigolo Records)
On January 20th, the opening evening of Berlin 2010 FW Fashion Week, HELL was featured at JOOP! FW10 collection. This international label is a byword for sexiness and glamour: strong women, sensuous and supremely seductive, and men who understand that self-confidence and emotional awareness go hand in hand - a perfect match with HELL. The show also featured sexy original film which very much remided of HELL's 'U Can Dance' projected on 6 screens hung from the ceiling and 2 by the stage, to which HELL played an exclusive mix of versions of 'U Can Dance' and of course, Bowie & Roxy Music tracks along. This evening of glam & provocateur was completed by HELL's silky after show music with perfection.
Tracklist:
1. Hell & Bryan Ferry - U Can Dance (Album Version)
2. Hell & Bryan Ferry - U Can Dance (Carl Craig Remix 2)
3. Hell & Bryan Ferry - U Can Dance (Carl Craig Remix 1)
4. Roxy Music - Angel Eyes (Kaos-Remix)
5. David Bowie - Fashion
6. Roxy Music - Do The Strand
7. Roxy Music - Dance Away
MICHALSKY STYLENITE FEAT. MUSIC BY HELL
Tracklist:
1. Minitel Rose – Better Days Pt.II
2. La Roux – Fascination
3. Justin Faust – Revenge
4. Justice & Uffie - The Party (L.A.-Riots-Remix)
5. Minitel Rose – Business Woman
6. Prince – Controversy (Stupid Fresh-Remix)
7. Aston Shuffle - Stomp Yo Shoes feat. Tommie Sunshine (Shazam Remix)
8. Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance (Twelves Remix)
9. Oppenheimer Analysis – The Devil’s Dancer
10. Lorenz Rhodes – Like A Player (Shazam-Remix)
11. Fagget Fairys - Feed The Horse
12. The Juan MacLean – No Time
13. Miike Snow – A Horse Is Not A Home
14. Soft Cell – Bedsitter (Extended)
15. O Children - Dead Disco Dancer (The Golden Filter Remix)
16. A1 Bassline & Kavsrave – Lucky Charms
17. Hard Ton - Music
PATRICK MOHR FW 2010 COLLECTION FEAT. MUSIC BY HELL
1. U CAN DANCE FEAT. VOCALS BY BRYAN FERRY
2. ELECTRONIC GERMANY
3. THE DJ FEAT. P. DIDDY
4. THE DISASTER
5. BODYFARM2
6. HELLRACER
7. WONDERLAND
8. FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY
DAY
1. GERMANIA
2. THE ANGST & THE ANGST PT 2
3. CARTE BLANCHE
4. NIGHTCLUBBING
5. I PREFER WOMEN TO MEN ANYWAY
6. ACTION (INTERLUDE)
7. HELL'S KITCHEN
8. SILVER MACHINE
1. I've Lost Control - Wildpitchmix
2. Visions Ltd - Peter Kruder
3. Kill Bill - BMG Edit
4. Opiates - Candy Coated Crime
5. G.rizo - Boys Medley featuring DJ Glow & Donovan
6. Hell - The Disaster (CD Eleven edit)
7. Joel Alter - Snake Eyes
8. The Model - Newly Found Voids
9. Motor - Jacked Up
10. Richard Bartz - Voyager
11. Acid Junkies - Chica Sexy
12. Captain Commodore - Express
13. Seelenluft - You Can Dance
CD 2
1. Actor One - Popcorn
2. Marascia - Leggy
3. Fetische &Me - Discotecktonic
4. Snuff Crew - DJ Into Space
5. Herman Schwartz - Back 2 Black
6. Abe Duque - Life Is sooo Good To Me
7. Lopazz - What Should I Do? (feat. Deafny Moon)
8. Bennie A - X3
9. Heib - Jackpot
10. Joe Le Bone - Tanssiakos 07
11. Phobia - Phobia (Hells CD Eleven edit)
U Can Dance featuring BRYAN FERRY
FORMATS: Vinyl, Digital Featuring remixes by Carl Craig, Tim Goldsworthy and Simian Mobile Disco
COMING SOON!
The DJ feat. P. DIDDY
FORMATS: Vinyl, Digital Featuring remixes by Radio Slave, Paul Woolford, Deetron, jay Haze & Sis
In July 2009 German eyewear makers Freudenhaus will release the first
of three different models of sunglasses designed by Hell. The first
model which recently premiered in Milan for enthusiastic buyers, is a
chic unisex aviator style with smokey deep-lilac lenses set within a
dark brushed-metal frame with delicate silver studding around the
lenses. The limited edition 500 pairs are accompanied by a special
Design HellTM signature case and will be available for purchase through
the Freudenhaus website and at select boutique retailers across the world.
HELL&WENDY&JIM
Austrian designers Wendy&Jim will release a line of men's underwear
designed by Hell later this year. The line will be comprised of three
different styles in varying fabrics such as pure organic cotton,
lightweight mesh and lace, and will be available in select boutiques
across the world. Hell and Wendy&Jim's designers, Helga Schania and
Herman Fankhauser, decided to work together after the label featured
Hell's music during their runway shows.
FOR THE UNORGANIZED MODERN CD DJ - DJ HELL FOR MAGMA
If this photo is reminiscent of your DJ booth, we've got something for your mess. Magma has been manufacturing trolleys, CD wallets, courier bags and laptop cases for DJs for ten years and remains a leader in the business thanks to their intelligent, durable design. No stranger to collaborative design with techno artists, Magma together with Hell are working together on a limited edition CD wallet. Available in two colors and three different sizes, the CD wallets should debut this year online and in select Magma retailers.
The perfect symbiosis of art, fashion and music, Hell's self-confidence in putting his unique sense of style on display have seen him quickly become a darling of the fashion scene.
A frequent guest at the shows of such designers as Donatella Versace and Dirk Schoneberger, Hell has been shot by a multitude of international photographers, notably by Karl Lagerfeld.
Successful joint ventures with various fashion labels have followed, such as those with as Agent Provocateur, Chanel, Levis and Michalsky (whose runway show Hell has arranged the music for the last several seasons).
"Whenever the world gets grim, dance music gets correspondingly moody. A new dark wave in house and techno swept Europe in 2009, with the likes of Radio Slave, Dubfire and Sven Vath at the helm. But few went deeper into the abyss than DJ Hell, whose Teufelswerk was a blueprint for the scene’s new bacchanalia. His collaboration with Brian Ferry on “U Can Dance” is brilliant, and Diddy cheers on the “after-hours spots” and the “13-, 14-minute versions” of DJ tracks. Dark and long, indeed."
Great news for those who did not get a chance to lay their hands on the WENDY&JIM & HELL underwear which was launched last year - the trio have been busy working on the line's second collection. The has just been introduced to public in December in the designers' homeland Vienna with HELL himself and his ultimate companion & the Vienna superb Peter Kruder.
The new collection features more color and variation, and will be available this spring.
HELL AS NEW AMBASSADOR TO SMIRNOFF 'BE THERE' CAMPAIGN
Smirnoff has launched a new campaign ‘Be There’ – a global program to enable and facilitate other people’s ‘there’ moments – everyone can participate, where HELL has been appointed as an ambassador of Germany. In this video HELL shares anecdotes of their extraordinary moments in life - the first Fischerspooner gig back in 2000 at WMF, Berlin.
HELL will also act as a jury to this competition where you can submit your own 'there' moment or vote for your favorites - more about this program: www.myspace.com/smirnoffBeThere
ASIA TOUR REPORT
Check out the photos from HELL's recent Asia tour - the grand opening gig of Berlin Dayz @Zouk: Singapore's own event series to celebrate the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 and highlight Berlin's present-day avant-garde culture, presented by the Goethe Institute and German Embassy, where HELL made an appearance with a German actress Hannelore Elsner. And Sterne @Womb, Tokyo: the most renowned techno event in Japan hosted by Takkyu Ishino where HELL finally made an appearance after years & years of fans clamoring for it.
photos by: Franco Toh (Zouk) / Storo!robo (Womb)
VOGUE 'QUESTION WITHOUT ANSWER'
BEST DRESSED MAN / GQ MEN OF THE YEAR
"What really is a good style? - If you have one you don't have to think about it."
It's that time of the year - once again, HELL has charted #39 in Best Dressed Man @GQ's Men of The Year. Having topped the Award in 2003, HELL has never failed to impress the fashionistas with his iconic personna.
"Helmut Geier, chief of the International Deejay Gigolos was always the complete counter draft to the good-mood-Ibiza-look.
He relies on Martin Margiela and Tom Ford. - My preferences? More and more classical men's fashion.
DJ Hell is a complete artwork: Music, hair, glasses, means of transportation - every single detail counts."
Original Music Shirt has launched a limited edition of 'HELL is The DJ' T-shirts exclusively for the event "Première Nuit Electro au Grand Palais" in Paris. Do not miss this special evening and lay your hands on one of those 60 special T's!
"‘The DJ' on which P Diddy (yes, him again) shouts a lot about how "motherfuckers" should play the 13-minute versions of tracks is one of the most ridiculous, brilliant things you will have heard in a long time." Tony Naylor in The Guardian
The latest single taken from the much lauded ‘Teufelswerk’ long player sees Hell “hooking-up” once more with hip-hop superstar P. Diddy for the freestyle jack-track “The DJ”. The pair worked together before on “Let’s Get Ill” and “Check This,” creating two classic dance floor hits. But for ‘The DJ’ these two masters wanted to set the techno world straight and send a very clear message ‘to the mother fucker plays a 4 minute version.’ That you ‘can’t get even get into your thing with a 4 minute version.’ With this in mind Hell is very pleased to present his latest single 'The DJ' feat. P. Diddy; one original track, four remixes, over one hour of music! So yes, “This goes out to all the mother fuckers that like 15-20 minute versions of a mother fucking record.”
As an internationally revered performer Hell knows a thing or two about DJing and with his recent releases we see a definite shift towards lengthy mixes. But nothing prepared Gigolo for the package we have here, 5 tracks, 60+ minutes of music with the Radio Slave mix weighing in at a colossal 28 minutes.
Radio Slave presented this version at ‘We Love…’ at Space in Ibiza, in the presence of one Pete Tong - So impressed was Tongy that he played it the following week on his BBC Radio 1 ‘In New Music We Trust' show in the Big Three section. But this is not the first time the record has been played on Pete Tong’s Radio 1show. In fact the original was played by the man himself and also guest DJ Laurent Garnier for the Essential Mix. So it is fair to say that this record is already pretty Hot with most big name DJ’s! "All I can say is FFFWWAAAARRRGGGHHHHH ......!!!!!!! The remix of mister Radio Slave and the Deetron ones are STUNNNNNNNING! Many thanks again for all this pleasure for my hears and hips!!!" - Laurent Garnier
"Love this." - Tom Findlay / Groove Armada
"Insane!!" - Sasha
"Cannot go any wrong and this Remix makes no exception. Solid beats as usual, and pure fun on the dancefloor! Full support." - Radio Slave
"Yeah! Very oldschool sound, I always liked the excellent loop of the bass on Sandée´s 'Notice me' track... Deetron and Paul Woolford are my fav remixers, even it´s very hard to decide amongst this nice collection of versions." - Angel Molina
"Like it!" - Yousef
"Maybe a bit long? ;) 5/5" - Dopamine
"Absolutely first rate, despite Diddy blathering all over it. Radio Slave at the top his game." - Ewan Pearson
"Love it, great!" - Ian Pooley
"Deetron remix is super!" - Kiki
"Been waiting for this, sounds great!!!" - Gregor Tresher
OUT NOW EXCLUSIVELY ON BEATPORT with remixes by:Radio Slave, Paul Woolford, Jay Haze, Deetron and SIS
HELL IS ALL AROUND US
Check out the gallery and see how the world you live in is filled with HELL!
HELL FOR YSL @VOGUE'S FASHION'S NIGHTS OUT
Oct. 10. 2009 - YVES SAINT LAURENT WORLDWIDE 'ROADY' LAUNCH EVENT FEAT. MUSIC BY HELL
On the occasion of Vogue’s Fashion’s Nights Out, Yves Saint Laurent officially launched its new bag: the ‘Roady’.
For this special night, Yves Saint Laurent recreated a chic Parisian atmosphere in their boutiques worldwide with a great selection of music & cocktails and HELL was naturally the choice for the house of luxury and class to glam up this evening.
WENDY&JIM & HELL NOW AVAILABLE AT SELECTED STORES
WENDY&JIM & HELL underwear designed by HELL now available at the following locations!
"Congratulations to DJ Hell, for staging a major comeback with some excellent new Gigolo releases, a solid album, and a men's underwear line. In case you're still not convinced of how dope the Bavarian label don is, check out this video of him playing 'Nervous Acid' in Miami '01. Here's to a great era and a great man. xxx"
HELL'S "THE ANGST" NO.1 IN PRINS THOMAS CHART IN I-D
Prins Thomas to list HELL'S "The Angst 1 & 2" No.1 of his latest chart
"I was completely floored when I heard this for the first time, to the point where I haven't even been able to listen to the Henrik Schwarz remix on the B-side yet!" - Prins Thomas
(i-D August 2009)
RADIO SLAVE REMIXES HELL & P. DIDDY
The next single from HELL's Teufelswerk album will be "The DJ," his collaboration with P Diddy.
On the original mix, Diddy's spoken vocal is cut and filtered, but you can hear him ranting about him having love for "the motherf**kers that like them twenty minute versions," and "the DJ's that ain't afraid to play those twenty minute versions - the DJ's that got patience." When asked about Diddy's vocal, and if he gave him any direction, Hell was quick to retort that, "he says what he wants." Matt Edwards is certainly no stranger to remixes with epic durations, but it seems as if he's taken Diddy's advice on board with his latest Radio Slave re-rub, which clocks in at an almighty 28 minutes. Speaking about the remix, Edwards has told us that, "I'm down with the 20 minute versions! I listen to a lot of Klaus Schulze, love the new Moritz Von Oswald LP and am very partial to Ricardo's work like his Minimoonstar piece. I'm also into DJ's playing the whole record! Most producers still make records with a start and an end, so yeah... Let the music play!"
Helmut Geier, aka DJ Hell of International DJ Gigolos, has long been a part of the fashion scene. He plays often for couture and prêt-à-porter shows and even produced a mix compilation for Chanel.
Recently, Geier has been exploring the fashion world from a different angle, as a designer. After providing the music for one of their runway shows, he developed a relationship with Austrian label Wendy&Jim and has since collaborated on a line of underwear for the team—now “Wendy&Jim & Hell.”
The line, consisting of three different styles in varying fabrics—pure organic cotton, lightweight mesh and lace will be available later this year in select boutiques around the world, and was featured at Berlin’s SS10 Fashion Week at Designer Showrooms.
HELL SPEAKS IN PRESS CONFERENCE ON ELIMINATING SEX TOURISM IN THE UKRAINE
At 2:00 pm, May 22, the Press Center of the Ukrainian News agency hosted a Press Conference of the FEMEN women movement entitled “How to erase sexual tourism in Ukraine? Will Ukraine become sex restricted area for Europeans." - a talk which included Anna Hutsol (leader of the FEMEN movement) DJ Hell (world famous producer and musician from Germany) Oleksandra Shevchenko (head of the national programme on fight against sex tourism) and Maksym Pasiuk, choreography director of Lovers dancing band.
Predicted boom of sex tourism in Ukraine has reached threatening level. Devaluation of the hryvnia, tensing of economic turmoil, increase of the number of the poor, and also reduction of air travel prices have stipulated growth of "sexual tourism" in Ukraine. In particular, the Internal Affairs Ministry forecast doubling of sex-industry revenues in Ukraine – from USD 700 million to 1-1.5 billion every year.
Thus, the FEMEN movement demands introduction of criminal responsibility for people who use services of prostitutes, declare the problem of sexual tourism in Ukraine at the state level.
Since very start of the national programme on fight against sex-tourism and prostitution, FEMEN has managed to draw attention of the globe’s society to the problem of criminal sex-industry in Ukraine. The FEMEN movement stand for dignity of the whole country.
The “Ukraine Is Not A Brothel” programme has obtained broad support among the leaders of cultural circles in Europe.
Following the Press conference was a demonstration in Independence Square.
"This first cut, 'The Angst Pt. 1,' we're guessing is a "night" piece, with a sort of Radiohead "Everything Is In The Right Place" vibe downing in ambient acid ectoplasma." - URB.com
"Hell has a better crack than most at playing the pop star and because of that there's an aura of plastic and white leather around him. That's going to change with 'The Angst' and it's sister 'The Angst Pt. 2'. The first section sees Kruder & Dorfmeister meet Aphex Twin in the Barbican (due in part to Peter Kruder's production role) but then it builds into an Uber-cool acid 'n' glitch chugger. Epic - Hell's best in ages." - DJ MAGAZINE
"You'd be forgiven for suspecting DJ Hell's tracks are a miasma of clanging techno beats at face melting tempos -- his back catalog wouldn't prove you wrong. But his latest album, Teufelswerk, and "The Angst Pt. 1" which precedes it, is much more inviting and nuanced. With only a gentle kick drum and oscillating synth to connect "The Angst" to the dance floor (that's where a Henrik Schwarz remix compes in), it's the overcast electric piano, mournful strums and shredded vocals that usher in the moody atmosphere. It's almost as if Hell is setting the stage for a dramatic dual set in Germany's Black Forest. His album will reveal what comes next." - RCRDLBL
No. 19, DMC BUZZ CHART Entry, Issue 317
Radio Support By: XFM John Kennedy, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Radio Eins, BBC Radio 1, Radio Fritz, Radio Eins, KISS FM, NME
Beatport Top 100
No. 14 Beatport Tech House Top 100
"'The Angst' - Amazing! I dropped it in Frankfurt & Glasgow this weekend and got an amazing response. It's seriously the set opener of all time!" - ANDREW WEATHERALL
"Really liking DJ Hell's single 'The Angst' and looking forward to his new album." - PET SHOP BOYS
"This is excellent and very beautiful!" - ASHLEY BEEDLE
"Yes, this is great, proper innovative." - CHRIS COCO
"Excellent." - D. RAMIREZ
"Great synth groove." - DUBFIRE
"Love this remix!" - JAMES TALK
"THIS IS DEEEEEEEP I LOVE IT will play Henrik's remix everywhere. Brilliant!" - LAURENT GARNIER
"Love it, Love it." - LUKE SOLOMON
"Love the Henrik Schwarz remix, nice and deep musical vibe and cool emotional vocals." - ROBERT OWENS
CD ELEVEN sees DJ Hell's International Deejay Gigolo imprint unleash its eleventh UNMIXED double CD compilation onto fans and fanatics of the 'Mega-Church of Gigolo'. Including 16 never-before-heard unreleased monster Gigolo tracks; ELEVEN is a celebration of the label's avant-garde and legendary roster. Talents new and old take Gigolo into the long awaited renaissance period of Modern Dance Music.
CD ELEVEN sees DJ Hell's International Deejay Gigolo imprint unleash its eleventh UNMIXED double CD compilation onto fans and fanatics of the 'Mega-Church of Gigolo'. Including 16 never-before-heard unreleased monster Gigolo tracks; ELEVEN is a celebration of the label's avant-garde and legendary roster. Talents new and old take Gigolo into the long awaited renaissance period of Modern Dance Music.
CD ELEVEN features: DJ Pierre, Peter Kruder, I.B.M., Opiates, G.Rizo, Hell, Joel Alter, The Model, Motor, Richard Bartz, Acid Junkies, Captain Commodore, Seelenluft, Actor One, Marascia, Fetisch&Me, Snuff Crew, Herman Schwartz, Abe Duque, Lopazz, Bennie A, HeiB, Joe Le Bon, Phobia...
"Look to the past to discover your future! DJ Hell takes us on an unmixed, two disc journey through the catalog of his International DeeJay Gigolo Records with CD Eleven. Disc 1 conjures up the brooding 808 and 909 blasts of early Detroit techno ("The Disaster"), electro ("The Boy"), and even early new wave ("Candy Coated Crime"). Disc 2 builds on the retro sounds to show us a glimpse of dance music's future. Amazing psychedelic sounds like "Disotecktonic"are showcased alongside dark techno tracks like "X3"and melodic gems "Phobia."This is an artfully presented package from the punk-influenced cover art to the boundary-pushing music and is, ultimately, exceptionally gratifying."
- DJ TIMES, US
"Love the Gigolo comp, really good stuff. Some of the best music for a long time from them I think."
- DJ MAGAZINE
"Here are some pictures from between 1 and 3 in the morning of Gigolo Night at Goldrush strip club in Downtown Miami. Thanks to Goldrush for the shooting access. It's a good place to spend every dollar in your pocket -- don't worry they have an ATM. Also thanks to DJ Hell for doing a show in a strip club. That is a genius idea, although I did overhear one dancer tell another 'Why don't they just like play Lil Wayne or something?'" - MIAMI NEW TIMES
HEAVEN AND HELL: NYC RESOLUTE WAREHOUSE PARTY RESIDENT ADVISOR REVIEW BY VICKI SIOLOS
"Believe it or not, warehouse raves in Brooklyn are actually hard to come by these days. While New York continues to book a variety of international talent that surrounding cities in the Northeast might not be able to afford, they're often housed in conventional venues such as Studio B, Public Assembly or Webster Hall. The community element that comes with warehouse territory is often spoken about in past tense. Enter Hell & Heaven - the 19th installment of ReSolute's reputable parties - which turned out to be a rebirth for many and a revelation for all.
HEAVEN AND HELL: NYC RESOLUTE WAREHOUSE PARTY RESIDENT ADVISOR REVIEW BY VICKI SIOLOS
"Believe it or not, warehouse raves in Brooklyn are actually hard to come by these days. While New York continues to book a variety of international talent that surrounding cities in the Northeast might not be able to afford, they're often housed in conventional venues such as Studio B, Public Assembly or Webster Hall. The community element that comes with warehouse territory is often spoken about in past tense. Enter Hell & Heavenâ - the 19th installment of ReSolute's reputable parties - which turned out to be a rebirth for many and a revelation for all.
In an event that lasted well over ten hours, the dichotomy of Darkness and Light were brought under one roof. Set in a true warehouse in the most industrial section of Bushwick, the building was divided into two main rooms. Heaven featured Mobilee owner Anja Schneider, one of the most hardworking women in techno, accompanied by Jeremy P. Caulfied (Dumb Unit) and ReSolute residents Elon and Connie. In the other room, Darkness was represented by New York's own John Selway, Gigolo's Peter Kruder and, finally, DJ Hell - the one and only Dominator - himself.
So how does one describe the greatest rave they've ever been to? In a city that has been needing a breath of fresh late night debauchery and electronic music mastery, Helmut Geier turned a lifeless building in the middle of nowhere into magic. While advertised as a costume party, there was a fair share of angels, demons and darkly-clad dancers and the visuals were a mixture of Tron and abstract art. Taking the stage around 5 AM after a spotless set by Kruder, Hell embraced the visuals, fire twirlers and interactive fans in the front, ending the crowd full-throttle into an undefeatable atmosphere of dark, hard techno. Though he's spent the last ten years at the forefront of the come-and-gone electroclash movement - wearing the international crown while Larry T kept it up in New York's Saturday was a return to the form that once again thrives in the Berlin concrete underbelly.
DJing for thirty years, Hell brought the dark side that he is loved for tracks that reflect the feel of his new album, Teufelswerk, and his love for Chicago and Detroit-style house music. It was during these drops that the crowd went wild. Carl Craig's remix of "Drifting" by Glimpse sounded perfect against the cold concrete walls, and the Deetron remix of Chymera's "Sumatra" put everyone in an unrecognizable moment of time. With hands raised to the air in celebration, he carried on through the entire sunrise until we were all basking in light. The music took a lighter turn and the entirety of "Trompeta" marched us into the new day. It's likely that he would have kept going - how long had it been since he'd gripped a crowd like that? There was a religious unity in the air, and heads were still buzzing for more when Jeremy Caulfield and Elon took to the decks.
Hell is prepping for the release of his fourth album, Teufelswerk, which translates from German as "Devil's Work," and personally regards it as his greatest work yet. Much like Heaven & Hell's thematic aspirations, the record is divided into "Night" and "Day." The latter is an homage to the avant-garde Krautrock sound that Hell grew up with, while the darker disc is comprised of eight tracks that will mark a triumphant return for the Dominator. His headlining set at ReSolute's Hell & Heaven was, as you might expect, reflective of the "Night" collection: His collaboration with P. Diddy, "The DJ," was played after sunrise - an homage to the Afterhours (with a capital A) disciples that keep dancing past the 24 hour mark. Overall, the set was a taste of what is to come. The event and album are evidence of a man that plans to sustain his legendary status as one of the world's most famous DJ/producers."
DJ HELL CREATES DANCE MUSIC HEAVEN AT LAST!
Teufelswerk - German for "Devil's Work" - is Hell's masterpiece. Across 16 exquisite tracks divided into two themes, "Night" and "Day" , Hell weaves an intoxicating spell. The nocturnal side offers a contemporary interpretation of Chicago house and Detroit techno. It's sunnier sister disc finds Hell embracing the rich cosmic groove of his roots. A lush, narcotic odyssey, the album sounds unlike anything he's produced in the past. But at the same time, Hell has drawn on his wealth of experience and put everything he knows into Teufelswerk.
TEUFELSWERK - NO. 51 IN THE GERMAN ALBUM CHARTS
"Ein Deutscher Warhol... der Münchner Pioneer der House Music findet auf Seinem neuen Album zu neuer größe." - SUEDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG
"Teufelswerk is one of the most ambitious and cogent dance music albums of, well, all time. Seriously." - THE GUARDIAN UK
"DJ Hell's Teufelswerk set is possibly the peak of the great man's career... Hell never stops pulling unexpected monsters out of his sonic cod piece but this hefty taste is but the bell-end of the mighty iceberg." - DMC UPDATE
"Awesome! Would think that, with the Ferry being so musically good, the Diddy being so witty and iconic, and with the electro music rocking, this would strikes me as a sort of instant classic." - ROLLING STONE
"Known for his anti-superstar DJ stance, DJ Hell puts on Gigolo parties that are always a blast, bringing together lovers of all things artsy and esoteric." - MIAMI NEW TIMES
"Kein Star-DJ hat so abgefahrene Ideen wie Hell, niemand verwirklicht so unmittelbar und ungebrochen. Teufelswerk ist sein faszinierendster und unwahrscheinlichster Querschnitt durch den Mammutbaum der Popgeschichte bisher." - GROOVE
"'U Can Dance' is a dark, romantic and melancholy techno anthem, perfect for the early hours, great track!!!" - ONE MAN PARTY
"The album is AMAZING I love it, and I'll playing it everywhere." - BLACK STROBE
"It is not just the best thing that Helmut Geier has ever done, but one of the greatest dance music albums ever made. Album of the Year." - NME
"Hell yeah! 8/10!" - DER SPIEGEL
"Wiser in his ways and better able to express himself." - UNCUT
"He's calling it his best work to date. We might just agree." - MIXMAG
"Teufelswerk, pure psychedelic, ambient brilliance." - METRO
Album of the Month - DJ MAG
"Teufelswerk is an inspiring album and proof that Hell still calls the shots." - UPDATE
"It's official; the devil now makes all the best tunes. Album of the Month 10/10" - iDJ
"Hell's on fire again, miss this at your peril." - M8
"Album of the year so far." - M8 (TECHNO)
"A dark, avant-garde battle between technology and emotion." - THE INDEPENDENT
DJ HELL CREATES DANCE MUSIC HEAVEN AT LAST!
Teufelswerk - German for "Devil's Work" - is Hell's masterpiece. Across 16 exquisite tracks divided into two themes, "Night" and "Day" , Hell weaves an intoxicating spell. The nocturnal side offers a contemporary interpretation of Chicago house and Detroit techno. It's sunnier sister disc finds Hell embracing the rich cosmic groove of his roots. A lush, narcotic odyssey, the album sounds unlike anything he's produced in the past. But at the same time, Hell has drawn on his wealth of experience and put everything he knows into Teufelswerk.
"Teufelswerk - a 17-track opus, split between ambient Day and jackin' Night tracks, which arrives on 27 April - is one of the most ambitious and cogent dance music albums of, well, all time. Seriously." - The Guardian UK
SPEX Magazine Album of the Issue, April 2009
"Many of you will find the idea that DJ Hell has made one of the best albums of 2009 (yes, already) utterly ludicrous. I know. I can hardly believe it myself. But, prepare to be amazed, because Teufelswerk - a 17-track opus, split between ambient Day and jackin' Night tracks, which arrives on 27 April - is one of the most ambitious and cogent dance music albums of, well, all time. Seriously.
Perhaps it isn't a total shock, as Helmut Geier does have form in this area. A decade ago, he released Munich Machine, an album that shone like a sharp green LED light at the end of the dark, dark tunnel that was 1998. In a world of dour, panel-beating techno and bloated, imploding superclubs, Munich Machine came housed in witty artwork; included covers of Warm Leatherette and Barry Manilow's Copacabana; utilised then unknowns Chicks On Speed; and generally mixed pop, punk, electro and techno in a way that, suddenly, made cutting-edge electronic music sound vital, sexy and intelligent.
Munich Machine helped catalyse electroclash, and, in its mischievous joie de vivre and its glossy air-tight production, arguably prefigured the whole shift to sleek sound design and audacious sonic twists that defined the Kompakt/minimal techno era. It was an important record.
The intervening years, however, have been another matter. Musically, Hell's label, International Deejay Gigolo, has only recently shaken off its electroclash hangover, while Hell himself hasn't made a truly indispensable record since. Almost no sooner did he establish himself as a kind of anti-superstar DJ, one who toyed confidently and ironically with his playboy image, than he seemed to lose himself in a whirlwind of hype and partying with P Diddy. Where once Hell defined the zeitgeist, in recent years he's sounded like he's chasing it. He's flirted with seemingly every passing trend - post-punk revival, dark disco-punk, Italo disco - to little productive end. His 2007 Misch Masch mix was similarly uncomfortable and indecisive, with Hell seemingly unsure whether to stick to his trademark sound or embrace minimal. Would the real DJ Hell please stand up?
Well, on Teufelswerk, he has. Tellingly, where his last artist album, NY Muscle, felt self-consciously fashionable, both in its sound, and its choice of collaborators (Erland Aye, Alan Vega, James Murphy), here Hell has worked with tried, trusted and lesser-known talents. The Day section was recorded with Peter Kruder (of Kruder & Dorfmeister fame) and Troby Trio/ Drumlesson man, Christian Prommer; while Anthony Rother, and new face &Me helped construct the Night bangers.
Hell is 47 this year, and Teufelswerk undoubtedly sounds like the grand artistic statement of a man who woke up one morning (in Cannes or Ibiza, the morning after some invite-only fashion party) and decided it was time to get serious. There are few albums that could get away with an opening track as pompously titled as, Germania, followed by the equally portentous (and beautiful) new single, The Angst and The Angst Pt 2, but Tuefelswerk, which has a grave, cinematic heft to it, does. With Hell acting as conductor, and Kruder, Prommer and Roberto di Gioia playing a mixture of synths, acoustic guitars, Wurlitzers and "rhythm machines", the four sweep back and forth across Europe, mapping the psychic highways that link Kraftwerk's Dusseldorf and Jean Michel Jarre's imaginary, futuristic Paris; Pink Floyd at the UFO club in 1966, and Cafe Del Mar in 1987; cavernous booming dubstep nights in modern Berlin and Goblin's progressive 1970's Italy. It may be ambient, but the last thing it is is chilled out.
The Night tracks are a little more orthodox, a little less interesting, but only in comparison. This is Hell back in his EBM-orientated electro/techno groove, one which he imbues with such colour, and laces with such quirks, that it still sounds unique. Recent single The Disaster is typical. Ten minutes 32 seconds of whistling hiss, scrolling, bleeping data, doomy bass grunts and flat, macho drums, it should be as tough as 12 hours at Tresor. In Hell's hands, however, it's a sensational three-part drama, a track dancing to its own barely contained energy.
Even Teufelswerk's high-profile guest spots are good. Bryan Ferry's jaded lounge-lizard shtick has rarely sounded so interesting as it does on U Can Dance, while The DJ, on which P Diddy (yes, him again) shouts a lot about how "motherfuckers" should play the 13-minute versions of tracks ("You know what I'm saying? You've gotta just hit 'em with that shit where they just marinate. Where they just engulfed in this shit."), is one of the most ridiculous, brilliant things you will have heard in a long time.
If DJ Hell can dig deep and strike gold, 10 years after his last great work, why can't anybody else? Might we yet see a coherent Babyshambles album? A Morrissey album that is more than moderately interesting? A Prince album that matters? Who, of our faded stars, do you long to see rediscover the form that once made them great?"
"DJ Hell's upcoming Teufelswerk set is possibly the peak of the great man's career... Hell never stops pulling unexpected monsters out of his sonic cod piece but this hefty taste is but the bell-end of the mighty iceberg." - DMC UPDATE
"Awesome! Would think that, with the Ferry being so musically good, the Diddy being so witty and iconic, and with the electro music rocking, this would strikes me as a sort of instant classic." - ROLLING STONE
"Known for his anti-superstar DJ stance, DJ Hell puts on Gigolo parties that are always a blast, bringing together lovers of all things artsy and esoteric." - MIAMI NEW TIMES
"Kein Star-DJ hat so abgefahrene Ideen wie Hell, niemand verwirklicht so unmittelbar und ungebrochen. Teufelswerk ist sein faszinierendster und unwahrscheinlichster Querschnitt durch den Mammutbaum der Popgeschichte bisher." - GROOVE
"Teufelswerk" ist Musik, zu der man - ganz antizyklisch gedacht - gern in einem schwarzen Sportwagen mit wein Lederbezgen auf der Amalfitana der Zukunftsangst davonrasen möchte"¦" - SPEX MAGAZINE
