Interview with Ellen Allien By Paul Bergenh., 3 May 2005

Ellen Allien zal deze maand weer een album uitbrengen. Het album komt uit op haar eigen label: BPitch Control en gaat "Thrills" heten. Na vorig jaar een remixalbum en een mixalbum uitgebracht te hebben nu eindelijk waar we op gewacht hebben: Het derde album dat niet in een hokje te plaatsen is. Electronica? Electro? Techno? Op het album staan 10 tracks geproduceerd door Ellen Fraatz (de naam die zij in het dagelijks leven gebruikt) en op 4 tracks kunnen we ook haar vocalen horen, geen lange teksten: Korte samples met duidelijke boodschappen. 10 tracks waar je van kan genieten: op de dansvloer en over je eigen boxen!

Groovetrackers is erg blij dat de druk bezette deejay en producer, die 14 mei in Eindhoven op Novalectra te horen is, de tijd heeft genomen om een aantal van onze vragen te beantwoorden. Lees het interview (en koop het nieuwe album):

photo by Florian Kolmer

Since you don't consider Bptich Control as just a label, how must we see it?
It s our irland.

The prices of the vinyls are relatively cheap (most are EUR7.50), how come?
Good so.
We are not focusing earning the big money with it. That's not the BPITCH CONTROL-approach. Rather we're trying to achieve our dreams, visions and wishes. We're are all artists. When you decide to fulfill your dreams, just because THAT makes you really happy, then you need a network, an exchange with other people - thinking, feeling and doing the same. Berlin is a really good place for doing so, because we have a lot of international artists here, it's not too expensive to survive here. And it's true; BPITCH CONTROL is like an island for us. But not because we're sick of the outside, we need a place for gathering our creative energy. And the vinyl has the usual German price. We want to sell our records to people who are able to understand us. And often these people don't have that much money (like we). So we're trying to establish a network that bases on trust and respect. And that of course includes our audience.

Thomas Andersson did a wonderful job with the 100th release. Didn't you want to do this jubilee release by yourself?
No, because I'm a huge fan of him! He needs to get every possible support. And BPITCH CONTROL is not only my label. BPITCH CONTROL is more than the sum of all parts. It's democratic. Why should I claim the 100th release???? Thomas Andersson is a great techno producer and pushes us forward, all together!

Did you even think it would come to 100 releases when you started the label?
When I started BPITCH CONTROL, I intended building up a brand that lasts very long. That isn't just fashion. And is still very important for me to hold BPITCH CONTROL alive, because it's such a nice, colorful world we've created for us. And the best is: it's allows us so much space and opportunities. I'm not sure if this would happen somewhere else for me.

Do you think that people are extra critical with you, since you are the founder of the label?
Ähhh. What a strange question.. ???! I think I'm very well known as a DJ and producer, so that there's an opportunity for discussing my art in the public. And that's good, because it also pushes my label, or people start recognizing it. And when you are doing something, you want it to be seen, being criticized. Doing art is like a dialog; you need to get a response. That's very important for me.

About the BPITCH CONTROL101 release: how did you decide on the selection of tracks for this album?
Ok, who else than me should decide it? I decide what will be released on BPITCH CONTROL and I select the tracks and artists for the compilation. It should be an collection full of our hits! But usually we have a very intensive dialog at BPITCH CONTROL about the future of the label. Once in a month we have a label meeting and we discuss everything. I'm not the only one taking decisions here. We are a collective.

What was your role in the way Berlin became a techno capital? Or am I exaggerating?
There are BPITCH CONTROL parties since 1997. The first parties were in big locations; we had a lot of visual art that was new at that time. We tried to fill a gap in Berlin's nightlife after the biggest club (E-Werk, where I was resident for many years) had to close. BPITCH CONTROL is Berlin, from the beginning until now. Graphics, artwork and music are melting - every records, every label is fresh and modern. And modernizing something is the point. We try to avoid repetition, like other Berlin based labels do.. We are a modern dance label. I would overweight our role, but it's true, we are very important for Berlin's nightlife.

You will release a new album soon, is there a message you want to extend with it?
The album is named "Thrills". And the message is short but deep: your thrill is my thrill/ my thrill is your thrill. I like to collect everything that has something to do with the thrills of my life. And “Thrills" means an attitude to life for me, because the feeling of a thrill gives me a different identity - what helps me to bear the ventures of life. So I'm sure you want to know, what thrills me:
- When the ear burns into the brain while doing and producing music
- When I finitely can feel something
- When I walk through subway station for finding my ways in everyday life
- When dancing, until my feed burns and I never want to sleep again for staying between the two worlds night and day
- When dreaming of New York, dreams full of light and illumination
- When turning the wheels and pushing the buttons at the machines while doing music
- When I can find no sleep at night because the computer won't let me go to bed
- When searching for food, art and love!

Artwork: Steffi&Steffi, Photo: Florian Kolmer

What can you tell me about the graphic designers for Bpitch Control and for your personal releases?
We are working with three different graphic designers (Steffie & Steffie / Julien Roques / Pfadfinderei) and all do a great job!!!! The way we are working together and taking decisions is very closed, we have a lot of fun. And it's very refreshing to see with what ambition and creativity they are picturing and translating the music. Very ambitious!

How does the Bpitch managing part influence your artistic creativity?
To be honest: it deflects me from my artistically work. But nevertheless I really like the combination of creating something, producing and working at the office. I hate boredom. And the coherence at the label works so well!!!!! Thanks to Benita, Carsten and Roman!!!!!!!! So the label not only takes my time, it also gives me back a lot of strength and inspiration. It brings so much fun to create something with the other artists. And that's a really amazing thing for me.

The camping tour didn't include a party in Holland. Was there a reason for this?
Oh, we weren't???? I'm sorry.. That's because of our booker.. But I will play the 14th of May in Holland.

The music released on Bpitch Control has many types of forms - from deep electronics to poppie house tunes. When does a track qualify for your label?
It's really simple: the track has do something with me, like moving me, my emotions, and it has to be something special. I can't tell you what exactly. But only the track is not enough.


Tracklist album Thrills:
1 come 6.39 (listen here)
2 the brain is lost 5:20 (listen here)
3 your body is my body 5:36 (listen here)
4 naked rain 4:56 (listen here)
5 washing machine is speaking 5:27 (listen here)
6 down 4:38
7 ghost train 3:07
8 cloudy city 6:21
9 she is with me 5:05
10 magma 5:56

OUT NOW ON BPITCH CONTROL:
BPC104 SMASH TV ­ TECH-TECH-TALK 12"
BPC105 ELLEN ALLIEN - MAGMA REMIXE BY MFA, MODESELEKTOR, INSTRUMENTAL &
ORGINAL 12"

COMING SOON:
BPC106 ELLEN ALLIEN - THRILLS LP/CD (16-05-2005)
BPC107 FEADZ ­ FORWARD 4 EP
BPC108 TOMAS ANDERSSON ­ WASHING UP INCL TIGA MIX
BPC109 THE MFA ­ ZONE DAY
BPC110 (tbc) HOUSEMEISTER - ACID AM SONNTAG

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