DJ Scientist is many things at once: producer of instrumental hip-hop, musical companion of fringe underground acts like Ceschi, 2econd Class Citizen and 88:Komaflash, editor of the now defunct DEAD magazine, DJ and passionate crate digger. As Raincoatman, he is also a graphic artist and creator of formidable cover designs. Furthermore, he is, of course, the label boss of Equinox Records. And of The Outer Edge, which unites the former imprints The Artless Cuckoo and Boogie on the Mainline under one roof.
Accordingly, his diverse output could fill several artist biographies. Nevertheless, he always finds time and leisure to compile idiosyncratic themed samplers and mixtapes, for which he poaches in the remotest corners of the German music landscape. As an old-school DJ, he is always on the lookout for the perfect beat, obscure breaks and unused funk. He digs where no one expects coolness and credibility – and finds amazing things!
Cloud rock
The mixes and compilations he releases speak volumes in this regard: »Keine Musik für Niemand« (No Music for Nobody) features political rock and propaganda funk from this side and the other of the German autumn. »Solid Soviet Steel Radio (SSSR)« presents groovy, western-influenced tracks from the former Soviet Union. And »Music with a Message – Celestial Explorations into German Church Rock« tap-dances into the sanctuary with religiously uplifting stuff from the so-called Beat Masses that took place during the Christian movements of the sixties and seventies.
»Instead, there was often a lot of melancholy in the songs I discovered, some of which I now use in my new mix. The ›sunny‹ was missing. .«
DJ Scientist
DJ Scientist is currently searching for what he calls Cloud Rock. »For a few years now, I’ve been specifically researching AOR from Germany,« he explains. »But AOR is a fuzzy term and even the yacht rock label didn’t fit most German productions. Instead, there was often a lot of melancholy in the songs I discovered, some of which I now use in my new mix. The ›sunny‹ was missing. Instead, many songs were about wind and clouds. I thought that was fitting for a name: Cloud Rock. Yes, it sounds almost like Krautrock – and this similarity is of course intentional.«
