MUNICH / COLOGNE BASED LABEL RELEASING SOULFUL DANCE MUSIC ON VINYL SINCE 2005.

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Bass Music Artist & Promoter from Hamburg,Germany.

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Now an established force in contemporary Techno, Mike Bierbach, better known under his stage name Rødhåd is someone who has seriously put in the work. Having cut his teeth DJing as a relatively unnoted (but well loved by those in the know) local in Berlin for 10 years, one could argue that by the time success knocked on his door, he was more than ready for playing the international stage. It was during these 10 years of obscurity when he refined his craft to become the singular DJ he is now. 

Launching his party-series-turned-label Dystopian in 2009 was what truly tipped the ball over for Rødhåd. In a time where the Berlin scene was heavily oversaturated by fluffy, miscellaneous dance music, he & his peers set out to form a platform for real techno. The reception to this was raucous. 

Although he has lauded productions and remixes to his name, DJing is his true forte. Before abandoning his day job as a draftsman in construction “The Red” (as some call him due to his gingered, bearded appearance) was known for playing very long sets in Berlin’s most notorious hideaways. 

With an album, several EPs & remixes for a multitude of different artists under his belt, Rødhåd the producer has received equal praise as Rødhåd the DJ. Dystopian has hosted most of his releases, but in 2018 he founded a new label WSNWG that serves as a home for collaborative productions, excavated in sessions at his East-Berlin studio with his peers such as Lucy, Alex.Do, & Antigone.

It was in 2011 that Dutch pair Lars Dales and Maarten Smeets quickly broke through in the electronic music scene. Since then they have become known for their widescreen approach to making and playing club-ready grooves. From deep to disco, tech to soul, they join the dots between the past and the present with their own sense of storytelling and do so in clubs around the world, as well as in their studio. House might be the root of the Dam Swindle sound, but it takes nourishment from a much wider world of music. 

Still now, their breakthrough tunes such as ‘The Wrap Around’ and ‘The Break Up’ receive countless plays on dancefloors all over the world and the duo has made timeless music such as their 2023 disco-house bomb ‘ That’s right’ and 90’s throwback banger ‘Allright – just a tribute’ that became one of the hits of the 2024 festival summer. Dam Swindle has built a trademark sound, while still evolving and maturing their craft in various musical niches. Their landmark 2018 album High Life shows a broad musicality from the duo and this is even more so on their highly anticipated 2025 long player ‘Open’.  ‘Open’ features countless collaborations with high-profile artists such as Dutch pianist Joep Beving and New York-based Ethiopian vocalist Haile Supreme, and sees the duo flex their sound from ambient electronica to synthwave, hiphouse and more. 

Since 2013, the pair has also established their record label Heist Recordings as one of the key independent labels for underground dance music, while also releasing music on other underground mainstays such as Aus Music and Classic Music Company. Heist is more than just a label, though - it is a breeding ground for talents old and new; somewhere talent is nurtured and allowed to develop. Label showcases and special projects such as the yearly Roundup EP; where all artists from the past 12 months remix each other after a random selection process, furthers the family vibe and helps Heist stand out from crowd. Artists such as Cinthie, DJ Sneak, Crackazat, Tesfa Williams, Makèz, Pépé Bradock, Matthew Herbert, Ge-Ology, Byron the Aquarius and many more have all contributed, proving that it is a place for unrestrained creatives to be free with their own sonic visions. The label looks as good as it sounds, too, thanks to visual artist Bas Koopmans's standout artwork designs. 
 
Proof of Dam Swindle's widescreen approach to production is their long and talented list of collaborators, which includes the likes of acclaimed musician Tom Misch, US talent Seven Davis Jr., instrumental collective Jungle by Night, plus Marc de Clive-Lowe, Jitwam and Lorenz Rhode. Next to their own originals, a broad spectrum of artists have asked Dam Swindle for some of their special remix magic: on labels like Strut and Soundway they have reworked the legendary Pat Thomas, aka the ‘Golden voice of Africa,' and gave his single ‘Yamona’ a contemporary electronic edge, as well as The Mauskovic Dance Band’s track ‘Space Drum Machine’ and plenty more artists like Kerri Chandler, Mayer Hawthorne and Tom Misch. As their talent for bridging genres from all over the world continues to attract global attention, high-profile projects keep rolling in from all points on the musical globe. 

Dam Swindle are famously avid collectors of both old and new records, and it shows in their DJ sets, which keep you on your toes as they move freely through the broad world of house music with skillfully blended moods of soulful techno, acid, breaks, disco and more, all to create those special moments that crowds never forget. It is for that reason that their name has become a real stamp of authority and invention in the dance music world. Whatever they do, then, this pair do with irresistible charm.

Marco Guthmann is following