god, grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change, courage to change the things i can, and wisdom to know the difference.
(reinhold niebuhr: the prayer of serenity)

the_empath, aka mike erkau, has been part of electronic music since 1993 and he started releasing his own work on cdrs in 1999. shortly after he began to do remixes for other artists and won the 2004 congress of media award in the audio category. the award was for his remix of 'no protection' (originally by utr). four years later he turned the tables by releasing the 'second earth remix project' which included remixes of his work by ab ovo, def, fractional, heimstatt yipotash, sunao inami and others (more info: www.subroom.com/second%20earth.html) . at the same time as an media engineer and tutor, mike was able to acquire advanced technical skills in video technology. his live appearances are always combined with a video performance which is strictly balanced to the tracks (a good example is consider:noize and elektroanschlag). since 2005 he has been working as a video composer and vj for xabec (aka manuel g. richter; who also mastered the_empath's first album on hymen records: meanwhile).

this album was recorded over the last five years and demonstrates the_empath's current state. the music was not created to exist in an isolated artistic vacuum - each track was made as a result of specific thoughts, meanings and impressions. this is not art for art's sake. a sampling of items that made this album possible: technology turning from today's state-of-the-art to tomorrow's future space junk, arbitrary anxiety of imperfectness, burdens of the past which are only visible to adepts, an imaginary image of ultima thule (a place located beyond the borders of the known world), a score to fictitious thriller.
however this is just sampling of what meanwhile is about.

the_empath's music ranges between ambient and electronica with organic industrial audio components. a stimulating flow of imaginative soundscapes, complex rhythmic textures, mixtures of experimental electronics, field recordings and ground loops. crystal clear tones meet thrilling low frequencies that are mastered with an impressive amount of dynamics. the result of this electronic crucible is a powerful mind infiltrating compound - devotees of intelligent electronics will be reminded (in concept - this is not a derivative work) of early autechre, beefcake and gridlock. in short, fans of good music will take a shine to mike erkau's work. enjoy!

Y784 Meanwhile - 01 at the heart of it all

god, grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change, courage to change the things i can, and wisdom to know the difference.
(reinhold niebuhr: the prayer of serenity)
the_empath, aka mike erkau, has been part of electronic music since 1993 and he started releasing his own work on cdrs in 1999. shortly after he began to do remixes for other artists and won the 2004 congress of media award in the audio category. the award was for his remix of 'no protection' (originally by utr). four years later he turned the tables by releasing the 'second earth remix project' which included remixes of his work by ab ovo, def, fractional, heimstatt yipotash, sunao inami and others (more info: www.subroom.com/second%20earth.html) . at the same time as an media engineer and tutor, mike was able to acquire advanced technical skills in video technology. his live appearances are always combined with a video performance which is strictly balanced to the tracks (a good example is consider:noize and elektroanschlag). since 2005 he has been working as a video composer and vj for xabec (aka manuel g. richter; who also mastered the_empath's first album on hymen records: meanwhile).
this album was recorded over the last five years and demonstrates the_empath's current state. the music was not created to exist in an isolated artistic vacuum - each track was made as a result of specific thoughts, meanings and impressions. this is not art for art's sake. a sampling of items that made this album possible: technology turning from today's state-of-the-art to tomorrow's future space junk, arbitrary anxiety of imperfectness, burdens of the past which are only visible to adepts, an imaginary image of ultima thule (a place located beyond the borders of the known world), a score to fictitious thriller.
however this is just sampling of what meanwhile is about.
the_empath's music ranges between ambient and electronica with organic industrial audio components. a stimulating flow of imaginative soundscapes, complex rhythmic textures, mixtures of experimental electronics, field recordings and ground loops. crystal clear tones meet thrilling low frequencies that are mastered with an impressive amount of dynamics. the result of this electronic crucible is a powerful mind infiltrating compound - devotees of intelligent electronics will be reminded (in concept - this is not a derivative work) of early autechre, beefcake and gridlock. in short, fans of good music will take a shine to mike erkau's work. enjoy!


Y784 Meanwhile - 10 meanwhile

HYBRID ELECTRONICS - electronica, ambient, experimentell, industrial 

http://www.discogs.com/Various-Tetsampler-2012-Pfau-Edition/release/4151302

http://www.subroom.com/

idiosyncratic (Tetmusik  - Pfau  - 2012)

HYBRID ELECTRONICS - electronica, ambient, experimentell, industrial

http://www.discogs.com/Xabec-Transformed/release/1320504

http://www.subroom.com/

xabec - säge [transformed by the_empath] 2008

HYBRID ELECTRONICS - electronica, ambient, experimentell, industrial

http://www.subroom.com/

Elektrohandel - you in me [sleepless night mix by the_empath] 2007

HYBRID ELECTRONICS - electronica, ambient, experimentell, industrial

http://www.discogs.com/Heimstatt-Yipotash-HY-Breed/release/3140263

http://www.subroom.com/

Heimstatt Yipotash - Mühsal Der Kosmonautenkrankheit [Moonbase Massacre by the_empath] 2011

release date: 25march2k14

tracks 1 - 4 written by mike erkau
discovered and mixed @ subroom medialab
mastered by klima @ kellermusik


with this digital release the_empath presents both an appetizer to his forthcoming full length album and an updated view of this project's current emotional and musical status. 'growing unrest' is a sonic allegory for the interplay between outer and inner forms of unrest, where the 'outer' stands for global conflicts of the individual and society with their environment and 'inner' signifies personal conflicts and helplessness in our private everyday life. at the same time, this release states a striving for balance, harmony and serenity and therefore an overcoming of unrest.

musically, 'growing unrest' offers a vast array of beats and ambiences, ranging from dubstep and drum'n'bass to abstract electronica and chilling ambient, presented in the_empaths very own unique style. three remixes by dirk geiger, to travel without any certain destination and sendform & sniplab complete this release with unique interpretations of mike erkau's tracks. 'growing unrest' is an intriguing and inviting release which should not be missed by any open minded listener.

the_empath discography:
growing unrest. digital album. hymen records ¥826. 2014
meltdown (w/. arx kaeli). lp / digital album. sealt s5 / hymen records ¥808. 2011 / 2013
meanwhile. cd. hymen records ¥784. 2010
at the heart of it all. cd-r. noise rendition/subroom medialab nr005/sml-7. 2009
second earth remix project. digital release. subroom medialab sml-6. 2008
masters of deception. cd-r. subroom medialab sml-5. 2006
homunkulus. cd-r. subroom medialab sml-4. 2002
annunaki. cd-r. subroom medialab sml-3. 2001
stimulation. cd-r. subroom medialab sml-2. 2000
subroom message. cd-r. noise rendition/subroom medialab nr002/sml-1. 1999

the_empath webpages:
www.subroom.com
www.facebook.com/the.empath.music
www.youtube.com/mikeerkau
www.soundcloud.com/the_empath

remixers webpages:
ttwacd: www.mchrisov.gr/twacd.html
sendform & sniplab: http://sendform-sniplab.atmedia-all.de
dirk geiger: www.dirkgeiger.com

Y826 - 01. growing unrest (rage union)

Y826 - 04. re-quietude (extended)

HYBRID ELECTRONICS - electronica, ambient, experimentell, industrial

http://www.discogs.com/Various-Snowflakes-V/release/6460868

http://www.subroom.com/

let's hibernate (Raumklang Music - Snowflakes V - 2014)

HYBRID ELECTRONICS - electronica, ambient, experimentell, industrial

http://www.discogs.com/Various-Sonic-Seducer-Cold-Hands-Seduction-Vol-163/release/6703605

http://www.subroom.com/

nwo hindsight (Sonic Seducer Cold Hands 163 - 2015)

HYBRID ELECTRONICS - electronica, ambient, experimentell, industrial

http://www.discogs.com/Various-Elektroanschlag-3/release/942350

http://www.discogs.com/sell/item/20771692

http://www.subroom.com/

home and dry (Elektroanschlag 3 - 2007)

HYBRID ELECTRONICS - electronica, ambient, experimentell, industrial

http://www.discogs.com/Various-Miwak-Twelve/release/1719175

https://mailorder.ant-zen.com/product/id/1649

the_empath - at the heart of it all (hymen records - miwak twelve - 2009)

HYBRID ELECTRONICS - electronica, ambient, experimentell, industrial

http://www.discogs.com/Various-Consider-Noise/release/1133606

http://www.subroom.com/

badloops over afghanistan (Kellermusik - consider:noise - 2007)

HYBRID ELECTRONICS - electronica, ambient, experimentell, industrial

https://nenormalizm.bandcamp.com/album/nenormalizm-birthday-gathering

http://www.subroom.com/

re-quietude [tranqulility mix](nenormalizm birthday gathering - 2015)

Martin L Gore - Featherlight [weightless remix by the_empath]

Martin L Gore - Featherlight [wings&roots remix by the_empath]

this is my contribution for the voixtronik remix contest 2011. just wanted to keep it simple and clear like the fresh air in the mountains and to leave big distances for the great vocals. enjoy!

follow the contest: http://www.facebook.com/Voixtronik or www.voixtronik.at

http://www.subroom.com/

call of the mountains (voixtronik_remixcontest - 2011)

the_empath - Mungo

https://www.mixcloud.com/mike-erkau/cosmic-noise_1-radio-show/

the_empath

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