In no other year was the end of the world as fashionable as it is in 2012. But while Roland Emmerich has to dig knee-deep in trash and throw millions out the window for special effects gimmickry in order 
to bring drama to the screen, it only takes Sierra Sam a freshly made studio in our comforting Berlin-based Upon You refuge. A newcomer to our crew, this Belgian producer and label owner of Toys For Boys has already established his own decade-plus career, and his experience shines through clearly on UY059. The title track “Welcome to the Blackout” holds up not just on great production, but also from the mystical vocals that Paris The Black Fu offered for this release. That’s why we’ve included the “a cappella” as a digital bonus, for the more adventurous DJs out there. For the flip side, Sierra Sam picked his English cohort Inxec – already known for his numerous releases on labels such as Cocoon, Cityfox, Contexterrior and currently Crosstown Rebels – for a fresh remix. Closing track “Chambers” seals the deal on this singing, ringing hit plastic disc that no survival kit should be without.
Just in time for our first label night at Watergate this year, spring is officially in bloom, so what better way to spend a night than in a dark and smoky club with us? We’re only half kidding, especially as we’re hosting the waterfloor with the patio situated along the river Spree, in case you need to catch some fresh air. But what’s inside is equally fresh: In addition to the official launch of Workaholic’s new fashion line (titled “Imagine”), we’re bringing along a special guest for the night: French DJ/producer Okain, making his first Watergate 
appearance. We’ve been following this fellow since his releases on Tsuba and BPitch, which led us to invite him to remix Marcus Meinhardt Upon You EP earlier this year. Okain has made the international rounds, playing Rex Paris, Fabric London, Electric Pickle Miami and even Space Ibiza, so we felt it was about time for him to grace the decks at this Berlin institution!
Marcus Gehring, one of Amsterdam’s most talented newcomers, is the latest official member of our label gang and will also join the lineup. You might have heard his collaborations with ONNO on the Upon You Diary compilations and his remix for Gunnar Stiller, but if not, you’re sure to hear more soon! Speaking of Stiller, this Upon You mainstay will also be present behind the DJ booth with plenty of flavors of techno and house. Finally, label co-founder Marco Resmann – who just released two remixes for Steve Lawler on his new 12” for Upon You – will be unveiling for the first time a track produced especially for Workaholic’s “Imagine” shirt line, which Resmann helped design. April showers bring May flowers, so come make a splash with us at Watergate…
www.water-gate.de
http://workaholic.bigcartel.com/
The name “Venerate” says it all: It’s an absolute honor for us to be able to present the music of Steve Lawler. A native of England with a huge fan base in Ibiza – where his label VIVa MUSIC is based – and beyond, he sent us two tracks that reflect his unmistakable merits as a DJ and producer, and along with them, the spirit of English clubbers at sweaty, off-location afterhours, gleefully losing track of time. “Caracas”, much like the EP’s title track “Venerate”, is designed to tickle restless knees with life-affirming vigor. Complemented by remixes for each track from our Upon You mastermind Marco Resmann, who kept busy on a laptop during his extended trip to South America, this is the most international release from our Berlin-based headquarters to date.
After five years of Upon.You we are happy to announce the name of our first female artist. We warmly welcome Magit Cacoon!
Magit has been connected to electronic music since her early years in Tel Aviv. Since relocating to Berlin she has launched her own label Girl Scout and hosts a regular show for Sweat Lodge Radio. We always had an eye on Magit and are proud that she has teamed up with us to release her own productions on Upon.You.
Outside the studio, she DJs regularly in Berlin and throughout Europe with an extremely fluid approach to mixing, weaving together different styles such as house, techno and soul music. Magit is also now in our booking agency, so feel free to contact us.
The slat blinds in Berlin's Panorama Bar are part of the VJ’s equipment, and when the mood is right (usually around Sunday afternoon), he opens them up to allow slices of sunshine to penetrate the smoky club air. It doesn’t happen all too often, remaining something special amongst hours of darkness. But as Ruede played the first version of “Shades” in his last P-Bar set, it seemed to happen just for him, as if he had written this track’s distinct break especially for this moment: everyone was mesmerized. Re.You & Rampa in the RMX for “Shades” are also no strangers to such euphoria, and as Ruede recently lent them his voice, they return the favor by building a robust, custom-made bass mobile for the A2. Then, on the B-side, Ruede’s fellow band members from The Noblettes make an appearance. As with “Shades”, the focal point is also the big break, only this one has nothing to do with techno – it’s more of an indie-house ballad with dance ambition.
We welcome our new Upon.You crew member Sierra Sam! He will release his first record on Upon.You in April and has delivered us a nice podcast. The mix includes his favourite tracks as well as some of his new productions.
Check it out!
Upon.You's next release steps out of Europe and into the Americas with a timeless EP from Brooklyn natives Tim Xavier and Camea. Tim, a passionate producer and co-owner of Manmade Mastering in Berlin, has teamed up in full force with Camea for this stunning work, who is the owner of one of America's most successful techno labels: Clink Recordings. Camea has driven herself onto international stage in recent years and is touring around the world as a successful djane. The A side, “Brooklyn Sunset 1989″, is an emotionally charged piece stemming from vintage 80s melodies and broken drum patterns, epically beautiful and romantic. In contrast, the B side features “Man vs. Universe”, a dance floor driver that uses Tim's powerful percussive techniques to achieve an energetic crate essential. The duo takes things down for the last two installments, “Diamonds” hitting the groovy a.m. spot. Finally, the digital exclusive track, “Juniper”, completes the EP with Camea and Tim's signature alien stripped-down house; resinating somewhere between Brooklyn and the Milky Way.
Here at Upon You, it’s not like we ever have to come up with an excuse to party. But for our latest label night at the monolothic Panorama Bar, we have an especially good reason: our fifth anniversary is approaching fast! And the DJs we have lined up, both established and newer, are a reflection of the diverse talent we’ve worked with over the years.
Headlining the night are longtime affiliates The Cheapers, also known as Ruede Hagelstein & Fraenzen Texas who have released a stack of EPs with us over the years. Mr. Hagelstein has also made the rounds as a solo act and late last year took a complete 180 with his debut full-length on Tiefschwarz’s Souvenir label, experimenting with downtempo and jazzy sounds. His upcoming Shades EP for Upon You will return to the techno/house sounds he’s known for, the kind you can expect to hear in his set together with Mr. Texas. Re-UP is another key duo from our team, joining us from Venice on this special night, following last year’s Upon You EP with new material coming up on Supplement Facts, Dissonant and Little Helpers. Also present will be N!co Stojan, who, after some collaborations over the last couple years, issued his first solo 12” with us in December, the sleek and elegant Callejera EP. Finally, Copenhagen’s Mathias Mesteno rounds out the lineup, likely to drop the fresh tracks he’s prepared Tartelet and Upon You as well as his remix appearing on the last ever LoMidHigh release. We, meanwhile, have no plans to stop, so come help us fill the floor with beats, sweat and optimistic vibes!
Marcus Meinhardt´s new record is there and with it a hole rig of remixes. “Checkpot”has become a typical Meinhardt that twirls with a cool funkyness and mysterious melodies through the dancers brain. The producer and DJ Okain which is known especially through his releases on Tsuba Rec. is taking the theme by the fuze and is relighting the dancefloor with his bass accelerator. Our Upon You approved colleague Pele also likes to play with fire and got together with the artist Findling for his remix. They turn the wind towards the morning and let the flames turn into a trip-dub direction. Similar does the Upon You artist Echonomist who stears the digital bonus track with a heating value of glowing soundscapes as usual.
