Dublex Inc.

»Message In Our Music«- such is the name of a song by Philly Soul group The OJays. But it could also be the albums motif by the four Stuttgart DJs and producers of Dublex Inc Because "Phoenix"- the albums title, turned out to be a classic soul album, transporting a "message". "Soulful sounds" whose protagonists nowadays are called Amy Winehouse, Raphael Saadiq or Duffy are dominating the clubs and stages worldwide - soul music connects them all. However, the reason for the four of them to go out and buy the same suits and record a soul album wasnt the hipness factor . Dublex Inc. want to tread new paths, want to convey a message, want to be authentic. They reinvented themselves on the way - just like a "phoenix rising out of the ashes". And by the way: they look great in their suits!



The quartet achieved their breakthrough back in 2001 featuring the club hit "Tango Forte", which turned them into co-producers of Sugarbabes hit "Round Round". Three years later their first album "Eight Ears" appeared. One remix chasing another created a heavy workload for Dublex Inc.s studio. This explains why the long awaited follow up album took a little longer.



"The album was created out of our musical preferences"



"Phoenix" lets these gentlemen and their music shine in a bright light. It is a mature product, whichrichly blends and puts together the different influences and musical preferences of Felix Stecher, Florian Pflueger, Rino Spadavecchia und Robin Hofmann aka Dublex Inc Much was thrown into the reference bag for that: wether Beat, Northern Soul or movie soundtracks- the reference points became more diverse and the desire to create a great, coherent oeuvre influenced the method of work stronger than previously. Just take the best of it and blend it with a considerable grain of Dublex Inc. spirit and sound! Such was the motto, resulting in a modern soul album which avoided to blunder into the retro trap.



"We wanted to bring more life into the studio, wanted to get away from pure sampling"



The direction was quickly set: to get away from pure sampling to more music playing. Guest musicians were to bring more life into the studio; various singers were to convey the albums "message". They went into a studio equipped with much vintage gear, and produced the instrumentals. Only after that were the singers chosen-in an up-to-date manner. Naturally musicians and producers are networking world wide over the internet. Myspace is the magic word here, a platform which chiefly serves the self-portrayal and promotion of musicians and bands. But it also functions as a social network between artists. In the case of "Phoenix" myspace played a pivotal role in the production process. Dublex Inc. undertook a thorough search for possible singers. And they took their time to find the right people. The fact that they were from Jakarta, Berlin, London, Helsinki, Dublin and Madrid was no problem at all, because the world wide web facilitated the exchange of music over national borders. This is what gives "Phoenix" this special, this international appeal, which befits this album outstandingly.



"Love Is The Message And The Message Is Love"



It quickly dawned on the Stuttgartians that "Phoenix was to deliver its message mainly on a lyrical level. What mattered most was to adress certain aspects of life- after all, one got a little older, gained more experience and wanted to pass it on. The album was supposed to have soul and therefore needed artists with soul in their voices. Singers who were able to pen down their lifes experience with much soulfulness and feeling. Singers who may have arrived at and taken stock of a similar point in life.