2009 follows a veritable annus mirabilis at KONTOR Records, but halfway through the year, the signs are more than positive that the label's run of success will continue.
2008 certainly proved to be a golden year in the history of KONTOR Records.a gold album award in Germany for Scooter's latest album "Jumping All Over the World" – and platinum for the same album in the UK! It was the sensational story of the spring season – Scooter topple Madonna from the charts, dethroning the queen of pop from the #1 spot in the British album listings.
In actual fact, this is a perfect illustration of the success of KONTOR – over a decade of the hottest dance music, reaching all corners of the globe. Hit records and artist development, both at home and abroad. Stay faithful to the music, and the artists will stay faithful to the label – international stars like Scooter and ATB (both have hit the #1 spot in the UK) have enjoyed a long term association with KONTOR and its worldwide network of like-minded dance labels.
It's fair to say, the label has categorically debunked the theory that dance music cannot create successful artists with the long-term potential to sell albums in large quantities. Kontor has advanced to the status of global player in the electronic music scene, with an ear to the ground (the dancefloor, to be exact) and a heart beating in time to the turntables right across the international spectrum.
It all began in 1995, when Jens Thele, now Kontor Records managing director and head of A&R, opened the doors on a time-honoured Hanseatic commercial room – or Kontorhaus, as they say in Hamburg – to DJ and organise house music nights. Before long, Kontor rose to the top of the list as the place to be, for clubbers and DJs alike. It was the perfect testing ground for new tunes and productions. Jens Thele, a DJ himself and an experienced sales and A&R man with various major record labels, offered local turntable heroes the chance to present their skills and sounds. A network of DJs and producers developed in the environs of the Kontor club and before the year was out, the first club compilation was in the shops. Kontor Records saw the light of day!
Combining club and label was a stroke of genius. Kontor grew and prospered at a rate of knots. Initial successes with Hamburg acts such as D.O.N.S., Shahin & Simon and Boys'R'Us created such a level of awareness that, before long, acts from further afield came knocking on the door of the modest Kontor office. National and international producers signed up, names like ATB, Blank & Jones, CJ Stone, Gouryella (Ferry Corsten/Tiësto), Rank 1, Spiller, Sunbeam, Trance Allstars and Underdog Project (their "Summer Jam" hit went gold) to name but a few.
Within a year and a half of its foundation, Kontor found itself in the top 30 of the biannual singles charts listings and in second spot in the DDC club rankings by label. In 1999, Music & Media proclaimed Kontor as the most successful dance label in Europe and the readers of Raveline magazine voted Kontor Records "best label". The prizes just kept rolling in, with Kontor picking up several trophies at the German Dance Awards. In the year 2000 the award for most efficient label was added to the cabinet, plus another four in 2001, including "Best A&R" for Jens Thele and top vinyl export label for Kontor Records. The award for best national label made its way back to Kontor in 2003, with a similar prize going to Kontor three years running (2001-03) at the annual DJ Meeting, as voted by the nation's DJs. In 2003, four of the five DJ Meeting awards went to Kontor or to acts on the label. Two Kontor acts - Scooter and Mad'House – actually collected the most prestigious prize in the German music industry in 2002, the Echo. Scooter returned the following year to win it again!
"For us it has always been important to work with artists and develop album projects", explains Jens Thele, identifying one ingredient in Kontor's recipe for success. Many thought it impossible in the dance sector, but the Kontor label has established album artists with long-term careers. They have long since overcome the common tag of one-hit-wonders, both at home and abroad.
Take André Tanneberger, a.k.a. ATB, for example, with Kontor since 1998. His debut single, "9 PM (Till I Come)" sold in excess of 2 million copies around the world, hitting the #1 spot in the UK chart, selling six figures in the States and earning enough international gold and platinum discs to fill a large room. All of his studio albums, plus a "Seven Years" collection featured in the German album charts, with "Addicted To Music" entering the top ten (2004). ATB has also been nominated for an Echo in recognition of his work.
Scooter, who put out their records on Sheffield Tunes through the Kontor system, need no introduction. Huge successes in England, gold and platinum awards from Australia to Norway, Denmark and Sweden, the first Echo in the category "Dance Act - National" and years upon years of international chart success.
The roll call of artists who have released tracks on Kontor Records reads like a "who's who" of the dance scene, covering electronic music in all its diverse guises: Franky Tunes and Charly Lownoise, alias Starsplash, whose "Wonderful Days" beat Michael Jackson's comeback single "You Rock My World" in the charts race, paving the way for a succession of single and album hits, Jan Wayne, another Echo nominee and provider of numerous top ten and top twenty hits, and Echo winner Mad'House, who scored both on single and album counts.
In a state of the art office space overlooking the Hamburg docklands, Kontor's home for the past few years, Kontor works on marketing its repertoire all over the world. Whether that means the UK or USA, France, Eastern Europe or, in fact, almost any point on the world map, international coordination is managed from this office by the Kontor team. The artists on the label are well aware that this dedicated service is something to be appreciated, keeping their music in the spotlight.
Mix albums and compilations also play an important role in showcasing the Kontor sound.
One could call Kontor Top Of The Clubs the mother of all Kontor compilations, as this is where it all began. Every quarter, Kontor presents its favourite dance hits of the moment in a beautifully packaged, expertly compiled DJ mix CD set. From Volume 25 onwards, the format changed from 2CD to 3CD to accommodate all the great tunes building through the clubs. Top Of The Clubs is an absolute institution in the dance scene, featuring illustrious guest DJs alongside Kontor resident Markus Gardeweg and label boss Jens Thele. With a hugely loyal fanbase, Top Of The Clubs has become the leading dance compilation in Germany, regularly entering the top 5 of the sales charts – and a permanent feature at the top end of the i tunes rankings, selling well over 100,000 copies per year.
Top Of The Clubs Vol. 44 is the next up in the series, accompanied as ever by a Top Of The Clubs tour, featuring Markus Gardeweg and guests.
Markus has now added a cutting-edge podcast to his repertoire: Markus Gardeweg – In The Box, previewing future hits for the digital age.
Kontor Sunset Chill, meanwhile, has offered a contrasting relaxation programme since 2001, whilst the Kontor House of House series has quickly established itself as a new highlight among dance album releases, with Volume 8 already in preparation. New cutting edge compilations include "Kontor - Vocal House Session" and Pacha.
Having played everywhere from Ibiza to Moscow in 2008, Scooter completed a second UK tour at the end of the calendar year, again selling out huge venues such as the Manchester MEN Arena and thrilling the crowds from Belfast to London! They have since collected an IMPALA Platinum award for over half a million sales of the "Jumping All Over the World" LP in Europe.
With a new Scooter record in the making, and a triumphant return from ATB with his latest album "Future Memories", plus the signing of Berlin heroes Atzen, 2009 is right up there with the big years!
