T3K Recordings Label Profile

17 Jun 2011

Kaiza

T3K is a group of labels based out of Mannheim, Germany for all kinds of technoid drum & bass. Label owner Kaiza tell us all about it...

Tell us about your T3K Recordings label and what it represents...
T3K Recordings (pronounced "TECH") is a label with strong focus on my own personal tastes. The name reflects my love for different kinds of technoid DnB, from the deep end of the spectrum to the harder side of things.

After some experience releasing vinyl and mp3 with Tilt Recordings, T-Files and free netlabel T-FREE, T3K has come together as a platform to release music that I like, with less concentration on the marketing aspects, following hyped-up trends, and other factors of that kind.

Was it more than just a financial issue that decided T3K would be a digital-only label? Do you still see a future for vinyl in the music industry?
We all know that the digital revolution brought advantages and disadvantages to the scene: on the one hand there are way too many labels releasing way too much way too often, but on the other hand digital releases can be an interesting alternative to vinyl because you get the freedom of choice (only label owners decide on releasing tunes, not the distributor as is with vinyl), less cost factors in the production chain (and so again more independence) and a more broad market (in theory meaning a worldwide net of mp3 shops).

So yes, T3K is basically a digi-only label because of financial reasons, and we make the best of it, although I have to admit that I would enjoy having a vinyl-series realized on the imprint. Maybe it'll happen at some point in the future...

Increasingly it seems "tech" focused labels are working with one another and collaborating across borders, does T3K fit that mould?
I am a team-player and always on the look-out for collabs of any kind. This approach has definitely been realized with T3K Recordings. It's very hard to coordinate cross-label collabs, but I'm open minded to the idea, and I can proudly say that our first cross label collaboration between T-FREE (Tilt-Recordings) and Nu:Gen came together nicely, and brought out three very different tracks for free. Maybe more of that will happen soon. T3K started as a joint venture with a lot of help from DJ Hektik and Shots, and we'll keep expanding with that spirit.

The release schedule for T3K and its offshoot labels is pretty intense, but you never settle on the quality, engineering, or originality... Did you see the project getting this big when it started?
I can honestly answer that with a clear "no". But I also have to say, I seem to have pulled myself into a vortex of signing and releasing stuff. Maybe it's just a basic aspect of my personal character... But, I do try to keep focus on quality control and release intervals which are reasons why I installed the subseries to the schedule:

T3K-Free for some free 320 mp3s, T3K Limited for presenting talented newcomers or known producers with a different vibe, T3K Experimental for the heavy, dark and strange stuff without limits, and T3K Extended and the main series called T3K for our main sound consisting of techno-dnb, neurofunk and neuro-tech.

T3K was awarded "Hardest Working Label 2010" by your distributor. What kind of efforts have you put in to progress the label and earn such recognition?
Basically I just try to get the music to the ears of people. Sometimes they need more than one hint to check out music by names they don't know. It's my job to accomplish a sort-of broadening of their attention spectrum by using more than just the standard channels expected when marketing in the dnb scene. Furthermore, I've put out a lot of quality releases in the last year. It's an honour to get some recognition for T3K Recordings in such an interesting category.

What releases are you most proud of and why?
When speaking about the label: it all started with tracks from Forbidden Society. His name wasn't well known at the time and I was really impressed by his stuff. His beats are radical and uncompromising paths of producing absolute carnage. Manic Circle still is a killer and pure filth! Since then the catalogue has grown quite a bit, and some of the tracks really mean a lot to me. One of them is The Six Names 2009 by n0te aka Kenei & Eiton (T3K016) which I truly love. Kenei told me he didn't want it released, but luckily for us changed his mind and reworked it for us. Another one has to be Techdraft by Sunchase & Crypton which shows off Sunchase's musical abilities.

And when speaking about tracks I'm proud to have on the label, I have to mention the stuff by Kigami & Dereck (T3K-EXT009) and Ogonek (T3K025) which really make it for me. I could go on and on, so its fair to say I have a strong feeling for most of the releases on T3K Recordings...

When it comes to my own stuff, I've got to bring up some collab work like Gravitational Lensing, a track with Mefjus and Bowser from Austria that was recently picked up by Optiv for his Red Light Recordings, and some of the tunes with Bassrk compiled on a forthcoming EP on Trust In Music out of Berlin.

What typically goes into one of your tracks? Do you spend a long time in the studio, send files to collaborate, tear through three tracks a day on your own?
Things have changed lately. I've always liked the idea of doing things together... You might remember I used to do a lot of work with Amex (now owner of Perkussiv Music). After the split I started writing a lot of tracks with Isotop, Shots and Try And Error. Collaboration is such a great way to interact and learn (and I have to learn a lot!). I'm trying to get away from making multiple tunes in a week to less than that, putting more focus into making better tracks (which of course needs more time). And I have to say, that the older you get, the less time you have... which can limit my ambition a bit.

What projects should we be looking out for, from you and the labels in the coming year?
T3K Recordings has got a proper website, new look and an updated release schedule recently. All the input from the "new blood" leads to re-organization. DJ Hektik of Tilt Recordings has taken a step back from the day-to-day business at T3K, but a massive "THANK YOU" goes out to him for the loads of work he's put in. His input in the project was essential to get where we are. Moving forward though, I've found some artists who are motivated to contribute and to help evolve the label:

Proton Kid (of Kriotek) is one of the few friends I've met on the internet. He's a passionate lover of drum & bass, a great producer, and talented graphic artist. When it comes to sharing an opinion, he doesn't hide his thoughts and gets straight to the point, which I've found to be a rare and valuable feature. He's in charge of our new look, and brings a lot of positive energy into the label.

The Sickbrotherz who established Therapy Sessions Mannheim will also help out with some of the label work. Joining forces with T3K Recordings we're setup to run the Freak Out events in Mannheim, Germany. We've also got some collab-tunes coming out soon. We've also called upon Bassrk (of Audio Customs) to provide proper mastering for our future releases.

Final words?
Follow us on Facebook, SoundCloud, YouTube and Twitter. A big shout goes out to Sina (for understanding the hunger for more), Marc (not my brother!), Darius (dude, why the looong face?), Martin (keep it up my friend), Bjoern (multi-tasking pro), Steffen (all about the vegetable), all artists involved and a huge big up to all supporters around the globe (too many too mention).

Words: Ty 'Dubcomm' Metford

Kaiza presents The T3K Chronicles by kaiza