For those who don’t know Terre Thaemlitz is a prize winning music and art producer, author, public speaker, educationalist, audio remixer, DJ and boss of the Comatonse Recordings record label. Terre’s work also takes a precarious look at identity politics – involving gender, sexuality, class, linguistics, ethnicity and race – with an ongoing examination of the socio-economics of money-making media production.
Sprinkles has released over 15 solo albums, as well as many 12-inch singles and video outputs. Terre’s texts on music and culture have been published internationally in a number of books, academic journals and magazines. As a speaker and educator on issues of non-essentialist Transgenderism and Queerness, Thaemlitz has pontificated and contributed in panel discussions throughout Europe and Japan. Totally in step with the Subculture ethos of constantly moving forward and evolving, this artist has been on our radar for ages and it’s always been a matter of when, not if Terre would grace the Subculture booth.
As the Subculture debut approaches, we thought we’d get to grips with some selected musical highlights from an outstanding career and treat you to some of the best music, writings and features from Terre’s own world on the web.
To give you some flavour of Sprinkles we’re also linking to a couple of interesting wee press pieces from the archives…
It was 2009’s ‘Midtown 120 Blues’ that concreted a status for bold, politically and philosophically enquiring deep house.
Next up was the far-reaching ‘Soulnessless‘, a significant release recognised for its superlative content (165 pages of incredibly detailed writings, narratives, analyses, images, 80 minutes of very densely meaningful video, +32 hours of audio) as well as its pioneering recording concept – ‘Soulnessless’ took mp3 format to the absolute limit with the lead track, Meditation On Wage Labor And The Death Of The Album, lasting almost 30 hours.
The 2 CD Queerifications and Ruins release was voted #1 Compilation of 2013 in Resident Advisor’s Staff Poll – Well deserved in our humble opinion!
Last year Terre curated a feature for RADIO WEB MACBA about music roots and a Lost Techno-Pop Weekend in Rural Midwestern America. “In this sense, techno-pop constitutes an isolated and rarely discussed ‘lost weekend’ from standard pop practices. Techno-pop is most often dismissed as a shade of new romanticism, punk or electro. However, I believe its strict emphasis on electronics and critical rejection of rock culture (at least in the beginning) make techno-pop in and of itself one of the most important, albeit short-lived, genres of the last century.” To read and listen to the full feature click HERE.
DJ Sprinkles has “long challenged audiences through both theoretically rigorous experimental music and joyous house.” To celebrate, RBMA asked Sprinkles to make them a list. Any list. To see what the former RBMA Lecturer came up with, check out these Top 5 Studio Tips.
Going back to 2010 here’s Terre sitting on the famous couch and chatting to Red Bull Music Academy about growing up and using electronic music to escape dominant cultures..
Earlier this year Terre spoke at the Tate London for ‘A Special Address’ about gender talents, safe spaces, self-determination and solidarity. Stating “I feel politically averse to participating in public displays of euphoria and joy.”
Below you can watch the full speakers session:
As far as the writings go this one got particular attention. Back in 2011 Terre talks about “Voguing And The House Ballroom Scene Of New York City 1989-92.”
Terre also diarised an unfortunate incident at the grave of Oscar Wilde in Paris and a DJ gig experience on the night Michael Jackson died with a clear message to the late “King of Pop.” Check it out HERE.
The well spoken activist also sent out a Christmas Eve Message in response to the Pope’s rant on “Gender…something or other”
Going back to the music, Terre got a lot of love from XLR8Rs 11 Takeaways from 2013’s Amsterdam Dance Event.
Steering clear of kick drums and drug chat, Sprinkles opened up to Crack Magazine up about sexuality, sonic-semiotics and shopping-mall background bangers.
To finish things off here’s some very rare recordings and online music for your listening pleasure. First up a LWE podcast from a few years back followed by a very special guest appearance on NTS Radio show from this summer. This was a one off for our friends at London’s Thunder ahead of their sold out Dance Tunnel party. (Terre mentions hunting for a record for 5 – 10 years…)
DJ Sprinkles – 11th July 2014 by Nts Radio on Mixcloud
DJ Sprinkles is a unique soul in this world of carbon copy clublanders. With a slew of incredible tracks among a myriad of other offerings, this is more than mere activism, this is getting active. So let’s be sure to give Terre a right good Glasgow welcome..
Advance ticket’s to catch Sprinkles’s Subculture debut alongside Harri & Domenic are on sale HERE and in store or online at TICKETS SCOTLAND.