OLD SKOOL.
LEFT: the old IF? logo, an accidental design conjured up by Andrez Bergen in 1995, and embellished as a turntable by Brian Huber that same year. Relegated to history 14 years later.
V/A. Zeitgeist. 1995
IF001
This one's where it all started, with the CD proudly and rather loudly branded "Made In Melbourne".
Featuring then-fledgling Melbourne artists Zen Paradox, Voiteck, TR-Storm, Honeysmack's David Haberfeld (as Pura), Adam Raisbeck and David Thrussell (as Soulenoid), Voiteck and Steve Law together as The Sonic Voyagers, Q-Kontrol, Josh Abrahams, and a funky remix of FSOM's anthem, 'Welcome', by Thomas P. Heckmann (Trope).
Licensed to Nova Zembla, Belgian subsidiary to Kk, through which it was released on both vinyl and CD.
1996 INTERVIEW
BUY ONLINE HERE
GUYVER 3. Perception Camera. 1996
IF006
The debut album from Melbourne's Scott Armstrong, and the first solo artist release for IF? Records, back in 1996. Additional production by Adam Raisbeck (Sense/Soulenoid) in the 23-minute live jam (Track #23), originally recorded on Andrez's 3PBS-FM show, 'Cyberdada', in September 1995.
Experimental, out there, and completely revolutionary stuff that was years ahead of its time—and promptly sold about 30 copies of the 500 pressed. The rest were given away, aside from copies inadvertently scratched in the "storeroom" under Andrez's bed.
LITTLE NOBODY. Pop Tart. 1998
IF009
Debut album for IF? boss Andrez Bergen, released on CD around September 1998 and distributed internationally by Shock.
Top track: 'Nobody's Driving', actually the first track Andrez ever composed as Little Nobody, which subsequently appeared on several compilations including 'Sunblock', 'Zeitgeist 3', 'Zuzushi Breakz', and 'Love Songs for the Feint of Heart', and was remixed by Steve Cobby (Fila Brazillia), Masaya Sasaki, Toshiyuki Yasuda, and Naotoxin for last year's 'Slam-Dunk Ninja: The Perspicacious Remix Selection' comp (IF033 - 2008).
PURCHASE HERE
Little Nobody presents Reaction Hero. 2001
IFO18
Unleashed in 2001 as a double-CD remix companion piece to the previous year's Little Nobody album 'Action Hero' (IF014 - 2000), and distributed by Shock.
For the rather Herculean task, Andrez initiated a massive 32 rejigs of tracks off 'Action Hero' by a bunch of mates in Melbourne, the rest of Australia, and from overseas.
Think Si Begg (Noodles/Buckfunk 3000), Tobias Schmidt (Tresor/Sativae), Steve Law (Zen Paradox), Tal (Sub Rosa), Digital Primate (Pro-Jex), Nick Littlemore (Pnau/Underwater), 5000 Fingers Of Dr. T (Clan Analogue), Cinnaman (Dirty House Records), Francois Tetaz (Shinjuku Filth), Brixton (Holzplatten), Yamaoka (Kazumi), Son Of Zev, Voco Derman, Artificial, Isnod, DJ Rush, The Alcoiids, Brian May, Brewster B, Zog, Pocket, Tone Float, the LN Elektronische Ensemble, Schlock Tactile, DJ Fodder, Magnet Toy, Resound, and more. Unweildy and completely over-the-top stuff, with a 12-page, full-color booklet on the artists involved, and cover concept by Andrez and Damian Stephens.
LITTLE NOBODY. Depth Charge. 2003
IF021
4-track, white label 12-inch vinyl release.
Now deleted. Even Andrez doesn't have a hard-copy of the wax anymore, as he accidentally stepped on his while DJing drunk one night. Long story. Or quite possibly short - depends how he tells it.
"A more eclectic take on what Cari Lekebusch might make if he was mixed about about his Australian heritage and his current Japanese environment." - ADAM FELLER, Smasher magazine, UK (2004)
SLAM-DUNK NINJA. Ninja Daddy. 2007
IF024
Debut EP from Andrez's side-project outfit Slam-dunk Ninja (actually kick-started in a soundsystem performance at Frigid in Sydney in 2003), released on vinyl in Japan in April 2007. It has remixes by IF? (ale) stalwarts Little Nobody and Kid Calmdown, plus debut vocal work by Andrez's then-18-month-old daughter, Cocoa Umehara Bergen.
More focused on dubbed out hip-hop, jazz, and subby electro.
The Perspicacious Remix Selection. 2007
IF033, HRoomCD001
Originally intended as a double-CD release in 2007 with an Australian distributor who pulled the plug at the last moment, this one was instead released in collaboration with the awesome people at Hypnotic Room early on in 2008, as a digital-only offering.
Getting all self-indulgent and wanting an excuse to party, Andrez decided to celebrate the decade since he cut his first track ('Nobody's Driving') in 1997 by getting some of his favorite people to do remixes of Little Nobody numbers.
On board for this particular ride were Si Begg, Jason Leach (Subhead), Tobias Schmidt, Captain Funk, Toshiyuki Yasuda, Isnod, Masaya Sasaki, Tal, Devin Wine, Pat Stormont, Sebastian Bayne, Dick Drone and Naotoxin. And a superb cover by Damian Stephens that incorporates one of Andrez's happy snaps.
PURCHASE HERE
Z-13.1: 13 Years of IF?. 2008
IF046
The first of two compilations (the other is IF047, 'Z-13.2'), released exclusively online via Addictech in November/December 2008, to commemorate the IF? label's 13th anniversary.
It was somehow appropriate that this compilation from IF? started off with a brand new track by current Melbourne electronic music enfant terrible, Pat Stormont, and it finished on a track recorded in 1995 by Zen Paradox—the same city's undoubted techno/electro elder statesman, and a man still amazingly relevant 13 years later. Which is exactly how old IF? Records itself was in 2008; the baby that was also kick-started—again in Melbourne—in 1995, was now an unwieldy teenager.
To celebrate, we got new tracks from people like Jammin' Unit, his brother Khan (Captain Comatose), Bitch Shift, Zero Cash, Little Nobody, Son Of Zev, DJ Hi-Shock, CHIZQ, Jason Leach, Admiral Anderision, Conversational Dentures, Tidy Kid, Electron Tee, Artificial, Micoland, Masaya Sasaki and Alone Together, that criss-cross styles from acid-tech to electro-rock to cut-up hysteria. Lovely.
And gorgeous cover art for both comps by Haydn Dean.
Z-13.1 PURCHASE HERE
Z-13.2 PURCHASE HERE
