| Austrian record label, owned by Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister. Created in 1993, the label is famed for chilled out, laid-back music, heavily influenced by drum & bass, trip hop, and acid jazz.
Kruder and Dorfmeister themselves are certainly the most famous act on the label, and many of the other acts are pseudonyms or alternate projects for the duo (for example Tosca, which is a Dorfmeister project). However, the label does release other acts, which are almost always very high-quality and well produced (since these acts have to satisfy the ears of Kruder and Dorfmeister themselves, this is no surprise...). In Britain, Gilles Peterson has championed the label, and new releases are often played on his radio show pre-release.
Despite the critical acclaim the label has received, and Kruder and Dorfmeister themselves becoming essential listening for anyone aspiring to be 'trendy' and cutting-edge, they still produce quality tunes, fairly independently of the market forces. In fact, they go out of their way to avoid the big bucks, and the associated media circus.
This philosophy is probably summed up best in an extract from an e-mail exchange between the G-stone record label and a producer wanting to use their music in a new film, which is reproduced in 'The G-stone book':
'a disco scene set to a chilly, slo-mo track? this maybe filed under 'artistical freedom' obviously, but still i believe taking 'worn out' k+d stuff as film music in 2000 can only be - attention!- irony! - the choice of fifty years+ directors who wear trainers and heard this music for the first time when they had sex with the teenage script girl (who adores k+d), while their wifes are taking yoga lessons, cause they are feeling so empty inside'
Couldn't agree more.
The one consistent criticism I have heard of the label is that much of the music sounds so similar. Clearly, this divides people into two camps - those who think that this shows a lack of originality, and those who think that the 'G-stone sound' is so perfect that it couldn't be improved anyway... The reality is probably somewhere in between. While it is unfair to label all their music as 'the same' (Compare the 'Bug powder dust' remix, dark, threatening quasi-hip-hop, to 'Chocolate Elvis', a cheeky up-lifting, get-your-ass-on-the-dance-floor kind of track...), it is true that sometimes it becomes a little predictable over the course of an album (Tosca's Suzuki might even contain, (dare I say it?), filler...)
Overall, an important label, that is moving music forward in new and exciting directions, and looking damn cool while doing it. Just be aware of the mesmerising effects of too much G-stone...
Complete list of G-stone releases/remixes/productions 1993-2000
Taken from 'The G-stone book'.
- Kruder & Dorfmeister, G-stoned, E.P., (G-stone 12 001)
- Sin, Where shall I turn? K+D session (Gigi records)
- Sin, Where shall I turn, K+D session vol.2, Freezone vol.2 (SSR)
- Count Basic, Strange Life / Hide + Seek, K+D session (Spray)
- William Orbit, Strange Cargo, K+D session (Warner)
- Tosca, Chocolate Elvis, (G-stone, 12 002)
- K+D, Young man, Give em enough dope Vol. 2 (Wall of Sound)
- Knowtoryous, Bomberclaad, K+D session (Compost)
Bomb the Bass, Bug powder dust, K+D session, (Island)
- K+D, A tune for us, Multidirection Vol.2 / (Bronwswood/Talkin Loud)
- U.F.O., L.o.v.e. K+D session (Brownswood/Talkin Loud)
- Bones, Thugs & Harmony, 1st of the month K+D session (Sony)
- Knowtoryous, The revenge of the Bomberclaad (Compost)
- Alex Reece, Jazzmaster, K+D session (Blunted/Island)
- David Holmes, Gone, K+D session (Go Discs)
- K+D, Shakatakadoodub, Ninjacuts Vol 2 / Flexistentialism (Ninja tune)
- K+D, Out of the blue, Freezone Vol 3 (SSR, Creammed)
- Waldeck, Northen Lights, (Spray/BMG)
- Tosca, Fuck Dub (G-stone 12 003)
- Count Basic, Gotta do/Speechless, K+D session (Spray/BMG)
- Conversions, K+D selection of drum & bass (Spray/BMG)
- Mama Oliver, East west K+D versions, (Uptight)
- K+D, DJ-kicks (studio K7)
- K+D, Black Baby (Studio K7)
- Rockers Hi-Fi, Going Under, K+D session (Different Drummer)
- Sofa Surfers, Sofa rockers, R.Dorfmeister mix (Klein records)
- Lamb, Transfatty acid, K+D session (fontana)
- Tosca, Fuck dub remixes vol 1 (G-stone 12 004)
Mixes by Fila Brazilia + Baby Mammoth
- Tosca, Fuck dub remixes vol 2 (G-stone 12 006)
Mixes by Fauna Flash, Haaksman + Beanfield
- Dr. Richard, Letlag remixes (Sabotage)
- Tosca, Bouna Sarah (G-stone 12 005)
- Tosca, CD, Opera (G-stone CD 002)
- Tosca, Fuck dub remixes vol 3 (G-stone 12 007)
Mixes by Pulsinger / Tunakan + Uptight productions
- Tosca, The key, Freezone vol. 4 (SSR, Crammed)
- Roni Size, Heroes, Kruder mixes (Talkin Loud)
- Tosca, Ocean beat, Future sound of jazz vol. 4 (compost)
- Gregory Isaacs, Nightnurse, K+D session (Quango/Island)
- K+D, Sleazy Rider, sunsun compilation (sony france)
- Tosca, Fuck dub remix collection (G-satone CD 003)
- Depeche Mode, Useless, K+D session (Mute)
- Dub club Vienna, Get up man mixes, (dub club records)
- Beanfield, Planetary Deadlock, Dorfmeister remix (compost)
- Doris Days, To Ulrike M., Tosca Baader Meinhof mix (dorado)
- Rainer Trüby Trio, Donaueschingen, Kruder mix (compost)
- Afrodelix, Rollin on chrome, Dorfmeister dub, (uptight.BMG)
- Akasha, Soft & melting, R.Dorfmeister dub (Wall of Sound)
- Madonna, Nothing really matters, K+D Session (Maverick/Warner US)
- Stereotyp, Stash it! (G-stone 12 008)
- K+D, The Kruder & Dorfmeister sessions tm, (G-stone/Studio K&)
- Walkner Möstl, Bluish E.P., (G-stone, 12 009 /G-stone CD 005)
- Tosca, Chocolate Elvis, dubs by Uptight, Boozoo Bajou, Rockers Hifi, Baby
- Mammoth etc. (G-stone 12 010 / G-stone CD 006)
- Kieser.Velten, Showdown EP, (G-stone CD 007) / G-stone 12 012)
- Peace Orchestra, Peace Orchestra (G-stone CD 004 / LP 004 / Studio K7)
- Tosca, Suzuki EP (G-stone 12 014)
- Tosca, Suzuki album, (G-stone CD 008 / G-stone LP 005)
- Peace Orchestra, Shining rmx (G-stone 12 015 / CD 009)
- Dub Club, Dub Club compilation (Dub club 12003 / CD003)
- Sugar B., I+I Product, (Dub Club 12002 / CD 002)
- Walkner Möstl, Heaven or hell, (G-stone 12 017 / G-stone CD 011)
- Peace Orchestra, The man remix, (G-stone 12 016 / CD 010)
- Tosca, Suzuki in dub, remixes by B. Friedman, Organic grooves, choc electronique, dZihan+Kamien, baby Mammoth, Alex kid (G-stone 12 018 / CD 012) (tracks differ on CD and 12")
- K+D, Album, (G-stone 12 020 / CD 014)
- Kosma-Odessa, Peter Kruder Broadcasts from the Inside (Infracom IC 058-1)
- Voom Voom-Poppen / Influenza (compost 071-1)
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