Digital Hardcore Recordings

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Digital Hardcore Recordings
DHRlogo.png
Founded1994 [1]
FounderJoel Amaretto
Alec Empire
Pete Lawton
Genre Digital hardcore
Country of origin United Kingdom
Location London, England
Official website http://www.digitalhardcore.com

Digital Hardcore Recordings (DHR) is a record label set up in 1994 [1] by Alec Empire, Joel Amaretto and Pete Lawton. Most of the music is recorded in Berlin, though the label is based in London where the records are mastered and manufactured. The funds for setting up the label came from the payment which Atari Teenage Riot received for their aborted record deal with the major UK record label Phonogram Records. [2]

Contents

The label is acclaimed for its articulation of the digital hardcore style of music: "digital hardcore" is used not only to refer to the record label itself, but to the genre that its artists helped to create. [3] Several artists to this day, though not affiliated with the DHR label, would classify themselves as digital hardcore, tangible proof of DHR's solid influence on the industrial/electronic scene as well as on the rock/metal-scene.

In 1995 DHR released its first album (they had previously only released a 12" in 1994) and a compilation, Harder Than The Rest. Digital Hardcore Festival events were held in several German cities, and the Suicide Club in Berlin, run by a friend of ATR, provided a platform to new bands such as EC8OR. The word about DHR spread to underground scenes in Japan, USA, Australia and Europe. BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel heard about DHR and invited Atari Teenage Riot to play in London.

In 1996 DHR made a distribution deal for the US on the Beastie Boys' Grand Royal label [4] then DHR toured there and South East Asia. Atari Teenage Riot toured in support of bands such as Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Beck, Rage Against the Machine and Wu-Tang Clan. In 1997 Atari Teenage Riot, Shizuo and Ec8or embarked on a Digital Hardcore tour of the United States.

In 1998 DHR established an office in New York City and its studios in Berlin. In the ensuing years Atari Teenage Riot came under a lot of pressure, amongst other reasons because of member Carl Crack's psychosis (and subsequent death). [5] By 2000 the Berlin music scene in which DHR had found its place was declining, Atari Teenage Riot disbanded and no new groups or artists were being signed to DHR. At the end of that year Alec Empire decided to restructure DHR and began work on a new album.

In 2002 Empire released Intelligence and Sacrifice [6] and played shows in the US. He became aware of the growing digital hardcore scene there, releasing a compilation of American bands on DHR entitled Don’t Fuck With Us!

Although at present the label is seen as less influential than it was in the 1990s, DHR is nevertheless recognised for its role in the emergence of breakcore, as well as promoting music its artists believed in.

Discography

EPs, singles and videos

Cat No.TitleArtistFormatYear
DHR 1Digital Hardcore EP Alec Empire 12" 1994
DHR 2Uzi Party EP DJ Bleed 12" 1994
DHR 3Suburban Soundtracks Pt. 1 Sonic Subjunkies 12" 1994
DHR 4Death EPAlec Empire 12" 1994
DHR 5Turntable Terrorist EPSonic Subjunkies 12" 1995
DHR 6
DHR MCD 6
Show EP Hanin Elias 12"
CD
1996
DHR 7Destroy Berlin! Christoph de Babalon 12" 1996
DHR 8
DHR MCD 8
AK-78 EC8OR 12"
CD
1996
DHR 9
DHR MCD 9
Spex Is A Fat BitchEC8OR 12"
CD
1996
DHR 10
DHR MCD 10
Speed/Midijunkies Atari Teenage Riot 12"
CD
1995
DHR 11
DHR MCD 11
Kids Are United E.P. Atari Teenage Riot12"
CD
1995
DHR 12
DHR MCD 12
Sick to Death E.P. Atari Teenage Riot12"
CD
1997
DHR 14
DHR MCD 14
High On Emotion EP Shizuo 12"
CD
1996
DHR 15
DHR MCD 15
Destroy 2000 Years of Culture Atari Teenage Riot12"
CD
1997
DHR 16
DHR MCD 16
Seven Up EP Christoph de Babalon 12"
CD
1997
DHR 17
DHR MCD 17
New Kick E.P.Shizuo 12"
CD
1997
DHR MCD 18Until Everything ExplodesEC8OR CD 1997
DHR 19
DHR MCD 19
Human Distortion 16-17 12"
CD
1998
DHR 20Choice of the RighteousBomb 20 12" 1996
DHR 21
DHR MCD 21
Flip Burgers or Die!!!!!Bomb 20 12"
CD
1998
DHR 22
DHR MCD 22
White Heat Nic Endo 12"
CD
1998
DHR 23Right Into A Kick For MoreCobra Killer 7" 1998
DHR 24
DHR MCD 24
Revolution Action Atari Teenage Riot12"
CD
1999
DHR 25
DHR MCD 25
In Flames EPHanin Elias 12"
CD
1999
DHR 26
DHR MCD 26
Too Dead For Me EP Atari Teenage Riot12"
CD
1999
DHR 27
DHR MCD 27
Rage E.P. Atari Teenage Riot12"
CD
2000
DHR 28
DHR MCD 28
Hot Lips, Wet Pants/I Luv SpeedLolita Storm 7"
CD
1999
DHR 29
DHR MCD 29
In Flames (Remix EP)Hanin Elias 12"
CD
2000
DHR 30
DHR MCD 30
Red Hot Riding HoodLolita Storm 7"
CD
2000
DHR 31
DHR MCD 31
DynamiteEC8OR 12"
CD
2000
DHR 32
DHR MCD 32
RageATR12"
CD
2000
DHR MCD 33Sick SlitsLolita Storm CD 2001
DHR MCD 34Kill LifeFidel Villeneuve CD 2001
DHR MCD 35
DHR MCD 35 P
Shards of Pol-Pottery: The 2001 Remixes Alec Empire and El-P CD
12"
2001
DHR 36Digital Hardcore Videosvarious VHS 2001
DHR MCD 38
DHR MCD 38 CD2
Addicted to YouAlec Empire CD1
CD2
2002
DHR DVD 39 Death Favours the Enemy: Live 2002 Alec EmpireDVD2002
DHR 40
DHR MCD 40
DHR MCD 40 CD2
The RideAlec Empire 12"
CD1
CD2
2002
DHR MCD 41Eat, Drink, Sleep, Think Motormark CD 2004
DHR MCD 42ReachPanic DHH CDr 2004
DHR MCD 43Gotta Get Out!Alec Empire CD 2005
DHR 44 ER
DHR MCD 44 ER
Kiss Of DeathAlec Empire 7"
CD
2005

Albums

Cat No.TitleArtistFormatYear
DHR CD 1
DHR LP 1
1995 Atari Teenage Riot CD
LP
1995
DHR CD 1 Delete Yourself! Atari Teenage RiotCD1995
DHR CD 2
DHR LP 2
Harder Than The Restvarious CD
2xLP
1995
DHR CD 3
DHR LP 3
EC8OR (CD/2xLP) EC8OR CD
2xLP
1995
DHR CD 4
DHR LP 4
The Destroyer Alec Empire CD
2xLP
1996
DHR CD 5
DHR LP 5
The Horrible Plans Of Flex BustermanThe Horrible Plans Of Flex Busterman CD
2xLP
1997
DHR CD 6
DHR LP 6
The Future of War Atari Teenage RiotCD
2xLP
1997
DHR CD 7
DHR LP 7
Shizuo vs. Shizor Shizuo CD
2xLP
1997
DHR CD 8
DHR LP 8
If You're Into It, I'm Out of It Christoph de Babalon CD
2xLP
1997
DHR CD 9
DHR LP 9
World BeatersEC8OR CD
LP
1998
DHR CD 10
DHR LP 10
Riot Zonevarious CD
2xLP
1997
DHR CD 11
DHR LP 11
Squeeze the Trigger Alec EmpireCD
2xLP
1997
DHR CD 12
DHR LP 12
Death Breathing DJ 6666 featuring The Illegals CD
2xLP
1998
DHR CD 14
DHR LP 14
Curse of the Golden Vampire Curse of the Golden VampireCD
2xLP
1998
DHR CD 15
DHR LP 15
Field ManualBomb 20 CD
2xLP
1998
DHR CD 16
DHR LP 16
The DestroyerAlec EmpireCD
2xLP
1998
DHR CD 17You've Got The Fucking Powervarious CD 1998
DHR CD 18
DHR LP 18
Cobra KillerCobra Killer CD
LP
1998
DHR CD 19
DHR LP 19
Too Bad But TrueFever CD
LP
1998
DHR CD 20
DHR LP 20
60 Second Wipe Out Atari Teenage RiotCD
2xLP
1999
DHR CD 2021
DHR LP 2021
60 Second Wipe Out/
Live in Philadelphia Dec. 1997
Atari Teenage Riot2xCD
3xLP
1999
DHR CD 21
DHR LP 21
Live in Philadelphia Dec. 1997Atari Teenage RiotCD
LP
1999
DHR CD 22
DHR LP 22
In Flames (1995–1999)Hanin Elias CD
LP
1999
DHR CD 23
DHR LP 23
Girls Fucking Shit Up Lolita Storm CD
LP
2000
DHR LP 24Hitler2000Patric Catani 2xLP 2000
DHR CD 2560 Second Wipe OutAtari Teenage RiotEnhanced CD2000
DHR CD 26Attitude PC8Patric Catani CD 2000
DHR CD 27
DHR LP 27
The One and Only High and LowEC8OR CD
LP
2000
DHR CD 28 Live at Brixton Academy Atari Teenage RiotCD
LP
2000
DHR CD 29 Intelligence and Sacrifice Alec Empire2xCD2002
DHR CD 30In Flames (1995–1999)Hanin Elias Enhanced CD 2000
DHR CD 31DIY-Festvarious CD 2001
DHR CD 33Don't F**k With Usvarious 3xCD 2002
DHR CD 34 Redefine the Enemy! Atari Teenage RiotCD2002
DHR CD 38 Burn, Berlin, Burn! Atari Teenage RiotCD2003
DHR CD 39Panic Drives Human HerdsPanic DHH CD 2004
DHR CD 40 ER Futurist Alec EmpireCD2005
DHR CD 41Chrome Tape Motormark CD 2004
DHR CD 42
DHR LP 42
Atari Teenage Riot: 1992-2000 Atari Teenage RiotCD
2xLP
2006
DHR CD 43Is This Hyperreal?Atari Teenage RiotCD2011
DHR CD 44Riot In Japan 2011Atari Teenage RiotCD2012
DHR CD 45 Reset Atari Teenage RiotCD2015

DHR Limited series

Cat No.TitleArtistFormatYear
DHR LTD CD 001
DHR LTD 001
Funk Riot Beat Death Funk CD
LP
1997
DHR LTD MCD 002
DHR LTD 002
No Safety Pin Sex E.P. Alec EmpireCD
12"
1997
DHR LTD MCD 003
DHR LTD 003
Snuff OutPatric Catani CD
12"
1997
DHR LTD MCD 004
DHR LTD 004
Fuck Step '98 Shizuo CD
LP
1998
DHR LTD CD 005
DHR LTD 005
Black Ark Carl Crack CD
LP
1998
DHR LTD MCD 006
DHR LTD 006
100 DPSPatric Catani CD
LP
1998
DHR LTD MCD 007
DHR LTD 007
Live at the Suicide Club 8-7-95Sonic Subjunkies CD
12"
1998
DHR LTD CD 008
DHR LTD 008
We Punk Einheit! Nintendo Teenage Robots CD
2xLP
1999
DHR LTD CD 009
DHR LTD 009
Miss Black America Alec EmpireCD
LP
1999
DHR LTD 010Gimme Nyquil All Night Long/I Won't PayEC8OR 7" 2000
DHR LTD 11Clear and Present Danger Vol. 1:
Digital Hardcore Recordings vs Invisible Records
various CD 2001
DHR LTD CD 12DHR LTD12 CDvarious CD 2000
DHR LTD CD 011Bleeding in CirclesHeartworm CD 2002
DHR LTD CD 012 Live CBGB's NYC 1998 Alec Empire vs. Merzbow CD2003
DHR LTD CD 014 The CD2 Sessions Alec EmpireCD2003
DHR LTD CD 015Introduction to Global Stupidity Tuareg Geeks CDr 2005

DHR online shop exclusives

Cat No.TitleArtistFormatYear
DHR MAIL 1Live At CBGB's New York City 4-11-98Alec Empire CDr 2004
DHR MAIL 10The Destroyer Mix Tape #3/98Alec Empire CDr 2004
DHR MAIL 11The Destroyer Mix Tape #4/04Alec Empire CDr 2004
DHR MAIL 12Live At The Suicide Club 1995Alec Empire CDr 2006

DHR official tape series

Cat No.TitleArtistFormatYear
DHR OTS 000001 Live in Stuttgart (One-Off Shit Let's Go!) Atari Teenage Riotcassette1996
DHR OTS 000010Noise, Dropouts and No MusicKill:Out Trash cassette 1996
DHR OTS 000011Killed by LiesTest Tube Kid cassette 1996

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atari Teenage Riot</span> German digital hardcore band

Atari Teenage Riot (ATR) is a German band formed in Berlin in 1992. Highly political, they fuse left-wing, anarchist and anti-fascist views with punk vocals and a techno sound called digital hardcore, which is a term band member Alec Empire used as the name of his record label Digital Hardcore Recordings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanin Elias</span> German industrial/techno artist

Hanin Elias is a Syrian German industrial/techno artist. She was a member of Atari Teenage Riot and is now a solo artist.

Carl Crack was a Swazi-born German techno artist best known for his membership in the digital hardcore band Atari Teenage Riot from 1992 to 2000.

Digital hardcore is a fusion genre that combines hardcore punk with electronic dance music genres such as breakbeat, techno, and drum and bass while also drawing on heavy metal and noise music. It typically features fast tempos and aggressive sound samples. The style was pioneered by Alec Empire of the German band Atari Teenage Riot during the early 1990s, and often has sociological or leftist lyrical themes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alec Empire</span> German experimental electronic musician

Alec Empire is a German experimental electronic musician who is best known as a founding member of the band Atari Teenage Riot, as well as a solo artist, producer and DJ. He has released many albums, EPs and singles, some under aliases, and remixed over seventy tracks for various artists including Björk. He was also the driving force behind the creation of the digital hardcore genre, and founded the record labels Digital Hardcore Recordings and Eat Your Heart Out Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nic Endo</span> Japanese-German-American noise musician

Nic Endo is a Japanese-German-American noise musician who plays with the German digital hardcore group Atari Teenage Riot. The daughter of a Japanese mother and a German father, Endo was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cobra Killer</span> German digital hardcore group

The Cobra Killer duo of Gina V. D'Orio and Annika Trost began as part of Alec Empire's Digital hardcore movement. Both were part of other bands signed to Empire's Digital Hardcore Recordings label—D'Orio was in EC8OR, and Trost was in Shizuo.

EC8OR is a German digital hardcore band founded in 1995 by Patric Catani and Gina V. D'Orio and signed by Alec Empire's Digital Hardcore Recordings record label. The music was in the same vein of Atari Teenage Riot's style of early Breakcore and hardcore techno with a punk edge, which led to EC8OR been overlooked by fans of digital hardcore recordings, but EC8OR employed more low-res ideas as the first album was entirely composed on Amiga 500 and with a microphone.

<i>Threat</i> (film) 1999 American film

Threat (2006) is an independent film about a straightedge "hardcore kid" and a hip hop revolutionary whose friendship is doomed by the intolerance of their respective street tribes. It is an ensemble film of kids and young adults living in the early-to-mid-90s era of New York City's all-time highest ever murder rate, each of them suffering from a sense of doom brought on by dealing with HIV, racism, sexism, class struggle, and general nihilism.

<i>Burn, Berlin, Burn!</i> 1997 compilation album by Atari Teenage Riot

Burn, Berlin, Burn! is a compilation album released by Atari Teenage Riot in 1997. Initially released in the United States by the Beastie Boys' record label Grand Royal, the album is a collection of tracks from their first two albums Delete Yourself! and The Future of War. After Grand Royal Records went defunct, the album was later remastered and re-released on Digital Hardcore Recordings.

<i>Alec Empire vs. Elvis Presley</i> 1999 studio album by Alec Empire

Alec Empire vs. Elvis Presley is a recording by Alec Empire which incorporates Elvis Presley samples.

<i>Death Favours the Enemy: Live 2002</i> 2002 video by Alec Empire

Death Favours the Enemy: Live 2002 is a video recording of four songs from live shows in London and Berlin, featuring the recently formed Alec Empire band performing material from the album Intelligence and Sacrifice. It was directed by Philipp "Virus" Reichenheim, and released on DVD in 2002. The DVD also features the promo video for "Addicted to You", directed by John Hillcoat.

<i>Atari Teenage Riot: 1992–2000</i> 2006 greatest hits album by Atari Teenage Riot

Atari Teenage Riot: 1992–2000 is a greatest hits compilation by the seminal digital hardcore band Atari Teenage Riot. The album was released on band member Alec Empire's Digital Hardcore Recordings on 3 July 2006 and features 18 tracks from the band's back catalogue.

<i>The Destroyer</i> (Alec Empire album) 1996 studio album by Alec Empire

The Destroyer is an album by electronic artist Alec Empire, his first on his own record label Digital Hardcore Recordings, released in 1996 in Europe and a revised version in 1998 in United States. Destroyer is also the name given to a series of EPs by Empire released two years before. Unlike his previous albums for Mille Plateaux, The Destroyer had a much heavier sound more akin to that of his band Atari Teenage Riot, and is considered one of the earliest examples of a breakcore record. Producer Enduser named the album as an inspiration for his music. The album peaked at #54 on the CMJ Radio Top 200 in the U.S.

The following is a list of known recordings by or involving Alec Empire, excluding his work with Atari Teenage Riot.

<i>Miss Black America</i> (album) 1999 studio album by Alec Empire

Miss Black America is the sixth solo studio album by German producer Alec Empire, originally released through his Digital Hardcore Recordings label as a part of its DHR Limited series of single pressing albums. Recorded throughout August 1998 in between sessions for Atari Teenage Riots 60 Second Wipeout, the album was produced in response to the political climate of Germany at the time.

<i>Live in Stuttgart (One-Off Shit Lets Go!)</i> 1996 live album by Atari Teenage Riot

Live In Stuttgart is a rare live album by Atari Teenage Riot. Initially released on cassette, the album predates the infamous Live at Brixton Academy noise-fest, and features a bizarre blend of live instrumentation and spoken word pieces from various songs.

<i>Rage E.P.</i> 2000 EP by Atari Teenage Riot

Rage E.P. is a release by Atari Teenage Riot. Although the title of the release is "Rage E.P.", it only contains versions of the song "Rage", so it is similar to a single. The CD versions are enhanced CDs which contain the single file of the music video "Too Dead For Me" in MPEG format. A 12" vinyl edition also exists.

<i>Revolution Action</i> 1999 EP by Atari Teenage Riot

Revolution Action E.P. is an extended play by the German digital hardcore group Atari Teenage Riot, released in 1999 on 12" vinyl and CD formats to promote the album 60 Second Wipe Out, where the title track originates. Two music videos were produced for the track, one of which was actually banned by MTV. "Revolution Action" was also the name of a tour and live various artist release titled Revolution Action Japan Tour 1999 EP.

Christoph de Babalon is a German electronic producer, experimental artist and DJ, best known for his work on Alec Empire's label Digital Hardcore Recordings, most notably If You're Into It, I'm Out of It (1997). He also is the co-founder of the label Cross Fade Enter Tainment (CFET).

References

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  2. "Hanin Elias Lecture". redbullmusicacademy.com. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  3. "Digital Hardcore Music Guide: 5 Notable Digital Hardcore Artists". 21 August 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  4. "Atari Teenage Riot's insightful frontman". 3 October 1997. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  5. "Atari Teenage Riot Cofounder Dead At 30". 24 September 2001. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  6. "Alec Empire: Intelligence and Sacrifice". 23 October 2002. Retrieved 28 September 2022.