Lovers of electronic music have been raving about Minilogue for many
years. In 2008 it is almost impossible to imagine club music without
the two musicians from Malmo, Sweden. Nowadays, electronic producers
tend to retreat into their special stylistic niche - Minilogue dare to
draw the bigger picture. After releasing outstanding productions on such
renowned labels as Traum, Crosstown Rebels and Wagon Repair, their opus
magnum is to appear on Sven Vдths Cocoon Recordings. There are few
producers who match Cocoon's vision of an electronic sound both on the
dancefloor and beyond the club so perfectly: "Animals" covers a wide
spectrum of music, it reaches from peaktime techno to beatless deep
ambient. The full range of Minilogue's vision of electronic music is
developed on a double CD, while the vinyl version naturally focuses on
the dance tracks. The immediacy of the club tracks sweeps everything away
that is circumstantial and long-winded in contemporary dance music.
The tracks incorporate the elegance and simplicity of classical early
Nineties' techno, the economy and lightness of the minimal sound and the
sweetness and charm of the recent developments. "Animals" is not a
collection of single tracks but a journey that is supposed be listened
to from beginning to end and is mixed in a seamless flow.

Sebastian Mullaert and Marcus Henriksson emerged from opposing
backgrounds. In his youth Sebastian played a range of classical
instruments, he even worked as a violin teacher in his teens. At 18 he
discovered contemporary music and joined a band. Marcus used to be a fan
of Front 242 and Kraftwerk, he was ravished by the repetitive beats of
techno when the music exploded in the nineties. He started to organize
parties of his own and became a well known DJ in southern Sweden.
When Sebastian and Marcus met at a party, there was an immediate
connection. With Sebastian's formal knowledge and Marcus experience with
club music the two fitted together like a lock and its matching key.
As Son Kite and Trimatic they became very successful in the trance scene,
playing enthusiastically received live sets all over the world. With
Minilogue they leave the boundaries of that genre - and actually of any
genre. After having risen to the A-List of electronic producers,
they still reside in the tiny city of Malmц. As boys from the countryside
they enjoy the easy and humble life of a small town. At the same time
Malmц has always been very important for the underground dance music
scene of Sweden. Since techno and house have exploded in this country,
Stockholm tends to ride the hypes and trends, while Malmц is fighting
for the deeper and more minimal side of the music. That is why Sebastian
and Marcus still feel strongly and passionate about Malmц as their
musical home.

Minilogue have always been very interested in the visual aspect of their
art, it is natural for them to create a visual image as well as an
audible one. For many years they have thought of animals as the front for
Minilogue. These animals do not actually exist as pets. They are mystic,
imaginary creatures, merged together from different species. They
function as symbols for Minilogue's approach to electronic music as a mix
of different genres and styles. The production of the album was a notable
effort: It took Marcus and Sebastian three years until they were entirely
happy with every bit of "Animals". In order to create something timeless,
they quit working on the tracks from time to time and returned with
virgin ears. The result couldn't be more striking: The dance tracks
remain powerful and humble, the ambient tracks are subtle and bold at the
same time. Minilogue's music is emotional but not moody.
While contemporary electronic producers tend to get lost in layers of
sounds and reverb, "Animals" is spring-loaded and nimble. Tracks so
humble, effective and elegant they stream unremittingly into the
listeners ears. The music stretches out towards the horizon in a gesture
of unmitigated desire: a desire for wideness, a desire for sound,
a desire for the elementary beauty of techno.

http://www.minilogue.com/
http://cocoon.net