Modeselektor Classics Vol. 1 Reworks Old Tracks

Modeselektor Classics Vol. 1 is presented as a new album by Modeselektor that reimagines earlier material rather than serving as a pure remaster. The collection includes re-recorded older tracks such as “Blockchain,” which was derived from The Black Block (2007).

The duo say that “Kill Bill” was the first track re-recorded; it initially seemed easiest but ultimately took the longest. They report that some pieces were kept in their original spirit while others were redone.

To recover the material, they restored computers that had not been powered on for 15 years and opened old sessions from the Happy Birthday album using macOS9, Logic Silver, and the second version of Ableton. The recording approach was intentionally stripped down: laptop, MIDI controller and Kaos Pad were used, with no sound card or crew, and recordings were made via mini jack.

The release appears on Modeselektor’s own Monkeytown label. GROOVE author Jakob Senger conducted the interview in which the duo described these processes.

The duo recovered computers that had not been powered on for 15 years to access archived sessions. They opened sessions from the Happy Birthday album using macOS9, Logic Silver, and the second version of Ableton. From those sessions, they re-recorded older material, including the track Blockchain which was derived from The Black Block (2007). Some material was preserved in its original spirit while other pieces were fully redone during this process.

The recording setup was intentionally minimal: a laptop, a MIDI controller, and a Kaos Pad were used. The duo recorded without a sound card or crew, routing signals via mini jack. Kill Bill was the first track re-recorded; it initially appeared easiest but ultimately required the most time. The group described the approach as a classics-live-act setup, firing up old gear rather than producing a conventional new album. They teamed up with Johannes Wagner, also known as J.Manuel, from the Spandau20 circle for studio work.

Modeselektor Classics Vol. 1 revisits earlier material through re-recordings rather than presenting a straightforward remaster. The album includes reworked pieces such as “Blockchain,” which is derived from The Black Block (2007), and the duo say that “Kill Bill” was the first track they re-recorded; it initially appeared easiest but ultimately took the longest.

The artists describe the finished collection with a self-reflective remark that they “made a new album that doesn’t count as new. Or rather: We tried hard and failed.” These remarks frame the project as a deliberate re-engagement with past works rather than a conventional new release.

Artistically, Modeselektor chose to retain the original spirit on some tracks while fully redoing others, making selective interventions across the archive. They described the aesthetic aim as capturing a back-to-the-roots feeling, even invoking “beer smell and tobacco crumb texture” to characterise the atmosphere they sought.

The duo characterised the workflow as a “classics live act” approach, firing up old sessions to decide where preservation or reworking was appropriate. That selection process determined which pieces remained close to their original form and which were reconstructed for the new collection.

Gernot Bronsert remarked on their approach to creating a “classics live act” by stating, “We just felt like doing a classics live act thing, where you fire up all the old stuff again. That is: laptop, MIDI controller, Kaos Pad. No sound card, no crew – instead rather with mini jack.”

Furthermore, he discussed the technical aspects of reviving old sessions: “We then recovered computers that hadn’t been on for 15 years and managed to open old sessions from the Happy Birthday album with macOS9, Logic Silver, and the second Ableton version.”

Sebastian Szary shared insights into the atmospheric intent behind the album: “We wanted to capture that back-to-the-roots feeling, with beer smell and tobacco crumb texture.”

These comments reflect the duo’s commitment to both the technical authenticity and the sensory experience they sought to recreate with “Classics Vol. 1.”

Modeselektor’s album Classics Vol. 1 is released under their own record label, Monkeytown Records. This project saw collaborations with Johannes Wagner, also known as J.Manuel, who is a part of the Spandau20 circle. Wagner contributed his expertise in the studio, aligning with Modeselektor’s vision for the album. Together with these collaborators, the album represents a collaborative effort to reimagine and reinvigorate previous tracks.

Classics Vol. 1 is presented as a reimagining of previous Modeselektor tracks rather than a pure remaster. The project involved recovering computers that had not been powered on for 15 years and opening archived sessions from the Happy Birthday album using macOS9, Logic Silver and the second version of Ableton, and it includes re-recorded tracks such as “Blockchain,” derived from The Black Block (2007), and “Kill Bill,” which was the first track re-recorded and ultimately took the longest. Recording and production employed a deliberately minimal setup—laptop, MIDI controller and Kaos Pad—without a sound card or crew, and the duo report that they kept some tracks close to their original spirit while fully redoing others. Classics Vol. 1 is released on Modeselektor’s own Monkeytown Records, and the details were described in an interview with GROOVE conducted by Jakob Senger.