Gabriel Ananda

Gabriel Ananda rose to prominence as one of Germany’s foremost techno producers in the middle of the 2000s, thanks in large part to the tracks “Süssholz” (2004), “Ihre Persönliche Glücksmelodie” (2005), and “Doppelwhipper” (2006). A wide array of respected German techno imprints—Hörspielmusik/Utils, Karmarouge, Trapez/Traum, Ladomat 2000, Treibstoff, and Platzhirsch Schallplatten—have issued his characteristically melodic work, and he remains an in-demand live performer and DJ, particularly on home soil.

Born Gabriel Ananda Levermann in Cologne, he showed an early fascination with music yet did not discover electronic dance music until 1995, when a Sven Väth DJ set left a lasting impression. Within a few years he entered the techno arena, first appearing in 1998 as one half of the duo Da Hairy Belafontes on the Hörspielmusik label with the three-track EP Daylight Comes and We Don’t Want to Go Home. His solo career began in 2000 with 12" EPs on the Hörspielmusik sublabel Utils (“First Comment”) and the freshly launched Cologne imprint Karmarouge (“For Love”). Additional outings for both Utils (Suspect) and Karmarouge (Wild Cherry) arrived the following year, alongside a pair of Shot Records releases (Headmusic for Bodymotion, Time to Rise). He subsequently moved to the Traum-affiliated labels Trapez and My Best Friend, where he issued Schaukeldrehen (2002), Wegeschwindel (2003), Highway to Heaven (2003), and Oh La La La (2003).

The year 2004 marked a decisive breakthrough: “Süssholz,” issued by Treibstoff Recordings and distributed via Kompakt, gained widespread attention, while Karmarouge simultaneously put out the EPs Black Coffee and Atropa Belladonna plus his debut album Tai Nasha No Karosha. Momentum carried into 2005 with “Ihre Persönliche Glücksmelodie,” taken from the Childish Dream EP on Karmarouge; the single-sided follow-up Ihre Persönliche Glücksmelodie (Extended Live Mix) appeared soon afterward. Further 2005 releases included Ich Vermiss die Zeit (Bleib) on Ladomat 2000, Süssholz (Remixes) on Treibstoff, Tai Nasha No Karosha—The Album Remixes on Karmarouge, and Vergissmeinnicht on Liebe*Detail.

In 2006 “Doppelwhipper,” drawn from the Miracel Whop EP on Platzhirsch Schallplatten, became another club staple. That same year saw an alphabetical run of additional titles: the two-part Ananda’s Bassmaschinchen (Treibstoff), Der Blaumacher (Glückskind Schallplatten), Glücksmelodie Remix Contest EP (Karmarouge), Harzer Roller (Traum), Ihre Persönliche Glücksmelodie—Remixes (Karmarouge), Karmarouge Noir Four (Karmarouge Noir), Küppers City (Tonsport), Lauschgoldengel (Treibstoff), and Während die Anderen den Müll Rausbrachten (Karmarouge).

Although live and DJ commitments increased in 2007, Ananda’s recorded output remained substantial, encompassing the full-length Bambusbeats (Karmarouge), Doppelwhipper RMXE (Platzhirsch Schallplatten), the Dominik Eulberg collaboration Kirschplunder and Jasmin Tee Bei Gabriel (Traum), Limitiert #4 (Platzhirsch Schallplatten), and Stream of Consciousness (Karmarouge). ~ Jason Birchmeier