Christian Kleine returns with Electronic Music From The Lost World: 1998-2001 (Vol.2)
A return to the DAT archives from one of IDM's earliest innovators
Christian Kleine continues to unearth long-lost transmissions with Electronic Music From The Lost World: Vol.2 - another batch of pristine artifacts from his personal DAT archive. Much like its predecessor, this release serves as both a time capsule and a reminder of Kleine’s effortless blend of melodic warmth, intricate rhythm programming, punk influences, and a deep-rooted love for the fringes of electronica.
Where Vol.1 felt like an invitation back to the late ‘90s, a time when IDM was still an evolving conversation, this second volume extends the dialogue, revealing more of the sonic experiments and fully-formed pieces that never saw the light of day. Tracks recall specific moments from Kleine’s time living in Berlin, an era of minimal comforts but maximal creativity, where all that really mattered was that the PowerPC, sampler, and synths kept running. This period of introspection, coupled with the musical freedom afforded by cheap rent and late-night school classes, shaped the deeply personal and solitary sound of these recordings.
Visually, Vol 2 shares its origins with the first volume, as Midori Hirano’s stark Berlin photography forms the foundation, and Noah M / Keep Adding pushes the imagery into a brighter, more reflective final space. Final touches remain in familiar hands, with LOOP-O on mastering and lacquer duties, bringing new life to Christian’s OG DAT recordings.
And much like the classic City Centre Offices era that shaped this sound and Kleine’s early career, this release nods to that legacy. A special limited 7” EP with two bonus tracks, designed in tribute to CCO’s iconic DIY aesthetic, will be available on release day direct from the label’s Bandcamp.
Electronic Music From The Lost World: 1998-2001 (Vol.2), will be available on marbled pink gatefold 2LP on April 18th 2025.
A few bandcamp codes for those who got this far:
r5d4-c3rw
b7sm-epcw
slwh-ef3w
rpq4-w442
f4ab-5dcp
yes! my hero!
Excellent, loved Vol 1! Looking forward to this. I've actually been on a bit of a late 90s/early 00s idm-adjacent kick lately, revisiting some old favorite albums like Boulderdash - We Never Went To Koxut Island, Xela - For Frosty Mornings & Summer Nights, Arovane - Tides, Deaf Center - Neon City, etc etc.