Wolfgang Voigt (born 1961) is an

electronic music Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...

DJ and producer from

Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, known for his output under various aliases, such as

Gas Gas is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid, liquid, and plasma). A pure gas may be made up of individual atoms (e.g. a noble gas like neon), elemental molecules made from one type of atom (e.g. oxygen), or ...

. He signed on numerous record labels, including

Warp Warp, warped or warping may refer to: Arts and entertainment Books and comics * WaRP Graphics, an alternative comics publisher * ''Warp'' (First Comics), comic book series published by First Comics based on the play ''Warp!'' * Warp (comics), a ...

Harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most labor-i ...

Raster-Noton Raster-Noton was a German electronic music record label. It was established in 1999 in Chemnitz, Germany. It emerged from the fusion of Rastermusik, founded by Olaf Bender and Frank Bretschneider in 1996, and Noton (''Archiv für Ton und Nich ...

, Force Inc, Astral Industries and

Kompakt Kompakt (Labelcode: LC 12012) is a Cologne-based electronic music independent record label and vinyl/CD distributor, owned by Wolfgang Voigt, Michael Mayer (musician), Michael Mayer and Jürgen Paape. They specialize in microhouse and minimal t ...

. The latter was co-founded by Voigt alongside Michael Mayer and Jürgen Paape. He is considered one of the most influential

minimal techno Minimal techno is a subgenre of techno music. It is characterized by a stripped-down aesthetic that exploits the use of repetition and understated development. Minimal techno is thought to have been originally developed in the early 1990s by Detro ...

artists.

Life and career

Together with his brother Reinhard Voigt (alias ''Sweet Reinhard'', ''Kron'' and ''Pentax''), Wolfgang Voigt is considered one of the founders and most influential artists of the

scene. With

Jörg Burger Jörg Burger (born 1962) is a German record producer who has had several releases on Kompakt as Triola, including an album, ''Triola im Fünftonraum'', in 2004. He is also in a duo with Wolfgang Voigt Wolfgang Voigt (born 1961) is an electron ...

(''The Bionaut'', ''The Modernist'') he was influenced by the early

acid house Acid house (also simply known as just "acid") is a subgenre of house music developed around the mid-1980s by DJs from Chicago. The style is defined primarily by the squelching sounds and basslines of the Roland TB-303 electronic bass synthesiz ...

in 1988, when both spent some time in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. Voigt and Burger founded the label ''Trance Atlantic''. He started to produce under the moniker ''Mike Ink'' with the Acid EP ''The Dialogue'' being his first release. In 1993 Voigt, his brother Reinhard, Jörg Burger and

Jürgen Paape Kompakt (Labelcode: LC 12012) is a Cologne-based electronic music independent record label and vinyl/CD distributor, owned by Wolfgang Voigt, Michael Mayer and Jürgen Paape. They specialize in microhouse and minimal techno, and are known for ...

founded the record store "Delirium" in Cologne, which later became

. In the same year he also started Profan. Later followed other imprints such as ''Kreisel 99'' or ''Auftrieb''. Since the early 1990s he has released over 160 albums, along with dozens of EPs,

box set A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists and bands ...

s, singles and remixes, under more than 30 different monikers.

Aliases and projects

Voigt is known for over 30 aliases and projects. Of these, his best known is arguably Gas. Other names under which Voigt has released music include, but are not limited to, All, Auftrieb, Brom, C.K. Decker, Centrifugal Force, Crocker, Dextro NRG, Dieter Gorny, Digital, Dom, Doppel, Filter, Freiland, Fuchsbau, Gelb, Grungerman, Kafkatrax, Love Inc., M:I:5, Mike Ink, Mint, Panthel, Popacid, Riss, RX7, Split Inc., Strass, Studio 1, Tal, Vinyl Countdown, W.V., Wassermann, and X-Lvis.

References

External links

Official website Wolfgang-Voigt.com
*
Official website of his label Kompakt
* AMG Biography
Interview with Wolfgang Voigt and lengthy discourse about Königsforst
1961 births German male musicians Living people Musicians from Cologne {{Germany-musician-stub