Objekt

Born in Tokyo and raised in the U.K. TJ Hertz aka Objekt first came to prominence in 2011 with the release of a dubstep-infused white label 12", Objekt #1. Growing up in Oxford, Hertz's interest in music started at an early age, and with the usual stints in bands, a love of 90s IDM drew him to electronic music. Studying Electronic and Information Engineering at Oxford University, Hertz would eventually move to Berlin, where a job developing software for Native Instruments would also inform his music production. Influenced by British dubstep and the droning, looped techno that was engulfing Berlin club culture at the time, Hertz tried to emulate what he heard, but failing to do so opted instead for his own take. A second white label, Objekt #2, appeared a few months later, again crossing the boundaries between techno and dubstep, while also piquing interest from Hessle Audio. Cactus/Porcupine was Hertz's only record in 2012, and while the release was praised, he admitted it was a pastiche of the dubstep sound that had become prominent in the scene. Taking time to focus and write new material, Hertz returned in 2013 with another white label, Objekt #3. The title track, "Agnes Demise," brought a fresh new twist on his sound, channeling Aphex Twin and Autechre through moody techno. The glitchy, broken techno sound of the single signaled a new direction for the producer, and releases on Power Vacuum and Bleep followed. In 2014 Hertz announced that he would release his debut album through Bill Kouligas' Pan label — a perfect fit for his ever expanding sound palette — Flatland received notable reviews for its genuinely forward-thinking take on techno.