Andy Vaz

I was born and raised in Düsseldorf, Germany, the breeding ground of Kraftwerk.Since 1997 I’ve been running Background Records. Long before Minimal Techno turned into a genre, and subgenre after subgenre were invented, i was concentrating on providing a cultural conduit for the more minimal sounding side of things. Some of the most influential international musicians of the genre had their works presented on the Background Imprint. Artists such as: Sutekh, Jan Jelinek, Todd Sines, Terrence Dixon, Jeff Milligan, Akufen, Submania, Dean DeCosta, Rhythm Maker, Kit Clayton, Ectomorph, Deadbeat, Baby Ford, Stewart Walker, Donnacha Costello, Geoff White, Smyglyssma, Portable, Antiguo Automata Mexicano, Oliver Hacke, Frivolous and many others have graced the Background stage. The Label had it's focus on introducing and educating the world to the geographic variable influences that exist within the genre.As the years have passed, house music and techno have fused, segregated, split and recombined in countless ways. Both techno and house have drawn influences from one another to create hybrids that have changed the face of music as we know it. I could not ignore my undeniable appreciation for house music and therefore, decided to start a second label called "A touch of Class".In 2000 I released my own material, at first on the Sound Variation [---] series in form of a set of 10 x 12" set.Next to the series I also started putting out minimal techno dance material. Music, that is focused on the Groove and is based on my rich experiences as an Live Act. More releases followed on “Vazbit” (incl. the full length album “repetitive moments last forever CD/LP) as well as releases on Paris based “Telegraph”. Apart from having played countless clubs, festivals and venues around the globe as a Live Act, I was lucky enough to have played places like the legendary “Liquid Room” in Tokyo to the Mutek Festival in Mexico.To me it's all about collecting records (and I'm not even a DJ). On the day that this music won’t be released on Vinyl anymore, I will drop out of this.