10 Essential Releases From Bill Kouligas’ PAN Label According To Ukrainian Party Cxema

If you asked us to name a label that represents electronic dance music’s contemporary vanguard, we’d probably respond with PAN. Started in 2008 by Bill Kouligas, the label has since amassed a massive discography that features some of the most interesting sonic experiments of the past few years, including works by Amnesia Scanner, Eartheater, Objekt and Toxe (pictured above).

Yet as good as PAN’s discography is, it’s volume also makes it somewhat inaccessible for a novice listener. Thankfully, the people behind Ukrainian techno party Cxema have put together this guide to some of their essential selections from the PAN back catalog.

If you’re in Kyiv tomorrow, Saturday June 1, go to Cxema’s party with PAN. For more information, click here.

M.E.S.H., Hesaitix

“We’ve been following this artist since the creation of Cxema and the very first parties. A few years later, he wrote an email with a proposal to play at one of Cxema party. His advice was never-to-be-forgotten: ‘Go on and do not change anything.’ It’s his second full-length album on PAN, and it’s definitely one of the most iconic releases on the label.”

Amnesia Scanner, Another Life

“It seems like it’s something on the edge, but this is what we lack sometimes.”

Errorsmith, Superlative Fatigue

“After a break for 13 years, the full-length album of Erik Weigand (a.k.a. Errorsmith) was worth waiting that long. And it was quite fair that it occupied all the charts of 2017. Moreover, the work is entirely written using the Razor software developed by Weigand himself.”

Eartheater, IRISIRI

“We admire the work of American singer Alexandra Drewchin. She skillfully immerses the listener into a special atmosphere. Abstract sound landscapes and musical “deconstructions”, experiments with voice and Alexandra’s somnambulistic melodies—all of this creates a strange surreal atmosphere.”

Objekt, Flatland

“The album was released five years ago and for us, it’s probably the best album on PAN, with the super hit ‘One Stitch Follows Another’ inside.”

Stine Janvin, Fake Synthetic Music

“Hopefully, we will invite Stine to play a live performance at Cxema in the near future. In the middle of the night. It would be nice to see the astonishment, disturbance and exaltation of people on the dancefloor. It would be interesting.”

Heatsick, Re-Engineering

“When we open our small club, Steven Warwick will definitely play there. We like this record’s unfussy minimalist passages mixed with saxophone and Warwich’s own vocals. We are still waiting for something new from him.”

Various Artists, mono no aware

“The first compilation from the label and the collective work of long-standing and already well-known residents: M.E.S.H., Yves Tumor, Helm, ADR, Sky H1 and Jeff Witscher (a.k.a. Rene Hell), as well as numerous newbies.

They have very few things in common, except for the abstract aesthetic vision, but the whole record sounds organic. The curatorial work of Bill Kouligas reaches its peak here. It’s amazing how 16 different artists managed to put together such an integral and at the same time multi-faceted ambient release.”

Black Sites, Prototype EP

“Two killer tracks from Helena Hauff and F#X inside.”

Tzusing / M.E.S.H., Split  

“Tzusing on PAN, this should have finally happened. Hey, James (M.E.S.H.), thank you.”

Published May 31, 2019. Words by Cxema.