Schönbrunner Perlen 001 is a great way to start

I remember a summer morning in 2008 – at least I guess it was 2008 – when we went to an afterhour party at Hundsturm in Margareten. Although it must have been 8 or 9 in the morning the sun was already burning and it was even hotter in the basement of the location where the music was pumping. As always is Vienna the police turned up quite soon and small groups of people went their own way, either to the after-afterhour or to bed. It has been a great morning hosted by the guys who called themselves Schönbrunner Techno Bande back then. Afterwards I kinda lost track of the collective, but when I look at the video for Japanese Rose I ask myself why.

Shot and directed by the same guys spoofed a Barbara Streisand event to vent their anger about the strict closing hour politics, it gives you an idea of how musical genius Ken Hayakawa and his friends spent their summer. Best of it all: the track, which is produced by Ken and his colleague Herb Piper, is romantic and touches you right where your heart is.

Published October 10, 2011.