PRECISION
BREAKBEAT
RESEARCH
WORDS
:
CHRIS
MUNIZ
KABUKI
MIGUEL AYALA MAINFRAME MC RONIN
))PRECISION
BREAKBEAT RESEARCH
ORIGINALLY FOUNDED BY MAINFRAME AND KABUKI IN 1996,
THE HANOI, GERMANY BASED RECORD LABEL AND CREW HAVE COME TO
))
REDEFINE THE STANDARDS FOR GERMAN DRUM & BASS.
Yet even with a series of high-profile reputation as a hip-hop MC and DJing. While Mainframe concentrated on When we began, we really didn’t
singles and albums, including Makai’s therefore he inevitably was invited to engineering, I graduated in production envision it turning into what it’s
unforgettable ‘Behind the Mask’ 12”, host our early parties. These days, from the school of hard knocks. become. We only started the label
the Precision Breakbeat Research scien- Ronin is not only one of the most Originally, I studied classical guitar at the because we needed an outlet for 12”s.
tists remain low-profile and fiercely requested continental d&b MCs, but he’s conservatory in Frankfurt and later went In 1996, there were no other domestic
independent. Ignoring the trends and also busy running the booking agency to Vienna to study jazz at the MI-related [German] labels where our sound
focussing obsessively on refining their Broken Beatz Entertainment where he’s AIM-institute. These days I’m either busy would fit so we had to do it on our
own sound, Kabuki, Mainframe, Miguel organising the schedules of almost all DJing or producing tracks for labels like own. Our first single got a lot of
Ayala, and MCs Ronin and Glacius are the top German d&b DJs. Reinforced, Jazzanova, Street Beats interest and we evolved from there.
truly an inspiration for domestic scenes and, of course, Precision. One of the highlights of the last four
worldwide. In an exclusive interview with Glacius was just like Ronin - he was years was when we found out ‘Omen’
Knowledge, Jan Kabuki takes us inside always around and when the time was Talk to me about the philosophy behind was going to be released on No U-
the crew’s top-secret laboratory for a right he joined the pack. Glacius has the label. Precision Breakbeat Research Turn. They were massive at the time
glimpse at what future generations are travelled the entire continent north to is such a great name and it seems to and we knew we could get some inter-
sure to behold: south with only a handful of weekends encapsulate everything you stand for as national attention through that release.
off in the past couple of years. a crew as well as producers. Another exciting moment was our co-
First off, who are the primary members That’s how he got his reputation as the op with Intercord for Makai’s first
of Precision and what are their roles ‘MC Machine’. That’s true. In the beginning, we wanted album. There had never before been
within the unit? to not only come up with a catchy name collaboration between an independent
Miguel Ayala was a natural choice as for the label but we were looking for a label like Precision and a major like
Mainframe is the backbone of the whole he’s always been a very intense DJ who slogan, an attitude. The name itself Intercord / WEA. Suddenly we had
enterprise. When he and I started likes to show variety in the styles he came from the analytical way we enough financial support to do a lot of
working together in 1992, we decided to plays and creates. Recently he founded approach production. Every sound we things previously impossible: clearing
specialise in different areas to make our his own imprint Socio which he’s done use is isolated and placed into the samples, doing interviews / tours, pay-
production more efficient. Mainframe for the sole purpose of boycotting the overall sonic spectrum as well as in the ing remixers, etc. It was a very exciting
picked engineering as his focus and current system of the music-biz. He timeline. Through this, we try to achieve time but, unfortunately, the hype wore
became so proficient on this subject that does the distribution mainly on his a distinct sound contrary to the stacking off and French filter-house became the
even collaborations with Nico or the late own and sells to the record shops by of sounds on top of each other. It’s next big thing!
Future Forces were engineered by him. personal contact. Underground as f**k! comparable to architecture at times;
we’re constantly struggling with the There seems to be a very strong
Ronin stepped into the circle when the The last in line is me, Kabuki. I’m 50% of physical limitations of this music, as an identification with Japanese anime
first demand for MCing arose. We knew the creative power behind the label and architect must be when he’s building a culture going on, discuss how that
each other mutually because of his I’m also involved in production and 30-story skyscraper. came about?
26KNOWLEDGE
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