Pantha Du Prince

Pantha du Prince, also known as Hendrik Weber, Panthel, and Glühen 4 is a German minimal artist signed to Rough Trade Records. His music is often characterised by a hypnotic, intricate combination of melodic chimes and dark, heavy techno beats, but does not confine itself to a single sound or strain of minimal techno. Arrangements are lush and textural, energising yet melancholy; a plethora of sounds and ideas unified by a consistent underlying tech-house beat. Dreaming music.

German techno producer Hendrik Weber recorded under numerous monikers over the years, including Glühen 4 and Panthel, yet Pantha du Prince became his most well known and celebrated. Weber aligned with Dial -- a Hamburg-based experimental techno label helmed by Carsten Jost, Turner, and Lawrence -- to release his Pantha du Prince material, which is characterized by its downcast and dark tone, as well as by its minimal and experimental tendencies. He made his debut as Pantha du Prince with a four-track 12" release, Nowhere (2002), followed a couple years later by a full-length CD/double LP, Diamond Daze (2004). The album garnered considerable acclaim, with some critics gleefully pointing out Weber's affinity for late-'80s British shoegaze bands such as Slowdive, Moose, Ride, and My Bloody Valentine. His affinity for Detroit techno (à la Carl Craig) and minimal techno (Chain Reaction) was evident as well. Following a remix 12" (Butterfly Girl Versions, 2005) and a one-off 12" of new material (Lichten/Walden, 2006), Weber released his second Pantha du Prince full-length, This Bliss (2007), which again garnered considerable acclaim. For instance, Spex and Groove -- both German techno magazines -- crowned This Bliss with their Record of the Month awards, while indie tastemaker Pitchfork gave the album a favorable review stateside. Weber switched to Rough Trade for Black Noise (2010), featuring guest appearances from Tyler Pope (!!!) and Noah Lennox (Animal Collective). The likes of Four Tet, Hieroglyphic Being, and Animal Collective provided remixes for XI Versions of Black Noise, released the following year. In 2013, he released his fourth album, Elements of Light -- a collaboration with Norway's Bell Laboratory. ~ Jason Birchmeier, Rovi Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.