Rabotat Records is helmed by Alexandra Morancy and Nick Heil – Madame De Fer and Ironfist respectfully. The label’s first LP release was My Secret Playground’s album ‘Sounds Of A Decade’.
For Ironfist’s – ‘Bronze Age Remixes’ project we have a remix from Ironfist, Florian Herzberg, Madame De Fer, and Zaped. These four producers met back in Berlin, Germany in 2014 as they were all pursuing their own individual music careers. They all worked/performed on various musical projects with one another while living in Berlin (My Secret Session live gigs, Sofar Sessions concerts, etc.)
The remix EP is the culmination of a bigger Ironfist project, which kicked off with the release of two other albums, Ironfist’s ‘Bronze Age’ and ‘Bronze Age (Gray)’. One album is a concept/instrumental album and the other is an electronic album
Rabotat Records was founded in 2018 by Nicholas Heil (Ironfist) and Alexandra Morancy (Madame De Fer) as a vessel for promoting a vast range of musicians and artists venturing through electronic music’s vast landscape. Rabotat has no singular goal but rather an all-encompassing premise: through our love of quality, hand-crafted music, the label offers broad services in music production, artist management, online promotion and event development that are offered at the behest of their artists and their careers. Our artists are the music makers, collaborators and innovative creators that are existing in the independent sphere – including those within the realms of film, food and digital media.
Rabotat’s music and community is uncompromising, daring and bold. The label is a place where artists can come without inhibition or fear to create and collaborate – breaking new ground, merging genres and cultures to create music that speaks its truth and to the hearts of people around the globe.
Ironfist
This whole project starts with Ironfist (Nick Heil) – the man behind the magic. He has been releasing electronic music online since 2016 and came together with Alex Morancy in 2018 to create Rabotat Records. He began prototyping the ‘Bronze Age’ idea in 2017 and culminated here in 2019 with a three-release project, with this Remixes EP being the final part. ‘Bronze Age’ – the electronic / techno album, came out in January 2019 and features samples primarily taken from the second release in the series.
The EP ‘Bronze Age (Gray)’ is the second release in the series and came out in April 2019; this release is a concept album that loosely tells the story of Dorian Gray while connecting that to moments and sounds from Ironfist’s life. We sampled a motif from George A. Romero’s Martin for the album and it plays a bit like a film. Ironfist structured the albums to be heard with:
- ‘Bronze Age (Gray)’ being played first and
- ‘Bronze Age’ being played directly after.
In an ever-flourishing oasis of musical vanguards, Ironfist is breaking the chains of conformity and blending genres to create his own brand of electronic music.
After receiving his Masters in Music Technology Innovation from Berklee College of Music, Ironfist (AKA Nicholas Zeigler) took a leap of faith and moved to one of the most progressive music cities – Berlin, Germany. It was there that he began to discover a love for house and techno, while also keeping up his musical chops playing live around the city. During his time with the live, electronic jam band My Secret Session, Ironfist would alternate between being a hired gun and resident musician – performing as the session’s DJ, bass guitarist and bass clarinetist. He would further the scope of his live music experience while also working with Sofar Sounds as their audio engineer and sound guru.
His journey has taken him to Los Angeles, where Ironfist has since released 1 LP + 7 EP’s (including remixes and collaborations with My Secret Playground, TAIINA, and Madame De Fer), as well as creating production music professionally with fellow producer Boulishious Bird. His goal – to release music independently and to create a community for fellow music innovators – has come to fruition in the founding of Rabotat Records in 2018.
Florian Herzberg (My Secret Playground)
Florian Herzberg (also known as My Secret Playground and My Secret Session) is based in Berlin, Germany and is primarily touring right now under the My Secret Playground moniker. He released his album ‘Sounds Of A Decade’ on Rabotat Records last year in October 2018 and is planning another EP / album release later this year.
Florian Herzberg – the mastermind behind My Secret Playground – founded the project in 2007 in Vienna. The debut EP ‘No Excuses’ was released in 2008, followed by numerous film music productions for the ORF, remix projects and national performances. For the past 8 years, Florian has been based out of Berlin; in the German capital, he has not only found his unique musical voice – but emotional solidity within his greatest passion.
Herzberg is one of many important minds within the Berlin live music scene today. In 2014, he launched his live music project My Secret Session, an event where DJs and musicians improvise live together to dance music. Since then, more than 130 artists have participated regularly at My Secret Session shows in Berlin, Hamburg, and throughout Germany. My Secret Playground’s lineup for his first LP, ‘Sounds Of A Decade’, includes the best of these musicians from these sessions.
‘Sounds Of A Decade’ is both a good start and a good ending to an exciting, personal journey for Herzberg. While reflecting on his musical journey over the past decade, he describes it like, “running around in a hamster wheel.” After going through personal crisis many years ago, Florian quit his job and moved from Vienna to Berlin to embark on a new chapter as an artist, solidifying his place on the global arena today.
Zapéd
Zapéd is based in Melbourne, Australia and was one of the main players behind the Arcadia festival in Goomburra between May 4-6, 2019. He is constantly keeping busy, having released a killer single “Still Need U”.
Originally the bedroom project of Brisbane producer Jordan De Pas, Zaped is an exploration in melody and rhythm. Evolving into what has been described as ‘future groove with intelligence and character’ Zaped has drawn comparisons to Flume, Disclosure and Chet Faker – but retains an unmistakable r’n’b flavour underpinned by monster beats and melodic ambience.
Quickly gaining a reputation as a party starter Zaped has already shared the stage with BATHS, THE KITE STRING TANGLE, GLASS ANIMALS & many more.
Tour Dates
17.05.2019 MY SECRET PLAYGROUND @ STADTFEST OHRDRUF (RATSKELLER)
18.05.2019 MY SECRET PLAYGROUND @ PRIVATE EVENT (BERLIN)
24.05.2019 MY SECRET SESSION @ NOCHTWACHE (HAMBURG)
25.05.2019 FLORIAN HERZBERG DJ SET @ PRIVATE EVENT (VIENNA)
15.06.2019 FLORIAN HERZBERG DJ SET @ UNTERTAGE (BERLIN) GUESTLIST ONLY!
05.07.2019 MY SECRET PLAYGROUND @ STADTFEST STUTTGART
06.07.2019 MY SECRET PLAYGROUND @ OLD CINEMA (ALBSTADT)
2013-07-13 MY SECRET PLAYGROUND @ PRIVATE EVENT (SALLGAST)
20.07.2019 MY SECRET PLAYGROUND @ PRIVATE EVENT (RÜGEN)
17.08.2019 FLORIAN HERZBERG DJ SET @ TBA (DRESDEN DE) GUETSLIST ONLY!
31.08.2019 FLORIAN HERZBERG DJ SET @ UNTERTAGE (BERLIN) GUESTLIST ONLY!
07.09.2019 FLORIAN HERZBERG DJ SET @ PRINZENBAR (HAMBURG)
14.09.2019 FLORIAN HERZBERG DJ SET @ HÜHNERPOSTEN (HAMBURG)
11-12.10.2019 FLORIAN HERZBERG DJ SET @ TBA MOSCOW (RU)
19.10.2019 FLORIAN HERZBERG DJ SET @ PM CLUB PRAGUE (CZ)
26.10.2019 FLORIAN HERZBERG DJ SET @ UNTERTAGE (BERLIN) GUESTLIST ONLY!
09.11.2019 MY SECRET SESSSION @ YORKSCHLÖSSCHEN (BERLIN)
07.12.2019 FLORIAN HERZBERG DJ SET @ PRINZENBAR (HAMBURG)
21.12.2019 FLORIAN HERZBERG DJ SET @ UNTERTAGE (BERLIN) GUESTLIST ONLY!
25.12.2019 MY SECRET SESSION @ GRAUER HOF (ASCHERSLEBEN)
29.02.2019 FLORIAN HERZBERG DJ SET @ PRINZENBAR (HAMBURG)
07-08.03.2020 MY SECRET PLAYGROUND @ NIGGENKOPF BRAND (AUT)
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