This is a guide that shares a variety of electronic music artists, producers and record labels. The list is organized in alphabetical order, but also has an overview of genres that are under the electronic music umbrella. This guide will be updated every week until it becomes a comprehensive list.
The purpose of this guide is to share new artists in the electronic scene to those who want to expand their knowledge of it.
The following guide is a list of various electronic music artists and record labels, which have inspired me over the years. The idea is that if you like one or more of these artist/labels, then you will likely appreciate the others as well. I will be making regular updates to this page, so please bookmark and check back again.
If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to contact me via the homepage.
Deutsche Elektronische Musik is a comprehensive guide to the history and current state of electronic music. It consists of four parts:
1. A brief history of electronic music
2. A guide to contemporary electronic music
3. An exploration of the technology that has shaped electronic music
4. A survey of the best record labels for electronic music
This guide is meant as a starting point for anyone who is interested in exploring this kind of music, whether you are new to it or have been listening for a long time but have never gotten very deep into it. If you have any thoughts, comments or suggestions please contact me at
“Deutsche Elektronische Musik” or simply “DEM” refers to a genre of electronic music, most often created by German artists. The term was coined in the late 1970s, and first appeared in print on the 1979 compilation album “Krautrock”. It was subsequently used in the title of an extensive article by Paul Morley in the British music paper “New Musical Express”, and later in an English language book about rock music.
The term has several origins, including the name of a style of electronic music that originated in Berlin in the early 20th century, and that was popularized by artists such as Kraftwerk. The term is also occasionally used as a generic description of any music that originated in Germany.
It is important to note that there is no single definition of what constitutes DEM. There are many different styles and genres within the genre. Some are more focused on creating a “soundtrack” for film or television shows, while others seek to create an ambient soundscape through synthesizers and samples. It is also important to note that many contemporary artists are not interested in defining themselves as DEM artists; they simply want to create their own sound and perform it live.
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Deutsche Elektronische Musik: Experimental German Rock and Electronic Music 1972-83 is a 4-CD boxed set released by Soul Jazz Records in 2002. The compilers were Michael Rother, Jaki Liebezeit (of Can), Holger Czukay, Conny Plank, Eberhard Kranemann (of Kraftwerk), Hans-Joachim Roedelius, Dieter Moebius (of Cluster and Harmonia), Manuel Gottsching (of Ash Ra Tempel), David Elliott of the UK magazine The Wire, and Stuart Baker of Soul Jazz Records.
The set includes material by many well-known artists such as Neu!, Can and Kraftwerk, but also includes many previously unheard recordings. Unlike the more recent krautrock compilation Krautrock: Music for Your Brain from 2005, which was compiled by Stefan Kassel and included a DVD documentary with interviews of most artists included on the compilation, Deutsche Elektronische Musik does not have such a documentary.
The box set has been released in two different editions: an original edition that comes in a cardboard box with individual CD sleeves and a booklet; and a reissue edition that comes in a standard jewel
Various Artists
Deutsche Elektronische Musik 2: Experimental German Rock and Electronic Music 1971-81
A comprehensive survey of the experimental musical heritage of Germany from the early 1970s to the early 1980s. The wide range of styles featured here includes Krautrock, Kosmische Musik, Synth-Pop, Industrial, Post Punk and Avant-Garde.
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Various Artists
Deutsche Elektronische Musik 2: Experimental German Rock and Electronic Music 1971-81 (Soul Jazz)
Various Artists – Deutsche Elektronische Musik 2: Experimental German Rock and Electronic Music 1971-81 (Soul Jazz)
Deutsche Elektronische Musik: Experiments in Sound and Electronic Music in Germany, 1968-1993 is a three-disc box set of early works by German electronic music artists, compiled from the archives of West German radio station WDR. It includes recordings made for the programme Ohrmuschel (Ear Trumpet) broadcast on the show Studio Akustische Kunst. This programme was founded as a forum for experimental electronic music, and is still running today under the name Klangkunst. The Ear Trumpet series commissioned performances from many artists who went on to become major figures in electronic and experimental music.
The set is part of a series of releases celebrating 50 years of electronic music at WDR, with other releases including Zodiak Free Arts Lab: Psychedelic Underground and Cologne Curiosities: The Unknown Krautrock Underground 1972-1976 (both released by Mental Experience). All three sets have been curated by Jens Strüver, who has made a career out of documenting the history of Krautrock and its descendants.