Basic Channel

Basic Channel
Rhythm & Sound performing at MUTEK in 2007
Background information
Also known as	Rhythm & Sound Round One to Round Five
Origin	Berlin
Genres	Electronica, minimal techno, dub techno, downtempo
Years active	1993–present
Associated acts	Maurizio Scion Paul St. Hilaire Vainqueur
Website	http://www.basicchannel.com/
Members	Mark Ernestus Moritz Von Oswald

Basic Channel is a production team and record label, composed of Moritz Von Oswald and Mark Ernestus, that originated in Berlin, Germany in 1993.

The duo originally released a number of vinyl-only tracks under various aliases, the most well known being Basic Channel and Maurizio, each of which employed their signature style of minimal techno. The original nine releases under their Basic Channel name were each primarily identified as Basic Channel productions by their catalogue numbers, as the Basic Channel logo on the label became more distorted and unreadable with each subsequent release.

The duo set up a studio in Berlin on Paul-Lincke-Ufer, in a building which was eventually to house Mark Ernestus’ distributing company and shop Hard Wax, and the label's mastering studio Dubplates & Mastering, set up to ensure a desired dynamic quality for the vinyl.

The Basic Channel imprint ceased business in 1995 (apart from two releases almost a decade later that were originally issued on Carl Craig's Planet E label), but were followed by a string of similar labels. Main Street handled Chicago house-inspired releases; Chain Reaction released non-Von Oswald/Ernestus productions and helped launch the careers of dub techno producers such as Monolake and Porter Ricks.

Basic Channel has also shown a strong affinity for Jamaican music. The Rhythm & Sound label imprint saw the duo's sound move closer to dub reggae. Frequent Rhythm & Sound collaborator Paul St. Hilaire set up the subsidiary False Tuned in 2003.

Basic Channel occasionally reissues out-of-print music. Basic Replay specialises in dancehall reissues, while Wackies focuses on dub.