One is the loneliest number—unless you’re talking about Exercise One, the Berlin duo of Marco Freivogel and Ingo Gansera. Proprietors of the Lan Muzic label and frequent contributors to Anja Schneider’s mobilee imprint, the two are quickly becoming recognized as key figures in Berlin’s rapidly evolving techno movement and representatives of the scene’s enduring communal spirit.
After meeting through jobs at !K7, the two soon began working together in a basement studio in Kreuzberg, where they shared the space with a rowdy crew of noisemakers: Luciano, Memo and Jeremy P. Caulfield. It was Caulfield who kickstarted Exercise One’s career when, after hearing one of their early live sets, he encouraged them to send out demos. Shortly thereafter, they released their first 12” record, “Roll With You”—including a Jeremy P. Caulfield remix—on Mofa Schallplatten.
In 2005 Exercise One launched Lan Muzic. Its debut release, the Kitchentools EP, included tracks by Exercise One and Memo alongside a Luciano remix; the record quickly found its way into discerning DJ boxes everywhere. Anja Schneider supported the project on her Radio Fritz show and then invited them to record for her own label. The Easy Things EP, featuring a Duplex 100 remix, became mobilee’s fourth release. In a very short time, Exercise One have gone on to remix Sweet N Candy and Peter van Hoesen, collaborate with Italy’s Donato Dozzy, and release two more singles: the Debaya EP (mobilee) and the 12 Years EP (Lan Muzic).
With appearances at summer festivals like Melt!, Fusion and Bittersweet as well as acclaimed gigs such as mobilee’s pre-Sónar 2006 showcase, Exercise One’s live reputation is growing. While many computer-oriented artists vainly attempt to recreate studio productions in a live context, Exercise One work the other way around, jamming and improvising for hours on end, then editing the results into tight, focused tracks that never lose their sense of spontaneity. Over rhythms alternately supple and spiky, Exercise One layer hypnotic basslines and twisting sequences. Favoring the long view, they let their tracks stretch out, covering massive musical distances in a single easy bound. Informed by minimal, their music nonetheless refuses to hold back. They’re tricksters, no doubt, switching up downbeats and rolling out melodies like lopsided marbles, but it’s all in good fun: every game is a gift that keeps on giving.
Exercise One - Live at Rote Liebe Subway Cologne 10-04-2008
Exercise One - DJ Set at TSUGi Podcast 09-07-2009
Exercise One - DJ Set at Mobilee Podcast 13-05-2009
Exercise One - Live at Grey Day in Brooklyn 00-01-2009
Exercise One - Live at Möbelrücken Quadruplus, Ritter Butzke Berlin 11-09-2011
Exercise One - DJ Set at Mobilee Loves Proton on Proton Radio 26-05-2011
Exercise One - DJ Set at Mobilee Podcast 05-05-2011
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