Ago the year 2000 Laurent Bernonville aka Bern, from Lille in northern France, regularly performed as a DJ, playing Techno/Funk/House sets in many clubs and parties in the north of France and in Belgium. During that time he released his first 12" with K-Rym on their own label "tenac-c". But also Bern found his private luck with the birth of his son giving him a strong creative impulse to widen his perception of electronic song-scapes. The weekly residency in the local radio show "Studio 1" together with Tez and Jonas Bering were also important indicators to accomplish a top level of clean minimalistic productions that don't need basslines to groove.

His efforts resulted in two 12''s for the cologne label Traum Schallplatten that have gained a lot of attention, for example "Loann" being featured by Richie Hawtin on a mix for BBC One. Recently Bern founded a new label called "Postair" together with Tez and Jonas Bering as a new outlet for their works, besides first releases with his new project "Molair" together with Tez will be available soon, orienting more into a "rock minimal dub" direction.

In between all these events Bern also keeps an eye on the internet and has figured that an dynamic netlabelscene has evolved. Doing online releases help Bern to reach far more people than keeping it to hardwax releases only, besides he got many new contacts. His online releases so far took place on Sweet Smelling Surfaces and Pheek's Archipel but it is the spanish (net)label Sinergy Networks Bern is most strongly linked. After the THN074/SN021 cooperation "Thinnergy" between both labels we're very pleased at Thinner to have Bern releasing a new EP with us.

"Just Married" contains four long evolving tracks, subtle, yet delicate minimalism that meets french charme. "It's today" comes with a dry bassdrum and twirling clicks until the song gradually begins to vanish into an aether of individual bits and bytes. Slowly the structures beginn to crawl out of the breeding mass to reunite into the original draft of "It's today". The second piece "The Road" is begins with a similar static but is less restricted to form and function, it accentuates Berns soft, yet precise idea of minimalism that doesn't need a bassline to groove. Easily Bern manages to develop this piece into a relaxed piece with easy swing and friendly dubs. "White Bridge" is yet another long evolving piece that comes with more slow industrial rhythms and metallic hats. Bern manages to craft a static construction of breeding melancholy with all these metallic sounds clangouring. The last song "Married" is the fitting agenda to this EP, beautiful light pads, reduced clicks, hush voices and exposed bassdrums are the right indicators for Berns concept of music, bringing back to memory what minimalism really is about: when only a few 100kb of samples are needed to have a decent impact on the listener

This EP will also be available as 12'' on the french label LABO MUSIC. For more information also visit Bern's homepage.

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