The magical wallet-dilating properties of "Mastered at Dubplates and Mastering, Berlin"

An increasingly alarming number of new things I'm buying seem to be mastered here, many by Rashad Becker. It's got me thinking about the importance of mastering in a big way, and given that most of my listening is done at home on my decent-quality record player, I notice that the stuff they master tends to sound just completely fantastic, next-level, present and detailed and vibrant. I've of course bought certain artists, record labels, etc, on sight without hearing over the years, but I think this is the first time I've approached unquestionably forking over cash based on a back-cover mastering credit. Is anyone else going through this?

i have never done this, especially since i haven't bought vinyl for years and years, but the d&m vinyl has always sounded particularly rich. i guess if yr a company started in part to press basic channel/chain reaction product you gotta, though.

Makes sense... So, like, is there any curatorial aspect to D&M, or can pretty much anyone have their stuff mastered here if they have the cash? (In other words, is the "carefully, deliciously, meticulsouly curated" vibe I'm getting more the result of smart purchasing from my local record shops rather than any sort of aesthetic intention on the part of D&M?)

http://www.dubplates-mastering.com/prices.html

apparently anyone!

i think they've definitely attracted a lot of techno/house types of a certain stripe, though, probably in part because of the bc/cr mystique and in part because that legacy lets them know they're sensitive to a certain kind of music.

I don't think there are any exclusive mastering houses - mastering places are just, whoever sends their stuff in gets it mastered.

you underestimate the cultishness of the german techno scene

Wow, that website is about as demystifying as it gets! I wonder if it takes something extra to get, say, Rashad Becker to do it. I bet it does... I'm imagining a heirarchy of master masterers, regular masterers, and newbie/trainee masterers, with the "whoever sends their stuff in" crowd getting stuck with the newbies, but that's pure speculation. I'd be fascinated to read more about the mastering process if anyone has any recommendations...

one of the monolake guys was the main d&m mastering cat for a couple years if i remember correctly.

http://www.monolake.de/interviews/mastering.html

There's a short documentary on the activities at D&M on this DVD; http://www.discogs.com/Various-Berlin-Digital-A-Guide-Through-The-Electronic-Music-Scene/release/1066223 - it's from 2004 so a little dated. It was set up by Basic Channel in 1995. D&M is in the same complex as Hard Wax records, hence a lot vinyl mastered there ending up at HW.

Here's an out-take from Speaking In Code set in D&M. I know the film gets some hate around here but I liked it. http://vimeo.com/9865489

Thinking more about the original post, hasn't there always been a coveted mastering person or place in dance music scenes? Ron Murphy in Detroit and some other guys I can't think of in Soho, London for D&B. I'm not experienced here but as far as I know mastering is quite a collaborative process so it seems to make sense that a producer would want to get someone they trust is going to bring the best out of their music. In dance music circles there is 'that sound' referring to each individual scene. The other day I was talking to a young dubstep producer that was thrilled to bits because a certain guy mastered his track, the same guy who did X, Y & Z, I can't remember who. The point in dance is surely the ability to sound 'right' next to the other big tracks on the club sound system, no?

I don't think there are any exclusive mastering houses - mastering places are just, whoever sends their stuff in gets it mastered.

This is why it's sometimes funny to me when bands' one-sheets list other bands the mastering guy has mastered, as though it meant anything beyond how much money the band was willing to spend.

Thanks so much for that Henke/Becker interview link, just sayin... That's one of the best interviews I've read in ages. Becker comes across like such a thoughtful, intelligent, sensible guy.

as though it meant anything beyond how much money the band was willing to spend.

this can be meaningful though! especially inasmuch as “we were prepared to shell out xx $ in order to get Bloke Y” will be enough of a point of pride for the band that they want to list it in promo, even if 100% of the people receiving it will give nil shits

George Peckham nodding to some techstep. Great little video on vinyl mastering.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpidqcG7sSo

Badass video, thanks! I'm so very intrigued and fascinated by mastering... The same way I wonder what great chefs make for themselves when they come home at the end of the night, I wonder what these mastering masters like to spin when they get home from a long day of mastering.

My father was a chef, rarely cooked at home. When people enquired as to why not he would reply "because it's my fucking job."

Ha, I like that... I work for a small French/Italian wine importer, and I can't say I'm not up for a few glasses at the end of the day, but I feel where your dad's coming from. I wonder if mastering guys end up noticing records that are really poorly mastered and not being able to get into them for that reason? Like the way Sick Mouthy is about compression, but way more sensitively and to a way higher degree? Was your dad crazy picky about food?

The same way I wonder what great chefs make for themselves when they come home at the end of the night

"scrambled eggs and toast" is an answer I've seen more than once

a porky prime cut!

Has anyone heard the new Rashad Becker LP?

No but I want to. It's supposed to be pretty bizarre

some top class abstract electronic foobling imo

re the rashad becker album on pan

^^ YES

Such a strange, weird, beautiful record. I don't really understand how these synthetic squelches and whoops can have such a profound emotional effect.

Gonna check this out once I finish listening to the Haim album.

New Board Description!

NEW ALBUM!!! I've been waiting 3 years for this to come out :-) :-)