Skanfrom

Skanfrom is one of the first projects of Roger Semsroth. He started in the mid 90’s at a time when he was listening a lot to Aphex Twin, Autechre, Bochum Welt and the likes. In 1998 he released the cassette tape ‚Data Tracks‘ and his first 7″ called ‚Talking Translator EP‘ (incl. 6 tracks) on his own label ‚a.d.s.r.‘. The single was distributed through Hard Wax and sold very well as did the second single ‚Electronic Fragments EP‘ one year later. The IDM influence was obvious, but also Roger’s background of early 80’s diy synth underground, which made Skanfrom sound comparably minimalistic and naive, a very unique mix that appealed to different kinds of music scenes. Toronto based label ‚Suction Records‘, owned by Jason Amm aka ‚Solvent‘ and Gregory De Rocher aka ‚Lowfish‘, who had a very similar musical background loved the Skanfrom stuff and asked Roger to do a release on their label. From all the recordings Roger had done so far the compilation ‚Handpicked Fragments‘ was put together and came out on Suction in January 2002. Also Skanfrom contributed a remix on a Solvent album, they all appeared on Morr Music and Suction Records compilations and they have done music together ending up on the ‚Misery Loves Company‘ compilation on ‚Adult.‘-Label ‚Ersatz Audio‘. Skanfrom has released bits and bobs on various other labels but a real album called ‚Soothing sounds for robots‘ came out on a.d.s.r. at the end of 2002 (a CD version with 9 bonus tracks has been released on genetic Music in 2003). After that Skanfrom went on something like a hiatus for a few years, because Roger’s interest went on and he became busy with other things, mainly his techno project sleeparchive. He never forgot about his old love though and every now and then he felt like digging out the old gear again and recording the odd Skanfrom track. In 2009 he founded a new little label called ‚The All-Clear‘ to release all sorts of more underground sounding little side-projects of his and also a new Skanfrom single called ‚Are you alone‘. He had more unreleased Skanfrom material by then though and since the contact to Suction Records has stayed, they heard his recordings and when Suction came back from a hiatus themselves, they wanted to release a new Skanfrom record. So Roger put the new album ‚Postcards‘ together, which was released on Suction in 2014 (the CD version includes the 2009 ‚Are You Alone‘ single). Roger has also released on genetic music as Bakterielle Infektion and Television Set.