Biography

Duo credited by some as the originators of the trance style of dance music. Based in Frankfurt, Germany, the faces behind the team are producer Jam El Mar (b. Rolf Ellmer) and DJ Mark Spoon. Their groundbreaking work on a 1992 remix of Alex Lee's "Age Of Love" was the first track to set the ball rolling, followed in quick succession by work with Moby ("Go"), Cosmic Baby and Frankie Goes To Hollywood ("Relax"). The latter was a difficult but rewarding project, as it had been this band and the production work of Trevor Horn in general which had originally inspired Jam El Mar into music. Another key reference point are the soundtrack recordings of Tangerine Dream. Only one single under their own name, "Stella", preceded the release of their debut double album. This time they had moved away from the fast, pumping backbeat and acid house tones which had flavoured their remixes, opting instead for a much more commercial slant. A sleevenote written for R&S Records label boss Renaat wryly declares: "I hope this is not too commercial for your uncommercial label". Perhaps not, but it did see them crossover into the pop charts proper. Other 45s like "Follow Me" were considered to be bona fide trance classics. After signing a major label contract with Epic Records and hooking up with female vocalist Plavka, the duo enjoyed a string of UK hits, including a Top 10 placing for the club anthem, "Right In The Night (Fall In Love With Music)". After issuing an album under the Tokyo Ghetto Pussy alias, the duo returned in 1997 with their second long-player, Kaleidoscope, another impressive slice of progressive trance. In the late 90s they began recording harder-edged material under the moniker Storm, enjoying huge club hits with "Time To Burn" and "Storm Animal".
DISCOGRAPHY: Tripomatic Fairytales 2001 (R&S/Epic 1993)****, Kaleidoscope (Sony 1997)***.

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