You can not talk about Tech-House without mentioning the name Terry Lee ...
Junior. For the pretty long time of 12 years, Terry is an electronic music artist. He used every year to improve his sounds, his arrangements and his unique flavour. If you are listening to his new Album, you can feel every single heartbeat, every single thought, he has invested in his work. Terry Lee Brown Junior is not one of those artists, who are adding one simple beat to another, he is that type of producer, who opens his heart to his audience, adding all his passion and love to his compositions.
It is not the easiest way, but if you hear the result, you know it´s worth it. Because of all that passion, Terry Lee Brown Junior is investing into his music, it is no surprise at all, that he has been considered as a member of the international elite of house producers for years. Like no other, he has developed the subgenre Tech-House. In the USA and England, his albums became successes of note and the media got a surprise when they found out, Terry Lee Brown Junior is actually a German. Terry Lee Brown Junior, alias Norman Feller, began DJing in 1989 and soon thereafter released his first tracks on vinyl under various pseudonyms. 1994 was the turning point for Norman when he decided to dedicate himself totally to music. In the following year he invented the house-oriented project (alter-ego) Terry Lee Brown Junior which allowed him to create his own sound. Plastic City, which was at that time still a very young label, offered Terry an outlet for his music and he has stayed true to this label ever since. Beside of this he is regular releasing records under his more down-beat orientated project name "nor elle" on the label Mole Listening Pearls.
After the success of his first 12" releases came his debut Album "Brother For Real" in spring of 1996. This release was a true milestone for Tech-House and incorporated elements of Jungle, Trance and Easy Listening. The public response to "Brother For Real" was gigantic, and not limited to scenesters. Muzik (12/96), England's most respected dance music magazine chose Brother For Real as one of the top ten albums of 1996 (along with albums from artists like DJ Shadow, Fugees, Underworld and Faithless). Marshall Jefferson, the Chicago House legend, honored Terry in an album review by simply stating "He is God" (Raveline 11/1996). In fall of 1997 Terry's second album "Chocolate Chords" garnered further praise and matched the success of Bother For Real. In America Mixmag chose this second effort as one of the top 5 albums of the year. The third album "From Dub Til Dawn" is a product of two years work and continues the tradition of Terry's genre-bending House-sound. "From Dub Til Dawn" brings together bass-heavy housegrooves with warm atmospheric planes and fragmented vocals. Sound and rhythm are the most important in this case. Fusions of House and Dub or Two-Step round out the album. Pay attention to the track "Take Your Time", which Terry produced in cooperation with his friend and labelmate The Timewriter.
After a long album break of 6 years, he introduced his fourth Album “Karambolage” in 2006. For an artist like Terry Lee Brown Junior, the expectations were very high at this point, but he had no problems fulfilling them. On “Karambolage” Terry is proving once again, that he has the skills and the talent to combine the various and exciting blends of contemporary House music, giving the tracks a clubby or progressive attitude, never losing the emotional aspect. Nevertheless all tracks have the personal signature of Terry Lee Brown Junior, always well balanced, but thrilling at the same time.
You cannot judge this exceptional piece of music as aiming at a certain use. All tracks from his next fifth album "Softpack", released in February 2008, are connected to each other and are best suited for dancefloor use – nevertheless it’s pure listening pleasure you can enjoy nearly anywhere you are. After long nights at the studio and countless appearances at the most sought-after locations of the planet he appears with state-of-the-art productions which are more than beats, bass, groove and synths: According to his multi-faceted perspective and style he is just doing the music as he feels when being at the studio. Mysterious atmospheres are crossed by deep grooves – tasty melodic bits and wide effects garnish a delicious menu – gourmet guarantee!
In Oktober 2010, the pioneer of Tech-House released his sixth album “Labyrinth” on Plastic City. In-between, Terry Lee Brown Junior released two remix albums, two episodes of the “Terry's Café” compilation series, three MP3 EP's (the latest called “Electric Avenue” released in spring 2010), travelled around the globe playing his famous DJ sets and all the rest of it. “Labyrinth” truly is the next masterpiece of Terry Lee Brown Junior. The productions are very accurate, the interplay of moods, sounds and emotions is functional a sexy, very concidered and perfectly restaged.
But Terry Lee Brown Junior is not only a respected producer, he is also a much sought-after DJ. This side of the artist is apparent when one listens to the compilation series Terry's Café. These mixed CDs once again found resonance in the music press and received rave reviews from Muzik, Urb, XLR8R and other national and international magazines. But the story doesn't end there. Remixes from Terry of such artists as Gabrielle (Rise), Nalin & Kane (Talkin' About), Louise (Let's Go Round Again), Paul Van Dyk (For An Angel), Paris Red (Love Hurts), and Future Funk (Music Takes You High) secured his reputation as a true remixer as well.