Interviews

Lumberjacks in Hell is headed up by Marcel Vogel and has been putting out left of centre soulful disco since 2010. With releases by artists like Rahaan, Jamie 3:26 and Eddie C, it has built a powerful and far-reaching reputation. Stepping up for the labels next release Marcel collabs with Tim Jules and Detroit’s Javonntte. Here we get the label bossman to talk to us about his new EP ‘Just Because’.

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi folks, I am Marcel Vogel, German native who relocated to Amsterdam 15 years ago. I am passionate about dance music since 1996 as DJ, producer, promoter, label head, editor, dancer. in 2010 I started my label Lumberjacks in Hell that saw many classics (for me anyway) releases by artists like Rahaan, Jamie 3:26, Soulphiction, Philou Louzolo, Giovanni Damico, Karizma, Cratebug, Hugo H.... a crazy catalogue to be fair.

Can you give us an overview of your Just Because EP.

Just Because was released 5 years ago as part of the 10-year compilation From Hell With Love 2. Maybe because it dropped at the beginning of lock down, I feel it got a bit lost in the noise, and I don't think it reached as many ears as it should have. I love the tune.

Floyd Vader hit me up repeatedly about the tune to make a remix and I gotta say, life is chaotic, and I didn't think much of it but eventually I managed to send him the stems. After a while he started to send me first versions and that continued until the final version. You gotta understand how much music I already had accumulated at that point. The Goshawk EP, Lu/Lu LYMA and a bunch of other things we gonna release later this year. My head was spinning a bit trying to figure out what to release and how.

Stefan Ringer is one of my favourite producers over the last 5-7 years and I am very impressed by everything he releases. So, I asked Floyd to check in with Stefan if he would be up to do a remix. This would seal the deal for me and make a good package. Stefan was extremely quick with the remix and last but not least LYMA came up with his banger.

I truly enjoy that we have 4 vastly different vibes going on and I am looking forward to hearing the remixes and the original in these completely different moods. I hope DJs will get into it as that's the main purpose of these tunes. I feel there are textures to an adventure through the night and the dancefloor. All four tunes emit a different hypnotic frequency, groove and vibe, while keeping it deep and soulful.

You've been in and around the scene for some time. How many releases does that notch up for you Marcel?

I mean Lumberjacks is just shy of its 50th release in October. Give or take. Coinciding with our 15th anniversary. I had another label Intimate Friends that did about 15 releases but that's currently on a break. According to Discogs I put out 13 records myself plus about 10-15 remixes plus whatever number of edits are out there. All in all, I'd say, quite a few.

How is the label Lumberjacks in Hell going these days?

After the pandemic when things started to open up again, I took a break from a label. A forced break I want to say, as I had to balance family, building a studio, production, DJ Gigs etc. One thing I stopped doing since my son was born, I stopped promoting parties. Sometimes with a heavy heart but I do sacrifice so much when I put nights on, foremost time that I just don't have at the moment. And the other thing I wound down was the label. Also, during that period, I switched my distribution to K7.

This EP is now the 4th vinyl plus 1 digital release after a 2.5-year hiatus. I'd say sales are moderate to good at the moment, but I feel I am reacquainting myself to a slightly different music landscape. I strongly believe in” when you build it, they will come” as a good mantra. I am just too excited when I discover or make something that I deem as very special. Of course, I want to make people in love with what we do. The releases and the parties. I hope the love shines through. This is not random, by no means.

How long have you known Tim Jules? Tell about him and his undeniable talents.

I think we are going onto more than 10 years of knowing each other. We first met Djing I guess, and I think I wasn't super nice to him. I used to organize parties at his brother venue Canvas, and we crossed paths multiple times until I realized he was also playing keys. He had the grace to come visit me at my place and bring his Keyboard and shared of an endless amount of my tracks. He's coming from a jazz and improvisation angle, so I can keep playing for days and just come up with an endless number of new ideas and at the same time he can translate whatever I hum or sing to him in real time. His presence in my life just allowed me to develop all these ideas that ultimately were pressed to wax. He fostered my confidence.

Javonntte is such a great addition to the release. How did you get him board. What do you most admire about him?

Javonntte is just an OG with a massive body of work. That's all I can say. Much respect.

You’ve been working a lot with LYMA these last couple of years. Tell us about this relationship.

LYMA is a force of nature, and his energy is very inspiring. He's very focussed on his music and his family. In between he works his butt off. I can just always count on him.

You seem to be quite loyal to artists that you work with. Do you have formulas, ways of working that you just love with these people?

I guess I collaborate so much because these talents often use my seed, whatever I have come up with and build a whole castle on top of it. I am blessed with a circle of really talented artists and it's fun to see these projects come to light.

I think with each artist I work with, I really want to see them shine and reach a wider audience. I guess it's just a lot of fun to create something together out of thin air and let it mature and mature into something worthwhile.

Talk to us about the title track Just Because and its inception. How did it come together?

Lumberjacks in Hell 38 was by my friend Andrej Laseech ft Javonntte - More Than Friends and Tim Jules and I made a wonderful remix to the tune, perhaps my favourite musical output where I had my fingers in it. I guess in a way I was surprised that he would work with us, but I guess similar to what I experience with LYMA, he's also just an extremely creative person.

I later sampled a bassline and programmed some drums on the loop that should result in becoming Just Because and when Tim Jules was done with it, it was already very vibey. I reached out to Javonntte because I enjoyed working on the remix so much. It was the right assignment at the right time. I guess that's what a remix is. You can give up a bit of creative control in exchange for more focus and perhaps a greater ambition to finish the product. As it already has its identity, but you just re-decorate the room. And the end result is what you can hear. It was mixed by Bobby van Putten from Another Taste, who always makes me happy. Sonically but also with his projects.

Who are the artists that have inspired the music that you’re making?

I would have to say Theo Parrish and Moodymann, DJ Sneak, 90's Hip Hop and R&B all across the board, Osunlade, Stefan Ringer, I mean, everybody if you will, from Louie Vega, Kenny Dope, Spinna, Terrence Parker, Madvillainy and Jaylib where important LPs for me. Raphael Saadiq wherever he pops up for the last 30+ years. Sons of Soul was a big album for me. So was Warren G.'s – G Funk Are or Janet's Janet. I think it's all in there under the impression of a couple of intense Theo Parrish sets in the early 2000's, when I was blessed to see him quite often. Obviously, we are very blessed with our record stores in Amsterdam. I don’t even wanna start but Waxwell, Rush Hour and Red-Light Records are very important to me. It's just educational and makes you think about music in all sorts of ways. Frequency control. I love idiosyncratic music.

What other artists do you follow right now?

Stefan Ringer, Another Taste, Arp Frique, Theo Parrish, Kendrick Lamar, Jorja Smith, Joe Claussell, Antal, LYMA, Toribio... it's an endless list to be fair... Musclecars for sure... Tom Noble's latest album with House of Spirits, but like I said, it's just way too much!

What was the last record you purchased?

Got the new Theo Parrish, Stefan Ringer, Arp Frique and the Perpetual Singers, Daniel Monaco...

Who is this music for?

This EP is for lovers of Detroit House, soulful music, Disco, Larry Heard, Osunlade, etc

What can we expect next from Marcel Vogel?

I am glad you asked! Over the last 2 years I ve been involved in many projects and in order to create the best possible outcome, I held back on most of it, to create some momentum for the label, the artists on it and myself. The next release after this will be a big disco-house anthem with Jerkboy from Sydney and Million Miles from Los Angeles called Real Love that I kept close to my chest waiting for the right moment to release it. Right before and into the summer seems to be perfect. My brother Oliver Night has done two amazing remixes for the project.

For the 50th regular release on Lumberjacks in Hell that coincides with our 15th anniversary, we are preparing another of our successful 2x12” compilations with a concept that I ve been pondering for a while now and a bunch of exclusive tracks that will take the roof off. After that I ve planned a 12” with my buddy James Alexander Bright and remixes by Isolee and Space Dimension Controller. Apart from that I am finalising a 12” for legendary Hard Times label and finished a pumping remix for WahWah45's.

Check out the latest release from Marcel Vogel.