Elektronika

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Elektronika is a research project that aims to develop a historiography of electronic music in Malta. This project was developed from ongoing collaboration between the M3P Foundation and Electronic Music Malta.

The project was announced on Wednesday 21 October 2020 during Circuits at Spazju Kreattiv. The launch event featured a presentation by Michael Bugeja with a running commentary by Toni Sant, moderated by Edwin Balzan.

Below is a schedule of events linked to the data gathering and processing phases of the project, based primarily on archival research, third party collections, interviews and oral history sessions with key people linked to the electronic music scene in Malta. A good amount of related memorabilia, consisting mostly of flyers and some analogue recordings, has also been gathered. These are currently being evaluated in preparation for digitization and eventual cataloguing within this repository; both these processes fall within the second phase of the project.

Further down, the working lists of electronic bands and artists from Malta or with a Maltese connection, Maltese record labels, key people and venues have been updated to include data gathered from the events held to date. These lists will continue to be updated and expanded by inviting contributions and suggestions from anyone in possession of information, recordings, newspaper and magazine cuttings, visuals, flyers, posters, etc and/or any other object that can help this project reach its goal.

Events

Saturday 03 February 2021 - Official Elektronika Project Launch

Before Elektronika was formally launched, a visual identity needed to be established, and this was designed by Enrique’ Tabone. This consists of a design which incorporates the name itself and which is also synonymous with a synthesizer knob which is an integral part of the core of electronic music production and sound design.

The project was launched in a live streamed public event held at Spazju Kreattiv. During this event, Michael Bugeja, Dr Toni Sant and Edwin Balzan outlined the aims of the project and also made a call for assistance from the electronic music community. At this stage, this project was already hosted in a webpage as part of the m3p.com.mt website.

As part of this launch, Michael Bugeja interviewed the experimental music artist Kurt Buttigieg about his participation to this project and the electronic music producer, Sonitus Eco who also performed a dj set (consisting entirely of own composed material) after the presentation.

Thursday 22 July 2021 - The Evolution of the Electronic Dance Music Culture in Malta: Session 1 - Evolution (Focus on the DJ Era)

This session consisted of an interview with four of Malta’s pioneering DJs in the electronic music scene: Coco Da House Bitch, David Dee, Brian James and Owen Jay. The session was followed by a 1 hour dj set from ‘Tres Moody’ which is a project consisting of David Dee, Brian James and Owen Jay.

Thursday 12 August 2021 - The Evolution of the Electronic Dance Music Culture in Malta: Session 2 - Exploration (Focus on Productions)

This session focused on productions featuring DJs, producers, duos, bands and projects. During this session, Michael Bugeja interviewed two of Malta’s pioneering duo/producers in the electronic music scene: Duo Blank and Spooky Monkey. The session was followed by a 1 hour performance from Duo Blank who played a hybrid DJ/live set of original productions culled from a catalogue spanning 25 years.

Thursday 23 September 2021 - The Evolution of the Electronic Dance Music Culture in Malta: Session 3 - Promotion (Radio, event marketing and organization)

This session focused on the promotion of homegrown events which gradually took on an international aspect, radio presence and its impact. During this session, Michael Bugeja interviewed three DJs who were active as performers as well as events promoters and organizers, and radio show hosts. All three guests, namely Adrian V, Bryan S and Junior B, were prominent in the electronic music scene from the 1990s onwards. The session was followed by a DJ set from Junior B.

Saturday 23 October 2021 - Maltese Electronic Music in the Eighties: Session held as part of Circuits 2021 Festival Weekend

In the fourth and final oral history session, Michael Bugeja interviewed members from three groups that were formed and were majorly active in the 1980s, namely Art in Glass represented by Simon Psaila, Structure, represented by Pierre Caruana, and X-Tend, represented by three of the band's founding members, Charles Dalli, Eric Calleja and Godwin Debono. Of these three bands, only X-Tend are still active.

Event Page on Circuits 2021 Website

List of Maltese Electronic Bands and Artists

Band or Artist Years active Official Releases
43 Ltd
Acidulant 2008 - to date Y
Alias 1 Y
Art in Glass 1984 - 1987 Y
Artwork Y
Auralbots
Ayn Il Widen 2019 - to date Y
A-Mag Y
Bark Bark Disco 2013 - to date Y
Bound by Sound 1997 - 1999 N
Brian James 1990 - to date Y
Brian Vassallo 1998 - to date Y
Capitol K 1999 - to date Y
Chi-2 N
Clifford Borg Y
Crux Y
Cv/Gate Y
Cyberia
Cygna Y
Dean Demanuele Y
Depth 2007 - to date Y
DeeMagic 1995 - 1996 Y
Deepfunk Y
DLAM 2011 - Y
Dolls for Idols 2009 - 2013 Y
Duo Blank 1998 - to date Y
Ed Blank 1998 - to date Y
Electronic Travellers 2013 - 2017 Y
Frank Blank 1998 - to date Y
Hysteric Maniac Y
ipconfig
JOON 2020 - to date Y
Kashmir
Kemic-Al Y
Klasterfijld 2013 - to date Y
KNTRL 2014 - to date Y
Koncept M 1998 - to date
Komakino
Kurt Buttigieg 2000 - to date Y
Lords of Bass
Lucy's Last Y
Malt.Tabulated Sounds 2005 - to date Y
Maltese Massive Y
Matematikal Y
May We Ask You All For Silence 2008 - to date Y
Megapulse Y
Melchior Sultana Y
Microlith Y
Mirage Y
Mist
Mood Project 1995 - 1996 N
Odyssey Music 2017 - to date
Owen Jay 1998 - to date Y
Oxygyn Y
Parallaks 2017 - to date Y
Particle Blue Y
Plato's Dream Machine 2009 - 2018 Y
Potential
Progeny 1989 - 1990 N
Q Factory Incorporated 1991 - 1993 Y
RAIM 2014 - to date Y
Ray Buttigieg 1974 - to date Y
Rhythm Masters 1993 - to date Y
Rift Valley Y
Robert Farrugia Y
Rough Sea
Semitic Groove Foundation 1996 - to date Y
Sir Round 2004 - 2006 Y
Sequela Y
Senserogen Y
Sinister Cyborgs 1998 - 1999 Y
Sonitus Eco 2011 - to date Y
Sound Synthesis 2008 - to date Y
South Central 2005 - 2016 Y
Splitting Voices 1985 - 1987 N
Spooky Monkey Y
Stimulus Timbre 2012 - to date Y
Structure N
Subverts 1984 - 1988 N
Tenishia 2004 - to date Y
The Alter 1996 - 1999 N
The Automates 1996 N
The Exit N
The Joy Circuit 1986 - 1988 N
The Motive Y
Tim Mason 2011 - to date Y
Toby Y
Twilight Moods (Niki Falzon) Y
U-Bahn 2000 - 2010 Y
Upside Images N
Volume A Y
Web 1994 - 1996 Y
Wh0 2017 - to date Y
X-Tend 1984 - to date Y
YEWS 2011 - 2020 Y

List of Maltese record labels

Name of Label Years active Comments
Batti Batti
Complex Holiday 2020 - to date
Complex Sound Sagacity
Glass Republic 2000 - 2001
HAAR Records
Noise Alliance 1999 - 2013
Pinkpube 2005 - 2011
Profound Sound
Sonic Mecca 1998 -
Toppling Colossus
Wave Function
Wirebox Records

List of key people

Name Role Comments
Alex Cutajar
Alex Spiteri Gingell
Brian James
Brian Schembri
Brian Vella
Charles Dalli
Clint Spiteri
Coco Da Housebitch
Daniel Sant
David Dee
Denis Vella
Desmond Vella
Edwin Balzan
Eric Calleja
Frank Cachia
Godwin Debono
Joe Baldacchino
Justin Meli
Karl Cutajar
Kenneth Catania
Kurt Buttigieg
Marco 'Larski' Ellul
Mark Kram
Martin Farrugia
Michael Quinton
Niki Gravino
Owen Jay
Paul Abela
Ray Buttigieg
Ray Tabone
Robert Longo
Simon Psaila

List of venues

Name of Venue Locality Years Venue Open Comments
Duke's St Julian's
Dewdrops Paceville
Going Places Paceville
Liquid San Gwann 1999 - today
Buskett Roadhouse Dingli
Axis Paceville
Mirage Paceville
Poxx Bar St Julian's
Pvshka St Paul's Bay
Reeds Marsaskala
Sky Club Paceville
Stownes Bugibba
Styx II Paceville
The Generator Paceville
Tremors Paceville
Warehouse Zurrieq
Raffles Pembroke
La Grotta Xlendi
Gianpula Rabat
Tattingers Rabat
Uno Village / Numero Uno Ta' Qali

See also