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Merck

Profile:
Owned and operated by Gabe Koch, based in Miami, Florida, US. Started in January 2000, ended in January 2007, Merck Records was home to many artists producing experimental electronic music in many styles, including IDM, hip-hop, ambient, and indie. The music has a generally upbeat and melodic feel to it, technical, but not overly cerebral. Obvious influences are early UK labels like Warp, Skam, and Rephlex, as well as all the early Miami electronic labels.

In January 2007, Merck reached the end of its release schedule with a total of 51 CD releases and 50 vinyl releases. The label is still selling its catalogue online but is no longer releasing any new material.

End of 2007, Gabe Koch posted a really interesting analyze on his blog about the end of Merck.
Sublabel:
Narita Records
Contact Info:
m3rck@m3rck.net
Sites:
merckrecords.com, MySpace
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Discography

Releases:
MERCK 001 Syndrone Triskaideka (CD, Album, Ltd) 2000
MERCK 002 Various Squadron (CD, Ltd) 2000
MERCK003 MD Appelsap (CD, Album, Ltd) 2000
MERCK 004 Various Aurora (CD, Comp, Ltd) 2000
MERCK 005 Machine Drum Now You Know (CD, Album, Ltd) 2001
MERCK 006 Proem Negativ (Album) ◄ (3 versions) 2001
MERCK 007 Ilkae Pistachio Island (CD, Album, Ltd) 2001
MERCK 008 MD Between Gaps (CD, Ltd, Album, Enh) 2001
MERCK 009 Kristuit Salu vs. Morris Nightingale My Mines I (CD, Album, Ltd) 2002
MERCK 010 Proswell Konami (CD, Album, Ltd) 2002
MERCK 011 Machine Drum Half The Battle (CD, Comp, Ltd) 2002
MERCK 012 Machine Drum Urban Biology (CD, Album, Ltd) 2002
MERCK 013 Blamstrain Ensi (CD, Album, Ltd) 2003
MERCK 014 Esem Serial Human (CD, Album, Ltd) 2003
MERCK 015 Lackluster Showcase (CD, Album, Ltd) 2003
MERCK 016 Adam Johnson Chigliak (CD, Album, Ltd, Cle) 2003
MERCK 017 Secede Bye Bye Gridlock Traffic (CD, Album, Ltd) 2003
MERCK 018 Various Miasmah (CD, Comp, Ltd) 2003
MERCK 019 Tiki Obmar High School Confidential (Album) ◄ (2 versions) 2003
MERCK 020 Various Dosage (CD, Comp, Ltd) 2003
MERCK 021 Various Doubledown (CD, Ltd) 2003
MERCK 022 Proswell Carrot Dossier (CD, Album, Ltd) 2003
MERCK 023 Proem Socially Inept (CD, Album, Ltd) 2004
MERCK 024 Mr. Projectile Sinking (CD, Album, Ltd) 2004
MERCK 025 Syndrone Salmataxia (CD, Album, Ltd) 2004
MERCK 026 Helios Unomia (CD, Album, Ltd) 2004
MERCK 027 Deceptikon Lost Subject (CD, Album, Ltd) 2004
MERCK 028 Landau Thepicompromise (Album) ◄ (2 versions) 2004
MERCK 029 Tiki Obmar Seasons (CD, Album, Ltd) 2004
MERCK 030 Lateduster Easy Pieces (CD, Album, Enh, Ltd) 2004
MERCK 031 Machine Drum Bidnezz (Album) ◄ (2 versions) 2004
MERCK 032 Ilkae Bovine Rearrangement (CD, Album, Ltd) 2004
MERCK 033 Deru Trying To Remember (CD, Album, Ltd) 2004
MERCK 034 Malcom Kipe Breakspiracy Theories (CD, Ltd) 2005
MERCK 035 Blamstrain Blamstrain Remixed (CD, Ltd) 2005
MERCK 036 Various Aurora 2 (CD, Ltd, Comp) 2005
MERCK 037 Malcom Kipe Lit (CD, Album, Ltd) 2005
MERCK 038 Tstewart Living Exponentially (CD, Album, Ltd) 2006
MERCK 039 Machine Drum Mergerz & Acquisitionz (2xCD, Album, Ltd) 2006
MERCK 040 Tim Koch Faena (CD, Album, Ltd) 2006
MERCK 041 Various Squadron 2 (CD, Comp, Ltd) 2006
MERCK 042 Proem You Shall Have Ever Been (Album) ◄ (2 versions) 2006
MERCK 043 Ilkae Bring Extra Dragons (CD, Album, Ltd) 2006
MERCK 044 Tycho (3) Past Is Prologue (CD, Album, Ltd) 2006
MERCK045 Various Merck Fragments (CD-ROM, Ltd) 2006
MERCK 046 40 Winks* Sound Puzzle (CD, Album, Ltd) 2007
MERCK 046 40 Winks* Sound Puzzle (CDr, Album, Promo) 2007
MERCK 047 Proswell Bruxist Frog (CD, Album, Ltd) 2007
MERCK AJ Adam Johnson Chigliak Sampler ◄ (2 versions) 2003
MERCK AR Sense 2 Day Dub ◄ (4 versions) 2003
MERCK BA Machine Drum Half The Battle ◄ (3 versions) 2002
MERCK BA2 Machine Drum Half The Battle 2 ◄ (2 versions) 2003
MERCK BA3 Machine Drum Half The Battle 3 ◄ (2 versions) 2004
MERCK BT1 Malcom Kipe Breakspiracy Theories Vol. 1 ◄ (2 versions) 2004
MERCK BT2 Malcom Kipe Breakspiracy Theories Vol. 2 ◄ (2 versions) 2005
MERCK BV1 Various Remixes Of Ilkae BV1 (7", Ltd, Cle) 2005
MERCK BV2 Various Remixes Of Ilkae BV2 (7", Ltd, Cle) 2005
MERCK BV3 Various Remixes Of Ilkae BV3 (7", Ltd, Cle) 2005
MERCK BV4 Various Remixes Of Ilkae BV4 (7", Ltd, Cle) 2005
MERCK BZ Machine Drum Bidnezz (Album) ◄ (2 versions) 2004
MERCK DE Proem Debone (7", Ltd, Cle) 2005
MERCK DO Various Dosage ◄ (2 versions) 2003
MERCK DO2 Various Dosage 2 (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) 2003
MERCK DR Ilkae Bring Extra Dragons ◄ (2 versions) 2004
MERCK DU Deru Trying To Remember ◄ (2 versions) 2004
MERCK EN Blamstrain Sansi Empler ◄ (2 versions) 2003
MERCK FB Frank And Bill MA0x (7", Ltd) 2003
MERCK GC Deceptikon Greater Cascadia (12", Ltd, Pur) 2007
MERCK II Aphilas Instrumentally Ill EP ◄ (2 versions) 2004
MERCK KS Kristuit Salu My Mines I ◄ (2 versions) 2002
MERCK LL Lackluster A Lackluster Remixer (12") 2002
MERCK LL7 Lackluster Rikos 7" (7") 2001
MERCK LS Deceptikon Lost Subject ◄ (2 versions) 2003
MERCK LS2 Deceptikon Lost Subject 2 ◄ (3 versions) 2004
MERCK LT Malcom Kipe Lit (Album) ◄ (4 versions) 2006
MERCK LW Anders Ilar Ludwijka (LP, Ltd) 2006
MERCK MA Machine Drum Mergerz & Acquisitionz Sampler (12", Ltd, Smplr, Gre) 2006
MERCK MD2 Various MD2 (12", Ltd) 2002
MERCK MIX1 Various Merck Mix 1, Spring 2003 (CD, Mixed, Ltd) 2003
MERCK MIX2 Various Merck Mix 2, Summer 2003 (CD, Ltd) 2003
MERCK MIX3 Various Merck Mix 3 (CD) 2004
MERCK MIX4 Proswell Merck Mix 4 (CD, Mixed, Ltd) 2004
MERCK MN Morris Nightingale My Mines I ◄ (3 versions) 2002
MERCK MR MD MD Remixes ◄ (2 versions) 2001
MERCK NY Machine Drum Now You Know (2xLP) 2001
MERCK PK Secede & Kettel Perspeeks ◄ (2 versions) 2007
MERCK PM Proem 2=1 ◄ (2 versions) 2002
MERCK PP Tycho (3) Past Is Prologue (Sampler) ◄ (3 versions) 2007
MERCK PS Quench (3) Punctuated Sampler (12", Smplr, Ltd, Blu) 2005
MERCK RE1 Blamstrain Blamstrain Remixed Part One ◄ (3 versions) 2005
MERCK RF Royal Foxbridge Bored Break / Hippie Stomp Stall ◄ (4 versions) 2004
MERCK RU Lackluster R U Oho? ◄ (3 versions) 2004
MERCK SA Various Squadron Sampler ◄ (2 versions) 2001
MERCK SA2 Various Squadron 2 (5x7", Ltd) 2006
MERCK SC Lackluster Showcase ◄ (2 versions) 2004
MERCK SG Mr Projectile* Sinking Sampler ◄ (2 versions) 2005
MERCK SI Proem Sociallyinept ◄ (3 versions) 2004
MERCK SP 40 Winks* Sound Puzzle Sampler (12", Ltd, Smplr) 2007
MERCK TC Landau Thepicompromise Sampler ◄ (2 versions) 2004
MERCK TO Tiki Obmar Seasons ◄ (2 versions) 2005
MERCK UB Machine Drum Urban Biology ◄ (2 versions) 2003
MERCK UN Proem Unravel (7", Ltd) 2005
none Proswell Bruxist Frog (CD, Promo) 2007
PLERCK 00 World On Higher Downs, The Euclid / A Muted Street Song (7", Ltd) 2007

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Reviews & Discussion

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Review by Eikwel Mar 12, 2006 (edited over 3 years ago)
I think Merck records is the best label for someone who loves abstract hiphop and would like to discover a more experimental and electronic sound. Merck is a kinda family. Every artist is different, but all want to make extremely beautiful and innovative digital music.
It is my favourite label for all these reasons. Colorful, futuristik & urban releases with marvellous artworks overmore.
Respect!
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Review by Naem_Underground Feb 01, 2006 (edited over 3 years ago)
One of the best IDM label in the word (if not THE best) won't exist anymore at the end of the year.
I'm sad, very sad.
Too difficult to find some merck releases in France, I've ordered all their discography from their website (I had machine drum and proem releases before this order) and ALL the releases are fantastic..
Merck is exceptional because there was a strong cohesion between all the members... Merck was a kind of family, and a real and original soul has been developed into this community.
IDM, IDM/hiphop beat, Abstract HipHop, Breaks, Minimal Techno, Ambient, with a very artistic and urban feeling.
It's all I love, Merck is the future!
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Review by Reticulum_Flux Jan 27, 2006 (edited over 3 years ago)
Like everyone else, I too am depressed about Merck coming to an end. They had some really good artists and releases under their belt and it just kept getting better and better. Their artists range from IDM to ambient to hip hop electronic. Some really good stuff from this label.

Their releases are often limited to 1000 units each so their whole catelog is collector items. They will be closing their doors sometime around summer 2006... I suggest anyone who wants a release by them does it quick!
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Review by timpong Dec 23, 2005 (edited over 3 years ago)
I was very sorry to hear that Merck will only be around untill sometime 2006. I have been very impressed with their catalog and will certainly miss their releases. Here is the press releases from Merck "We are both sad and happy to announce that this will be the last year of Merck Records. Once we have released 50 cds and 50 vinyls sometime mid 2006, we will stop releasing new material. We have many reasons for this, in the interest of briefness we will just say that its time to move on. After we have completed 100 total releases (currently at 81) we will sell off our remaining stock and there will be no more represses. We thank ALL the people who have supported us over the years, you have made this possible."
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Review by zodiakk Mar 08, 2005 (edited over 4 years ago)
What a strong and good label. The quality of the releases is getting better with the years in my opinion. Their motto of 'severely electronified hiphop' doesn't seem to cover enough ground for all the music they release, it's all amazingly produced. I personally like the fact they release entire cd's with all kinds of remixes by related artists. I have yet to see a slip-up in their catalogue. With amazing talent like Deru, Landau, Helios, Machinedrum, etc they are becoming one of my all-time favourite labels.
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Review by alphalogic Jul 04, 2002
A really good young IDM lable, that releases stuff of some "famous" IDM|Downbeat artists like lackluster, brothomstates. I would prefer they would release more of there stuff on vinyl. But nevertheless its a great label.
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