Terranova

by Dean Carlson
Making an inner-city alley of abstract, apocalyptic trip-hop their home, Germany's Terranova could arguably have started back in the '80s, the instant founding member Fetisch heard the heavy beats of American hip-hop strut through his homeland. An inspired move to New York City happened shortly thereafter, leading Fetisch to numerous DJ appearances and an early bond with the Stereo MC's, but it was only when he returned home and met up with Marco Meister (classically-trained pianist) and Kaos (graffiti artist) to eventually release a handful of 12" under the professional wrestling-friendly moniker of Turntable Terranova that the production trio was truly born. The group's anti-provincial beat experimentation nimbly entered dance culture with their lasting, much-respected DJ Kicks installment, released in 1998 (the band now assuming the shorter Terranova tag) while endless comparisons to Kruder & Dorfmeister or Tricky were lavished about. What really seemed to mark Terranova as a unique rhythm in trip-hop, however, was 1999's Close the Door, a surprisingly original debut full-length put out by Copasetik Recordings with collaborations by Einstürzende Neubauten's Alexander Hacke, San Francisco's Rasco, and -- coming full circle -- Cath Coffey of the Stereo MC's. In 2002, the Berlin trio emerged with the eclectic Hitchhiking Non-Stop with No Particular Destination.