Le Lab Registered are among the pioneers of the Swiss electro scene. They mix field recordings with electronic beats and sequencers. The duo have released four EPs and two albums since 1988. They are currently recording a new LP.
1986
The duo shoot experimental videos in Switzerland and London and record their first track on audio cassette: a cover of German electronic hit “Automatic Lover” by Dee Dee Jackson.
1988
“Discotron / Pull Out The Mixes”
(12”, Dircom, SoS, 1988)
The duo discover the acid house scene in London and release their first EP, “Pull Out The Mixes”. This three-track 12” vinyl record is published under the name Discotron with a cover design by Itself (Sandoz). The track “Give Me All Your Money” will later be included in the compilation “Welcome to the club house party” (LP, Sound Service, 1990), in Le Lab Registered EP “Obscene” (Dircom, 1993), on their album “103.5” (Dircom, 2006) and in the documentary movie “L’ami” (2022) by Frédéric Pajak about Swiss cartoonist Mix & Remix.
1989
In New York, Le Lab Registered explore the Latin freestyle scene and record urban sounds: sirens, crowds, public warnings, traffic and radios. The duo choose to publish all their future productions under the name Le Lab ®. The symbol ® (pronounced: registered) is a simple graphic choice, which does not refer to a registered trademark. (Since 2020, the duo prefer to write their name in full, Le Lab Registered, in order to avoid misunderstandings, typing complications, and lawsuits.)
1990
“Transcendance 17 Doses”
(CD, Dircom Disques Office, MSI, Roc Rulin’, NY, 1990)
The duo publish their first album, “Transcendance 17 Doses”, which mixes freestyle and acid house beats with samples from all origins. The record cover, designed by Sandoz, is inspired by the graphic codes of the Swiss pharmaceutical industry (Futura). “Transcendance 17 Doses” is notably spotted by the British magazine Blitz, which writes this: “An extraordinary release. Hailing from Switzerland, Le Lab® show the inventiveness of their closest geographical peers, Yello. Spiritual allies of the likes of KLF and Kraftwerk, they sample everything from metronomes to airport announcements” (Paul Mathur, Blitz). The disc is described by Tribune de Genève newspaper as a “Dadaist collage between Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder, virtually produced by Jacques Tati casting an amused eye on the contemporary world”. “Transcendance 17 Doses” is distributed in the United States by Roc Rulin’, in France by MSI and in Switzerland by Disques Office.
1991
Swiss magazine Good Boy publishes an ad by Le Lab Registered with a photo portrait and a list of recent releases selected by the duo. The selection contains tracks from 808 State, The Orb, Shut Up And Dance, Double Impact, Tech-Nine, T99 and Underground Technology.
1992
Le Lab Registered present an “acid retrovision 1987-1992” playlist in Swiss magazine Culte. The selection includes nine tracks: “Don’t Hold Back” by Thomas Davis (Tho Mix Records 1987), “The Poke” by Adonis and the Endless Poker (DJ International 1987), “Frequency” by Lil’ Louis (Dance Mania / Diamond Corp 1987), “I’m A Dog / Boom Boom” by Dancer (Trax, 1987), “Acid Over” by Tyree (Underground Records 1987), “Strings of Life” by Rhythim is Rhythim (Transmat 1987), “Carnival / I’m so Deep / Technology” by Vincent Floyd (Dance Mania 1990), “Drena’s Revenge” by Dave Tech Nice (Underworld Apexton 1990) and “Substance Abuse / Confusion” by Fuse (Plus Eight 1991).
1992
The Swiss magazine Culte publishes the list of Le Lab Registered recording equipment.
1992
“Bureaucracy / Fax Orgy /Transit / BIG mini”
(12”, Dircom, 1992)
Le Lab Registered release an EP recorded with office machines (“Bureaucracy”, “Fax Orgy”, A side) and sounds captured at London Heathrow Airport (“Transit”, B side). An additional track, “BIG mini”, is recorded with the sounds of a Konica camera. The EP is distributed in Europe by HoS.
1993
“Obscene / Give Me All Your Money”
(12”, Dircom, 1993)
For this NY hard house track, Le Lab Registered use the recording of an American judge reciting the offending lyrics during the trial of hip hop group 2 Live Crew for obscenity. The B side contains a remix of “Give Me All Your Money” and the first version of this track originally released in 1988.
1997
On March 1st 1997, Le Lab Registered perform at the Centre d’Art Neuchâtel during Manga Video Mixed Gender Event.
1999
“1999”
(12”, white label, 1999)
Le Lab Registered record a cover of Prince’s “1999” with text-to-speech software. The record is published on white label.
2003
Le Lab Registered unreleased track “Information Society” is used by the International Telecommunications Union for its World Summit On Information Society presentation DVD.
2005
On the occasion of the 2005 Sónar festival, the title “Party” by Le Lab Registered appears in second position on the CD published by the Czech magazine Xmag (“Crap Kraft Dinner” by Hot Chip appears in sixth position).
2006
“103.5”
(CD, Dircom, Musikvertrieb, 2006)
Le Lab Registered release their second album, more than 15 years after the first: a concept album dedicated to the roots of the electro movement and to radio transmissions. Its title, “103.5”, pays homage to the New York station Hot 103.5, pioneer of the Latin freestyle movement in the 1980s and early 1990s. The album, distributed by Musikvertrieb, is positively received by the press. “Eine Lektion in House-Geschichte von grosser Aktualität (…) so spannend zum Anhören” (Aargauer Tagblatt), “A pure delight of sound intelligence” (Tribune de Genève), “Die Musik der Schweizer House-Pioniere errinert eher an die einstigen vielen Möglichkeiten als an die Verloungisierung der hier zu Lande latent an übersteuerte Männlichkeit leidenden Genres’ (Tages Anzeiger).
2006
A Le Lab Registered concert is announced for Saturday February 4 at the Usine à Gaz club in Nyon (Switzerland). A Le Lab Registered Electronic Party is organised at the Kagibi Bar in Geneva on March 24th with a set by DJ Nicolas and Mental Groove Visual Vibes.
2007
Le Lab Registered are invited on April 28 by the Lola Bar (Geneva) for a mix on the theme “Early House & Old Electro”. The duo play tracks by Mr Fingers, Tyree, Pal Joey, Chez Damier, Corporation of One and Todd Terry, among others.
2009
“Computer Hang Up”
(Dircom, 2009, track on “Snapshot Volume 1” CD, Static, 2009)
Neuchâtel label Static publishes two titles from Le Lab Registered, including an unreleased track (“Computer Hang Up”) in its electro compilation “Snapshot Volume 1”.
2012
Le Lab Registered open a Soundcloud account with a previously unreleased 1992 remix of their track “Fax Orgy”.
2020
The IG account @lelabregistered is opened with an original video shot by the duo in 1989 in Notting Hill, London. The soundtrack is “Shut Up And Shop” (2006) from the “103.5” album.
2022
The track “Give Me All Your Money” (1992) by Le Lab Registered is used in the documentary film “L’ami” (2022) by Frédéric Pajak, dedicated to cartoonist Mix & Remix.
2023
On September 1, Le Lab Registered perform a live mix on a Geneva rooftop, including their own tracks and field recordings, improvisation, tracks by Patrick Cowley and Todd Terry and unexpected police sirens. The last copies of the duo’s first album “Transcendance” (1990) are sold on Bandcamp.
2023
Le Lab Registered rerelease the last copies of the EP “Bureaucracy / Fax Orgy / Transit / BIG Mini” (12”, Dircom, 1992) with a new artwork and packaging by Meyergrafik, including bonus “103.5” CD (2006). The copies are available in selected record shops in London.
January 2024
Le Lab Registered release the track “Computer Hang Up” (Dircom, 2009) in digital format. It is available on Soundcloud.
January 2024
Le Lab Registered announce two concerts at Spanners, Brixton. The concerts will happen on 2 and 3 February 2024.