For more than a decade, Philipp Priebe has been releasing an emotional take on house music that melds melancholic warm sounds with driving elements. It’s a style that dates back to his teenage years, when he began collecting records in a small town in Germany. Since 2020, his music has landed on Stólar, his own label, and that includes Movements In An Empty Department Store, his latest album that comprises eight original compositions soundtracking one night alone in an empty department store. On this week’s XLR8R podcast, Priebe delivers a live set filled with forthcoming tracks and remixes that features the same swelling bass lines, dubby echoes, and ethereal textures. “I wanted this mix to have a steady flow of beauty, yet having a club sound,” Priebe says, “and those tracks worked nicely for this purpose.” Press play for just over an hour of raw, cinematic house music.

01. What have you been up to recently?
I fooled around the last weeks, creating a new side project for myself, handling new releases on the label, then I finished my next album for Freund der Familie.

02. What have you been listening to?
Lately I have been listening to a lot of old Efdemin records, the Decay and Chicago albums in particular. I love his aesthetics in there, also they are truly timeless. Besides that I am listening to Jacob Banks for a few months now excessively. His voice is just outstanding and his lyrics are hitting deep every time. A new favourite of mine.

03. You’ve just put out a new album. What can you tell us about it?
The idea was to create a soundtrack for a night alone in a department store. I had this dream as a child of how it would be to stay there for an entire night all by yourself, being able to do whatever you want. No security, no cameras, no regrets.

Now, as an adult, the focus of this night has changed as well as the music that I would connect with it. The album guides you through the night and the different departments. From entering the store where you mostly find beauty products to the delicacies, the furniture, and the perfumes. It takes you through all these different places, allowing you to do whatever you want

04. Where and when did you record this mix?
I recorded the mix at home, in my studio in the beginning of December.

05. What setup did you use?
Basically my live gear: Elektron Analog Rytm MKII Drum Machine, Elektron Digitakt 8 Voice Drum Computer and Sampler, Ableton Live, Faderfox, Allen & Heath Xone mixer.

06. How did you choose the tracks you’ve included?
Whenever I record a mix, I always like to put in some new tracks, works in progress, something special for the occasion.

This time I chose some tracks that are coming out this year. Plus some remixes for my recent albums by artists and friends like Ohm, Ben Kaczor, Molly, and Rising Sun. Also some recent cooperations with Ben [Kaczor] and Module One, who is a friend of mine.

07. Where do you imagine it being listened to?
Ideally I would say somewhere near the water, at the sea or just in the bathtub.

08. What’s next on your horizon?
Less dramatic, faster music. More focus and work on Stólar again. Becoming a happy label owner, producer, human.

XLR8R Subscribers can download the podcast below. If you’re not an XLR8R subscriber, you can read more about it and subscribe here.

Tracklisting

01. Philipp Priebe “Marble” (Redux) (Stólar)
02. Philipp PriebeOn The Way Out (Rising Sun Remix I) (Stólar)
03. Philipp Priebe Movements In An Empty Department Store (Stólar)
04. Philipp Priebe Overdosing (Stólar)
05. Philipp Priebe Women Dancing To Records with Module One) (Stólar)
06. Philipp Priebe Conclusions (OHM Remix) (Stólar)
07. Philipp Priebe Keep On (with Ben Kaczor) (Stólar)
08. Philipp Priebe Cold Nights, Warm Bodies (Stólar)
09. Philipp Priebe Fever Dreams (Ben Kaczor Remix) (Stólar)
10. Philipp Priebe Clouds Floating In A Haze Of Light (Stólar)
11. Philipp Priebe The Danish Villa (Stólar)
12. Philipp Priebe Dial 4+8 For Heartbreak (Stólar)
13. Philipp Priebe Drenched In Dust (Molly Remix) (Stólar)
14. Philipp Priebe Fever Dreams (Redux) (Stólar)