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Chris Liebing and Speedy Js Collabs 3000 project, revived in 2024 with a slew of high-profile b2b sets, has its roots in the pairs history and that of European Techno.
The spark that launched Collabs 3000 occurred at Frankfurts legendary U60311 club in 2001. Speedy J, aka Jochem Paap, and Liebing were already key players in the techno scene, and Paaps first visit to Liebings own Es ist Freitagaaabend…! night and residency in Germany came from a deep mutual respect.
Soon after their first improvised live/DJ back set, Liebing and Paap convened at the latter's studio in Rotterdam to record for Speedy Js collaborative series, Collabs, for NovaMute. The track, Collabs 300 (Trick_ / Treflon_), was released in 2004 to a rapturous response; its detailed machine-funk intensity and unmistakable breakdowns helped to define the sound of early 00s Techno and revealing writing and production chemistry that demanded a larger playground for their work. This wider remit manifested in Collabs 3000 (Metalism), a LP for NovaMute, replete with The Designers Republic arts eleven relentless, layered tracks that still crop up regularly some two decades after their release.
For Liebing and Paap, techno has always been about the future. As such, Collabs 3000 continues at pace with the duo restlessly exploring the limits of their craft, with the improvisational character of their ever-evolving styles creating unforgettable moments for thousands of techno fans across the globe.
