A TOUCH OF CLASS
Oliver Stumm and Domie Clausen form the NY based production and DJ duo named A Touch Of Class (ATOC). They founded A Touch Of Class Recordings in 1999 as a platform to release their own music material as well as help launch other acts.
ATOC fit style-wise somewhere between Electro/Disco and Dance Rock, combining real instruments with electronics covering a broad spectrum. Using modern production techniques with an uncompromising attitude and defying specific genre, Oliver and Domie deliver cutting-edge and daring mixes of highest craftsmanship.
They have remixed artists such as The Gossip, Le Tigre, A.R.E. Weapons, Erasure, et al. to high reviews and DJ play.
Oliver, born in Boston, USA, has a master's degree in Mathematics and Computer Science and is a classically trained musician. As a student in Switzerland he started DJing in '87 "to make some cash" and because he always loved music and the affect it has on people. He soon was lauded for his musical sensibility and talent and became somewhat a household name in Switzerland, organizing huge warehouse-style parties before he moved to New York City. In NY in the mid 90s, he started the label imprint Liquid Groove and worked under the alias H2O, creating club classics such as "Take Me higher", "Nobody's Business" and "You Can Run...".
Domie, born in Zurich, Switzerland, played drums as a teenager. His excitement in rhythm and music led to an obsession with dance music. He started DJing in '90 and quickly became the DJ of choice at underground parties. While studying visual design he visited New York for a three month school project. Here the two met and started conversations about new production techniques and the newest directions the dance music was getting into. After getting his master's degree in '98 Dominique accepted the invitation to return to NY and the two joined forces.
Both tired of the beat defined splintering of dance genres in the late 90s and ever bored with easy assembled lifestyles, magazine hype and industry compromises, Oliver and Domie decided to follow their own beliefs and release music with a no-holds-barred approach based on the right "attitude" rather than specific genre. They took their name A Touch Of Class from a chrome emblem off the back of a garbage truck and use this name that signifies suburban-trash chic as an umbrella for all their activities and interests such as music production, running a label imprint and creating their own installations and events. They began throwing loft parties in disused Korean Brothels and Chinese Cafeteria's and released the first ATOC recordings single "The Rock EP" in 1999. With this "grass roots" philosophy they established a name around the world as producers as well as DJs and found themselves at the forefront of the electro movement.
Rather than use publicity hype and conventional marketing strategies to gain fans, ATOC concentrate on product development and high craftsmanship. Their work is best heard on their critically acclaimed retrospective "A Touch Of Class Sucks!" and the forthcoming follow up "A Touch Of Class Still Sucks!", illustrating the newest directions of avant-garde dance music.
A TOUCH OF CLASS DISCOGRAPHY
P=Producer, E=engineer, C=Composer, M=Mixer, R=Remixer
1999 Michael Rocks, Mashup EP (ATOC) (P,E,M)
2001 The Ones "Flawless", Single (ATOC/EMI) (P,E,C,M)
2001 Waldorf "You're My Disco", Single (ATOC) (P,E,M)
2002 Scissor Sisters "Comfortably Numb", Single (ATOC/Polydor) (P,E,M)
2002 Waldorf "Fashionist", Single (ATOC) (P,E,M)
2002 The Ones "Superstar", Single (ATOC/EMI) (P,E,C,M)
2002 The Ones vs The World "The Ones Go To Hollywood", Mashup Single (ATOC) (P,E,R)
2003 A Touch Of Class "Sucks!", Multi-Artist Album (ATOC) (P,E,C,M)
2004 George Michael "Flawless(Go To The City)", Single (Sony) (P,E,C,M)
2004 Scissor Sisters "Filthy/Gorgeous", Single (ATOC/Polydor) (P,E,M)
2004 Xavier "Give Me The Night", "XXX", EP (ATOC/Virgin) (P,E,M)
2005 Erasure "Don't Say You Love Me", Single (Mute) (R,E)
2005 Le Tigre "After Dark", Single (Universal) (R,E)
2005 The Ones "I Feel Upside Down", Single (ATOC) (P,E,C,M)
2005 Services 'Your Desire Is My Business", LP (ATOC) (P,E,M)
2006 ATOC "Not You-Me!/Streetdub", Single (ATOC) (P,E,C,M)
2006 Waldorf "Age Of Stupid", LP (ATOC) (P,E,M)
2006 The Ones "Picture Perfect", Single (ATOC) (P,E,C,M)
2006 The Alpine "Trigger", Single (Gun Records) (R,E)
2006 The Gossip "Listen Up", Single (KRS) (R,E)
2006 Services "Elements Of Danger", Single (P,E,M)
2007 The Ones "Ultramodern/Blast", Single (ATOC) (P,E,C,M)
2007 The Ones "The Ones", LP (ATOC) (P,E,C,M)
2007 A Touch Of Class "Still Sucks!", Multi-Artist Album (ATOC) (P,E,C,M)
PRESS
"Sticking to its reputation (Scissor Sisters, The Ones, Xavier) the A Touch Of Class label once again defied expectations by unearthing another unusual act in the name of Services." - M8 Magazine (July 2006)
"The production from the same ATOC team is again flawless." - DJ Mag (June 2006)
"Domie Clausen and Oliver Stumm are the brains behind the wonderful ATOC imprint. You know, they had a huge hit with The Ones' 'Flawless' and were responsible for discovering Scissor Sisters." - M8 Magazine (2005)
"A label known for excellent disco…It's nice to see ATOC branch out in a new direction that's still consistent with the label's no-holds-barred, fun-first approach to electronics." - Time Out New York (2005)
"ATOC Records are a bit of a well-kept secret. Those that have already discovered them will know exactly what I mean when I say they are the home of some of the most innovative, inspiring, and best damn 'out-there' music with a dance emphasis to emerge." - Update Magazine (2004)
"Local production team, band and label combo that's stealthily cranking out one infectious dance number after another." - Time Out New York (2004)
"A Touch Of Class have an implicit, effortless feel for the unspoilable fun of dancing. Beyond the pop hits lies a further bevvy of riches, all on the fabulous A Touch of Class Sucks! compilation. On it you'll find vocals by punk disco off-shoot of art rockers ARE Weapons and a coruscating mash-up of the Ones with Frankie Goes to Hollywood. And if you thought that their Pink Floyd campathon was sacreligious, wait until you hear what they've done to the Beatles' Because. It's all quite enough to put a bit of faith back into the day-glo possibilities of disco. Contrary to popular thinking, the glitterball is alive and well in 2004." - Paul Flynn, The Guardian U.K. 2004
ATOC TOUR DATES
12/27/06 Manifesto at Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands
12/22/06 Mother Magazine Launch, Athens, Greece
12/12/06 Poolparty at Hotel QT, NYC
12/10/06 Le Baron, Miami
12/09/06 460 Degrees Gallery, Miami
12/08/06 Revolver Party, Miami
12/07/06 Art Miami @ Buck 15, Miami
08/05/06 PS1 Warm Up, Queens, NYC
07/29/06 ATOC Openair Summerfest, Pier 63, NYC
07/28/06 Cincinatti, OH
07/14/06 Night Time at Don Hills, NYC
07/01/06 Stereoleto festival, St. Petersburg, Russia
06/24/06 Kiev, Ukraine
06/20/06 Poolparty, Hotel QT, NYC
04/15/06 I LOVE NEON, Montreal, Canada
03/30/06 Mexico City, Mexico
12/14/05 ATOC X-MAS Bash, 47 Broadway, NYC w. SERVICES (Live)
12/10/05 Berns, Stockholm, Sweden
12/07/05 Oddfest, Marie Laveau, Stockholm, Sweden
12/02/05 Art, Miami
10/01/05 RIO, Berlin w. M.A.N.D.Y
09/16/05 Acapulco, Mexico
08/12/05 Dachkantine, Zurich, Switzerland w. Egoexpress, Dj Thomilla
07/22/05 Watergate, Berlin, Germany
07/16/05 Jazz Festival, Monteux, Switzerland w. Trevor Jackson & 2ManyDJs
06/30/05 Pulp, Paris, France
06/28/05 Funky Chicken, Cologne, Germany
06/24/05 333 London, UK
06/23/05 Romp, Manchester, UK
06/18/05 Mio, Moscow, Russia
06/17/05 Art Basel @ Reithalle, Basel, Switzerland
06/16/05 Zurich, Switzerland
06/10/05 Icke Micke, Vienna, Austria
06/02/05 Lux, Lisbon, Portugal
05/26/05 Primavera Festival, Barcelona, Spain
