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Danish producer Kenneth Bager to release “Fragments of a Space Cadet”

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Since the 1980s, Kenneth Bager has become known not only as a musical tastemaker and leader of a Scandinavian sub-culture of decadence and revelry, but also as a pioneer of the techno and house music movement in Denmark. On March 2, 2010, Ultra Records will release a new and improved extended version of his latest project, Fragments of a Space Cadet, originally released in Europe on Bager’s own Music for Dreams label.

Having first appeared in the public eye as the organizer of the now legendary COMA (Copenhagen Offers More Action) acid house parties that he threw in his hometown of Copenhagen, Denmark in the late 80s, Bager’s music career has progressed from dance party organizer to acid house DJ, electronic musician, radio show host, and record label owner. Discovering his natural ability as a producer and musician, Bager started a band called Mr. Baker, and had his first pan-European hit in 1990 with Kaos. This club anthem was sampled by Dance music legends including Masters at Work, Future Sound of London, The Shamen and David Morales, with Carl Cox listing it in his all-time top 10 tracks.

As head of A&R for his COMA record label (now renamed Music for Dreams), Bager signed and had a significant impact on the Scandinavian success of The KLF and Moby, as well as local act Mental Generations who released the classic chillout track Café Del Mar. He also launched his own hugely popular radio show for Denmark’s P3 Radio Station (the equivalent of Radio 1 in the UK), where he attracted a substantial number of fans throughout the 90s.

Bager continues to produce music, promote the Coma parties (they’re still as wild and debauched as they were 20 years ago!) and run his Music for Dreams label on which he originally released the Fragments From A Space Cadet album. In Europe, Fragments From A Space Cadet was critically acclaimed and was nominated for Denmark’s version of the Grammy award. At the televised awards ceremony, Kenneth performed wearing a mask designed to make him look 90 years old and was accompanied on stage by 200 kids dressed up as him.

Fragments From A Space Cadet showcases Kenneth Bager’s evolution. In 1987, he pushed boundaries, creating electronic music inspired by funk, pop and disco. In 1997, he produced records that reflected his own unique take on the house and techno music genres. In 2007, Bager started work on Fragments From A Space Cadet, an album not designed for the dancefloor, an album of songs that reinvented chillout, featuring a more mature sound that reflected the changes in Bager’s own life.

For the US release of Fragments From A Space Cadet, Kenneth decided to re-visit certain tracks and develop new songs to create an even stronger musical statement. Where the original Music For Dreams release was the wonderful rehearsal heralded by the critics, this is now the grand opening and the additions to the record have expanded and enhanced an already brilliant album.

Across the 15-track experience there are numerous highlights, although the album is best experienced from start to finish. Fragment One – And I Kept Hearing, the first single to be released in the UK, is a real standout, combining Tricky-esque downbeat vocals with a beautiful timeless summer melody. Top UK DJ’s Giles Peterson, Rob Da Bank, and Pete Tong have played “Fragment One” on their BBC Radio 1 shows, and the gorgeous video was shot by world-famous fashion photographer Ellen Von Unwerth. Fragment Sixteen – I Can’t Wait was released in the UK at the end of January 2010, and features vocals from Thomas Troelsen who sung on Junior Senior’s worldwide hit single Move Your Feet Fragment Two – The First Picture displays the vocal talents of Julee Cruise (best-known for the lead vocal on “Falling,” the theme song for David Lynch’s TV series Twin Peaks) who joins various special guests on the album including Camilla Munck, Gisli, Nikolaj Grandjean, The Hellerup Cool School Choir, Jazz legend Jean Luc Ponty, and French-Canadian singer/songwriter Syd Matters.

The US release will also include two bonus remix tracks: Fragment Sixteen – I Can’t Wait, (Alex Metric’s Back to ’99 Mix, featuring Thomas Troelsen), and Fragment One – And I Kept Hearing, (Fagget Fairys Remix).

In addition to the full-length album, Bager is releasing three beautifully shot music videos to accompany three of the tracks. The video for Fragment Eight The Sound of Swing was directed by Uwe Flade who has created music videos for Franz Ferdinand and Depeche Mode.

Flade shot this light-hearted video in Vietnam where bicyclists are shown transporting awkwardly large bundles. The video for Fragment Four – Love Won’t Leave Me Alone features world-famous Danish supermodel May Andersen in a provocative depiction of S&M relationships. Adult film veteran Nacho Vidal co-stars as the chauffeur. Finally, the video for Fragment One – And I Kept Hearing is directed by photographer/director Ellen Von Unwerth who has shot the likes of Madonna, Bjork, Britney Spears, and David Bowie. Von Unwerth’s elegant brand of eroticism is recognized worldwide and she has directed music videos for artists including Duran Duran and Christina Aguilera.

Fragments From a Space Cadet

1. Fragment Six – Speak My Name (feat. Camilla Munck)
2. Fragment Zero – And I Kept Dubbin
3. Fragment One – And I Kept Hearing (feat. Gisli)
4. Fragment Two – The First Picture (feat. Julee Cruise)
5. Fragment Four – Love Won’t Leave Me Alone (feat. Nikolaj Grandjean & Jean Luc Ponty)
6. Fragment Eight – The Sound Of Swing (feat. The Hellerup Cool School Choir & Hans Ulrik)
7. Fragment Twelve – Rabbits In Russia (feat. Mames Babengenush)
8. Fragment Fourteen – Naked Music (feat. Cecille, Frederikke and Jazzbox)
9. Fragment Fifteen – Time Is Up (feat. Eberg)
10. Fragment Sixteen – I Can’t Wait (feat. Thomas Troelsen)
11. Fragment Eleven – The Day After Yesterday – 1 The Meeting
12. Fragment Eleven – The Day After Yesterday – 2 Travelling
13. Fragment Eleven – The Day After Yesterday – 3 The Story (feat. Julee Cruise)
14. Fragment Eleven – The Day After Yesterday – 4 Reflections
15. Fragment Eleven – The Day After Yesterday – 5 It Will Never Happen Again (feat. Julee Cruise & Syd Matters)

Bonus tracks

Fragment Sixteen – I Can’t Wait, (Alex Metric’s Back to ’99 Mix, featuring Thomas Troelsen)
Fragment One – And I Kept Hearing, (Fagget Fairys Remix)