Ruede Hagelstein and Watergate go hand in hand. Not only is Ruede one of the longest running residents at the club, but he's also the man behind some of the label's most acclaimed music and the curator responsible for lucky number 13 in the illustrious Watergate mix series. With this, it seemed obvious to put Ruede up to his next task: an album. It is with great anticipation and excitement that we bring you the first LP for both Ruede, and Watergate Records, 'Apophenia.'
'Apophenia' is the experience of seeing patterns or connections in random or meaningless data, and for Ruede, this is the perfect interpretation to describe his writing process, in which ideas appear from the empty, chaotic darkness. A random chord progression or percussion arrangement opens the door to the imagination where structures appear and begin to take shape. Unlike most of his previous work, 'Apophenia' is not strictly attached to the dance floor, but created to fit just as seamless while listening at home as it is in the club. For over a year, Ruede collected ideas and visualized his plan. It was important not to mimic his earlier work, but to focus on a certain sound. While staying minimalistic yet extremely organic and melodic he has created a timeless long player.
While the LP spans a range of emotions, it is always grounded in Ruede's unparalleled, singular sound. Pair that with some notable features from artists like PillowTalk, Hollis P. Monroe & Overnite, Justin Evans and C.A.R. and you have a plethora of dazzling music. With tracks like "Moon Rabbit", "Life Is A Beach" and "Found A Place" Ruede displays the sound of a night at the club while "Already Undone feat. Pillowtalk" and "Pareidolia" take rides through the deeper, emotional spaces. In the end, 'Apophenia' is the perfect display of not just Ruede's artistry, but Watergate's musical vision, which together, create an illustrious and undeniable entity.
