by John Bush & Andy KellmanAn important man in the German electronic scene, Zurich-born musician and producer Thomas Fehlmann has brought several diverse acts to Germany to record and collaborate. Beginning in the early 80s, his group Palais Schaumburg fused dance rhythms to the experimentalist flair of 70s German rock. A Detroit-Berlin cultural exchange through the Tresor label originally brought Underground Resistance to Germany, and Fehlmann did his part by recording separately with Blake Baxter, Eddie Flashin Fowlkes, and Juan Atkins (as 3MB). A longtime association with another electronica institution, the Orb, gave him a chance to record and produce the group in Berlin. While managing the band Fishermans Friend, he convinced two of the members to form Sun Electric and produced their Kitchen album.Though he continued recording throughout the late 90s, his profile raised significantly when he joined Colognes Kompakt roster, at once becoming the labels elder statesman and one of its most consistent artists. Two albums — 2002s Visions of Blah and 2007s Honigpumpe — compiled material from Kompakt 12 releases while adding new tracks. He helped revive the Orb, who also joined up with Kompakt, co-producing a number of singles and the full-lengths Bicycles & Tricycles (2004) and Okie Dokie Its the Orb on Kompakt (2005). As part of Gudrun Guts Ocean Club, he built up his reputation as a DJ and assisted in the Berlin troupes diverse radio show.