Kenneth Bager: Quality Music for Dreams

Kenneth Bager is a pioneer in Danish pop.

With a past life as the ideas man behind the  record companies Como (KLF, Shamen and Moby) and Flex Records (Los Umbrellos, Cartoons, Infernal and DJ Aligator), the DJ, producer and entrepreneur Kenneth Bager is the go-to guy when it comes to running a record company. Over the years he has propelled four of his artists into the UK Top 40 (The Cartoons, DJ Aligator, Los Umbrellos and Beatchuggers). Since 2001 he has been focusing his energy on the Music for Dreams label, which initially went in for dreamy and atmospheric downtempo music. Music for Dreams emerged in 1995, around the same time as the legendary double compilation of the same name, which is considered one of the major achievements of downbeat and chill-out music.

How does Aura fit into your dream-music profile?

“The idea was never to run a label with a narrow profile. I’m interested in good music, irrespective of genre. Quality and timelessness is my trademark,” explains Bager. He is still very musically active himself – Universal in the UK will be releasing his solo album early in 2009. Bager is hugely enthusiastic about Aura: “She’s incredibly creative and has a fantastic voice. And she’s really good at writing pop songs. She’s also very visual. Aura’s a born star with a strong, captivating personality.” Bager has several releases due in the near  future: the debut by the tech-electro duo Fagget Fairys; an album by dub duo Djosos Krost, also known as producer Pharfar (Natasja, Emo, etc.) and LA-based Filip “Turbotito” Nikolic, who is also a member of Ima Robot and Guns‘n’Bombs; and a new record from Bliss, whose two previous albums sold over 140,000 copies.

Read the full article here — Boom Boom Magazine #03.

Text: Thomas Borre
Photography: RAW Format