Rivers Of The Red Planet

Max Graef turns his attention back to his universally adored debut, Rivers of the Red Planet, with an exclusive Anniversary Edition featuring new interpretations, rare B sides and unreleased archival gems.In the post-minimal 2010s, deep house enjoyed a revival, with instrumentation, analogue gear and old-school sampling replacing crisp in-the-box digitalism. Max Graef was hip to this moment, but even his early releases on his Box Aus Holz label pointed to an oddball instinct for outfield dance music. His bumping, dusty club tracks were instantly charming, and seemed to operate according to their own wonky logic. With Rivers of the Red Planet, the Berlin born-and-bred prodigy progressed to a long player, creating an expansive experience with all the temporal, textural and energetic range you’d expect of an enduring, timeless classic.The magic of the album lies in its impulsive balance of energies, between killer grooves, vocal collaborations and playful sampling decisions. Since then, Graef has delivered two follow-up albums for Tartelet as well as a collab album with long-time homie Glenn Astro to Ninja Tune. He’s also cultivated a fascinating sound culture around his TAX FREE label, with a lattice of projects with kindredwayward spirits. On the 2025 Anniversary Edition, Graef delivers a fascinating answer to the ‘what-ifs’ so many fans have pondered.“I thought it‘d be fun to interpret some of the old tracks and re-do them with the present perspective and equipment I’m using now,” explains Graef. “I found some of the old stems, but in some cases I just sampled the whole original track. I’m not a huge fan of remixes, but it was quite a trip to go back to the way I used to produce music. The most intriguing challenge was finding a way to make those old tunes into something I‘d still play today.”The new versions are as fascinating for their similarities as their differences. While still bursting with the flair of a versatile beat maker, they lean into a richer variety of moods and grooves. ‘Running (Ancient Mix)’ is a downtempo, dancehall-tinged dream that repositions Wayne’s wistful vocal in a street soul reverie replete with ‘90s RnB MIDI-harp. ‘Superswiss (Atmosphere Mix)’ leans on plastic slap bass and deliciously dubbed-out sax, woven through a laconic beat for the ages — the consummate swirl of chill out with teeth. ‘Itzehoe (World House Mix)’ gets into a subheavy, spring-loaded new jack swing funk, like Jam & Lewis meeting Smith & Mighty downtown and stopping by the juice bar for a quick hit of freshness. ‘Jazz 104 (Acid Mix)’ turns the heat up on busy, bustling breaks and bass licks that positively spring forth from the mix with a clarity and purpose that speaks to the progression in Graef’s craft over the past decade.While you can hear the finer details of the new versions, they don’t diminish the magic of the original album. Like any self-respecting, self-critical artist, Graef views his earlier work with a mixed bag of feelings, but fundamentally the sincerity of his creative decisions shines through.“It was fun to revisit the album,” he admits. “I was also cringing a bit, but it’s part of the ride to accept decisions you made more than 10 years ago. I was very naive and didn't care about anything. I admire 20-year-old me for being such a punk in that sense. It's definitely a nice goal to keep some of the spirit of that time and remember how to not give a shit!”