"We are thrilled to announce another underground gem on our label. This time it's Collage's incredible 4-track EP ""Mit den Puppen tanzen"" (Dancing With The Puppets). Originally released in 1984 on the small F-Music label the 12"" EP is a true highlight in German Electro and NDW history becoming a sought-after item among collectors. It features intense lyrics by singer Katrin A. Kunze with music composed by Markus Kammann and Jürgen Grah. Kammann and Grah both originally from Solingen - a small city near Wuppertal - had previously collaborated on the new wave project Schwarze Bewegung with a different singer. Their self-titled LP was released in 1982 on Bacillus/Bellaphon. During this period the electro sound pioneered by Kraftwerk evolved into electro-funk sparked by the release of Afrika Bambaataa's groundbreaking track ""Planet Rock"" which achieved global acclaim. The iconic Roland TR-808 drum machine masterfully employed by Arthur Baker's production team revolutionized dance music with further hits like ""Looking for the Perfect Beat"" and collaborations with Planet Patrol. Markus Kammann cites these tracks along with black music as a whole as key influences on his work. In contrast much of the electronic music emerging from Germany at the time rather leaned towards the styles of artists like Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream. Kammann's influences are evident in Collage's EP which incorporates elements of early electronic hip-hop such as the scratching sounds in the title track (created with tape rather than turntables) and short rap segments in ""Niemals zurück"". By this time Kammann and Grah had acquired their own Roland 808 as well as a JUNO-60 keyboard. Grah originally a drummer played keyboards and vibraphone while Kammann primarily a guitarist also played bass. All the lyrics on the EP were written and performed by Kathrin A. Kunze who hailed from Cuxhaven a northern German city. She moved to Wuppertal around 1983 to study literature and the group Collage was born. Through Uwe Bauer drummer of Fehlfarben and their manager Horst Lüdge (of Profil) Collage connected with Werner Lambertz a legendary sound technician from Düsseldorf. Lambertz's state-of-the-art studio featured custom-built sequencers capable of triggering the JUNO-60 as well as expensive equipment like a vocoder. Over the course of a week the group completed all four tracks. The EP's hard yet playful electro beats were complemented by Kunze's distinctive performance and introspective lyrics which lent the songs a uniquely German and wavy touch. Her subtle songwriting conveyed a sense of paranoia and sorrow as seen in lines like ""Ich glaub mir selber nicht. Wer hält denn schon was er verspricht?"" (""I don't believe myself. Who stays true to their word anyway?""). Unfortunately the EP was never properly promoted and was distributed solely through the independent market via EFA. Despite this Collage continued working on new material and pre-recorded an album that garnered label's attention. Polydor expressed interest but proposed using the compositions for a solo project with singer Inga Humpe (of Neonbabies) who was already signed to their roster. This would have required replacing Kunze as the vocalist an idea the group firmly rejected. As a result the album was never released. In 1987 Kammann Grah and Kunze launched another project called Cold End which released another brilliant and highly sought-after 12"" single Metropolitan Jungle originally issued on Tam Tam and recently re-released. The first-ever reissue of ""Mit den Puppen tanzen"" is limited to only 400 copies - 200 on classic black vinyl and 200 on blue transparent vinyl. The cover art remains true to the original 12"" release designed by the aforementioned Uwe Bauer (aka Bimbo Art). This reissue is a must-have for DJs and collectors alike."