Man Recordings

06/10/2025

Episode #13 in the 20 Years Of Man Recordings series is my album „With Love, From Berlin“, which was released in 2019.

After years of working with artists from abroad, particularly Brasil, I decided to look into my own city of Berlin for Non-German talent. Earlier I had noticed that in the 2010s, more and more people from around the world had moved to Berlin, it wouldn´t just be US or UK expats, but people from Portugal, Peru, Mexico amongst others, that were all acting in the local music scene or had international careers, but operating out of Berlin. So I kicked off a Berlin artist only album which resulted in „With Love, From Berlin“ conceived as ten musical postcards from the German capitol that would reflect on the city more and more becoming an international city.

For my album I chose to work with which´s music I had admired for years, our collabo resulted in „Corpo / Sujeito“, which later was famously remixed by then hardly know Kelman Duran. Another hit single from the album was „La Añoranza“ for which I asked the then only locally known DJ Coco Maria to sing. In one our first session, Coco Maria asked me and my co-producer Jamie Anderson to leave the studio - she was too shy to sing in front of people! Additionally, Balkan Beat Box wind master Ori Kaplan and temporary Berliner, , contributed a stunning flute lick and Felipe of added some keyboard wizzardy which rounded up the tune perfectly. All in all, we created a Latin pop tune which has been streamed more than 1.2 million times since its release. Other collabos in the album featured + .zia, + She´s Drunk, œ and Tikiman aka Paul St. Hilaire.

16/09/2025

DANIEL HAAKSMAN war heute live on air bei Deutschlandfunk Kultur und hat über 20
Jahre Man Recordings gesprochen.

https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/die-avantgarde-der-globalen-clubmusik-20-jahre-man-recordings-100.html

04/09/2025

Eposide #12 in the 20 Years Of Man Recordings series is the version of „Porque Te Vas“ ft. . It came out exactly five years ago, during the peak of the Covid pandemic in August 2020, and a little bit more than one and a half years after the release of their underground hit single “La Añoranza”, the first collaboration Daniel made with Coco Maria, Dengue Dengue Dengue and Ori Kaplan.

Building on the underground success of “La Añoranza” (+1M streams on Spotify), Daniel asked Coco Maria for a new vocal contribution to one of his personal all time favourite songs, the 1978 classic “Por Que Te Vas” (Spanish for “Because you are leaving“), originally sung by Jeanette. A romantic ballad, it deals with the pain of parting. Its lyrics speak of a loss, of an abandonment and have been described as conveying a sense of longing. For Coco Maria, the song also reflected on her relocation from Berlin to Amsterdam in early 2020 and her initial longing to Berlin. Through Coco Maria ́s subtle voice and my trance-synths carried arrangement and dembow groove, the new version gave the classic a fresh, 21st century update. Fast forward to 2025 and Coco Maria has become a much in demand selectora that travels the world with her record box, spinning rare Latin records.



1. „Porque Te Vas“ 2025, model: Tomer

2. „Porque Te Vas“ music video

3. Coco Maria + Daniel in the studio, 2019

4. Coco Maria + Daniel 2025

19/08/2025

#11 in the 20 Years Of Man Recordings series is the album „African Fabrics“ from 2016.

While travelling to Southern Africa, namely Angola, Moçambique and South Africa, as well as Nigeria for workshops between 2012-2015 Daniel heard incredibly new local sounds on his journeys. When in Luanda in 2012 and 2013 he was witnessing first hand the emergence of post kwaito afro house from South Africa pouring into Angola which led to the emergence of the new hybrid ku house, mixing up kuduro with afro house. When in Lagos, he heard the first afrobeats tracks. And on a trip to Maputo, he went to a pandza dance party which blew his mind. Of course, these new sounds emerging from across Africa had an effect to what he was Djing and producding and inspired him to create „African Fabrics“, his artistic response to what was happening at that time across Africa. During this time, Daniel also became more aware of colonial history and particularly German colonial history, thus creating the track and video „Rename The Streets“, inspired by taking part on a „Postkolonialer Spaziergang“ (postcolonial walk) through the Afrikanische Viertel in Berlin, where streets names were still called after German colonial thugs.

Daniel called the album „African Fabrics“ as he had learned that the African wax prints often thought of being „authentic African“, were in fact a product of globalisation and an invention by Dutch merchants who appropriated the technique of wax printing in Indonesia and then imported their wax prints to the West African coast. The title seemed approriate to Daniel as it embodied the non local, globe spanning, cross pollination music approach he had been cultivating for years as an artist and label head. The artwork for the album and the singles was provided by , who disguised his trademark „razzle dazzle“ designs as African wax prints.

1. Kim + Emily holding African Fabrics cover in Berlin, August 2025

2. „Sabado“ ft. video excerpt

3. „Rename The Streets“ video excerpt

4. „Akabongi“ ft. + video excerpt

5. „Xinguila“ ft. video excerpt

01/08/2025

Episode #10 in the 20 Years Of Man Recordings series is MC Tha´s „Bonde Da Pantera“

First released in 2017 on the „Baile Saboroso“ EP by the temporary transatlantic team up of boss producers Múlu (BR) and (FR), „Bonde Da Pantera“ ft. soon became a radio and streaming hit as it brought baile funk to the lounge floor. During this period, a new genre named „baile chill“ had emerged on the internet, particuarly on Soundcloud, and „Bonde Da Pantera“ was the most elaborated tune in the chill version of funk with a romantic, yet not cheesy flavour.

„Bonde Da Pantera“´s sweet marimba chords and vocal chops were giving the track a late summery vibe ideal to listen to while enjoying a last agua de coco on the beach or making love on a water bed. The song featured the sensual and sassy lyrics of then upcoming São Paulo vocalist MC Tha, who today is considered one of the major female voices in contemporary Brazilian music. Just last week, Tha released a collaboration with fellow Man Recordings alumni and



1. Bonde Da Pantera in Rio, January 2025

2. Music video for „Bonde Da Pantera“

3. Mulú + King Doudou

25/07/2025

Episode #9 in the 20 Years of Man Recordings series is Banda Westfalica´s „Versions“ release from 2013.

Banda Westfalica was a nine piece student percussion ensemble from a music school in the German city of Bünde, in the federal state of North Rhine Westphalia (hence „Banda Westfalica“). The students, then aged 13 to 17, came together to learn to play percussion instruments such as marimba, bongos, cajón, cowbell and cachichi.

When asked by their teacher for song suggestions, the students started to rehearse the Man Recordings released „Carimbo“ by , suggested by then 15 year old student Sönke Oberschmidt A cel phone video of a street performance by the group of „Carimbo“ was put on Youtube and then landed in ´s inbox, who was enthusiastic about the acoustic interpretation of the bass tune by the Munich duo.

A few weeks later,together with his brother Felix, Daniel drove to Bünde to record the group´s acoustic interpretation of six classic songs of the Man Recordings label catalogue. The result is the „Versions“ EP which included covers of tracks by , , Beware + Motorpitch , and amongst other. Sönke, today living in Berlin now releases piping hot bass music under the moniker .vital . The EP was also released in vinyl format, in a super limited edition of 100 copies and today is much sought after.

1. Banda Westfalica, 2025, model:

2. Making Of Video

3. So Vital, aged 15, 2013

19/07/2025

Episode #8 in the series is by from Hamburg, featuring Cuba´s .

So Shifty were from Hamburg, Germany and were long time associates of Man Recordings. After all, in the 2000s and 2010s there was no other German label specialised in tropical bass music, so the circle of artists and producers from Germany releasing music with a more global approach was very small, and eventually paths would cross for all on Man Recordings. Coming from a Jamaican music background, reggae and dancehall being a strong sound in Hamburg, So Shifty soon moved into other musical territories. First steps includedd remixes for Beware+Motorpitch ́s „El Toro“ as well as their remix of El Dusty ́s 3ball rave hit „K Le Pasa“. In 2012, So Shifty teamed up with Cuban outfit Madera Limpia to release the dembow inspired „Rumba“ track on our label, which made waves across the tropical bass scene.

Soon after, So Shifty moved to produce and remix for top-name JA artists such as Busy Signal, I-Octane, Chan Dizzy, Popcaan, Shal Marshall and others. One half of So Shifty was Mecki, (a.k.a. Philip Meckseper). After releasing reggae mashups of famous pop tunes under the moniker Jr. Blender, in 2015 he became involved in co-producing Major Lazer’s mega hit “Lean On” featuring MØ. This was followed by further collaborations like “Light It Up” and “Boom,” among others.Having established himself as a major pop producer he has since been involved in co-producing songs by artists such as Dua Lipa, P!nk, or Stargate.



1. „Rumba“ in Berlin, 2025
2. So Shifty
3. Madera Limpia

14/07/2025

Episode #7 in the series is the "Ayoba" EP by Munich based

Released in 2010, the "Ayoba" EP introduced the hyper-energetic bass sound by Schlachthofbronx. Consisting of two young Bavarians called Bene + Jakob, their sound nurturing from Jamaican dancehall, Angolan kuduro, Trinidad carnival sounds, baile funk, Dirty South Balkan beats and rave music all at once. The "Bronx" sound from Munich was magic and ripped through global bass dancefloors internationally.

At a time, when South Africa wasn´t yet on the global club map (despite kwaito already making waves), Schlachthofbronx teamed up with the South African glam rap prince from Soweto, , with whom Schlachthofbronx had collaborated on various tracks on their earlier debut album, icing the cake was the contribution of Swedish rapper Banana, making "Ayoba" (South African youth slang meaning "cool") a staple in global bass music for years. Other tracks on the EP feature the - still up to date baile funk tracks - "Vem Que Tem" feat. MC Marina, as well as "Sai Safarda" ("Watch Out, you little bastard") feat. MC Leka. Up until today, their band name refering to Munich city quarter "Schlachthofviertel" ("Slaughterhouse neigbourhood"), has been a a tongue twister for any foreign, non-German speaker

1.“Ayoba“ in Berlin, 2025

2. Music video for „Ayoba“ ft. Spoek Mathambo + Gnucci Banana

3. Schlachthofbronx live on stage at Popkomm Cologne, DE, 2010

03/07/2025

After their acclaimed debut release „Aguacerito Llové“, with radio airplay of by (Worldwide FM) and (BBC6), and BR2 Zündfunk amongst others, Berlin choir .diaspora returns with a hot remix!

The task to rework the all acoustic, all vocal original „Aguacerito Llové“ into a club ready track was masterfully executed by Berlin´s tropical bass pioneer Daniel Haaksman. Only using the main vocal hook, Daniel spliced the remaining voices and scattered them loosely over the track, adding a flute melody and heavy bass. In a second moment, Haaksman knocks out a dembow ryhthm over the call and response part. All combined, “Aguacerito Llové” turned into a tropical banger, reflecting the powerful energy that arises when Canto Diáspora sing live together.

Early DJ support from Gilles Peterson, Peter Kruder (Kruder & Dorfmeister), DJ Feadz, Papaoul and Tash LC amongst others.

Play it out loud!

03/07/2025

After their acclaimed debut single "Aguacerito Llové", with radio airplay by Gilles Peterson (Worldwide FM), Jamz Supernova (BBC6) and Cosmo radio, Berlin choir Canto Diáspora returns with a hot remix by DANIEL HAAKSMAN

The task to rework the all acoustic, all vocal original „Aguacerito Llové“ into a club ready track was masterfully executed by the Berlin´s tropical bass pioneer. Only using the main vocal hook, Daniel spliced the remaining voices and scattered them loosely over the track, adding a flute melody and heavy bass. In a second moment, Haaksman knocks out ad embow ryhthm over the call and response part. All combined, “Aguacerito Llové” becomes a tropical banger, reflecting the powerful energy that arises when Canto Diáspora sing live together.

Early DJ support by Gilles Peterson, Tash LC, Papaoul and Tom B Mignon amongst others

Out now on all platforms, buy it, stream it from here: https://orcd.co/rnrq8xk

Geben Sie Ihren Lieblings-Musik-Service ein

01/07/2025

Big up Jamz Supernova for playing "Aguacerito Llové" by Canto Diáspora on your show on BBC Radio 6 Music!

27/06/2025

Episode #6 in the series is ´s debut EP „Who’s Afraid Of Rio?“, released in 2008.

After releasing various compilations and producing a couple of remixes, in 2008 Daniel felt that it was time to release music himself. He had been to Rio numerous times recording funk MCs for the Funk Mundial series when he realised he could give it a try. After all, producing music wasn´t so hard and he went to Rio twice a year, so he was at the source. Through mutual friend in Berlin, , Daniel met the then unknown young producer with whom he worked on a first set of beats. The results were really exciting, as Oliver came from a house background and they fused funk tracks with house beats, as can be heard in „Senta Senta“ on the „Who´s Afraid Of Rio?“ EP.

Techno and house were still ruling the clubs in Berlin in pre-Berghain days, in particular in spring 2008 when a track by Claude Von Stroke, „Who´s Afraid Of Detroit?“ was all the rage. Daniel thought: Why not shift the focus from the ever present Detroit and counter with the question „Who´s Afraid Of Rio?“, meaning: Why the hell was no one getting what kind of revolutionary music was happening in Rio and why were Berlin DJs afraid of playing music that would not relate to the ever enduring legacy of Detroit? So when in Rio, Daniel went to the studio with baile funk MC Jennifer and asked her to rap over some beats that Daniel had made in Berlin. He asked her how she perceived the Rio x Berlin connection, coming from the favela Jacarepaguá. Her answer is to be found in „Who´s Afraid Of Rio?“: „Você vai sacudir, pega o avião e vem vem pra cá, curtir Rio de Janeiro só pra você sacudir.“ (You’re going to shake it up, get on a plane and come here, enjoy Rio de Janeiro just so you can shake it up).

The cover artwork of the single, shot by then unknown French photographer - now considered the world´s leading baile funk photographer - shows a funk party at the Boqueirão, a gymnasium next to Rio´s Santos Dumont airport.



1. At Boqueirão, Jan 2025
2. MC Dandão, DJ Amazing Clay, Mc Jennifer, 2009
3. Baile Do Boqueirão, 2008