Discover the Story Behind the Tracks

In March 2000, there is a diary entry where Benfay notes having dinner at his father’s place and discussing his future—especially new opportunities arising from the internet. That conversation proved pivotal, as it led him to send his music to a netlabel the very next day. Although he can’t recall exactly how he discovered the Thinner netlabel, he clearly remembers creating the first track, “Time Test,” that night using ReBirth and a self-built Reaktor (Generator/Transformator) ensemble. This ensemble consisted of four sample players, enabling him to mix four loops that he had generated in ReBirth. Once completed, he sent the track to Sebastian Redenz at Thinnerism.com, who immediately requested more music—an exciting demand that pushed Benfay to produce additional tracks at a rapid pace.
Finally, Benfay’s first release on Thinner was titled Carbon EP, followed soon after by Nitron EP. Interestingly, the track that sparked the entire process, “Time Test,” ended up on the second EP. For him, this was a significant milestone. Looking back on it now, the experience feels somewhat surreal—especially in an era where streaming has become commonplace. At the time, giving away high-quality music for free felt almost like piracy, yet he and his peers sensed the shape of things to come. In retrospect, it is striking to recall that around the year 2000, CD sales were at their peak in the United States.

In March 2003, the Thinner crew heading to Canada offered a broad spectrum of electronic music talent. Dennis DeSantis, composer and member of the Ableton team, contributed his technical expertise and intricate production techniques. Montreal’s own Pheek brought local flavor with a forward-thinking minimal style. Marko Fürstenberg delivered his signature dubtechno, rich in atmosphere and depth. Niels Jensen—recognized for his work in Dialogue and with Morris Audio—added a refined minimal house dimension. Joerg Schuster, known both as sensual physics and digitalverein, brought immersive dub-influenced atmospheres to the mix. Meanwhile, Marsen Jules (Krill Minima) introduced dreamlike ambient layers, underscoring his knack for lush sonic environments. Finally, Benfay provided a melodic touch, rounding out the Thinner showcase with an eclectic and memorable live performance.

Thinner Records and the Montreal collective Syndroma hosted a two-night showcase celebrating cutting-edge electronic music. Held at the SAT and Galerie Rouje, these gatherings embodied the forward-thinking spirit of the netlabel ethos, bringing people together under one roof to explore the emerging frontiers of sound.