Planningtorock
Encyclopedia
Janine Rostron, better known by her stage name Planningtorock, is an English electronic
musician and performance artist who lives in Berlin
, Germany
.
and The Soft Pink Truth
.
's record label in 2006, Planningtorock released the limited edition 7" single "Changes/I Wanna Bite Ya," before her debut album was released the following summer.
In 2006, Planningtorock remixed the song "Marble House
" by The Knife
.
and Mount Sims
to write an opera for the Danish performance group Hotel Pro Forma. The opera, titled Tomorrow, In a Year
, is based on Charles Darwin
's On the Origin of Species. Tomorrow, In a Year was later released on March 9, 2010, by Mute Records
and received generally favorable reviews from contemporary critics; according to the music review aggregation of Metacritic
, it garnered an average score of 67/100.
Rostron worked as the sound design
er for the Bruce LaBruce
film The Bad Breast; or, The Strange Case of Theda Lange in 2010.
Rostron began correspondence with James Murphy after he sent her a fan email that said 'Really like the Planningtorock stuff – just saying." Murphy later invited her on LCD Soundsystem
's Sound of Silver
tour before signing her to his label DFA Records
. Planningtorock was featured on the song "Answering Machine" from the album From the Cradle to the Rave by DFA label-mate Shit Robot
in 2010. DFA released Rostron's second studio album W on May 17, 2011. Rostron had been working on the album's songs since 2007, eventually writing more than 27 songs. W received positive reviews from contemporary critics; according to the music review aggregation of Metacritic
, it garnered an average score of 72/100. The album included a cover of Arthur Russell's song "Janine."
, Snakefinger
, Peaches
and the science-fiction writing of Doris Lessing
as sources of inspiration for her music and live shows. She stated that the distortion of her vocals allows for the "playing around with gender alongside communicating what I feel is the emotions within the songs. Because I am really interested in expanding upon the limits that we live in – how we are defined – and it is an experiment." Rostron's wearing of a distorted, masculine Nero
-esque prosthetic nose in her live shows and the music video for "Doorway" has been described by the singer as a continuation of the androgyny
in her vocals.
Mixtapes
EPs
Singles
Remixes
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
musician and performance artist who lives in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Early life
Rostron enrolled in an art school in Sheffield before she moved to Berlin in 2002. In 2004, she launched her label Rostron Records with Planningtorock’s EP Eins, following it in 2005 with a compilation LP Carousel of Souls that featured songs from The KnifeThe Knife
The Knife are a Swedish electronic music duo from Gothenburg, formed in 1999. The group consists of siblings Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer, who together also run their own record company, Rabid Records. They first received international attention after their song "Heartbeats", covered by...
and The Soft Pink Truth
The Soft Pink Truth
The Soft Pink Truth is an experimental house music side-project from Drew Daniel, one-half of experimental electronica duo Matmos. Daniel started the project on a dare from Matthew Herbert that he couldn't produce a house record...
.
2006–2009: Have It All
After signing to Chicks on SpeedChicks on Speed
Chicks on Speed is a multi-national musical ensemble, formed in Munich in 1997, when members Melissa Logan, Kiki Moorse and Alex Murray-Leslie met at the Academy of Fine Arts....
's record label in 2006, Planningtorock released the limited edition 7" single "Changes/I Wanna Bite Ya," before her debut album was released the following summer.
In 2006, Planningtorock remixed the song "Marble House
Marble House (song)
"Marble House" is the second single from The Knife's 2006 album Silent Shout. It was released in four different regions on four different labels. It features Swedish singer Jay-Jay Johanson. The music video was directed by Chris Hopewell...
" by The Knife
The Knife
The Knife are a Swedish electronic music duo from Gothenburg, formed in 1999. The group consists of siblings Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer, who together also run their own record company, Rabid Records. They first received international attention after their song "Heartbeats", covered by...
.
2010–present: Tomorrow, In a Year and W
In 2010, Planningtorock collaborated with The KnifeThe Knife
The Knife are a Swedish electronic music duo from Gothenburg, formed in 1999. The group consists of siblings Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer, who together also run their own record company, Rabid Records. They first received international attention after their song "Heartbeats", covered by...
and Mount Sims
Mount Sims
Mount Sims is the stage name of Matthew Sims, a Berlin-based American DJ, performance artist, producer and musician. Starting Mount Sims as a purely electronic music act, later releases have also shown influences from post punk, new wave and darkwave...
to write an opera for the Danish performance group Hotel Pro Forma. The opera, titled Tomorrow, In a Year
Tomorrow, In a Year
Tomorrow, In a Year is the studio version of the music commissioned by the Danish performance group Hotel Pro Forma for their opera based on Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species. It is a collaboration between The Knife, Mt. Sims and Planningtorock...
, is based on Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
's On the Origin of Species. Tomorrow, In a Year was later released on March 9, 2010, by Mute Records
Mute Records
Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
and received generally favorable reviews from contemporary critics; according to the music review aggregation of Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, it garnered an average score of 67/100.
Rostron worked as the sound design
Sound design
Sound design is the process of specifying, acquiring, manipulating or generating audio elements. It is employed in a variety of disciplines including filmmaking, television production, theatre, sound recording and reproduction, live performance, sound art, post-production and video game software...
er for the Bruce LaBruce
Bruce LaBruce
Bruce LaBruce is a Canadian writer, filmmaker, photographer and underground gay porn director based in Toronto, Ontario.-Biography:...
film The Bad Breast; or, The Strange Case of Theda Lange in 2010.
Rostron began correspondence with James Murphy after he sent her a fan email that said 'Really like the Planningtorock stuff – just saying." Murphy later invited her on LCD Soundsystem
LCD Soundsystem
LCD Soundsystem was a prominent American dance-punk band from New York City. It was fronted by American singer-songwriter and producer James Murphy, co-founder of record label DFA Records...
's Sound of Silver
Sound of Silver
Sound of Silver is the second album from LCD Soundsystem. The album was released in the UK on March 12, 2007 and in the U.S. on March 20, 2007.-History:...
tour before signing her to his label DFA Records
DFA Records
DFA Records is an independent record label and production team, launched in September 2001 by Mo' Wax co-founder Tim Goldsworthy, musician James Murphy, and manager Jonathan Galkin. The label has an exclusive distribution deal with major record label EMI....
. Planningtorock was featured on the song "Answering Machine" from the album From the Cradle to the Rave by DFA label-mate Shit Robot
Shit Robot
Marcus Lambkin better known by the pseudonym Shit Robot is an Irish electronic musician and DJ.-Career:Working as a DJ in New York in 2000 he befriended James Murphy later of LCD Soundsystem and started a DJ partnership with him. Lambkin moved to rural Germany in 2004 and started producing his own...
in 2010. DFA released Rostron's second studio album W on May 17, 2011. Rostron had been working on the album's songs since 2007, eventually writing more than 27 songs. W received positive reviews from contemporary critics; according to the music review aggregation of Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, it garnered an average score of 72/100. The album included a cover of Arthur Russell's song "Janine."
Artistry
Rostron has cited Danielle DaxDanielle Dax
Danielle Dax is an experimental musician and producer most active from the late-1970s to the mid-1990s. She was born in Southend-on-Sea, Essex.- Biography :...
, Snakefinger
Snakefinger
Philip Charles Lithman , who performed under the stage name Snakefinger, was an English musician, singer and songwriter. A multi-instrumentalist, he was best known for his guitar and violin work and his collaborations with The Residents.-History:Lithman was born in Tooting, South London, and came...
, Peaches
Peaches (musician)
Merrill Beth Nisker , better known by her stage name Peaches, is a Canadian electronic musician and performance artist who lives in Berlin, Germany. Her songs are noted for disregarding traditional gender norms and their use of sexually explicit lyrics...
and the science-fiction writing of Doris Lessing
Doris Lessing
Doris May Lessing CH is a British writer. Her novels include The Grass is Singing, The Golden Notebook, and five novels collectively known as Canopus in Argos....
as sources of inspiration for her music and live shows. She stated that the distortion of her vocals allows for the "playing around with gender alongside communicating what I feel is the emotions within the songs. Because I am really interested in expanding upon the limits that we live in – how we are defined – and it is an experiment." Rostron's wearing of a distorted, masculine Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
-esque prosthetic nose in her live shows and the music video for "Doorway" has been described by the singer as a continuation of the androgyny
Androgyny
Androgyny is a term derived from the Greek words ανήρ, stem ανδρ- and γυνή , referring to the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics...
in her vocals.
Discography
Albums- Have It All (2006)
- Tomorrow, In a YearTomorrow, In a YearTomorrow, In a Year is the studio version of the music commissioned by the Danish performance group Hotel Pro Forma for their opera based on Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species. It is a collaboration between The Knife, Mt. Sims and Planningtorock...
(with The KnifeThe KnifeThe Knife are a Swedish electronic music duo from Gothenburg, formed in 1999. The group consists of siblings Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer, who together also run their own record company, Rabid Records. They first received international attention after their song "Heartbeats", covered by...
and Mount SimsMount SimsMount Sims is the stage name of Matthew Sims, a Berlin-based American DJ, performance artist, producer and musician. Starting Mount Sims as a purely electronic music act, later releases have also shown influences from post punk, new wave and darkwave...
) (2010) #79 Belgium (Flanders), #24 Sweden, #10 US Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums, #32 US Billboard Heatseekers Albums - W (2011)
Mixtapes
- RA.266 (2011) (for Resident AdvisorResident AdvisorResident Advisor is an online electronic music magazine dedicated to the global dance music scene. The website won a People's Voice award in the 12th Annual Webby Awards in 2008.-Site History:...
)
EPs
- Eins (2004)
- Topics on a Foreign Mind (2004)
- Have It All Stringed Up (2006)
Singles
- "Changes/I Wanna Bite Ya" (2005)
- "Doorway" (2011)
- "The Breaks" (2011)
- "Living It Out" (2011)
Remixes
- The KnifeThe KnifeThe Knife are a Swedish electronic music duo from Gothenburg, formed in 1999. The group consists of siblings Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer, who together also run their own record company, Rabid Records. They first received international attention after their song "Heartbeats", covered by...
- "Marble HouseMarble House (song)"Marble House" is the second single from The Knife's 2006 album Silent Shout. It was released in four different regions on four different labels. It features Swedish singer Jay-Jay Johanson. The music video was directed by Chris Hopewell...
" (2006) - TelepatheTelepatheTelepathe is an electronic pop duo from Brooklyn consisting of core members Busy Gangnes and Melissa Livaudis. The band also includes other occasional musicians, such as Ryan Lucero....
- "Devil's Trident" (2008) - AustraAustra (band)Austra is a Canadian New Wave band, fronted by singer-songwriter Katie Stelmanis.The band, also featuring Stelmanis' former Galaxy bandmate Maya Postepski and former Spiral Beach bassist Dorian Wolf, played a number of early shows under the name Private Life before learning that another band was...
- "Lose It" (2011) - CREEP featuring Nina SkyNina SkyNina Sky is an American musical duo composed of identical twins Nicole and Natalie Albino .-Early life and career:Albino's parents moved to New York from Puerto Rico and were divorced when the girls were younger...
- "You" (2011)