De-Phazz

De-Phazz is a German downtempo and jazz ensemble founded in 1997, known for folding modern turntablism into a lounge-oriented sound that also draws on Latin music, soul, trip hop, and drum and bass. The project operates as an ensemble rather than a fixed band, with recorded work shaped by studio production as much as by traditional group performance.

The group is led by German producer Pit Baumgartner, who has varied the lineup of band members from album to album. This rotating approach has been a defining feature of De-Phazz’s output since its formation, allowing different vocalists and musicians to take prominent roles depending on the material. Even with shifting personnel, several contributors recur across releases, including Barbara Lahr, Karl Frierson, and Pat Appleton. Other associated members include Oli Rubow.

De-Phazz’s origins are closely tied to Haluk Soyoğlu, described as the project’s discoverer and namesake. Soyoğlu released the first De-Phazz albums on Mole, and later co-founded the label Phazz-a-delic New Format Recordings with Baumgartner. That partnership positioned the label as a home for the group’s early recordings and for the kind of hybrid, studio-driven jazz and downtempo music De-Phazz became associated with.