Crystal

The Story of an Unreleased Masterpiece

In 1997, the first raw version of Crystal was created. It was the first track I ever fully completed. At the time, my knowledge of music production was limited—shaped by my experience as a DJ and my instinct for how club music should sound. My intent was to craft a melancholic, endless atmosphere, a sound that captured the feeling of being lost in an infinite space—filled with longing and vastness. During that period, I frequently DJed and organized parties in South Bohemia alongside Michael Burian, who taught me how to DJ with turntables. Together, we began promoting our own events, inviting inspiring DJs and artists who opened our eyes to new dimensions of DJing and event culture. Musically, I was heavily influenced by the Berlin club sound, particularly the releases from MFS (Masterminded for Success). Founded by Mark Reeder in 1990, MFS utilized the infrastructure of the former East German label AMIGA to champion independent electronic music, with a special focus on artists from Eastern Europe. Under Mark’s guidance, MFS became a breeding ground for electronic music in Europe. Artists like Paul van Dyk, Cosmic Baby, Ellen Allien, and Johnny Klimek found a home there, shaping a generation with their trance and techno projects. Some of these artists performed at our events, inspiring us to take our first steps into music production.

Connecting with Mark Reeder and a New Chapter

In 1998, after moving to Berlin, I began collaborating closely with Mark Reeder. I sent him some of my early tracks, and he immediately recognized the potential in my sound. At a time when MFS was looking for a fresh start following Paul van Dyk’s departure, Mark took me under his wing. Our collaboration was intense and all-encompassing: producing tracks, designing artwork, organizing events, and traveling the world. Crystal became part of this creative explosion, an expression of our shared vision.

Bernard Sumner and the Transformation of Crystal

The turning point came when Mark received a vocal recording from Bernard Sumner, the lead singer of New Order. Bernard, a longtime friend from Mark’s Joy Division days, had sent the vocals as a gesture of support during a challenging time for Mark after Paul’s departure. Mark named the track Crystal and handed me the vocal stems. Out of curiosity, I layered them over my original instrumental version from 1997. The result was magical—the vocals and music fit together seamlessly, as if they were meant to be. Together, Mark and I reworked the track, adjusted the vocals, and created a demo version that was set to appear on Collaborator. Bernard loved the demo and sent it to Pete Tong, the A&R manager at London Records. Tong’s reaction? Enthusiasm—and panic. He called Mark, saying: “This is the best New Order track since Blue Monday! But you’re not allowed to release it!” Tong was determined to release Crystal as an official New Order track. However, there was one issue: the band had not been together for three years and had essentially disbanded. Despite this, Tong convinced them to reunite for this song. Mark agreed to withhold the MFS version, allowing New Order to release their version.

Ultimately, our demo was shelved—a tough but necessary step that brought the band back together. The original demo of Crystal was never released. New Order eventually recorded their version for the album Get Ready, while our version remained in the archives. For me, Crystal symbolizes the magic of collaboration—and the unfinished possibilities that often transcend a single song.