Apparat a Tour De Force in Electronic Music (updated December 11, 2012)

From dance floor techno to a sound more influenced by synthesizers and space rock, Apparat has been a tour de force in electronic music for quite some time. The Berlin artist born Sascha Ring has released four critically acclaimed albums, and is known for an intense live show that has been performed in front of the masses at clubs and festivals around the world.

With techno as his first and greatest love, Apparat immersed himself in the mid-90's rave scene in east Germany. After learning to compose music on both computers and on a broad range of instruments, he co-founded Shitkatapult Records in 1999. Two years later came his debut album, "Multifunktionsebene," which delighted a growing audience of IDM (Intelligent Dance Music) fans. Since then, he has alternated between remixes, collaborations and full-length projects.

Of all the works Apparat is known for, it would be "The Devil's Walk (2011)" that has garnered the most critical acclaim. The title is a nod to an 1812 satirical poem of the same name, with tracks that move away from electronic beats and rely on a more traditional sound and warmth. Most noted are the ballads "Song of Los," "Black Water" and "Escape." Another track, "Goodbye," was featured in a climatic scene in the season 4 finale of the FX television series "Breaking Bad."

Once a solo affair on tour, Apparat is now a four-piece band. They will ring in 2013 in Tokyo, Japan. Other tour dates announced for 2013 include stops in Singapore (January 5) and Hong Kong (January 8).