Tosca

Tosca is an electronic music group from Wien, Austria, made up of Richard Dorfmeister and Rupert Huber. Active since 1994, the duo work in downtempo, trip-hop, chillout, ambient techno, electronic and electronica, with a style also described as downtempo electro.

Background

Richard Dorfmeister and Rupert Huber meet at school and first experiment together under the name Dehli9, using tape machines, Indian music and poetry lyrics. After school, they follow different paths: Dorfmeister works in production and DJing with Peter Kruder, while Huber works in the experimental music scene. Tosca is Dorfmeister’s second project after Kruder & Dorfmeister.

Recordings and releases

The duo’s first 12-inch, Chocolate Elvis, appears on G-Stone in 1994. Their first album, Opera, follows on G-Stone Recordings in the mid-1990s. A run of albums and remix collections establishes their catalogue, including Suzuki, Dehli9, J.A.C. and No Hassle, which are treated as key records in the downtempo field.

Tosca also issues several remix-focused releases, including Souvenirs - The J.A.C. Remixes, Suzuki in Dub, Chocolate Elvis Dubs and the Fuck Dub remix collection. Their tracks and remixes appear on many compilations.

Work beyond the group

Huber’s compositions appear in the work of Wiener Festwochen, Centre Pompidou and Ars Electronica, and also in television series such as C.S.I.: Miami and Sex and the City. His music also appears in radio signations for ORF, the Austrian Broadcasting Company.

Live activity and recognition

Tosca performs in clubs, living rooms, boutiques and wineries, and also gives live shows in Europe, South America and the USA. Festival appearances include Coachella in Palm Springs and the Ars Electronica Festival in Linz. In 2001 the group receives Austria’s Amadeus Music Award for best Pop/Rock group.

Later work

In 2009 No Hassle marks a move towards more ambient soundscapes and live instrumentation. The sixth studio album, Odeon, follows in 2013 and features vocalists Sarah Callier, Rodney Hunter and JJ Jones; it is issued on !K7 Records, the group’s long-term label home.