Gerd

by Sean CooperGerd is the nom de plume of Gert-Jan Bijl, better-known as one-half of Rotterdam techno duo Sensurreal. Although most of Bijls creative time is spent with his partner Dirk-Jan Hanegraaf working on Sensurreal-related projects (the group have released material on Prime, Beam Me Up!, and Op-Art), the presence of the groups studio in his living room has meant Bijls downtime woodshedding has led to an increasing stock of solo material. Portions of that material began appearing in 1994, with singles for Jochem Speedy J Paaps now-defunct Beam Me Up! label; more recently, Bijl had two singles come out the same day on two of the U.K.s most esteemed dance labels, Pork and Universal Language. Bijls solo material is, not surprisingly quite close to the dreamy, melodic breakbeat techno of his Sensurreal work, though perhaps with a deeper engagement of funk and downtempo hip-hop (particularly on his self-titled Pork single). A full-length for Universal Language, The Touch Is Greater Than Moods, was released in 1997. Bijl kept the Gerd name in action during the new millennium, issuing High Wide and Wonderful! in 2001 and a disc of remixes in 2003.