Peter Rehberg
A survey of Editions Mego and its offshoots sets abrasive synthesis against melodic patterns, noise and ritual song, gathering sixteen releases into a portrait of the label’s restless musical direction in 2012.
Listen to the mix
STM 045 is a masterfully curated compilation that intertwines 16 distinctive records from visionary musicians such as Russell Haswell, Kevin Drumm, Florian Hecker, Nick Edwards, Mark Fell, Emeralds, and other innovative creators. Peter Rehberg, the mix’s author, injects it with his deeply perceptive and refined philosophy of musical expression, captivating even the most discerning listeners from the very first jolt of sound.
Peter Rehberg (29 June 1968–22 July 2021; born in London), also known as Pita, was a pioneering experimental electronic musician and sound artist based in Vienna, Austria. As a member of influential projects like MIMEO, Fenn O’Berg, and KTL, Rehberg carved a significant niche in the avant-garde music scene. Since embarking on his musical journey in the early 1990s, Rehberg released a plethora of records—both solo and collaborative—on prominent labels including Mego, Touch, Staalplaat, Häpna, Fällt, and No Fun Productions. His compositions scored the evocative performances of French theater-maker Gisèle Vienne (This Is How You Will Disappear, Kindertotenlieder, Last Spring: A Prequel) and also complemented the work of choreographers like Meg Stuart and Chris Haring. Rehberg was also the driving force behind Editions Mego, the influential label established in 2006 as the successor to Mego (founded in 1994), which was instrumental in shaping the ‘Extreme Computer Music’ movement.
The label family
STM 045 stands out as an eclectic collection of eccentric and authentic sonic explorations. What makes this mix particularly compelling is that all the tracks were, at the time of publication in 2012, either recently released or forthcoming on Rehberg’s Editions Mego label and its sublabels—Spectrum Spools, Ideologic Organ, and Sensate Focus. There’s no singular thematic or emotional thread running through Rehberg’s selection; instead, the mix is unified by a commitment to high-quality, rebellious, and original sound. The mix traverses a wide sonic landscape, from emphatic melodies and sharp synthetic rhythms to innovative modulations and surreal atmospheres. Each track contributes a fragment of a larger mosaic that spans genres from experimental and abstract to psychedelic, trance, disco, and hardcore, all the way to more obscure and unique formations. There’s no room for the mundane or the predictable; each record challenges the listener, inviting them into a world where frustration and masterpiece coexist in a delicate balance. Rehberg’s mix is a daring escape into the subconscious, demanding active engagement and leaving a lasting impression on those who dare to listen.
Records and connections
STM 045 can be likened to Kurt Schwitters’ modern art masterpiece Untitled (Oval Construction). Schwitters’ work is a synthesis of disparate elements—a composition that at first glance may seem chaotic, yet reveals a meticulously crafted order upon closer inspection. Similarly, Rehberg’s mix blends seemingly incongruent tracks into a cohesive auditory experience. Just as Schwitters’ abstract architectural forms push the boundaries of conventional art, Rehberg’s mix challenges traditional music structures, presenting a liberating, forward-thinking approach to sound. Both the mix and the painting invite the audience to reconsider their perceptions, urging them to find beauty and structure within the unconventional.
Remembering Peter Rehberg
Justinas / S13 / 12 October 2026
Peter Rehberg died on 22 July 2021. His work as Pita, and in collaborations including Fenn O’Berg and KTL, remains inseparable from the music he helped bring into circulation through Mego and Editions Mego. Revisiting this contribution in 2026 gives those connections a particular weight.
The selection preserves a moment when the label and its offshoots were opening out in several directions at once. Its breadth matters as much as any individual record. Rehberg gave strongly individual artists a place alongside one another, and this mix offers a direct way into that listening world. The differences between the records are part of what makes it worth returning to.
Five years after his death, Peter is still deeply missed. For me, his choices here carry something that remains essential: the openness to put unfamiliar musical worlds beside one another, and the confidence to trust the listener. That generosity of attention is part of the legacy he left us.
I remember helping Peter get this mix recorded. He was an interesting person, and working with him is part of my memory of this contribution. I want to keep that personal connection here alongside the musical choices he shared with Secret Thirteen.
Sources and image credits
- Peter Rehberg — photo by Magdalena Blaszczuk. Digitally restored.
- Original release artwork: Russell Haswell — FACTUAL.
- Original release artwork: Jessika Kenney & Eyvind Kang — The face of the earth.
- Original release artwork: Bee Mask — When We Were Eating Unripe Pears.
- Original release artwork: Lorenzo Senni — Quantum Jelly.
- Life dates and remembrance: Marcus Schmickler on Peter Rehberg.
- Mego and Editions Mego history: Peter Rehberg’s 2014 interview.
- Official memorial release: Peter Rehberg — at GRM.
- Peter Rehberg at Sweet & Spicy, East London, June 2007. Photo: Heiko Prigge. The Wire archive.
- Pita at the Beer and Sausage Festival, Polish National Home, Greenpoint, Brooklyn, 12 May 2000. Photo: Hiroyuki Ito / Getty Images. Getty original record.
- Peter Rehberg in Boston, 2019. Photo: Jimmy Johnson / Courtesy of the artist. AI-assisted restoration. NPR photograph source.
