Blank and Jones
Biography
Blank & Jones is a German trance duo from Cologne, formed in 1997 by Piet Blank (Jan Pieter Blank) and René Runge, better known as Jaspa Jones. Producer Andy Kaufhold, with whom Piet Blank had co-founded the project Gorgeous, later joined them.
Their first single, Sunrise, was released in 1997. They quickly became major figures on the trance scene alongside artists like Tiësto and Paul Oakenfold. Over their career they have released around twenty albums and more than twenty singles, all of which entered the sales charts.
Their sound has evolved over the years, exploring electronica, ambient, lounge, pop, trance and dance. This diversity is reflected in their acclaimed compilations, such as so8os (a tribute to 1980s club mixes), Milchbar and Chilltronica, which present new downbeat soundscapes.
They have collaborated with pop figures including Robert Smith (The Cure), Bernard Sumner (New Order), Sarah McLachlan, Pet Shop Boys, Boy George, Deep Forest and Keane.
The duo founded their own label, SOUNDCOLOURS, and their own publishing house, operating completely independently in the music industry. An album like Eat Raw For Breakfast was designed specifically for touring and focuses on a purely club-oriented sound.