Horst Weidenmueller, who founded the influential indie/electronic label !K7 and launched the prestigious DJ-Kicks compilation series, has died, the label announced yesterday (February 11). No cause of death was given, but the statement referred to a serious illness. Weidenmueller was 60 years old.

Weidenmueller was born in the Black Forest region of Germany but moved to Berlin in his early 20s, where he founded !K7 in 1985 to produce music videos. It evolved into a record label a decade later, releasing techno and house alongside DJ-Kicks compilations—a series wherein producers and DJs compiled sets that bridged dancefloor and homebound listening, giving DJs an outlet to explore beyond the usual mix format and find new audiences in the process.

After the inaugural C.J. Bolland mix, DJ-Kicks quickly became a staple of electronic music, with dozens of legends making landmark mixes that became consecrated classics, expanding dance music’s scope as an album format. Austrian duo Kurder & Dorfmeister made the second DJ-Kicks LP, and subsequent greats such as Four Tet, DJ Koze, Kemistry & Storm, James Holden, and an unparalleled Moodymann have contributed.

Alongside the series, Weidenmueller continued to sign past and future greats to !K7—including A Guy Called Gerald, Matthew Herbert, and Erol Alkan—as well as music from further afield, like Tricky and, more recently, Hundred Waters and Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke.

In its statement, !K7 wrote that Weidenmueller’s “vision, passion, and dedication shaped !K7 since 1985 into what it is today, and his legacy will continue to inspire us. Beyond his role at !K7, Horst was a passionate advocate for the independent music community, a committed environmentalist, and true friend. His contributions have left a lasting impact on the industry and will not be forgotten.” The label, the statement added, “remains committed to continuing his vision with the same passion and integrity that he embodied.”