Express Type: 8000 Type Specimen

EXT 8000 is an ultra expanded black display typeface by Tobias Bolliger (Bollo) and the first release of Express Type, a Swiss type foundry run by Tobias Bolliger (Bollo) and Basil Linder between Bern and Amsterdam. The typeface draws inspiration from the Swiss rave culture of the 1990s, centred on the former Gugelmann textile factory in the small Bernese village of Roggwil, where large techno events and legendary mega-raves between 1993 and 2001 drew thousands of visitors from all over Europe.

The accompanying specimen goes beyond functional type presentation: its pages reset historical rave material in the new typeface: line-ups, venue details, slogans and directions to the parties. The typeface’s rounded, inflated forms become a contemporary interpretation of the period’s flyer aesthetics. Two texts in German give the publication context. Benedikt Sartorius writes an essay on revisiting the abandoned site, drawing on Mark Fisher’s idea of lost futures. Basil Linder interviews Lorenz «Lopetz» Gianfreda and Heinz «H1» Reber of Büro Destruct about the beginnings of their studio and the typography of early techno. Archival photographs and flyers from the Gugelmann-Areal accompany both texts. A complete glyph overview and the font metrics close the book.

Riso-printed and spiral-bound in France by Studio Trames.