Music has always been around me. As a child, I remember I could spend hours browsing radio stations at home.

Rodriguez Jr. – Podcast Analogik – 01.2014

This is how I heard Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode or Jean Michel Jarre for the very first time – I am definitely an 80’s child.
I’d started taking piano lessons at the age of 6, and I eventually became fascinated with how one could produce sounds from outer space using electronic devices and computers. This is how it all began.
Years later, I produced my first tracks in my bedroom studio with a couple of synthesizers and an Atari computer.
Things became really serious when I realised that there was a chance I could fail at the university where I was studying Mathematics (at least I was trying to…).

At that time, I was gravitating in a network of musicians and artists in the South of France, and I was lucky enough to meet the right people. In the year 2000 I eventually got the opportunity to be signed for an album with The Youngsters – my former band – on Laurent Garnier’s imprint F-Communication, which was one of the biggest steps in my whole career.

What was one of your first musical inspirations? Did you have a group, performer or artist that was your favorite?

Jarre was the one who really changed my vision as a child with his blend of poetic electronic landscapes and melodies. I guess his influence is still very present in my music nowadays, as melodies are often at the core of my tracks. But it was also all about Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Art of Noise, Depeche Mode. When dance music exploded in Europe in the 90‘s, I was the biggest fan of WARP Records: LFO, Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada… That was fucking insane.

Bittersweet is your first album? Tell us about some of the ideas and influences that went into the album and how making it differed from producing a single or a remix?

An album is a statement, since you have more space, freedom and possibilities to express yourself on a longer format. In my opinion, an album should be colourful, diverse and consistent at the same time.
On Bittersweet, I wanted to showcase a wide spectrum of influences – house music, techno, dub, pop, ambient… Before I began to record anything in the studio, I drew some kind of a storyboard on a sheet of paper, including the progression of the whole album and the different categories of sounds and textures.

Your release “Back To Back” on Mobilee. How did the project come up? And what was your approach to arranging the music?

Basically, Anja and Ralf asked me to do it! It was quite a big challenge to be in charge of it, after some nice editions and the big success of the previous one selected and mixed by Pan Pot, which included a video documentary about them. I knew I had to develop the concept and find a new way to push the label upfront. My original concept was about producing one hour of original music using loops, samples and sounds from the Mobilee in-house acts who had enough time to spend on this project – it would be like jamming all of it together. It’s been tough and challenging, as I had a lot of material to handle in a short period of time: only 4 months to produce the whole album. But in the end I am very proud of what all of us accomplished together!

What are your thoughts on the mainstreaming of the techno/minimal sound? What effect do you think this will have on the music?

Getting a wider audience shouldn’t be a shame. Some artists manage to be mainstream, while still being very consistent and inspiring: Bjork, Bowie… I mean, being ‘mainstream’ is not a shame if you manage to be honest with yourself and remember your roots. I obviously don’t talk about these DJs trowing cakes in the crowd here! But, all in all, it’s a good thing to have more people being attracted by this kind of music.

How did Laurent Garnier influence you, and what do The Youngsters mean to you?

Laurent Garnier has been a big influence since his first album ‘Shot In The Dark‘. I remember when I heard this album for the very first time – it has possibly been one of the reasons why I decided to produce this kind of music. Being involved in his label F-Communications has been a great experience.

Vinyl or CDs? What’s your preference?

I am still a vinyl fetishist and I have quite a big collection. But honestly, music is the most important, no matter which medium you use. I don’t mind playing with CDs, USB sticks or computers… That’s definitely a wrong debate.

There are a lot of trends in electronic music. What are your thoughts on some of these trends, for instance slowing down BPMs?

I’ve just listened to a live set I did in 1999 which was running at 141 BPM – that’s scary. I wouldn’t survive that today. Slowing down BPMs can have a positive influence on the groove.

What type of performance equipment and staging do you generally use, and how is it transported, set up and ultimately disassembled?

My setup is very compact, as it’s becoming more and more difficult to travel with equipment every day.
Furthermore, interacting a lot with a compact easy setup is much better than getting lost with loads of gadgets and shit.
I basically use a laptop computer running Ableton Live, a couple of controllers (Native Instruments Maschine and an iPad running TouchOSC with my own templates), plus a master keyboard which I am using more and more to play and improvise. Next year I might decide to travel with a second laptop running more synths and synchronised visuals.

What determines an individual as a live performer?

No idea! But you definitely have to enjoy playing your own music, and connect with different kind of crowds.

How did you connect with Mobilee and how would you describe your collaboration with Anja Schneider and Ralf Kollmann?

That’s an old friendship. I met Anja and Ralf more than 10 years ago when I got invited to Anja’s radio show ‘Dance Under The Blue Moon’ in Berlin. Ralf & Anja were already deeply involved on the German music scene, throwing parties and so. We have always been in touch since then. And they helped me a lot when I launched my solo project. Sometimes life brings the right people on your path. They have been awesome artistic advisers and I’m so proud to be part of Mobilee nowadays. It’s not only a label, but also a wonderful family. I am sure people could feel this unity during our several showcases.

Tell us something about RoofTop sessions in Hotel Diagonal. What’s the plan?

I guess it’s all about showcasing our music in some of our favourite arrangements: an open air rooftop, with a great sound system, amazing view, and the people we like. I love to hear my music in this kind of arrangement.

Your plans for 2014?

Basically, I am gonna keep on touring and working in the studio – I am currently recording new material for mobilee. And possibly a new album for 2015. It’s gonna be a busy year.

The post Rodriguez JR Interview appeared first on Electronic Music.

 
 
Many people know your music, but please tell us a little bit more about yourself. Who is Miro Pajic?
 
I was born and raised in Frankfurt, Germany. My dad is Serbian and my mom is German, so I’m familiar with both cultures. As a kid and teenager I was obsessed with drawing, sketching and generally very interested in visual art.
 
Music was always very important to me, and today I often remember in which year certain things happened, because of the music I was listening to at that time. After accidentally discovering techno in ’91, from ’93 on I started producing and releasing music on various labels, and under many different names. It has been my passion and profession ever since.
 

 
Do you remember the festival or the party that set your path as a musician and sealed your destiny?
 

 
There have been many events throughout the years that had a major influence on what I’m doing. The first time I entered the “Omen“ (an early 90’s club in Frankfurt with Sven Väth as a resident) was a revelation. This impression has never left me and it will always play a big part in why I do what I do. (Comparable impression when entering Berghain today.)
 
What was your favourite type of music to listen to as a kid? Who were some of your favourite bands and singers?
 

I enjoyed (and I still like) so many different types of music or artists/bands.
 
The 60’s, 70’s and 80’s will always follow me on my path. Starting with older (real) soul music, dirty Rock’N’Roll or even 80’s Pop. My dad has always listened to a lot of different music himself and I guess he was a big influence in my childhood. Without him I surely wouldn’t know and love Earth, Wind and Fire, Eddie Grant, Genesis, ZZ Top, Little Richard, The Beatles, or even Serbian classics from the 70’s or 80’s (I’m still in love with the first albums by Michael Jackson).
 
As a teenager I had my hip hop period and I started gaining huge interest towards trash and death metal (the doomy one, not the Cannibal Corpse type), which was at its peak right before the whole techno thing started for me, and before you‘d find me hanging out in local record stores.
 
How did you get your start in electronic music? Are there any artists who inspired you to start a career in music?
 
I didn’t see it coming. I was more into the “grafitti/skater/bristish hardcore rap““ thing in 1991 and I was lying to myself that “techno sucks“! My curiousity lead me to the legendary “Omen“ club, and I was blown away! There I got to hear all the awesome music by Underground Resistance, Plus8, R&S Records, PCP, Rising High, etc.. and I was hooked.
 
I never imagined ever being able (or “being in the position“) to make music myself. Back then you really needed to invest money into gear to be able to make music. I was 16 or 17 years old and „making music“ was like a dream – so, so far away…
 

 
I was mainly concentrating on visual art (sketching, drawing, painting, grafitti, etc. were my first love since childhood, before I realized I could make music), until a friend gave me a very primitive program for the Commodore Amiga computer, which one could use to make very basic music on a lofi amateur level. Even if not really usable, I understood the math behind it, and I noticed that there might be some talent in me, so I wanted more of that.
 
In late 1992 I was introduced to the guys from PCP, who I admired a lot. Their main producer, Marc, who I’m still friends with today, was so kind to borrowe me 2-3 „tools“ (a Roland TR-606, a Roland MC-202, a Soundcraft Spirit Folio 12 channel Mixer and a Yamaha REX-50 effects unit, to be exact) to record a demo for them.
 

 
Of course, that was years before hard disc recording, and I couldn’t afford a DAT recorder either, so I recorded these “live“ jammed tracks to cassette (no computer, only connected gear and me playing with patterns and muting channels on the mixer). Funny enough, they wanted two of the tracks and my first vinyl was brought to life – from cassette. It was called „MIRO 1“. That was in late ’93. I started making money with releases and gigs and I received my first advance from my publisher, from which I bought my first sampler, effect-machine and mixer…
 
Tell us about the podcast you’ve recorded for us.
 
I could make a huge story around it, but the truth is that I make a relatively fast selection of tracks that “click“ for me at that moment, and work with what I have. The podcast is more of a story or a vibe, rather than trying to “only“ make a good dance mix, I guess.

Miro Pajic Analogik Podcast

 
Tell us more about your collaboration with Items & Things – Marc,Troy and Magda?
These guys have been a major influence for me ever since the whole minimal thing was at its peak. Magda’s super twisted dark funk, Marc’s unmistakable productions and Troy’s “brave“, doomy weird sets were always inspiring and beyond this world. It often felt like “I totally know what you mean“ type of thing.
 
I got in touch with Magda about two or three years ago after I noticed that she was playing some of my tunes. I started sending her tracks and after several months I was remixing Marc Houle’s “Undercover“. Since then I had a few tracks released on Items & Things. A good thing.
 

 
How did Planet Core Productions influence you?
The whole PCP thing was often only associated with hardcore/gabber/hard techno, you name it.
 
Truth is, in the beginning they were just making techno house influenced by 80’s Belgian EDM (Front 242, etc.), Detroit, Chicago, etc.
PCP have released some of the best tracks back in 1991 to around 1994, which were nothing else than epic techno with its own signature – often dark, weird, futuristic, with a lot of attitude. I loved it, and they were from Frankfurt, same as me, which was even better because one year later I got to meet them.

When I got really involved and started releasing one or more 12“ per month, the whole scene had already started splitting up into all sub genres and PCP (with its dozens of sub-labels and its own microcosm) wasn’t the same as it was before. It was still okay and I was part of it, but deep inside I never felt it the way I did in the first years. Years and more than 50 vinyl releases later I had to leave the PCP ship and the world around it. In the early 2000’s I had to go another way, which, after a few years, guided me back to where I came from and also here: this interview.
 
Since nowadays music is available worldwide as soon as it is released, piracy is a big issue today. What is your take on that?
 

In the beginning I was very concerned, especially since I come from the days when you actually made money making music. Now I know that there are certain things you simply can’t change, so I just focus on other things nowadays. I heard that illegal downloads are going down, but I don’t know if it’s true or not.
 

 
You are an artist, so you have to balance dance/club music with abstract electronica. Is that difficult for you?
 

I’m constantly fighting with myself to be as dance-friendly as possible. As long as it’s rhythmical and it’s supporting the groove, in my opinion everything’s allowed.
The balance (in favor of the dance/club part) is important though, which I always get reminded of when I’m at a good party. It surely is no secret that I love the combination of these two, if you know my productions.
 
What makes a live performer unique? How do you decide whether someone is a live performer or a DJ? Which one do you prefer?
 
Technically, I don’t really care about details. To me it’s all about the end result and the signature/vibe/magic/hypnosis an artist provides in that moment. I don’t care if someone has dissected all his tracks to 45 channels in his live set and fiddles with 6 arms, or if he keeps it simple but has all the ingredients to play ping pong with my senses and/or force me to get sweaty on the dance floor.
 
If you heard a set you’ve downloaded by an artist you never saw in a club, and you really loved what you heard, you probably wouldn’t really care how he did it.

Vinyls or CDs?
 
Even though vinyl is a wonderful thing, I have to admit: I don’t care so much anymore (says the guy who was a „it must be vinyl“ guy for over 10 years). You can’t stop evolution and vinyl has been the music media Titanic for years…
 
Analog or digital?
 

Until 2005 my studio was all analog (at that time I’d never touched a plugin before) and I was loathing the whole digital thing. It was an ignorant and biased opinion. The result is what counts for me today. Whether oil or acrylic, it would still be a Van Gogh if it was painted by him. On the other hand, analog (hardware) music production gives you a totally different feel and inspiration than mouse clicks and looking at a virtual something.
 
 Clubs or festivals?
Clubs, because of the intimacy. Lights can also do their thing way better in a club. To me, this is an important thing.
 

 
What type of equipment are you using for your DJ set-up?

 
Since 1993 I was playing with vinyl or performing live (computer, sampler etc.), and I started the whole ITB thing in 2005, which changed a few things.
Since 2006 I’ve been playing live using Ableton Live, and I just started to DJ again this year using Traktor Scratch with an X1.
 
I know that your profession can get quite stressful at times because you dedicate a lot of time to it. What do you do to reduce your stress? What are some of your other hobbies?
 
 
That is a good question and something I have to remind myself about all the time. I think that doing “other things“ is the key. Being very focused and constantly obsessed with your career and your art can easily blur your view, suck out productivity and you can end up in stagnation. Doing “normal“ things can easily fill up that creativity cup. I’ve just reminded myself about that again.
 
 
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be in your shoes?

 
Have the faith of a child, be patient, be honest to yourself, have a vision that keeps you dreaming, and always aim for what you love and consider the best.
 
 
 

The post Miro Pajic Interview appeared first on Electronic Music.

The Eastern European electronic music scene has produced a bevy of artists renowned all over the world for their brilliance and creativity. Among this esteemed collective is Mihai Popoviciu, a veteran of the Romanian club Circuit. Mihai’s reputation did not come easily; he has been at the helm of both solo projects and collaborations for more than a decade. He has taken the house and techno tracks that shaped his youthful aspirations and crafted a sound that is emblematic of his personal journey. With a basis in the danceable lockstep beats that typify the nightclub experience, Mihai’s sound has evolved to defy both convention and expectation.

Mihai’s acclaim stems not only from his own musical catalog but also from his work as a producer. One of his addictive international smash hits, “Bis Co”, was the product of a collaboration with fellow artist Jay Bliss. Popoviciu and Bliss continued to combine their creative efforts, realizing a dream founded in struggle and sweat. If the response to their collective output is any indication, they will not cease to win new fans at any time in the near future. Mihai’s creative process has become a source of fascination and intrigue for legions of fans across the globe.

Many people know your name but not many know your story. How did you get your start in the music business?

I was into electronic music from the late 90’s but started to produce later, in 2001. It took me  4 years until I released my first vinyl on Gigolo Records in 2005. After that i knew that music is what i want to do for a living and things evolved into that direction.

The 80’s were a momentous time for techno and the entire electronic music industry. How did those musical developments affect you as a kid growing up in Romania?

I was too young in the 80’s so that decade didn’t have an influence upon me at that time but i discovered and consumed it later as a teenager. I have many records from the 80’s in my collection

Was there a point in your life when everything came together and provided direction for  your aspirations?

I think that one of the most important points in my career as a DJ/producer was when I quit my job as  an architect to focus 100% on music. That was in 2008 and I couldn’t do both music and architecture in a proper way so I had to make a decision. Luckily I chose music.

Electronica is a constantly shifting medium of artistic expression. What’s your take on the current developments in the scene? For instance, what do you think of the down-tempo drops in dubstep that have been appearing in so many other genres?

I must admit that I don’t follow the dubstep scene at all but I think that introducing specific elements of one genre to another could be interesting if they happen in a right context.

Anything is allowed, there are no rules in music. 

You’ve been in the electronic music scene for over a decade. Where do you find the inspiration to keep going and what drives you on during creative dry spells?

I ask myself the same question sometimes and to be honest I don’t have an answer to that. I can’t say that “this” or “that” gets me inspired, it just comes to me. There are days when I’m in a good mood for music and ideas have a nice and natural flow and some other dry days when nothing works and I just quit trying to produce because most likely it will be a waste of time.

After touring the world on the club circuit as well as the major festival routes, have you found a preference for clubs or festivals?
Both clubs and festivals have their own charm. I don’t get to play at festivals too often so I enjoy doing that whenever it happens because it’s different from a club night. However, I prefer clubs for the more intimate interaction with the crowd and for the longer set times.

If you could give a brief overview of your studio gear, what would that look like? Are you a hardware guy or do you operate mostly around a particular DAW?

My studio setup is extremely simple. I only have my PC and the monitor speakers, no hardware of any kind, I rely entirely on software. I guess that I am too lazy to try something new.

You know what they say: “Never change a running system!” 

You are known for your dance floor hits as well as for your work as a producer.What are some of your favourite studio tools and what would you like to acquire for projects in the future?

Although I work with Ableton, I never tried to do a live act so maybe in the future I will do something about that although I am really bad at technical stuff. Plugging cables and troubleshooting is not for me.

Do you still have that fondness for vinyl or have you developed a preference for new media, such as CDs or a purely digital format?

I play only CDs for almost 4 years now but i still have my vinyl collection down in the basement.  Playing vinyl feels great and I try to keep some of that feel while playing CDs but with all the promos that I get and with all the hustle carrying it around, vinyl it’s not reliable for me anymore.

Your exclusive mix. What’s the ingredient for your Analogik podcast?
I like simple and efficient grooves, music that moves you even if it’s deep and dubby. The Analogik mix is a sample of that.

Mihai Popoviciu Analogik Podcast

When you work on new tracks, do you ever draw on unfinished work from your past? Are there any unreleased tracks that have reappeared in newer releases?

Yes, sometimes I do that. Every once in a while I go back to unfinished projects and select the ones that I still like and put them into a separate folder for further evaluation. Most of the times I recycle the cool ideas from an older unreleased project and do something new with it.

What does the future have in store for you? Do you have any plans for the upcoming weeks, months or years?

I have a pretty busy end of the year with gigs in Paris, Moscow, Lisabon, Berlin  and Sofia for NYE. I also take care of my label Cyclic Records, which will soon celebrate 1 year since the first release. Apart from that I constantly work on new tracks and remixes that will come out next year.

The post Mihai Popoviciu Interview appeared first on Electronic Music.

Hailing from Serbia, Marko Nastic has brought worldwide recognition to the Eastern European music scene. Marko has had to endure hardships that most electronic musicians can’t even imagine. He began honing his skills at a very young age while the Balkan conflict of the mid-1990s raged throughout his home country. Learning how to spin records and program beats in the midst of such a severe event has made Marko a humble but brilliant artist.

In just a short number of years, Marko has ascended to international fame, with many music publications praising his unique style and intoxicating tracks. He has expanded his touring radius and in 2002, he embarked on a tour which began in Brazil. He continued on to performance dates across the globe and he regularly books club and festival gigs on a worldwide scale.

These days, Marko hosts a popular Serbian radio show and continues to create some of the most thrilling music ever to emerge from the European continent. If fact, his latest album is due to be released soon and will undoubtedly be met with critical and popular acclaim. Only time will tell what new and brilliant creations Marko Nastic has in store for us.
 

 

When did you discover electronic music? Were you instantly drawn to it, or did it take a while before you felt that passion to create?

Well, the story is that I’m not the first DJ in the Nastic family, and this family saga starts in the early 70s when my uncle (father’s brother), bedroom bedlam DJ, started DJing from disco to disco at local parties and small clubs.. And so my journey was simple, since because we lived in the same house, the young me was surrounded with mixers and records and it was really fascinating, and so the history was written. Young Nastic and rave, well – I didn’t need an invitation I was already a part of it!

The beginning was hard, but I think that all beginnings can be hard, especially finding money for the records, considering I was 15. It was as quick as a lightning, I had new friends and among them there was young Dejan Milicevic, and in no time he became my ally, we were sharing records, we made our first group, and, of course, our first steps on the scene! Teenage Techno Punks was the first group I started with Dejan in the late 90s, named by Gordan Paunovic, and which had a huge support of the rest of B92 crew, Dejan’s brother Sale Milicevic, Dj Lale and Vladislav Tomanic. We were on the road to joining the stars of the Belgrade clubbing scene.

DJing was definitely an instant passion, because my life completely changed from that moment on (in a good way), so I finally got a special calling, because as a youngster, at the age of 15, I was not so sure about what I wanted to do!
 
 

 
 
As a child, what genre of music was your favourite? What bands did you follow? How did the music of your childhood affect your taste in music today?
My childhood was quite cool, I listened to a variety of genres, from the golden music of the 70s-80s up to the 90s, which included my heavy metal, punk, rock and of course hip-hop period..
This kind of variety in music made me open in all directions, and in the time to come I didn’t close my circle with only electronic music which I still (need I say) like to listen, but in a way.. It’s my job!
I always loved Giorgio Moroder, Vangelis and Jan Michael Jarre, and also The Clash, The Smiths, Happy Mondays had a big influence on my childhood.
 
 
Was there one particular concert, party, or festival that sealed the proverbial deal for you? Did you have that moment where you knew that there was no turning back and you were committed to electronic music?
Well, at that time there was a club, Industria (it was the first electronic club in Serbia), where we all hung out (it was a small group of people who discovered rave and shared the same ideas about music)… I think the moment when I found out that there is no way back was the moment when I felt that crazy energy which is still the same!
 
 
What does Teenage Techno Punks mean to you?      
Well, it was my first love, you do not forget these things. I’m emotionally stuck with that, Dejan and me, we work together often, and we are also partners in a studio. But TTP is no longer working, we are not teenagers any more..
 

 
What is up with Recon Warriors and Traffica? Any news you want to share?
My first labels – they are there, and if I decide to release that type of sound I will do it, but for now I’m not showing interest in producing tribal techno. But, in way people are still asking me to release some of my old work. Even though that sound is behind me, I am really proud of that time and that period!
Concerning labels, I made a new one, it’s my baby called Sake & Vinyl Only and it’s the label where I will do only my music with selected rmxes.

The first release is already out (it’s a vinyl release ). I think that the digital release will be out at the beginning of January, but the concept of SVO is that I will be spotted once per month. At the moment I sign rmxes from Martinez, Matrika, Ray Opkara and Wouter De Moor.
 

Every DJ has his favourite spot to play. Where is yours?

I’m Serbian and my roots are stuck in the Balkans, so I definitely love to play in my region where I made my trade mark! Belgrade is my never-ending love, even if it is not taking me in a good direction, considering what kind of hell we have been passing through all these years with all the isolation.

Do you have an alter ego? Would you mind introducing us to him?

I have a couple of alter egos, and honestly I forgot lots of them. From 2000 I produced under a lot of different names, but apart from Marko Nastic the most successful project was FATBOY JR.
Currently I am finishing my 2nd FatBoy Jr and working for a while on the Marko Nastic debut album.

 
Vinyl or CDs? What’s your preference?

Well, when I started out I was famous for my 3 deck magic, and throughout the years I tried everything and I like it, but at this moment I definitely work with a combination of vinyl, cd and fx… We joke that real DJs play vinyl, and all these controllers are really interesting, but I find that they are more for ppl who want to try DJing in their rooms and to discover more about DJing, it’s not for professionals.

Do you enjoy playing clubs or festivals more?
A bit of both, both things have a special vibe. I prefer clubs because I have a wider approach to the audience, and my music is more eclectic. Big festivals are a big boom, I usually take my family with me to experience that madness.

There are a lot of trends in electronic music. What are your thoughts on some of these trends, for instance slowing down BPMs?
Music is like fashion and it’s changing fast, you simply need to be in the right place at the right time and catch that vibe and that feeling
I know that in my case it is all simple, I am growing more mature and my crowd is too.

For the podcast I made more a mix that is more on the deep side! I hope that you’ll enjoy it!

Marko Nastic Analogik Podcast

What is your standard setup when you are performing?

It really depends, I have a couple of setups and all of them are made so that I feel cool and relaxed when I need to perform, but my favourite setup at this moment is:
2 decks, 2 CD players, a sampler, a delay and a Korg fx box, and on the side I have a small, custom made mixer which allows me extra channels on the Allen & Heath mixer.
The point is, if I play longer sets, I want to express myself in more ways and to enjoy more variations of mixing!

Do you prefer DJing or producing?
DJing is a piece of me, I started out as a DJ, but with me getting older I like producing a lot, and my biggest enemy is time. When it comes to production, I need to put everything aside and focus, which is sometimes hard!
 
You have a new EP out: Circle. What was your inspiration for this latest release?
Yes, I am really proud of that EP. It happened very quickly and I got a huge amount of feedback and support for that EP, so now I’m working on more tracks with a similar sound!

MEM012 – Marko Nastic – Circle EP

The world of electronic music is filled with up and coming artists. Who do you see being the next big thing?
I’m following the work of the Dutch producer Steel, Okain, Wouter De Moor, En Topic…
 
You have reached a level of success that many aspire to. What advice would you give to those who hope to be in your shoes one day?
Like my uncle said once, but I was too young to understand then: avoid bad company, stay true to yourself and work..

The post Marko Nastic Interview appeared first on Electronic Music.

Not many players in the DJ game have been around for as long as Dejan Milicevic. After nearly two decades in the fast-paced world of dance festivals and dark nightclubs, Dejan’s level of music mastery has become legendary. Ever since he began to spin records as a teenager in Serbia, Dejan has had to work hard for every achievement to his name.

Now, with an international fanbase and over eighty releases, Dejan continues to sell records at an incredible rate. His latest album,“Just Keep Talking Girl”, dropped in August 2012 to critical and popular acclaim. In addition to his extensive catalog, Dejan also co-owns a studio, has established his own record label and helps aspiring musicians learn how to use Burn Audio Tool to make their own tracks.

Truly, Dejan’s career has been an amazing journey filled with countless achievements and successes. He has overcome the circumstances that diminish the dreams of many artists like him. He has defied convention by bringing his Serbian heritage to his music, outperforming house and techno artists from hotspots in New York and London. Thousands of his devoted fans would love to have the opportunity to ask him, “How do you do it?”
 
 

Obviously you were doing something before music became your career. How about you fill our readers in on your background?

Well, I have been doing music since i was at the age of 15 so doing something before that would be in my primary school   No way, music has been my only occupation and passion for whole my life so far. Within music you can find lots of different work, from managing to performing and producing.

What kinds of music would say shaped you as a musician? What was it about electronica that drew you in?

As I said I was very young at the time I started playing in the clubs so what I had the chance to hear by that age is all thanks to my older brother who was well informed in dark, industrial, body, electro and some very beginnings of house and techno.That is where I got my love for the sound generated true electricity and algorithms. Besides electronica i was also exploring lots of hard core, rock, punk and metal as a skater at the time.

Musicians draw their inspiration from multitudes of sources. Your fans may find it interesting where you fond yours. Other than electronic music, what other types of music or other artists do you listen to?
Well, I mentioned in the other question what i listened to as a kid so what happened after is that electronica grew so much and managed to spread true so many different types and directions of itself.So being able to have all of that in my speakers took me and is still taking me a lot of my free time. Also i had a long period of funk and jazz that totally influenced my first album, some bossa nova and the caribic beats and of course influenced by my dad was the classic education that i received all my life.

Dejan Milicevic Analogik PODCAST 06.11

It can take quite a while until a musician makes a substantial living from their work. Since you have been on the electronica scene for a while now, have you finally hit the point where you can live off the revenue your music makes?
Lucky for me yes,I can have a nice life from the earnings I get, but I do it for more than 15 years so would be silly if I could’t by now.

You seem to have travelled a lot. Where are some of the most interesting places you have been?
Well, I have been all around EU so many times and I consider it to be one big country,now that I am very familiar with, so I know by now more or less at least one good restaurant or a friend in every EU capital or a city that has electronic scene. Also i have been travelling to America that was a very nice experience and South America as well and I loved it. Lately I am making contacts with the East Europe and Asia, these are the places that I had less opportunity to visit and sure want to.

A song you dedicated to your girlfriend is also the title of your new album. It is a real hit! How did all of that happen?
Hehe, well, you know, some things open in a moment and you catch that moment. Right?

What’s been the reaction of your fans to “Just keep talking girl” being released on the Deutsch label “Plastic City”?
Very nice actually, that label is a very old and appreciated within listeners and DJ’s for so many years now, becoming one more artist on Plastic City was my honour.

You’ve been a tough to get a hold of; you’ve been booked for numerous festivals and performances. How was your busy schedule this summer?
It was amazing, I had so many good bookings all around, I played Exit, Tomorrowland, Kazantip and so many more good gigs around, it was a very busy summer, especially august where I played 12 gigs.

Clubs or at festivals and why?
I love playing music and it does not matter where it happens, my thrill is to do it in front of the audience and to have instant feedback. I prefer smaller clubs of course only for that you can really play whatever you want and the crowd digs it. On festivals is a different story, I always prepare myself for the best and the biggest hype possible.

Vinyl vs. CD myths refuse to die…what is your point of view?

Actually that is a difficult question, at the moment I am playing vinyl and CD’s and I left my lap top and tractor home but it does not mean it will not change again. Always with new technology something new happens and we must not ignore that.

What is your step-by-step creation process? What kinds of technology and equipment do you favor and why?
I am living along technology all around me every day, so all the new things that pop up like compressors, computers, EG’s, effects etc…. i can afford are in my studio. Important thing is knowing what to buy so you don’t give away big money for something you will not use and that happens in the process of making a studio fit for your demands.

What types of equipment do you use in your performance set-up?
At the moment old school, vinyl and CD’s and also I have a sampler attached on channel 4.

The scene” has a particular sound, how would you interpret it?

Vibrant and cosy

Just to let your fans know, which record are you currently playing the most of right now?
 
At the moment a guy called Adham Zahran caught my attention with his Paddington EP so enjoy it.

The post Dejan Milicevic Interview appeared first on Electronic Music.

We interviewed La Baaz, one of most awesome and promising techno artists on today’s scene and he prepared a special, exclusive dj mix for your pleasure. Check it along with several other projects Patrick’s on. Techno friday’s on.

For those who heard about you but haven’t go in depth, tell us a little bit about yourself please.

Hello, my real name is Patrick Sonderegger and I live in Zurich, where I have my studio and the office. I’ve started my electronic music career in 1994, at this time I’ve organized small outdoor parties where I was playing my first vinyls. Back there I produced music on old C64 and Amiga Computer but soon I bought my first audio equipment to refine my tracks.

From 1999-2004 I’ve released countless progressive trance tracks together with a friend under name Paste. La Baaz project was launched in 2002. In this project I focused my tracks and sets more into Techno.

Today, in my DJ sets, I play chosen minimal techno and groovy tech house with unique atmospheres and groovy rhythms using Tech approach that designates my trademark sound. In my home town, Zurich, I am also co-organizer of the successful party series Kinky Beats.

What would you be if you didn’t gone this way (music production) ?

For me music has always been a very big role in my life, I’ve sung in bands before, now I’m a DJ and producer. The music has sent me on big tours and I have met many interesting people. Something I would never miss. Incidentally, I’ve specialized in website programming. Today I am self-employed and run along with the music successfully a small web agency. I’m very happy with this combination.

Do you remember the event (party/festival) that sealed your destiny and made you go this way?

It was not really a festival I was especially fascinated by the electronic music that I could compose on my computer. Very early I had C64 and Amiga, and I tried to make my own tracks. I’ve played tapes of my own compositions at that time on small open-air parties, people were crazy about it.

What did you listen to and what/who was your inspiration back then when you were starting your thing?

In my teenage years, I’ve listened to rock and heavy metal, fortunately, in the 90’s, I was lucky to get inspired with techno and progressive trance. I’ve developed my sound taste over the years – from the quite deep, progressive trance sound to the Tech-house and Minimal-Techno nowadays. When I think about music, I always produce what I personally like.

Do you travel a lot and what is your favorite gig destination?

Lately, I’m not travelling a lot. As I said, I run my own company, which has occupied my time. Zurich is also quite a beautiful city to enjoy with a lot of parties and good people! I’ll be back to traveling abroad and performing soon. I was travelling and performing a lot before, in Mexico, Brazil, Australia and several European cities.

I play a lot of DJ sets in Switzerland, but Mexico is currently my favourite destination, I played at big festivals with lovely people and they love the sound of La Baaz.

Favorite festival and why?

My best festival experience I had in Mexico at the Soul Tech Festival, where we performed as Moosfiebr. The crazy thing was already the trip to the festival. We should’ve play at 2:00 AM and we have been picked up at about 1:00 AM from the hotel in Mexico City.

There were about 8 artists in the bus. On the way up, the dirt road to the festival, many cars and thousands of people were waiting for the entrance. We had to pass exactly trough this. There was almost no passage with the small bus. We stopped several times stuck in crowds of visitors.

The driver told us that we should stay invisible in the bus, because it could be dangerous if the fans spotted us. They are crazy about making photos of us and eventually would want to get into the bus.

Suddenly, some of them spotted us and started shaking the bus, but in the right moment the driver was able to break out of the crowd. After 3 hours journey and some wicked moments we arrived very late on the stage and we could start our live performance in front of 15.000 people waiting for it. It was a crazy experience. The best festival in Europe for me is the Fusion Festival near Berlin…

If you have a family and travel a lot, how do you manage to overcome being a homesick?

I’m with my girlfriend for many years. Always when I have to go for a gig in another country we miss each other for that time but she also likes electronic music a lot so she often travels with me to the gigs and we can enjoy the parties there together.

Now when we know more about you, what is your favorite hardware/software platform and setup?

I’m a computer geek since the beginnings of C64 and in my studio I work with a PowerMac and Cubase. That’s also one reason I work almost only with a VST’s setup.

VST’s you’re using a lot?

• Tone2
• Lineplug
• Fabfilter
• Sonalkis
• Arturia ARP 2600V (I like it a lot)

Who’d you love to collaborate with in the future or you’re a lone gunman?

At the moment I work with DJ Kara Maehl our joint projects Moosfiebr and La Baaz & Kara Mehl. In the future I would like to invest more time especially for the project La Baaz and Moosfiebr. I like to do remixes for other artists to get new musical input.

What’s your take on piracy now when music is available worldwide to virtually everyone immediately after being released?

Well, the internet has changed the music industry and new technologies are always made so that sound is easy to copy. There is one point to make it all valid, because if a fresh artist wants to be heard, their music should get out there as much as possible, even with the prior knowledge that it will probably be illegally downloaded. This can be also a good promotion, and you will get a gig faster in foreign countries.

Of course the income of an artist has changed, I think most of the artist charge now more for a gig to get their income compensated. But if somebody wants to support their favourite artists, they should buy the music on Beatport or other online shops with a good feeling.

Please, when you’re going to drop that “Freak It” SoundCloud bombshell already in its entirety? I played it like gazillion times, it’s insane!

My newest work “Lady Elliot” will be released as soon as I have a second track ready for an EP.
The tracks “In the Club“, “Loco Motive” and “Freak It” are all released on Bosphorus Underground Recordings. Check it out.

Any work in progress at the moment and can we expect a release soon?

Lately, I’ve focused mainly on the Moosfiebr project. We have a remix ready for Minilogue’s “Doiice” and for Ticon’s “Blow My Horn“. Several pure Moosfiebr tracks are in the pipeline for a release.
With La Baaz I had some releases on Bosphorus Underground Records, where others will come in the future. One of my latest unreleased works you can listen on soundcloud.com/labaaz

What do you play/listen to these days?

I listen to anything with a character and what I think is good music. Mostly I’m into minimal-techno and tech-house with emotion. In my DJ sets I play quite a wide range, from groovy minimal-techno/house to very emotional electronica as well. I’m always finding the right groove to make people happy on the dance floor.

Some of my Favourite Artistes are: Pan Pot, Stephan Bodzin, Julien Jeweil, Dubfire, Oliver Hunteman, Adam Beyer, Sam Paganini and more..

Contact:

• http://www.moosfiebr.com/
• http://www.kinkybeats.ch/music.htm
• http://dj.beatport.com/labaaz

Social:

• @Facebook
• @Soundcloud

La Baaz – End of Summer Mix 2012

The post La Baaz Interview appeared first on Electronic Music.

Well, I grew up at the time where electronic music first got really big in the early 90s. I think even the first music I danced to at a kids party in my elementary school was some kind of Euro-Dance stuff. I was about 8 years; I now realize that this was definitely the first time I listened to music on purpose.

As my brother, who I always looked up to, was one of the early ravers, EDM was also daily routine. That was also the reason for, how I got to know about my first record I ever bought: Armand van Helden – The Funk Phenomena.
When I was 14 years old, I told my parents that I’m gonna sleep at a friends house, but I was going to my first party, which was a famous rave in my hometown. From that day on my interest and passion for electronic music and it’s whole culture was born.

What style of music and which artists were your favourites when you were a kid?

Ouch, I think there are a few I shouldn’t mention. I was listening to the whole pop-chart music stuff, recording songs on tape from the radio.
I bet I still have some tapes with recordings of Haddaway, Snap!, Dr. Alban or Backstreet Boys.

How have you honed your craft as a music producer through the years? What are a few things you do now that you wish you did when you first began producing?

 I learned to play classical piano from on the age of 4. Composing my own songs, leading into writing lyrics when I became a teenager. The good thing was, that I wasn’t only in a certain style of music. I listened a lot to Hip Hip, Pop, Rock besides EDM. That still helps me a lot to not be only “one-way-thinking”, when it comes to produce music. I wish I had the knowledge that I have now before, when I started, because when I listen to my first songs now, they have totally different styles and genres, but musically they are still great. Many great songs with nice harmonies and melodies, but a horrible mixdown. After my high school graduation I moved to Berlin studying Audio-Engineering.

Alex Niggeman – Exclusive mix for Analogik.com

 

Your latest album was released by Poker Flat, the powerful label run by STEVE BUG.Can you give me some interesting background on how that collaboration came about?

 Like a snowball effect, when I asked Phonique to do a remix for my label Soulfooled.

We agreed to swap, so I did a remix for his album on Dessous Recrodings, which is Steve’s label as well. That’s how I first got in touch with him.

During a lunch with Steve in Miami, when talking about my new projects, I told him that I always wanted to produce an album and that in 2012 it might be the right timing. He immediately offered me to do it on Poker Flat. From that day on it was clear where to do it. Poker Flat is a great and big label, with lots of nice & professional people working there who have all the experience  to get the best out of every release!

Versatility is obviously one of your strong points, as some of your older work with Marc Poppcke (L’Aurora) was very melodic.

Some of your more recent releases, like Berlin Down the House, Play House and Mama Said, were loaded with funky vibes, and the latest Poker Flat albums are quite tech-savvy. How do you manage to so clearly define those different styles so well?

 As mentioned before, I always liked and still like different kind of music genres. Listening to a lot of music throughout my whole lifetime helped me a lot. So I always catch new ideas even when listening to the radio.

When it comes to producing, I like to try out new things, while sitting in studio, that’s what drives me. I could easily produce one record that sounds like the other, but I would lose the fun, I still have after so many years of producing music. The music I released on Poker Flat definitely represents my roots of EDM.

Every artist remembers his first gig, fondly or not. How about sharing yours with us?

It was in a venue in my hometown, where they made parties on Thursdays and all residents of Düsseldorf’s Techno Clubs played at that time.

My brother knew a lot of them, so they gave me the chance to play the opening slot. I was so freaking nervous, before playing the first record, even though there were only 5 people on the dance floor.  The first two mixes were horrible, but after more and more people started to dance, I got into the groove and was totally flashed!

Working in the music industry, there has to be plenty of issues to deal with, from rude artists and temperamental divas to the ongoing vinyl/digital debate. How about sharing a couple of issues you’ve dealt with?

Honestly, I shared too many of them in the past and that wasn’t always good for me. I have my own thoughts about several things and I keep them for me.

I believe that there will be a time in our lifes, where quality will count again more than quantity. And I don’t only mean this in terms of EDM and everything that belongs to it.

What’s your take on the recent evolution of the electronic music scene?

 There was always evolution in the world in every single part that belongs to our life. I always say, don’t close your eyes and say things were better in the past. Be open for new things, test them before judging and chose what you like the most.

But… If you want to play with a computer and you play before me, make sure, to do the sound check before. There’s no way for me that a DJ plugs in his stuff while I play my last records.

What do you prefer more : clubs or festivals?

I’m thankful everyday to be able to do what I love and I’m even more happy to know that I can play both. I like variety and the different charm both things have.

Do you have any future plans to use any unreleased or unfinished tracks, either as they stand or integrated into your work?

Yes, I have a few tracks I already finished, but I wait for the right timing or combination of them to release. There’s also a bunch of remixes and tracks coming up in the next few months, so it is better to wait and stick to quality before flooding the market with too much music. 😉

Clubs aside, what’s the best night out and best music you’ve listened to in the last 6 months?

Tough question. It wouldn’t really be fair to point out one or two, same when it comes to music/artists. Every club has its charm  Sometimes it’s just the venue and it’s sound, but mostly the crowd. Since people are partying in very different ways all over the world, it’s just interesting to get these different impressions.
Since I was touring really hard over the last 6 month because of the album release, I mostly stayed in a club only for a short time, because I needed to catch another flight or finally some sleep afterwards/before, but there have been a lot of good residents as well as a lot of colleagues doing an impressive job.

Talk us through your creation process step-by-step, including which technologies and equipment you use. What does your standard onstage setup look like for your performance?

In the studio I work with some analogue outboard stuff and instruments (Moog, Dave Smith etc) or internal plugins connected through my RME Fireface leading into Logic Studio which I use as sequencer to record sounds I play live through my Yamaha Clavinova. On stage, I’m still a “non-evolution DJ”, playing Vinyl and CDs using a Pioneer or Allen & Heath Mixer.

How about letting us know what’s new or upcoming with your label Soulfooled?

There’s a 2 year anniversary edition coming soon. 2 x 4 track vinyls with tracks from the last episode remixed by some of our favourite artists such as Jona, Martin Landsky, TJ Kong, Matthias Meyer and many more which is scheduled for November / December 2012.

I’m sure you love most aspects of your career, but what is the one thing you don’t like about it?

Traveling!!!! It’s soooo tiring!

Would you like to share any pearls of wisdom for fledgling producers and/or DJs on how to get started in getting their own jams going?

Take your time and be creative… there are no rules to stick to, how something has to sound, no matter what people might say. There’s too much stuff sounding like the other. Don’t be one in a million!

And….not every track is a release. (Again Quality before Quantity)!!!

Many thanks to Kishcommunications.com

The post Alex Niggemann Interview appeared first on Electronic Music.

From a kid with a love for obscure new-wave and analog synths, to his current position at the reigns of Items & Things, Marc Houle has gotten major mileage out of his incredible talent as a prolific music-making machinist.

His journey has taken him from Richie Hawtin’s club “13 Below” in Detroit, to a stint on the legendary Minus label, and now to his second album “Undercover,” released in February through Items & Things.

The man is a virtual music machine, cranking out nearly 1,000 tracks in his lifetime, with a sound that pulls a bit of Chicago together with a little Detroit in a new-wave underbelly style.

For starters, give us a bit of information about your background?What were you doing before you started your music career?

I had a  pretty balanced background – played sports, was into computers in the olden days, always made music etc.  I was a drummer mostly growing up and switched over to synths in the 90s. Product of a well balanced, happy childhood i guess.  Then I started going to the Detroit parties.  Pretty much every weekend for a long time there were 2 or 3 parties to go to.  They were usually in underground locations such as broken buildings or abandoned warehouses.  There were also some great parties at Motor where our friends would all hang out.  For us Windsor Canadians, downtown Detroit was 3 minutes away and full of great music and parties. 

What type of music did you listen to when you were a kid? Who were some of your favorite artists?

I was always all over the board from Motley Crue to Depeche Mode.  As a drummer I loved anything with good drums in it – so Prince, Iron Maiden, The Police as well as some obscure stuff too.  I’m a synth freak so I was always drawn into new wave stuff as well.  Eventually I learned to mix the 2 worlds together and start producing. 

What happens to your unreleased and unfinished tracks? Do these tracks ever reappear in your work?

For sure they appear – When I’m traveling around playing shows I always include a bunch of unreleased stuff. I think i would go crazy if i was only playing the same bunch of tracks every week. It’s nice for me to know that when i play live people are going to hear something special. Also live is where I test out all the stuff i was making during the week. It’s funny how in the studio you can make a track but it’s not until you play it for someone until you know how good or bad it really is.

Marc Houle – Analogik.com LIVE

Many people have an idealized image of your profession, fantasizing that you play sets in packed clubs and crowded festivals on the weekend and have all kinds of leisure time during the weekdays. What is the reality of your life ?

Umm? That’s about it actually – although a few times a year there are some bad shows. and sometimes i play during the weekdays. I cook alot.

What are your thoughts on the mainstreaming of the techno/minimal sound? What effect do you think this will have on the music?

Yeah in the 70’s it was all about the music. You might have ugly fat guys playing guitar and being famous but in the 80’s when everything went video that sorta died out. When the market goes mainstream, the focus seems to stray from the music and it becomes more about image. I’m hoping our genre doesn’t give way to that but it’s what usually happens.

We have to ask: vinyls or CDs? Which do you prefer, and why?

I think that question needs to be augmented these days since some DJs use neither…. In my living room, vinyl. In my studio, weird stuff. On a plane, Mp3 and finally, at a club I play live so I make them move the turntables and CDJs so i have room for my live setup.

What is your creation process? Talk us step-by-step through the technology and equipment you use? What does your standard setup look like when you’re performing?

For me it’s more about experimenting and having fun and that means always changing my process. I might just run stuff out of an 808 to trigger some other machine arpeggiators or maybe start off with a vst or Reason even. It’s more fun for me to try out new stuff and see what happens if i do something I’m not really supposed to do. I’m never bored making music and I think a big part of that is because I keep my methods fresh all the time. It wouldn’t be much fun if I just followed a formula like most people seem to do. How can the scene evolve if you work that way? So ya – no real method but I do surround myself with lots of synths and drum machines from the early 80’s which gives me a certain sound no matter what the method is.

Festivals or clubs? What are the benefits and drawbacks of these venues?

Clubs are always great because you can be face to face with people and play for a few hours to people are probably there to see you while at a festival it’s often a crowd that have no clue who’s on stage. But the thing about festivals is that you can convert people who might just be there for fun to our sort of stripped down funkier techno/house music. So both have their merits and I wouldn’t want to do either exclusively.

What is going on with your label right now? What are you working on? Anything new on the horizon?

We just finished up a super mega compilation and getting ready to release a new Click Box EP. I have a bunch of music prepared but not too sure on a release date or anything.

How did you, Troy and Magda meet. Is there an interesting story behind that?

Not really – We were all running around Detroit and hanging out with the same people so eventually we ended up realizing how well we worked together and how our musical styles and senses of humor matched. I think for Magda we were both DJing at Rich Hawtin’s club in Windsor – 13 Below and I had asked her for some studio help in remixing a track.

Which artists are you keeping an eye on? In your opinion, who is on the rise?

I might a bit partial, but I’m really into the Madato and Danny Benedettini stuff lately. They seem to have nailed the sound we’re into on the head and continue to make new and fresh sounding stuff.

What sets an individual apart as a live performer? How does an electronic music producer decide if someone is a DJ or if he is a live performer? Do you think live acts are born, or are they created?

I dunno really – I’m a live act. I’ve always been a live act and have no business DJing. I’m not really into the latest and greatest top 10 and have much more fun playing my own stuff that I really love and know. I couldn’t never be on stage and play other people’s tracks and act like I’m a great DJ when i had nothing to do with the music I’m playing. I don’t think less of DJs for doing that, I just couldn’t do it myself. For me it would be pretty depressing to cue up someone else’s music, hit play and do some fist pumps. I guess I just don’t understand DJing. again – not slagging others for doing it, just something i could never do.

Push The (Sync) Button: To Sync or Not to Sync?

I don’t think it matters anymore. let’s say Sync so you can slave some real instruments along with your mix. I like watching my friends DJ and add some drums machines or cool effects that makes the music more their own and more fun to watch.

Websites:

Items & Things

Facebook

Last.fm

Mixcloud

YouTube

Article by Anna Kec

The post Marc Houle Interview appeared first on Electronic Music.

Sean O’Neal, who goes by Someone Else is one of the leading innovators of the electro-pop, deep house, and minimal techno, and experimental music sectors. His skills in music production have earned him praise from critics all over the world, resulting in extensive global tours throughout Russia, Argentina, Europe, Canada, Japan, and the United States. In addition to co-founding record labels like Tuning Spork, Sean O’Neal has produced various events in the Philadelphia and New York City areas as well as writing for different music magazines and newspapers like xrl8r and Philadelphia City Paper.

Someone Else – Analogik.com LIVE

Can you tell us more about your background? What were you into before music?

• I grew up in a musical family. My father was in a couple semi-successful rock bands, and my grandfather (my dad’s father) was a high school music teacher and also played bass with Bill Haley & His Comets. As a child, I did a lot of musical theater and I sang in choirs. As I got older, I learned some basics in playing guitar, keyboards, bass and drums. By the time I was in high school, I was in a variety of indie rock and hardcore bands. After high school, the band that I had the most success was with Flowchart. We were often compared to Stereolab and My Bloody Valentine. We released dozens of singles, albums and compilation songs. I was doing Flowchart up until I started making dance music under the name “Someone Else” around the year 1999. And around that same time, I started working at a record shop for dance music in Philadelphia called 611 Records. I worked there for 7 or 8 years. Working there helped me gain some clout in Philadelphia and New York, and I started DJing techno, tech-house, minimal, deep house and IDM on a weekly basis in those cities. At the same time, I also started to do freelance journalism. I was earning my main income for almost 10 years by writing for a variety of magazines, newspapers and websites — like XLR8R, CMJ Monthly, AOL, Philadelphia Inquirer and others. In 2007, I quit writing and moved to Berlin so I can focus on music full-time.

Many changes have occurred in the electronic music world, including the musical tastes of its audiences. What prompted your emphasis on minimalistic performances and recordings?

• Regardless of genre, I have always been a fan of music that is more leftfield or more experimental than what’s popular. While working at the record shop, I was first really intrigued by IDM and loop techno. But as soon as minimal techno started to break more and more through the surface, I was buying up all the minimal records that came into the shop each week, and I was constantly hungry for more. Matthew Herbert was a huge inspiration for me at that time. At the time, for me, minimal techno and minimal house was the most experimental and druggy dance music. And as I started to produce more and more of my own minimal techno, I became obsessed with field recordings and samples. I would sample anything and transform that sound into a hi-hat, a snare, anything. I was amazed how easy it was for me to cut up samples and use them in music. I would sample things like dropping pencils on a wooden floor, closing a door, a squeaky chair, a ham radio, my own voice, and the list goes on and on.

Did you receive a great deal of assistance when launching your various careers? Did you benefit from a mentor or other experienced professional, or did you climb up the ladder on your own?

• With everything that I have achieved, I achieved all of it alone. Of course, I was running record labels with other people. So the labels were mostly a team effort. But as for my DJ career, my music production career and my journalism, I did all of this 100% on my own without any help from anyone. Actually, I was the guy that ended up helping dozens of other producers climb the ladder and reach success. And many of them now are quite popular — some way more popular than I have ever become. I could name a few names that you surely know, but I won’t because that would be lame of me. I always hated the fact that many producers view each other as competition. I don’t like to have that kind of stress in my life, so I’ve always felt satisfaction in seeing my friends achieve more success with my help. I like being a nice guy. It’s rewarding and makes me feel good. And my career has never been effected in a negative way by helping others who deserve success achieve that success.

Do any of your previous tracks or albums have more meaning to you than the others? How do you feel about playing these older songs on request?

• I guess I would have to say, no. There are many tracks that I have made that I do not like so much. But as for my tracks that I am proud of, it doesn’t matter to me whether they were made in 2002 or 2012. Besides, time for me is always one big blur. So it’s all the same to me, I guess.

As the future unfolds, do you have any other types of music you would like to explore?

• Actually, yes. I hope to collaborate with my wife, Alex Monster. Hopefully, we will do something like synth-pop. I would also maybe like to try to resurrect Flowchart again and make some indie pop. I also want to start using an acoustic guitar and my voice and record simple acoustic folk songs. Yeah, I have plans. We’ll see how they pan out. And of course, I will continue making more tech-house, minimal and all that “Someone Else” stuff.

Getting back to the present, there has been a bit of gossip about your personal life, particularly about your future wife. We already know that she is a DJ,but we would appreciate the endeavor and would like to hear more about it in your words.

• Sure. Aleksandra Stanojevic (a.k.a. Alex Monster) is from Belgrade and Bijeljina. We played together in Italy once, we got to know each other, we fell in love, realized that we want to be together all the time, and now we are going to have a baby girl together in the middle of August 2012. We will name her Luna. We plan to live together for a couple years in Berlin, and then possibly move somewhere else. Maybe USA. Maybe another country. We will see. Our future is wide open. Life is sweet.

The Tuning Spork and Fuzzy Box record labels are very unique names. Could you tell us more about what inspired this concept?

• Well, those are just two of a handful of labels that I ran and co-ran. I am also behind these labels: Foundsound, Unfoundsound and Little Helpers. I will give you a brief rundown of my labels. In 1994, while Flowchart was just getting started, I launched a small indie label called Fuzzy Box, and this label immediately landed a distribution deal with Darla Records. Fuzzy Box released a variety of indie rock, synth-pop, experimental, ambient and IDM. At first, Fuzzy Box only released 7-inch vinyl. Then the label moved on to 12-inch and CD releases. I haven’t released anything on Fuzzy Box since 2003. And around 1999, I started DJing minimal in Philadelphia alongside Jay Haze and Bjoern Hartmann. Since we were basically the only guys in the city that were pushing this sound, we decided to launch a record label together. So we started Tuning Spork. But a few years later, Jay and Bjoern moved to Europe while I remained in USA, and they continued that label while I started a new one. By around 2003, I was heavily into using field recordings in my music as I said before, and so I teamed up with Kate Iwanowicz (a.k.a. Miskate) and Sylvain Takerkart (a.k.a. Fusiphorm) and started Foundsound Records — a label that was largely focused on minimal techno and tech-house based around field recordings and “found sounds.” Foundsound is a vinyl and digital label, and I still (mostly alone these days) continue to run Foundsound to this day.

At the same time as launching Foundsound, we also launched Unfoundsound which is a free netlabel with almost 70 releases as of now, and anyone can download these releases for no money at any time. The music on Unfoundsound is usually deeper and more experimental, mostly minimal techno, but also ambient, experimental, deep house, tech-house and other styles. Unfoundsound also continues to release music to this day. And more recently, at the end of 2009, Andrew Rasse (a.k.a. Butane) and I started the Little Helpers label. It’s a digital label only on Beatport with one or two releases every month from when we started until now. The concept of Little Helpers is somewhat inspired by lockgroove vinyl records. The tracks on Little Helpers are somewhere in between a tool and a track — based around one solid groove. The tracks are suitable for editing, layering, looping, or they can stand alone if the DJ so desires.

You must do quite a good bit of traveling due to the nature of your work. Can you tell us which destinations you have found to be most intriguing?

• Yeah, I have been all over the world quite a bit. And I find almost everywhere I go to be intriguing for different reasons. Japan is always fun because I feel like I am in a cartoon land, the food is amazing there, and the people bow to me and are so fucking polite that I want to puke a rainbow. Russia is interesting because it’s creepy as fuck. Argentina is nice because I chill out with a nice beef dinner and excellent wine. Uruguay is basically just more Argentina. France is awesome because I like the way French people think. Serbia is fun because Serbian people have an intelligent sense of sarcasm that I can relate to. Brazil is fun because it’s one big party all the time raging with Brazilian jazz, samba, and that kind of stuff, plus great food. Peru’s seafood is amazing. Ecuador is really fucking hot and humid. Some of the friendliest people I have ever met are in Mexico. Canada is USA’s hat. Germany is wonderful from a techno producer’s perspective because most ordinary folks there such as blacksmiths, doctors, lawyers, teachers, even German farmers, all appreciate that kind of music, which is a rare thing in this world. Georgia feels like a mix between Russia and Turkey. Israel is OK I guess, but I don’t have much to say about it. It snows too much every time I am in Croatia. Italy is disorganized, a lot of them put cocaine on their Corn Flakes for breakfast, but the parties are usually good and the wine is amazing. Every time I go to the UK, something seems to go wrong. Spain is super relaxing and friendly, they know how to eat, and I’ve often considered moving there some day.

CD’s or Vinyls?

• I never use CDs. Since I worked at a record shop for so many years and acquired thousands upon thousands of my own vinyls, it’s safe to say that I have always been a vinyl junkie. However, a few years ago, I switched to Traktor Scratch, which I use with turntables while sometimes still using real vinyl as well. I like Traktor because I can play new tracks that I recently made or that my friends made, as well as digital promos. Plus, a lot of music that I want to play is not available on vinyl. I also like some of the functions of Traktor that I can’t get while using normal vinyl — such as effects and looping. But I still match the beats myself. I will always be somewhat old-school in some ways.

Music fans are always interested to learn what types of music their favorite performers enjoy. Outside of the electronic music realm, which artists do you personally find most compelling?

• I listen to a lot of indie rock, acoustic folk and jazz. I am not sure which artists to name because my favorite ones change on a weekly basis.

What type of performance equipment and staging do you generally use, and how is it transported, set up and ultimately disassembled?

• I bring a laptop and controller. It doesn’t take much effort for me to set that up. Back when I was touring my live performance in 2004-2006, I used to also bring some external samplers, synthesizers, drum machine, microphone, and some other toys. But airlines and airports were really frustrating when I would try to transport all of this stuff. Because of that, I slimmed down my gear and made traveling as simple as possible. Sometimes, however, I still bring hardware to live performances. But not as often these days.

I would imagine there is a great deal about your career you find thrilling, but if I asked you to reveal something about your work you do not enjoy, what might it be?

• Sometimes, to keep my career afloat, I am forced to make tracks in the studio when I am not feeling inspired. For me, this is kind of like taking a shit on art. It’s difficult for me to be creative when I am under pressure for the sake of my music career. Creativity is often spontaneous or inspired, which is the ideal time to make music or any form of art. It’s best to make a track when I am not thinking about where this track may be released, or how it will be released. It’s better to be free and creative and not have to think about such things.

What advice would you offer beginning producers and DJs hoping to advance their careers?

• Unless you are fucking amazing, don’t bother. This scene is way too over-saturated now with too many shitty producers and DJs — which makes the scene so cloudy that much of the good music and many of the good DJs hardly get recognized anymore. So, wait for the next new bandwagon to roll along, and jump on that one. This bandwagon is already way too full.

Article by Anna Kec

The post Someone Else Interview appeared first on Electronic Music.

How about we start off with a little background. Who all is behind the Pan-Pot project? How did you meet, and how did you start your career? 

• Thomas: We are Tassilo Ippenberger and Thomas Benedix. 2003 we met at the SAE (School of Audio Engineering) in Berlin, where both of us were the only ones who liked Techno music. This is how we started to get to know each other make music together.
• Tassilo: The starting point was when we booked Anja Schneider to one of our events in and shortly after in 2005 mobilee released our “Popy & Caste” EP.

How conscious was your shift in musical development? Speaking of the gradual change over the years from Berlin’s ever-present House and minimal techno to the tech house sound of today. Was that an organic development or did you sit down and decide to change at some point?

•  Tassilo: No that just happened. Everybody develops his style and skills right? For us there was never anything planed or a fix decision. When we think about music we just produce what we like.
• Thomas: …and we still are into Techno and are developing those sounds.

Did you have much in the way of help starting your careers? Did you have mentors or anyone to take you under their wing, or did you claw your way up from scratch?

• Tassilo: Mobilee was a big help in developing our career simply because they always supported us and gave us a great platform with the label. It was also the first booking agency that started to get us proper gigs.

You travel fairly often because of your career, correct? What are some of the more interesting places you’ve been to so far? Tell us some of your fun travel anecdotes.

• Thomas: It gets more and more traveling but we love to go to other countries! The mobilee rooftop events at Sonar in Barcelona always stick out as we have all of our friends around and a great time. Once in Hololulu we played on a sailboat party for 50 people and the shuttle boat, that was meant to bring us back to the island broke down and everybody was quite wasted so my brother and myself had to sail back ourselves to the harbor with 4 meters high waves.
• Tassilo: and in Gent girls started to throw their bras and thongs onto the stage and Thomas took one and wore it while DJing. We were young.

Fans are pretty much always curious what type of music their favorite artists enjoy. What are some of your favorite tracks or artists?

• Tassilo: I grew up with Hip-Hop but it luckily changed to Techno when I went to my first Rave. but I like all kinds of music.
• Thomas: same here. There is too much good music out there to be limited to one style but my heart beats for Techno and Tech-House.

Producing for Mobilee has allowed you to work with many different artists. Would you say that their influence has changed your sound in any way? How, if so?

• Tassilo: well, every influence changes our sound, not only other artists we work with. It can be nature, traveling and other cities, sad or happy moments and special clubs which influences what we do. But there is always this specific Pan-Pot style we want to keep and like to carry through.

Tell us about Slam. What was it like working together, and what’s your friendship like?

• Thomas: Slam and us met when we all were picked up from the airport in a tiny car and went on for a long drive. We had a lot of fun and it was a great honor that we were the ones to remix Lifetimes, one of my all time favorite tracks!
• Tassilo: And the whole Soma crew is great. They often ask us to play at their parties in Scotland and we invited Slam to Berlin. We will play quite a few gigs in Germany together too this year I think.

Walk us through building a track. What’s it look like?

• Tassilo: We use Logic and arrange our tracks all way through. There is no fix process though.

 How does your standard setup look like when you’re performing? What do you use, and how do you set it all up?

• Thomas: Right now we use Traktor, several X1 controller and the Korg Electribe app with an iPad. We like to combine live elements with a proper DJ set and this setup gives us all the possibilities to do this.

 Which of your records is currently the most played?

• Thomas: you mean in our sets? We play the new ones of course but also love to dig out the older ones and integrate them. And within some sets it is always exciting to test new things, which we currently work on but which have not been released.

 How were your SONAR experiences? Can you tell us a bit about them?

• Tassilo: the first time we played was at a beach party and we were afraid because we played much harder than the DJs before us. But the people loved it and we only got great feedbacks so that was a great start.
• Thomas: its always a lot of fun to meet all of our friends and party with them, especially at the Mobilee roof top party of course. We always stay there for some days and check out Barcelona and other great parties.

We can see that after the success of “Captain my Captain” you’ve gone ahead with the collaboration with Cari Golden. So what can you tell us about your new single, “The Gravity”?

• Tassilo: Correct,its Cari’s voice on “No Body Knows”, its the second track on our Gravity EP. We wanted to do something little less Techno with her so thats the result. And Gravity is the first track, pure Pan-Pot sound and some nice voice by G-Tech. Safeword did two amazing remixes for this one.

About Pan-Pot – The Documentary. What can you tell us about Sebastian Radlmeier’s film?

• Thomas: each year mobilee release the back to back compilation series where every artist does something special. Now that is was our turn to mix it and because we always have our cam with us when we are on the road the ideas came up to include a DVD.
• Tassilo: Sebastian started to follow up around and collect amazing footage, not only from us touring but also from where we grew up, went to sound engineering school, etc. It gives people a little insight into our lives and shows who we are and what we do. We haven’t seen the documentary ourselves until it was finished and are very happy with the result!

We have to ask. Do you prefer vinyls or CDs, and why?

• Thomas: We use Traktor and X1 controllers to be flexible and integrate live-elements but actually in our technical rider we also ask for turntables because sometimes we also bring vinyls.

We asked before about the music you like to listen to, but much of the time artists like to mix different types of music together. What music do you listen to outside of electronic? Who are your favorite out of genre artists?

• Thomas: right now Solar Quest and film music for me.
• Tassilo: I like classical music a lot right now when traveling and Alternative when working out.

How about if you tell us a secret? Something you’ve never let out before.

• Tassilo: then it would not be a secret anymore right?
• Thomas: there are some secrets at the end of our DVD.

Pan-Pot Back to Back Mix – 16 min teaser

Pan-Pot BerMuDa Special Radio Fritz 05.11.2011

Article by Anna Kec

The post Pan-Pot Interview appeared first on Electronic Music.