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.

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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.

At the age of 16, Albert attended a concert at a club in Barcelona featuring the legendary techno artist Marko Nastic. It was at this concert that Albert found his passion for electronic music as a creator, not just as a listener. He wasted no time investing in new records and the size of his personal music collection quickly increased in size.

Albert Rodriguez Analogik Podcast

After countless hours of committed practice, Albert began to develop a loyal fanbase of his own. The genesis of his new career culminated in an invitation to be the opener for a show at the La Cova club, just outside of Barcelona.

After wowing the audience as well as the club promoters, Albert was given further opportunities to hone his skills and perform alongside some of the biggest names in the European techno community. Performing with some of the greats influenced Albert’s style and, by adding his own ideas, he developed a trademark approach to song creation that combines traditional electronica with an appreciation for all things experimental. This personal musical evolution has continued to this day and Albert has earned a reputation for a musical style that is entirely unique among his artistic colleagues.

Not content to remain only a performer, Albert has recently begun to learn the art of music production. In fact, he and some of his friends in the music community have put their collective efforts together to organize a new event production company. The organization is called Wildlive and has already begun to schedule dates at clubs and festivals that will feature the elite of contemporary techno artists. With so much accomplished so quickly, Albert Rodriguez is sure to expand his artistic vision into the future. Judging by the quality of his work thus far, his future is certainly very bright.

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