Interviews

Aligning minds is made up of one Daniel Merrill and one Michael Folk, two cutting edge IDM producers hailing from the Washington DC area who have a habit of dropping beats so fresh they have twice the audio vitamin content of that typical processed crap. Fusing haunting melodies and techy bass together in a relaxing yet energizing journey is just another day for these two gents. Aligning minds have been released on Native State records, Aleph Zero Records, Boltfish records and more.

It's a rare occurrence when a DJ rises to international acclaim based on their pure skill behind the decks. Chris Finke is a perfect example of someone so talented in his ability to destroy dance floors that it landed him sets in some of the Worlds Premier clubs and events in a relatively quick time. Initially known for killing it with his 3 turntable sets, Chris has now embraced digital technology which has opened up even more possibilities. He is also the owner of Flux Recordings, a resident at the UK's No1 techno institution, "Atomic Jam", a true globe hopping international DJ force and well on the road to becoming an established production machine.

Dave Brennan is one of the foremost stalwart veterans of the electronic dance music scene with a career old enough to legally drink in the United States. Since 1988 Brennan has launched an audio assault on our ears in some of the most premier clubs in the world. His classic “drink deep” EP on End recordings helped to launch his name to new heights before opening up his own new record label: Bombis recordings. An all around incredible deep-tech house DJ, producer and co label manager (with Paul Donton), Brennan is warming the techno engines back up for yet another amazing galactic adventure. 

Plasmik is the brain child of two German brothers named Roman and Marcel Fritz. Raised on a diet of mid 90’s techno this classically trained duo joined up in 2006 to start their mission of world wide dance floor damage.  With refreshing releases on Connaisseur, Crosstown Rebels, Tsuba and more, one could accurately assess that the operation is going accord to plan. Plasmik represents an engaging cross breed between stripped down raw techno and tasteful artistic tech house bundled up in a nice package of atmosphere and funky low ends.

Max Cooper is one of the strongest stars to appear in the techno cosmos in recent years. Not only has Cooper enjoyed one of the fastest ascents into international heavyweight DJ status ever seen, but he also splits his electronic music life with a full time gig as a PHD genetics researcher. With over 50 music releases including his recent floor destroying “Harmonisch EP” on Traum Schallplatten, several epic residencies, and an international touring schedule, Max Cooper is quickly become an unstoppable DJ monstrosity to watch and whisper about in the middle of the night.

When it comes to functional and creative minimal techno no one has it quite as locked down as Mathias Schaffhauser. Label boss for Ware and well established DJ circuit veteran, Schaffhauser is renowned for his diverse and deep sound that slowly works your dancing physique into a pile of happy mush. In addition to working with Pan Pot, Dapayk Solo, Trentmoller, Alex Smoke and others, this techno connoisseur has been released on almost every label worth mentioning: including Poker Flat, Force Tracks, Treibstoff, Ladomat, Boxer, Mute, Budenzauber, Karatemusik and more.

Deepchild is the club and radio hardened moniker of one Rick Bull, an established deep tech house champion of the Australian variety with a penance for turning out head warping and booty moving tunes. Luckily for us, and everyone else, Mr. Bull’s high standards bleed out onto all of his work, whether it be headlining with some of the worlds top techno/tech-house acts or putting out highly respectable and well considered original productions. Originality is the flavor of the day when Deepchild is in town, and with releases on BEEF records, Affin, Dieb Audio, Future Classic and more you know the light is just getting brighter.

Jonas Kopp is an industrial strength techno producer from Argentina. By industrial strength I mean strong, deep, dark, hypnotic 3am kind of techno. Kopp has been charted and supported by some of the world’s finest techno wizards including Matthew Dear, Adam Beyer, Richie Hawtin, Sven Vath, Chris Liebing, Par Grindvik and more. When he’s not cranking out tunes on Spectral sound, his own Traut Muzik, Net28, Weave Music and more, Jonas is busy working crowds all over the globe as a full time DJ monster.

If you want to experience the future of electronic dance music today there is one artist that fuses together tech, glitch, funk and melody in a fashion so astounding that it will require jaw surgery before you can close your mouth again. Jamie Watts is the perpetrator of some of the coolest techno, idm and glitch hop you have ever heard, and spreads this music to the masses via his prolific Kilowatts moniker along side the techno duo Voodeux (with Tanner Ross), Skeetaz (with Bill Bless) and Super Galactic Expansive (with MC Amagine). Mr. Watts has also been responsible for the founding of Soulseek Records and has released music on some of today's finest experimental (and established) labels including Native State Records, Artificial Music Machine, Harmonious discord, Thoughtless Music and, of course, Kilowatts music.

Exercise one consists of the intrepid Marco Freivogel and Ingo Gansera who have been storming the Berlin Underground in the four years and are quickly ascending in status as one of the city's more interesting live acts and producers. These gents are responsible for many an unconventional liquid techno masterpiece and are the founders and managers of Lan Music which they founded after meeting at !K7. Additionally, they have released and bevy or influential remixes and are apart of the core Mobilee roster.