Nadja Lind (aka Klartraum) FWD Interview

2018.04.24

Written Interview with Nadja Lind (aka Klartraum( for FWD.DJ 2018

First, please tell us what you’ve been up to these days!

Many things. New Turning In binaural ambient, interval stretching music, an EP with Terry Lee Brown Junior. Of course, I’m also working on Klartraum and checking out new artists for the labels, Lucidflow, Sofa Sessions, and im-moral. I’m also preparing my next radio shows Sofa Sessions and Lucidflow.

Where was this mix recorded and what do you want listeners to know about it?

The mix was recorded in Berlin. It’s mostly my own tracks, remixes and co-ops and most of them have been released on my label Lucidflow.

You produce lots of different types of music. Your sets—both solo and with Klartraum—are very rich and diverse. How’d you acquire such an appreciation for so many types of music?

I’ve always listened to and enjoyed many different styles, from heavy metal to hip-hop, 70ies, and classical music. I realised how difficult it can be to explain to another person why you like a particular piece of music or style. It’s a hard question!

Speaking of, tell us a bit about your ambient album series, Turning In. What’s the idea behind the series? Do you approach ambient any different than the rest of your productions?

Initially I produced the first Turning In ambient binaural drone music for myself to experiment with binaural frequencies and the effect on my nervous system and brain. I read about this and since I wanted to know for real what’s inside the music, I started creating the binaural frequencies myself.

Also, I’d had difficulty sleeping for many years and often felt totally drained and exhausted from travelling and constantly changing time zones, hours and altitudes. So I created the binaural drone waves as a medicine to regain energy and to complete my lacking sleeping cycle within only a very short amount of time (e.g. 22:22 minutes).


They work like highly effective super power naps and I feel like I completed a full sleeping cycle.
They’ve worked so well for me that I gave it to my closest friends and DJ colleagues and they kept on asking for more and were really using them heavily (e.g. Steve Rachmad aka STERAC, Rick Bull aka DeepChild, Orde from Slam). It’s truly amazing how much response I’m getting from all over the world and I am still amazed about who is listening and using the Turning In Series.

I approach ambient very different since it’s made for a certain purpose. I record a lot of ambient on my travels and everywhere I go, from NYC to Masai Mara, Kenya. I use and experiment with different reverbs and effects and also create the binaural frequencies myself. It takes a lot of time to make these drones since the tracks are very long and I have to listen to the whole thing over and over again since every little detail matters. If even one little sound is a bit too harsh it will interrupt the whole experience.

I am in love with the Turning In Series. Me and a lot of my friends use them EVERY DAY. My personal favorites are Pineal Gland from Album No. 3 or the current ‘What is Time?’ & ‘Shambhavi’ (Shambhavi Mahamudra is a powerful meditation technique I am doing every day. For this production I recorded some friends chanting with me) from the actual Album No. 11.

You’re an incredibly prolific producer. How do you maintain such a high level of quality and output? Do you have any advice for aspiring producers?

Find out what gear you really love rather than getting too involved in too many new synths, instruments and effects. In my opinion it rather leads to confusion than productiveness. Appreciate and get to know what you have and create your own unique sound. Find out what you love and get into a flow.

What’s your studio like? Are there any essential pieces of gear you’d never ever give up?

I’ve been using Ableton Live for many years. Over time the gear has changed. Right now I like Minilogue and Roli Blocks Seaboard, TR-8, Omnisphere, Hive, Zebra, Sir2 and many more.

How has being from—and living in—Berlin influenced your music?

Berlin is very inspiring. Before I moved to Berlin, I met Helmut Ebritsch via the Internet and we started our project Klartraum. When I came to visit my ex-boyfriend every couple of weekends, we hooked up to make music together.

I’ve always been working on myself towards more clarity and awareness and to get to know who I am. In Berlin I’ve been lucky to meet and attend extraordinary good yoga, tantra...all kinds of interesting therapies, groups and classes. For example, Inner Engineering by Sadghuru. I am still hooked on Steven Wolinsky’s brilliant work and books, even 10 years later.

What does your live setup look like? How has your setup evolved over the years?

We started on Windows laptops with lots of blue screens during our sets (excitiiing) in the very beginning to Mac and all kinds of controllers and gear: Moog MiniTaur, Korg Wave Drum, Minilogue and the little Volcas, Roland Aira Series and Roli Block Seaboard. You can see a little sample of it when we recorded some tracks in February 2018 in a live jam version of our track Grinsekatze.

What can we find you listening to at home on a Sunday afternoon?

Turning In (I listen to them at least once a day), Sadhguru, Dr. Maté, Dr. Stephen Wolinsky, dub techno mixes, hip-hop dub, and Klartraum since Sunday is a good time to hook up in our studio and jam around.

Any upcoming performances, releases, or projects we should be on the lookout for?

I am working on more co-ops with D. Diggler, Terry Lee Brown Junior, Jam El Mar, Klartraum of course, and an EP with Riccicomoto called “We are Boss.” And Turning In binaural Ambientation

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