Who are you and how did your dynamic duo come to be?

We’re Andi and Eugen, two boys born in Kazakhstan, raised in Germany and brothers at heart. It all started off in 2019. I, Eugen was wrapping up a weekend bender at Berghain, came home totally wasted, only to get kicked out of my shared flat by my old flatmate. I headed to my girlfriend’s place, only to break up with her the same night. Completely lost, I grabbed one synth (an Arturia MiniBrute) and a drum machine (Roland TR-8), and ended up at Andi’s place. We had a chat, smoked a few joints, and just started producing. We’d never made music together before, but that night, we wrote “Betäubte Triebe” Funny thing is, we originally called it “Kalte Liebe” but then we realized that name was too good to only use it once, so we changed it, haha.

You’ve got a history that spans from beat-making to metal bands and more, yet 2019 marked a new beginning. Can you share more about your past?

I think we first met around 2010 when we were both hanging around the Techno scene in Regensburg. Those were some crazy times, with wild parties and seriously long nights. Back then, being a professional musician was just a dream for us. We’ve both got some background in music – Eugen played in several bands during his youth, and Andy started DJing at an early age.

The name “Kalte Liebe” (translating Cold Love) is quite evocative and intriguing. Can you share the story behind how you chose this name and what does it mean for you?

Kalte Liebe was actually the original name of our first track (“Betäubte Triebe”) before we decided to use it for the whole project. It’s all about that mix of icy beauty and burning desire hiding in the deep corners of our souls, you know? Kinda toxic but also romantic, exciting but also a bit cheesy. It’s about finding comfort in pain, embracing the tough times, but somehow finding happiness in all that. It’s like those bittersweet moments when passion and cold are all tangled up – a dance of opposites. “Kalte Liebe” is our nod to those strong feelings that, even when they’re chilly, still push us forward and spark our creativity. Melancholy and nostalgia are definitely the biggest vibes in our music.

Your sound is an elaborate blend of post-punk, grunge, dark wave, and techno, laced with raw, distorted vocals in both German and English. Which singers or DJs have left the biggest mark on your musical style?

We’ve got some pretty big inspirations like Thomas P. Heckmann, Anthony Rother, D.A.F., Daft Punk, Linkin Park, Miss Kittin, New Order and of course, Falco. But back in the day, we both used to jam to a lot of punk rock, metal, and alternative stuff too. We just kinda tried to mash all that together, and well, here we are now.

Your lyrics hit hard, tackling themes of apathy in “Kauf Mich” tortured love in “Dopamin” and a dreamless youth in “Traume Ohne Wert” These tracks feel deeply personal. Is channeling your emotions into music a therapeutic outlet for you?

Yeah, it definitely is therapeutic for us. But isn’t it the same for every musician? I mean, let’s be real, we’re not exactly the most mentally stable bunch, haha. There’s this euphoric feeling when you manage to nail that exact devastating, intense, or even horrible emotion you’re experiencing in the moment. Or when you catch that specific mood in the melodies and vibes. It’s like, you’ve taken this raw feeling and turned it into something tangible, something you can share.