There was a mixture between techno and our music that bubbled up to what people were playing at major clubs. I DJed the first time at Berghain in 2015 and eventually released on their sublabel Unterton in 2017, then Ostgut Ton the next year followed by joining their agency and doing a full album. The club influenced me as a place that pushes forward techno music in a more austere way and created a space in which you can be really free and yourself.

How is your typical day in Berlin? When you are not making music, how do you like to spend your free time?

I don’t have much free time between the label, production, and touring, but I honestly love making music whenever. That rarely feels like work. But otherwise, I like getting deep into cinema or an exhibition or playing something like the new Zelda.  

This year marks the 5th anniversary of your label BITE. How did it come about, was it out of necessity to be able to release your own music the exact way you wanted to?

We started the label not just to release my own music, but the main goal was to try to grow the network of artists around me doing cool stuff that didn’t necessarily have a home for their music. It was cutting edge but wasn’t necessarily just techno or just left-field stuff, so then there’s BITE to create a community around. I think after 5 years the label has really found its sonic and visual aesthetic represented in the new VA. 

‘Italo body music’ is how you refer to your new music project with Pablo Bozzi “Soft Crash”. To me, seems that there’s a certain melancholy or romanticism and much more than italo-disco infused in this project. How did it all come about and what plans do you have in mind for it?

We released Pablo’s first solo EP on BITE 3 years ago which is when he really defined this italo body sound that he’s associated with. We also both have a mutual love for all things synth-wave and italo and decided to do a project together. It contains characteristics from both of us still with his strong panache for melody and hooks but with a bit harder and more experimental underbelly. It’s definitely romantic and expressive. After our album last year, we have plans for another release later this year. 

Can you talk about your recent remix of The Soft Moon to release on the legendary label Sacred Bones, out this spring?

I toured with them years ago opening with my live act and before then we knew each other both playing at Wierd or SXSW. Their music fits the aesthetic of me and the other artists on the label. So when the idea came to do a new remix EP at a happenstance meeting in Warsaw at a gig after their show, we immediately decided to do it. When done right, it’s interesting to combine live elements of subversive guitar and vocals intelligently and stylishly into dance music. 

You have a relentless headline tour in 2023 with lots of BITE showcases including Berghain 5 years weekender, passing through Asia, Australia, Europe, US, South America and so on. How are you preparing to this crazy intense schedule?

Being fit and clear helps as there’s more work to do than just showing up at the showcases. We also need to curate the lineup, make artwork, promote and more. Luckily, we have a great team to do the label together and arrange the showcases. And still I always want to find time to work on music as it’s important and therapeutic for me. 

Do you think of the people on the dance floor when producing? What is your producing path like? Do you think of a concept or idea before making a track?

If I’m producing a techno track, I do have the dancefloor in mind. Something that fits the groove and sound design to which I would like to dance myself. I also have the idea of the power and frequency spectrum of the PA, especially a powerful one. I want to design a track that moves all the frequencies in the system in a balanced yet strong way creating a sort of immersive and psychedelic feeling even. So I usually have an idea of a certain sequence, rhythm or sound in my head playing. Then I use the synths to translate that into reality. 

If you could make a collaboration with anyone in the whole world (dead or alive) who would it be?

DAF.

Something that you are listening to on loop right now.

Something by HTRK.