Against the Current

In conversation with Wellen.Brecher

Wellen.Brecher is here to disrupt. Born from Berlin’s underground, this collective thrives on chaos, distortion, and pure, unfiltered energy. Their music is a riot, their live sets unpredictable, and their message clear – everyone belongs on the dance floor. But in a scene where exclusivity still dominates, artists born with disabilities have fewer chances to be heard and seen. With their debut album LIEBESERKLÄRUNG, Wellen.Brecher challenges industry norms, defies expectations, and pushes for a more inclusive club culture. Their sound isn’t polished, it’s raw, urgent, and alive, a direct response to a system that prioritizes image over expression. In a world where algorithms dictate taste, Wellen.Brecher is here to remind us that music should be felt, not just consumed.

Wellen.Brecher emerged from the Ick Mach Welle initiative, a Berlin-based project dedicated to helping people with disabilities create electronic music. Can you share how this project evolved into the band we know today?

Firstly Hello! Ickmachwelle started as a weekly jam session with 7 or 8 participants who wanted to learn how to make electronic music. These were people that had been going to the SPACESHIP parties in Berlin held a few times a year who wished to perform or DJ themselves and loved the music played at these parties. SPACESHIP was a party set up to cater for people with disabilities without barriers so they could enjoy a good rave without fear of exclusion. We initially did a few live sets billed as ICKMACHWELLE at events or festivals; but as more people joined we decided that the two participants with the most experience; Uwe and Werner – alongside myself (Dave) and fellow mentor Hanni should form our own group so that Ickmachwelle could be preserved as the overall name of the larger project. So we started jamming ourselves weekly and eventually produced our first EP from our favourite ideas which was released on KILLEKILL. Our live shows also come from these sessions, something that we had been doing together since the beginning of Ickmachwelle.

The name Wellen.Brecher carries a powerful, wave-breaking connotation. What inspired this name, and how does it reflect your collective vision for the band?

Our intention is always to have chaotic fun on stage; we play loose with our sets to jam off initial ideas so we break the plan each time. We also formed from Ickmachwelle so we decided to keep the name of the band loosely related to how we came about and what we do. Ickmachwelle means I make waves in english; Wellen.Brecher – which means Wave Breaker was the result we all liked. It also sounds great when you yell it though a microphone!!

Each of you brings a unique perspective to Wellen.Brecher. Can you tell us about your individual journeys into music and how those experiences intersected to form this collective?

Wellen.Brecher is 4 people with different starting points who intersect where curiosity and passion meet. I (Dave) started with DJing in 2002 in Ireland where I grew up. I had my first residency at 19 with in Tripod club in Dublin. I was also obsessed with music production and eventually ended up moving to Berlin in 2010 where I was doing a little bit of everything music related; DJing, production, film scoring, studio/live engineering and even throwing parties (RIP Griessmuehle!). I was working with KILLEKILL and Krake festival since 2015 and when label owner Nico Deuster played at spaceship where we met our eventual partners I was asked to do the first workshops. Werner has been collecting records for years. He taught himself to DJ and is recognised in every record store in Berlin – visiting with an extensive list of old records he is looking to get his hands on. His artist alias is Black D vil and with only a couple of lessons in ableton with Ickmachwelle he went and made almost 60 tracks by himself during the covid lockdowns when we couldn’t meet which resulted in his own EP on Killekill. Werner is relentless with his questions on music, the history of our scene and why things are sometimes so silly? Thus Werner naturally became the voice of Wellen.Brecher. Uwe was well known as the tanzmeister (dancemaster) in spaceship before Ickmachwelle started. But he wanted to DJ and make others dance. He has a natural ear for music; It was quite amazing watching him try a synth for the first time; he had an instant grasp of the keys – like he had been playing for years! We generally improv when on stage with some basic sequences to get us going and Uwe is trustworthy to always go further with the knobs, faders and keys. But thats the plan – we always wanna be chaotic fun! Hanni comes from the punk scene, Where sincerity and passion in doing things yourself are fundamental principles. He is a member of the Punk band PISSE in addition to guesting in a number of other bands and crews occasionally. Hanni has also worked for a number of years as a social worker, particularly helping people with special needs. He joined as a mentor in 2020 and immediately we all vibed. In our first ever session together he jammed out a sequence on the drumbrute that by the end of the session became the first draft of one of our most well known tracks Tierisch Verboten and thus we formed Wellen.Brecher. Hanni brings the rhythm and keeps us curious when he shows up every other week with a crazy new magic box to make sounds with!

As an inclusive band, how do you view the current state of accessibility in club culture? What are some of the biggest barriers people with disabilities face, and how can venues, labels, and festivals create more inclusive environments for both artists and audiences?

There is a bit of a paradox with nightlife in Berlin. Many clubs strive to be exclusive to preserve the freedoms they provide inside. At the same time promoters and club owners are happy to promote inclusivity for people who are excluded from larger society. It is of course always a dilemma for a picker to differentiate in a split second who is there to be a part of a community and who is just there to suit themselves but things are slowly improving over time with awareness of people with special needs being discriminated against less. The music community itself has taken on inclusivity as an ideal and this has also had a very positive influence on attitudes in our scene. Outside of Berlin at festivals and shows we’ve done we have always had great experiences but we only get to see what we get to see so it’s harder to judge.

LIEBESERKLÄRUNG is your first full-length album, debuting in March, and it s been described as a musical journey through history. What was the initial concept behind the album, and how did it evolve during the creative process?

We jammed out and recorded all ideas together initially in May 2024 on a weekend away from Berlin. We also recorded all of our shows over the summer and in September sat down and went through everything. We already had a good idea of the tracks we would include by then from what we liked to do live so it was a case of putting the best takes back together. The result is sincerely Wellen.Brecher. Not merely technically but also as an acknowledgement of our individual influences combined together into a result we all enjoy. Almost all the vocal takes are actually from our live sets for example so the crowd had an influence also. There’s a million ways to approach an album and focusing on results can be a bit of a trap so we kept it loose right up until the end the only real limit was ensuring we could fit it all on on the Vinyl. The Digital release contains a couple extra things though!

The opening track, TÜRÖFFNER, begins with a rounded intro inspired by Afrika Bambaataa before dramatically shifting into a tresoresque, Detroit techno beast. How did you approach blending these distinct sounds?

THAT track in particular came out of absolutely nowhere it was a lucky thing that the tape was rolling, it’s almost exactly faithful to the jam session it came out of. You can always trust Werner to have something to say; Hanni to bleed into the Perkons and Uwe to twist the Neutron into a soup. It’s about sharing what you love with others. At the very least Detroit vibes are reflected in that. Werner denies the Bambaataa influence though, he was just trying to be polite when he said haaallllooooooo!

As a band deeply committed to inclusivity, do you hope LIEBESERKLÄRUNG challenges traditional notions of who belongs in club culture and who gets to be heard in the music Industry?

I think in the last 5 years the established order has been disrupted comprehensively with lots of artists emerging out of the lockdowns that weren t known before which has had some upsides. Unfortunately it’s turned heavily in favour of personality or brand over elevating abstract IDEAS or sounds that can continue to inspire. If followers and likes are the benchmark of success then only those who are good at manipulating the algo get ahead. Great if they bring good ideas along but disaster if they promote exclusivity and have no substantive purpose. What We hope for this album is that it is heard as a clarion call to others to really listen to themselves in what they would LIKE to do and hear rather than what they SHOULD do. Right now that seems like a privileged thing to say in a magazine interview – i get the irony, but I say it because I want listeners to feel ok with taking time to develop themselves. It took us 8 years to get to the point where we could make an album in merely a few months after all. There’s a lot of undiscovered territory in music and challenging tradition should be the natural inclination of an artist in any case.

Your stance on far-right politics is clear with your bold ‘Fuck AfD!’ statement. Can you share what motivated this strong political stand, and how artists can contribute to challenging extremist ideologies in their communities?

It’s not that bold to say so; they are cynical populists. The AfD leadership push and manipulate people using simple narratives for personal gain or out of narcissism. Those who follow them are hoping for a unicorn simple narrative to take hold that simply does not exist. The ones pushing falsehoods or twisting complex truths are the ones we are directly addressing in this statement. Artists have the role of inspiring these feelings of empowerment and creativity for new ideas. The Job should be to bring people into the mindset of wanting to understand the world better not to withdraw from it.We dont believe that might makes right and that people don’t have to surrender to fear because people ARE equal on one important level – equally capable of greatness and of cynicism. We hope that people will place more faith in themselves and in their own power and ability to be creative in a dynamic world.

As Wellen.Brecher continues to break barriers and advocate for inclusion; what kind of impact do you hope to leave on the music industry and on future generations of artists, especially those who have been marginalized or excluded?

Werner: Positive energy comes to us as feedback when we are told from all sides that we make good music for everyone. It is important that more people, regardless of disability, are included and that no one is excluded. I personally find it terrible to exclude people. I often see this when many people are excluded. Many people are interested in the fact that we are an example. They realize that if we can make it, then they can too.We are role models and bear the responsibility to show positively that a disability does not have to be a barrier. Everyone can do what they want when they feel like it. With the DIY principle, significant changes can be made. Making music doesn t have to mean that you have to have studied or have wealthy parents. There are opportunities that can be found and utilized. It is our responsibility to show this positively and to lead by example. At the same time, the fact that they sometimes need support or have less self-confidence should not be forgotten. If structural conditions, like ramps, are not in order, it should be taken seriously. It’s a little paradoxical: it is important not to overemphasize these issues, but at the same time, they must not be forgotten. People with disabilities, regardless of the type, can be included everywhere. It is important that everyone dares to pursue their dreams, for example, making music if that is their wish. Perhaps that is exactly what it’s about: We are a role model for others, showing that we simply do it and that it is possible to advance with our music.

Finally, what advice would you give aspiring artists with disabilities who may feel excluded or overlooked by the music industry?

The first piece of advice is: Pursue your dreams. Find like-minded people and reach out to others. If someone wants to make music, they should seek support until they find the right people who can help them. You can always get in touch with projects like ours, no matter which country you come from, and we also speak English. I consider direct conversations to be important and do not expect the music industry to be friendly. If you want to make music, it should come from passion and not from a desire to be part of the music industry. It is often better to start small, find your own paths, and not pretend to know everything. The key point is to create your own music industry and not let existing structures hold you back.

The opening track, TÜRÖFFNER, begins with a rounded intro inspired by Afrika Bambaataa before dramatically shifting into a tresoresque, Detroit techno beast. How did you approach blending these distinct sounds?

THAT track in particular came out of absolutely nowhere… it was a lucky thing that the tape was rolling, it’s almost exactly faithful to the jam session it came out of. You can always trust Werner to have something to say; Hanni to bleed into the Perkons and Uwe to twist the Neutron into a soup. It’s about sharing what you love with others. At the very least, Detroit vibes are reflected in that. Werner denies the Bambaataa influence though, he was just trying to be polite when he said “haaallllooooooo!”

As a band deeply committed to inclusivity, do you hope LIEBESERKLÄRUNG challenges traditional notions of who belongs in club culture and who gets to be heard in the music industry?

I think in the last 5 years the established order has been disrupted comprehensively with lots of artists emerging out of the lockdowns that weren’t known before, which has had some upsides. Unfortunately, it’s turned heavily in favour of “personality” or “brand” over elevating abstract IDEAS or sounds that can continue to inspire. If followers and likes are the benchmark of success, then only those who are good at manipulating “the algo” get ahead. Great if they bring good ideas along but a disaster if they promote exclusivity and have no substantive purpose. What we hope for this album is that it is heard as a clarion call to others to really listen to themselves in what they would LIKE to do and hear rather than what they SHOULD do. Right now that seems like a privileged thing to say in a magazine interview – I get the irony, but I say it because I want listeners to feel okay with taking time to develop themselves. It took us 8 years to get to the point where we could make an album in merely a few months after all. There’s a lot of undiscovered territory in music and challenging tradition should be the natural inclination of an artist in any case.

Your stance on far-right politics is clear with your bold ‘Fuck AfD!’ statement. Can you share what motivated this strong political stand, and how artists can contribute to challenging extremist ideologies in their communities?

It’s not that bold to say so; they are cynical populists. The AfD leadership pushes and manipulates people using simple narratives for personal gain or out of narcissism. Those who follow them are hoping for a unicorn simple narrative to take hold that simply does not exist. The ones pushing falsehoods or twisting complex truths are the ones we are directly addressing in this statement. Artists have the role of inspiring these feelings of empowerment and creativity for new ideas. The job should be to bring people into the mindset of wanting to understand the world better, not to withdraw from it. We don’t believe that might makes right and that people have to surrender to fear because people ARE equal on one important level – equally capable of greatness and of cynicism. We hope that people will place more faith in themselves and in their own power and ability to be creative in a dynamic world.

As Wellen.Brecher continues to break barriers and advocate for inclusion, what kind of impact do you hope to leave on the music industry and on future generations of artists, especially those who have been marginalized or excluded?

Werner: Positive energy comes to us as feedback when we are told from all sides that we make good music for everyone. It is important that more people, regardless of disability, are included and that no one is excluded. I personally find it terrible to exclude people. I often see this when many people are excluded. Many people are interested in the fact that we are an example. They realize that if we can make it, then they can too. We are role models and bear the responsibility to show positively that a disability does not have to be a barrier. Everyone can do what they want when they feel like it. With the DIY principle, significant changes can be made. Making music doesn’t have to mean that you have to have studied or have wealthy parents. There are opportunities that can be found and utilized. It is our responsibility to show this positively and to lead by example. At the same time, the fact that they sometimes need support or have less self-confidence should not be forgotten. If structural conditions, like ramps, are not in order, it should be taken seriously. It’s a little paradoxical: it is important not to overemphasize these issues, but at the same time, they must not be forgotten. People with disabilities, regardless of the type, can be included everywhere. It is important that everyone dares to pursue their dreams, for example, making music if that is their wish. Perhaps that is exactly what it’s about: We are a role model for others, showing that we simply do it and that it is possible to advance with our music.

Finally, what advice would you give aspiring artists with disabilities who may feel excluded or overlooked by the music industry?

The first piece of advice is: Pursue your dreams. Find like-minded people and reach out to others. If someone wants to make music, they should seek support until they find the right people who can help them. You can always get in touch with projects like ours, no matter which country you come from, and we also speak English. I consider direct conversations to be important and do not expect the music industry to be friendly. If you want to make music, it should come from passion and not from a desire to be part of the music industry. It is often better to start small, find your own paths, and not pretend to know everything. The key point is to create your own music industry and not let existing structures hold you back.

Against the Current / Wellen.Brecher

Credits:

Artist: Wellen.Brecherr / @wellen.brecher_live
Interview: Kenzie Barrena / @kenziebarrena
Editor: Anca Macavei / @ancamacavei

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