You will find in this category each week, an interview or a biograhpy of a Dj or artist which is breaking the news. All styles are on the “menu” of this category: minimal, house, electro, techno or even trance in some cases.
The topic will be supplemented by other Djs following the latest electronic music news.
3 years ago, I interviewed Stimming but I never had the chance to publish it. Here is, with a big delay, the words I had with him. Interviewing Stimming has been a real pleasure for Actualités Electroniques notably because at that time his label Diynamic Music was not so known. The famous German DJ and producer Stimming answers our exclusive interview some days ago. If there are few tracks I will never get bored of, “Funkworm” from Stimming is certainly one them. After releases on famous labels like Diynamic Music, Buzzin Fly and Freerange, Stimming has been considered as the best newcomer of the 2010 DJ Awards at Pacha Ibiza in September 2010. What a prize for this fantastic producer! So please welcome him. This interview follows notably the one M.A.N.D.Y. and Rodriguez Jr First of all, I would like to thank Stimming who answered our questions. Have a good reading!
“Hello Stimming,
You’ve just released a new EP “Change Ep” on Diynamic that received massive supports from Wally Lopez, Yousef, Steve Bug, Lucio, Agoria and many more. Can you give us more information about this release, musically speaking? How this EP composed of 4 tracks was born?
> So, first of all I wanna say hello to Actualités Electroniques and all the ones who are reading this!!
I hope it’s gonna be a pleasure... ;)
The Change EP consists of 4 tracks: “Change”,” The unicorn”, “Der schmelz” and “For my girl”. Change is the one I made with Lazarusman, a guy from Johannesburg, SA. He sent me some vocals, all with different topics, but the one where he´s talking about “Change” really got me. So all I did was building a track around his vocals. On “The unicorn” I have a real played violin and viola on it which I first played with a virtual instrument but then figured out that it’s not working – violins and also trumpets have to be played for real, otherwise it just sounds, shit. ;) The topic of “Der schmelz” (the melting) is about nightlife, which in our scene is about excessive fun and also self-destroying... and “For my girl” I don’t have to explain – just listen and find out what I mean.
A few weeks from now, as I’ve said in the introduction, you have been awarded as the best newcomer during the 2010 DJ Awards at Pacha Ibiza. It was at the end of September. How do you feel about this prize? Does it have a particular signification for you?
> Yes, I’m very happy about that, mostly because it was a democratic decision on the Internet, which means that I have enough fans and people who believe in me. It means a lot to me!!!
For 2011, what we expect from you? An album? New tracks for sure? A compilation maybe?
> There´s a new and completely different album in the pipeline which will be released around the end of February on Diynamic Music. This one has no 4/4 bass drums on it and is (as I said before) different from anything else you´ve heard of me. It might be also different in general, but I’m not the one who´s allowed say this. Oh, and it’s called “Liquorice”.
Then there´s this remix coming up in march 2011 for Stephan Bodzin and Marc Romboy, which might twist things again for me, it’s a part of their remix album, I chose “Hyperion”.
And I already finished some new tracks where I’m searching for labels right now, let’s see where it’s going to be released.
Someday ago I interviewed Normen Flaskam aka Solee, the manager of Parquet Recordings. He told us he would be very interested to work with you once for a track? Do you think it will be possible? Have you already met?
> No, I didn’t meet him personally, but I know Parquet Recordings... ;)
Concerning the music you’ve done along the years since 2007, which track did you think helped you to win credibility and opened you some doors?
> Hm, there were a few of them who twisted things for me. I would say the most important one is “Una pena”. But the one I did with Ben Watt and Julia Biel (“Bright star”) has gained a lot of attention, also on “Melodica”, I got a lot of good feedbacks from people like Deadmau5...
Honestly, I don’t know if I’m a lucky guy or not, but I discovered you for the first time in 2007, with your first track “Funkworm”, that I played a lot in parties since then. What a funky track and what a start! I’m just crazy about it and I still dance on it. Is there a special story behind it? Indeed I’ve read for instance that you included two sounds from the Hamburg tube!
> Yeah, the Hamburg tube sounds... I really appreciate that you like it that much – it was very much of a lucky one. You know, when doing music, it sometimes just fits magically and you don’t have to do much with it. It’s like a chief in the kitchen – if he has the right ingredients it’s easy to create a good meal. I would love if making music would always be as easy as that!
After this first part about your music, literally speaking, we would like to get back to your origins. Could you please tell us in a few words, how did you become a DJ and producer?
> Yeah, I played the drums in different bands in my hometown near Frankfurt. But during that time I always felt that I have more to say, musically, then just play “Sweet home Alabama” for the 500th time. And, when I figured out that I was able to make music with the computer only, and more important – that I was able to do everything by myself, it was the happiest day of my life. I was around 16.
I’ve read you studied piano when you where younger. Is that right?
> Right, but I’m taking piano lessons again, because I never wanted to practice (unfortunately not even today). And I also played the violin when I was a very little boy, not sure if I’m able to get any tone out of it now.
As you come from Germany, could you please tell us if there are one or two German artists you would like to introduce us today?
> There´s this new guy on Diynamic, David August. I respect his work a lot! (Oh, and I have a coop in the pipeline with him).
Moreover Martin, what did you know about the French electronic music scene? Are there some artists that you know? You particularly love their works?
> I´m a big fan of the early works of Mr. Oizo, not only the “Flat beat” but also the stuff he made around this time. Dirty “in your face”-beats, yeah! And Daft Punk’s “Around the world” always gets me!
Before we conclude this interview, is there anything you would like to add?
> One thing I really listen to a lot right now is the internet radio from Soma FM, San Francisco. They have a couple of different channels, and most of them are really, really cool! They play the music I wanna listen to on the radio, all day!!! (That was advertising for free, they don’t pay me for that :))
Martin, to conclude this interview, we have a few more questions to better know you. Sometimes one word is enough!
The song you advice us to listen in your discography?
> Melodica
An artist you would like to work with, one day?
> Christian Vogel
3 words to define your music?
> Intelligent, but dance music
Are you using vinyl or MP3 for your mix?
> I’m not DJing at all, I’m just playing live.
One word about France?
> Food
The software you use to produce?
> Cubase
Your best souvenir of this summer: a place where you played for instance or an anecdote?
> The whole Sonar event was very nice for me this year. Not as the year before, where I had to wait 1h because of the police blocking the street to the venue, and I had to give away my passport. But this year was great!!!
The best club in the Germany (name and city)?
> Ego, Hamburg
Your favorite track these days?
> Empire of the sun – we are the people
Some words about our website Actualités Electroniques?
> As I don’t speak French, it’s a little bit difficult to say something fundamental about it. But I like the design... :)
Stimming, thank you very much for the time you devoted to Actualités Electroniques and particularly for this interview. We will wait for sure for your next productions. We hope to see you soon in a club in France or abroad. See ya!”