Recondite: "I did not put 500E champagne on my rider now"
Daina Dubauskaitė 2015-02-09 16:45
In December, ‘Jäger Blow-Out‘ brought us KiNK who was #3 in the Resident Advisor live act chart of 2013. He remained in the position in 2014, too, even though I thought he’d come up. #2 – Âme – will visit ‘Opium Club’ in March, and #1 – Recondite – is billed for another night of black ‘Jäger Blow-Out‘ madness. What a great start of the year!
Recondite’s last album ‘Iffy‘ was released on ‘Innervisions‘, and that’s a recognition on its own. I however added him to my favourites list after the second album, ‘Hinterland‘, that beautifully fit the catalogue of ‘Ghostly International‘. Can’t wait to hear how the melodic melancholia sounds live – and here is a short Q&A session with the pragmatic yet charismatic Lorenz Brunner himself.
Tell me about your childhood in Bavaria. As your life was probably quite isolated down there, how did you get to buy records and go clubbing?
Yes, isolated - but not completely. There was a small town close to where I grew up and there was a record shop. Not with a super rare collection but with some gems, and you could also order anything you wanted. We were lucky and had one club wit a decent booking for alternative music, hip-hop and electronic music.
Is it true that you switched to techno from hip-hop? How did the switch happen? How was techno more appealing? Do you still sometimes listen to hip-hop?
I was always more into the beats groove and melodies of the hip hop tracks I liked than the raps. This fact more and more evolved so the logical consequence was to switch to a genre where it is all about beats groove and melodies.
When and why did you decide to stop DJing?
That was around 2007 when I realized that I really want to focus on producing - I saw a whole lot of more creative possibilities in having the power to make a song on your own.
What do you think is the most appealing for people in your live sets - there must be a common factor as you’re #1 live act on RA!
Well - first - I played a lot of shows 2014 so many people saw me. And it looks like there have been a couple of good shows do people must have enjoyed it.
Also - sometimes my set could be received by the audience in a way that it does not stand out too much of the grooves and routines many techno and house djs have in order to work a dance floor but it still has enough distinctive personality in order to be recognized as something unique.
What were your initial reactions after becoming #1? How did you find out? Has it influenced your rider?
I did not put 500E champagne on my rider now - it that is what you think!
Dixon sent me a text - that’s how I heard of it, and then a couple of sms by friends and colleagues followed.
If you had to describe, comparatively, On Acid, Hinterland and Iffy for a person who can’t listen to them, how would you do it?
On acid was the interpretation of my personal favourite vibes and frequencies with using one particular instrument as the main theme. I would call it a concept album.
Hinterland was more a homage on my home region. A bit cold and bleak but also beautiful warm and melancholic. A lot of nature sounds recorded in the region where used.
IFFY is much more close to my personal emotive states I was in last year. Much closer to my actual thoughts and inner emotions at that time and in general.
How did you get to work with Innervisions?
I was playing at a couple of party with ame, Dixon, Marcus Worgull etc. and we found a couple of things that we have in common. Like football or sports in general and of course we share a certain vibe in music. Charismatic, emotional but functional electronic music.
I really liked the video for 'Levo'. Would love to visit these places. What’s the story behind the video?
2 friends and me went to the Austrian mountains and had a good time… We had the idea to film me while I walked around the area close to the hut we stayed in for 3 days.
You put Plangent to hibernation after signing deals with labels like Ghostly and Dystopian - when will there be a time for the label to wake up?
I am not sure. At the moment I enjoy working with labels that are professionals in handling all the paperwork and letting me focus on the music.
I know you’re a physically fit person. Loved your piece on the importance of remaining healthy with Scuba, by the way. Has it ever been hard to resist the free drinks and drugs in clubs and festivals? Or has your mind always been focused on what’s best for you?
I don’t resist the drinks usually - I think I said that in the interview. But I just don have too many of them, so yes - I know what is good for me.
Do you think it’s an advantage - to always remain healthy, fit and sober - in the electronic music world, in the artistic surroundings?
In the end - for sure. Because you will end up in a life that is far away from party eventually and then I think it matters what you did in the past. Of course you can see things more fatalistic, but that’s not so much my thing.
Foto: Shai Levy
Has living Berlin changed your Bavarian personality? Or do you still feel best and most natural in solitude?
In Bavaria it wasn’t all about solitude but of course life is different there. The people, the mentality, the environment and the vibes. The last 6 years left their marks in my character for sure but the core is the core ;)
What’s lined up in 2015 for live act #1? Is it working on your live set, more studio work or more travel?
As last year there will be a lot of traveling, but of course I will be making music. I m very happy that I feel more than comfortable to create and finish a full track on the road just with a laptop and my headphones…
Jäger Blow-Out: Recondite LIVE 02.13
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