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“Trends and Hypes Are the Poison of Our Scene” – Oliver Deutschmann
Driven by a sense of adventure, Oliver Deutschmann moved from the Black Forest to Berlin at the end of the 1990s. Here, the DJ and producer was musically socialised by the early Ostgut and Berghain. In the mid-2000s, he met his future Vidab label partner Stephan Hill at a Fête de la Musique party. In 2008, the pair hosted their first label night at Panorama Bar. For Oliver Deutschmann, there is no Plan B besides electronic music, just as there is no such thing as the perfect DJ set.
Who actually still buys albums these days?
There are still plenty of people for whom music is more than just an mp3 file from download portals like iTunes or Beatport. Music lovers who think it’s important to hold a finished product in their hands. Ideally, an album is a self-contained concept of artwork, music and physical medium, and thus more than just a collection of tracks.
What is the concept behind “Out Of The Dark”?
Out of the darkness of the studio, with all the doubts and worries you have during the production of an album. Compressed into album length, it reflects the different phases of my four- to five-hour sets. As a DJ, I always try to create different moods and mix various styles of electronic dance music. But that only really works in long DJ sets. Mostly, though, I’m booked for two-hour peak-time sets. And that means: deliver and bring the house down—which is great fun too.
What is the significance of a debut album?
Producing an album is generally a challenge. It’s relatively simple to produce EPs with two or three tracks. For me, my debut album is a major step forward. With the many EPs I have produced so far, I’ve appealed almost exclusively to DJs. With the album, as a techno and house producer, I want to break out a bit from these ‘shackles’. I’ve had this idea in my head for quite some time. And with the completion of our new studio, I could finally put all the ideas into action without any disruptions.
Who are you aiming it at?
First and foremost, I made the album for myself. I had to be 100% convinced by it. There’s no point producing something like this for a specific target group. If it resonates with a lot of people, that’s obviously wonderful. But I didn’t think about who I could be appealing to. It wouldn’t have worked if I had.
Together with Stephan Hill, you run the Vidab label, which you define as a platform for ‘Timeless Club Music’. What do you mean by that?
For me, a good track only becomes a good track when you can’t tell when it was made. Timeless club music is detached from trends and hypes, which are the poison of our scene. For my debut album, I used a lot of hardware. Almost all the rhythmic elements come from the Roland 707, the synth sounds from the Roland JP8000. I love the power of these machines. Of course, you could achieve all that with plug-ins. But the tactile aspect is extremely important to me. That’s why everything sounds a bit rougher and dirtier.
What is so special about the Berlin club and music scene for you?
It’s extremely alluring and attractive, which is why so many musicians, DJs, and those who want to become them, move here. Many clubs, endless parties, people from all over the world with all their influences and ideas. At the moment, it really is unique – worldwide.
The interview was conducted by Stefan in February 2013.
The reason was the release of the debut album “Out Of The Dark”.