5 questions for... Holger Zilske

Holger Zilske is not just another german producer. He has been making music as half of Smash TV for a long time, and decided in 2006 that it was time to make it on his own, under his real name. Constantly touring and producing, you could say that Holger is quite the music lover.

Q - You've been a long-time BPitch man when releasing your Smash TV project. Under your real name, you just released an album (Holz) on Playhouse. Why the label switch ?

HZ - I started to release records under my real name in 2006 with my first release on Playhouse. The music was different from my Smash TV project at that time. I wanted something deeper, and I wanted to work without self seeded boundaries. So I decided to use my name for it, and to work with labels I respect most. Since then I have released five 12" on Playhouse plus my album, one 12" on Leena (a Mobilee sublabel), one on Dialect / Battle, one on Factor City, a couple of remixes, and there is more coming. I also did something on Mood Music with Dave DK and Richard Davis. I also remixed Kiki's “Immortal” and "Big & Round" from Claude Von Stroke’s new album.

Q - You have played in Montreal numerous times already. Any particular feature of the city you really like ?

HZ - I think I was in Montreal five times so far, and it really is a beautiful city. Because I always stayed over a couple of times, I made some friends that I meet when I'm there. So I feel really at home in Montreal. Besides, it's one of the best cities in Canada in which to party. I really hope to come back soon.



Q - Are "your eyes" really something special ?

HZ - Haha… OK, I think you had the track “Mes Yeux” from my album in your head when you wrote that. In fact the voice and the text are from DJ Mini. I'm sure most readers know her. She's from Montreal, and a former resident of the Overdose weekly at Parking. But besides this, of course, my eyes are really something special!

Q - Who would you say is your bigger inspiration right now ?

HZ - I don't really have one particular artist that I take my inpiration from. I try to find my own way, and I try to find my inpiration in other things than in another artist. It can be a city, the radio, a sound experiment in the studio, a dream, a movie or whatever. And that's how my music is. I didn't try to make just a club album. I wanted to have a concept, a red line in the album, but music that is versatile. Something you can listen to at home, and that still works at the prime time of a club set. The challenge was to put these two different things in one album, and to create something that sounds like it belongs together. I'm still very happy with my work.



Q - Your top 5 tracks of the moment ?


1. Soulphiction – A Short History Of… - Philpot
2. Soundstream – Life Goes On – Soundstream
3. Lauhaus – Latenight – Intacto
4. Holger Zilske – Pleasure – BPitch
5. Kenny Leaven – Odyssey (dOP remix) – Elenore Records

6 questions for... Anja Schneider

After a much talked about set @ La Panthere Noire in Montreal earlier this year, Anja Schneider is back in town and will be rocking the new Parking alongside DJ Mini @ Overdose on July 23rd 2009. We had the pleasure of chatting with the Mobilee Records owner before her thursday night gig.

Anja Schneider says hello to Mirrorballs.ca:

Mirrorballs: As well as being a DJ, producing music, running a radio show and directing Mobilee records, you also attend the world’s biggest clubs and festivals year long. How do you manage your time?

Anja: I have a quite heavy time schedule, and I have a quite professional team around me. I work with my own booking agency, and they take care of my bookings, schedule and travels. And I have a label manager who takes care of the label and office work. But I'm still in the office every day. Traveling, playing and my radio show I have to do by myself, and the worst thing is, of course, all the traveling. But I love everything that I 'm doing so it’s no stress for me. Without passion it would make no sense.

M: You’re a very cosmopolitan person, but your music remains really organic, with a mix of natural and tribal sounds. Where do you find your inspiration?

A: Thanks, I take it as a compliment. I get most of my inspiration from different places of the world, from people I met while traveling and during gigs, and I still have a huge respect for music from Detroit and Chicago. But of course I have to pay attention to all the music, and this gives me new inspiration every day. But when I'm looking back, I have to say that my travels and my holiday in Mexico gave me the most.

M: You often work in partnership with other producers (Sebo K, Lee Van Dowski) – how is the production process going? Are you together in the same studio, or do each of you work separately?

A: I'm always working with a partner in the same studio, at the same time. Most lately for my album with Paul Brtschitsch . I need this interaction, I need a technical support, and at last it’s much more fun than being alone.

M: Except for several remixes, your label has only had releases from the same regular members (Sebo K, Gummihz, Pan-Pot). Don’t you want to enlarge the family?

A: I'm very proud that all my Mobilee artists have such a good quality output, and I'm happy that we are going well together. At this time, it would be difficult to enlarge the family, because we are limited with our release schedule. But anything is possible; we now have Hector (from Mexico) on board, and there will some other new artists popping up this year.


M: Mobilee has been very active on the web (Twitter, Facebook, Myspace) and even launched its own iPhone application. You are also organizing a lot of Mobilee showcases, and special Mobilee events. Can you talk about this successful communication strategy?

A: It’s all about having a good team, and people with great ideas. Nowadays it’s not enough to only make good records. You have to create more than that, and built up your image and profile. And at least if you have great people on board, you have to talk about this!

M: You will be performing in Montreal for the second time in 2009. What do you think of Montreal’s electronic scene, its musical atmosphere, and its importance on the international scale?

A: I love Montreal as a city, and I met great people there. I felt a big love for music, and a well educated crowd. I mean Parking is a great club, you have the Mutek Festival, and really sucessful Canadian artists. I 'm even surrounded by them in Berlin and I love to hang out with them.

Myspace.com/anjaschneider

Alex Under live @ Awakenings in Amsterdam

En attendant sa prestation au Piknic Electronik le 19 juillet 2009, voici un live d'Alex Under enregistré le 27 juin 2009 au festival Awakenings à Amsterdam.

Alex Under LIVE @ Awakenings Festival, Amsterdam