Misanthrop

The German producer returns with a stunning new EP displaying exciting new styles. We check in with the main man…

 

Interview by Dan Prince

 

Michael a huge welcome to DMCWORLD…where on planet earth are you today?

Hey! I´m in my studio nearby Heilbronn, that´s in the southwest of Germany and I’m working on music. So that´s where I am 90% during the week.

What is the best piece of new music you have heard today?

I haven´t heard that much music today because I normally get up quite early (6.15) and I prefer to slowly wake up and not with a bang. I´m sure I´ll give the new Extrawelt album Fear Of An Extra Planet a listen as soon as I´ve got time today. Das Grosse Flimmern teased me quite a lot from that new album.

Massive news for you at the moment thanks to your new Blurred EP out on Neosignal. Four massive tracks, please talk us through each release…

Thanks ! It just took me a bit of time to finish these, because I really wanted to have a breath of fresh air after my album was released last year. I mean I didn´t reinvent the wheel here, but I tried to change my work habits. I got rid of drum, bass and other presets and samples I’d created over the years to just force myself to create something new. That is why this EP feels like a new start to me somehow. Maybe as a diehard fan you still can hear the signature ‘Misanthrop’ sound but I hope people will also recognise that something changed. With tracks like The Lick and Blurred I totally tried to approach my music differently. I wanted to create an unusual feeling for a DnB track especially with The Lick. Short Stop and Random are more or less the ‘conventional’ Misanthrop tracks, that´s what you would expect from me musically. Nevertheless, these two also feel special to me, because they are also part of that ‘fresh start’ mentality I had with this EP.

 

As you mentioned, you released your self-titled album late last year, now that the dust has well and truly settled, are you happy with the public response your LP received?

I got a lot of positive feedback, and I toured the album quite a lot so I think it served it´s economical purpose. I also still play some tunes off it, so I guess I haven’t listened to it too often. From an artist point of view, looking back at the project I would have done some things differently, but that I guess is the nature of things. Lesson learnt I would say.

Okay let’s rewind for a moment. The first style of dance music that grabbed your attention was Drum & Bass back in the 90s. What’s the story there?

I can remember when I went to London for the first time in the early 90s I bought a tape. I think it was at Camden Market, not sure about that anymore. But when I first listened to this mixtape from LTJ Bukem and MC Conrad it blew me away. I had never heard so much energy in music and I was hooked.

What were the first clubs and DJs you started to follow?

I think in the beginning it was mainly producers and DJs from the Good Looking label. I tried to find out every track on LTJ´s mixtapes and one of my favourite artists back then was definitely Source Direct. I think the southwest German Drum & Bass scene was very vital and big in the Mannheim/Sinsheim area at that time, so I went to pretty much every club night at Vibration in Forst/Heidesee. I´m also quite happy that I attended Speed @ Mars Bar in London quite a lot back in the day.

At what point did you realise that a career in music was the way you wanted your life to go?

I used to work as a video editor back in the day, I liked that job a lot. At some point though I realised that I constantly thought about music production and I couldn´t wait to lock myself up in the studio after work. I also earned nearly the same amount of money with DJing as in my normal job at that time, so I thought it would be a good move to quit my daily job and go on with a musical career.

What did your family think of your decision?

My family always believe in what I do, and they support me as much as they can. My parents taught me that it´s never too late to change your life. Both of my parents quit their well payed job at the age of 40 and did something total different. I guess they understand.

What are your plans for 2018 musically?

At the moment I only want to work in my new built studio and make as much music as I can. We will see what´s the outcome of that. I can´t wait! Thank you DMCWORLD for a great interview!

Misanthrop ‘Blurred EP’ is out now on Neosignal Recordings

Buy here…https://fanlink.to/Blurred_EP