Would you tell to our readers how did you get to meet each other and start releasing music under the Sonar Kollektiv banner?
We all met in a Berlin based club called Delicious Doughnuts Research in the mid nineties, which isn’t around any more. The club with a seven days program had been a meeting point for DJs and musicians not only to to perform but also to team up and start new projects, including Jazzanova for example. Fuelled by the good of our first Jazzanova EP, we wanted not only write and compose new music but also release. That’s why we founded Sonar Kollektiv.
You started in 1997 and you went through many phases of electronic music and dj/dance culture. What do you think about the state of the scene in 2017 in general?
Indeed, electronic music and dj-dance culture added a lot of new styles and genres since we started. I think that in the scene of 2017 there is a hunger for being again more open-minded to experiment with different styles of music. Similar to the times when we started back in the mid nineties.
Which is your most successful release so far, saleswise?
Our first remix compilation “Jazzanova – The Remixes from 1997 to 2000”.
And can you tell us which were in your opinion the highlights of the label so far, based on your personal experiences during all these years?
For me, it always has been important that the artists releasing on Sonar Kollektiv consider the label as their home and support with their artistry themselves and the label. In that sense there has been a lot of highlights so far: Fat Freddies Drop, Micatone, Dixon, Trickski, Pete Josef, Fetsum, Liz Aku, The Black 80ies, too many to mention…
Which are the criteria you apply when it comes to choose your new releases, being remixes or original tracks? Are demos still a good way to get your attention?
Demos are still a good way to grab our attention. For Example “The Mixtapers EP” is a result of a demo approach. Our focus is to work with artists and their long players on a longer term. Our label is more artist based than track based.
Are there any musicians, DJs or producers who inspires you particularly at the moment and that -if budget and schedules weren´t an issues- you would love to release on your label?
I have to say that I’m already really happy with the artists we are working with. It’s all about giving them a platform to develop not so much about one timers. But collaborations and features with people we admire, love and like are a good way too connect them with Sonar Kollektiv. For example Potatohead People have been on our wishlist for a long time. When we were looking for remixers for Pete Josef it was the perfect moment to ask them and luckily they agreed. For the future I could think of quite a few to collaborate with SK artists: Bonobo, Oddisse, Caribou, Sohn, Sam Herring, Badbadnotgood, Kaytranada and many, many more…
With the upcoming third volume of the series “Jazzanova-The Remixes” you celebrate 20 years of remixing career? Which are you memories of the very first remix Jazzanova produced?
Our first remix was for United Future Organization (UFO), kind of heroes for us. We were totally flashed when we got a request from this Japanese formation back in 1997.
If you should pick some favourite remixes of yours, which ones would you mention?
It’s always changing: At the moment it is the Jazzanova remix of Skybreaks by the Heritage Orchestra.
Which is in your opinion the secret of a good remix?
In my opinion, a “remix” should add new perspectives to the original, it can be a different style, different instruments, a different arrangement or progression and it should be made for the dancefloor. Another option could be a “version” which for me is a more experimental approach to an original and not necessarily bound for dancefloors.
Can you tell us something about the forthcoming Sonar Kollektiv releases and your plans for 2017?
After the release of “Jazzanova – The Remixes” Vol. 3, Liz Aku’s longplayer “Season’s Change“ will see light and followed by albums from Radio Citizen, Micatone, Glow In The Dark and Homeless, a collaboration of Alex Barck and ComixXx. Additionally there will be the 2nd volume of our new label showcase compilation series “Sonar Kollekting” in Summer and a compilation of remixes done for Pete Josef. Watch out!