DJ Hell reveals his ‘Teufelswerk’ masterpiece

DJ Hell reveals his ‘Teufelswerk’ masterpiece

12 June, 2009 | 2.29PM

• Written by: AnnekaBuckle
• Filed under: Music News: dj hell, international deejay gigolos records

DJ Hell enticed more than just the electronic music scene to feast on the body of his new LP ‘Devils’ Work’, with both mainstream newspapers like Britain’s The Guardian and rock rag NME (both generally treat dance music like perdition) proclaiming it one of the best dance albums of all time.

‘Teufelswerk’ certainly has a wicked taste - an ambitious double album split into ‘Day’ and ‘Night’, with electronic soundscapes, dark rock, and dirty disco focused around star collaborators like Bryan Ferry and P. Diddy. It is also, a very personal record as DJ Hell explains, “This is a record for electronic purists, it’s electronic avant-garde and it’s techno. For me it’s the best of the last 30 years of electronic music redone, my way, through my eyes.”

Beatportal decided to meet the Helmut Geier to find out just how personal his hit record is.

‘Teufelswerk’ is divided into two sides, ‘Day’ and ‘Night’. Why?

As an artist and as a producer, I hoped that this album would be my best, and a deep exploration of the music which influenced the beginning of it all for me. 

This meant the very first things that moved me about music. Kosmische, 70s rock and 70s films, and early techno and house music. 

The writing period before the release of this album was one of my most prolific writing periods I’ve ever had.

After about four years I had a lot of songs, and I grew attached to most of them so much that there were just too many to make a single CD album, so I decided it had to be a double album. The songs naturally fell into place. Some worked as ‘Day’ tracks, and some as ‘Night’ tracks. 

It sounds like a very personal piece of work. Which track is the most personal to you?

‘The Angst’, by far. It’s a great track. I got the idea for the melody and the arrangement from a dream I had one night. It always stuck with me and when we were in the studio and working with instrumentalists, it came back to life. 

Finishing it was one of the most beautiful and rewarding moments I’ve ever had in a recording studio. 

There’s a beautiful music video which was made for the track too, and people like the Pet Shop Boys have been complimenting the single.

It’s the album track I’m most proud of.

Video: DJ Hell ‘The Angst’

The ‘Night’ side is more suited to dark nightclubs. Which tracks have been getting everyone up on the dancefloor?

‘The Disaster’, ‘Electronic Germany’, and ‘The DJ’ are my favorites for peak times, but ‘The Angst’ and ‘U Can Dance’ work well as opening or closing tracks. 

You must be proud of the collaborators you managed to secure for the album. How did you connect with Bryan Ferry?

I was in London working on music and so was Ferry, and through similar circles of friends we came together. 

He had this song called ‘U Can Dance’, which he played for me, and I was really into it. 

It wasn’t dance music I was hearing there in the studio, but I could hear how it would be in my head. After talking more about the track, I just told him I loved it, and he gave it to me.

What about P. Diddy?

Puffy and I worked on music together in the past, and we’ve released two singles together on Gigolo in the past. He also appeared in a music video for a track on my album NY Muscle called ‘Keep On Waiting’. 

Working with someone like Puffy is interesting. I’ve received a lot of criticism at times in the past for working with him, a lot of people didn’t understand why I would want to work with an American hip hop artist. 

And I said, ‘Why not?’ I don’t want to limit myself to working with ‘techno people’, I’m interested in all kinds of music and I think it’s important for all kinds of music to influence your work as a producer.

Diddy sounds angry on the track. He says he ‘deserves a shout out too!’ What was he like to work with?

Diddy’s just saying what needs to be said. I couldn’t have said it any better myself. He really likes techno, so I see him in places like Miami and Ibiza, and he books DJs there and does his own parties.

Even in those places, he’s a gentlemen, and a very smart business man who’s always working. I like that. 

Diddy is considered a “hip hop mogul” and your album combines so many genres. If hip hop is suffering at the moment, do you feel house or techno can save it?

Well, everything goes in waves. I don’t know that hip hop is suffering so much during the recession, as its image is suffering. 

Right now, no one can really sympathise with some MC’s 4th Bentley and the whole “money ain’t a thang”. 

I think genres which are more underground and raw will naturally be more popular during times like this. 

People are feeling consumerism less, and looking for music that makes them feel something, something like togetherness. 

Peter Kruder was also an important contributor to the record.

Peter co-produced the ‘Day’ part of the album. The whole record was actually recorded at his studio. He also introduced me to many of the session musicians which we arranged to work with on the album, new people like Christian Prommer and Roberto d’Gioia, and he brought in older friends to the studio like Patrick Pulsinger. 

Peter is an old friend, and I really admire all of his past production work, I think he’s one of the best in the studio, so he was a natural choice for me to work with. He recorded, programmed some of the machines, mixed the tracks, a little bit of everything, he’s amazingly talented. 

Off the back of the success of this album, can we expect to hear more alliances with pop’s suavest superstars like Grace Jones or David Bowie?

Of course, there are people out there whom it would be a real dream to work with. 

Grace and Bowie are definitely on the list, clear favorites of mine, and you never know. 

I would love to release another record eventually, and I try push the boundaries whenever possible. There’s much to come from me, to be sure. 

You grew up in the midst of the 80’s new wave movement. Apart from angular shoulder pads and man perms, what do you keep in mind about this decade?

Ha, man perms are kind of a different side of new wave to what I associate the music with. I actually got into new wave through punk music, not pop music, so I was listening to mostly Neue Deutsche Welle, bands like DAF, Grauzone and Der Plan. Groups like this, that’s the new wave I know. 

This album’s being acclaimed as your best by far, with The Guardian naming it as ‘one of the best albums of 2009.’ Is Teufelswerk your masterpiece, and if so how does it rank out of 10?

Without a doubt. I put all of myself into this record. I don’t want to call it a 10/10, I would like others to be the judge, but I can say with all honesty that I put everything I had into this album, and it feels like the best I can do.

How was the process of making this album different to previous International Deejay Gigolo releases?

Well, each album definitely has a story, and there are a good amount of solid albums by artists which are defining pieces of their careers. 

I hope my album kind of continues on within that legacy of high quality that I’ve tried to impart on Gigolo releases over the years. 

With your label, producing, and DJing almost every weekend across the globe, how do you keep going year after year?

I sleep at least eight hours a night. I stay in shape, and I don’t drink the cheap stuff. I spend as much time in nature as possible. 

Like most DJs, I take time at an Ayurveda [a system of traditional medicine native to India] retreat at the end of every year. 

I try to travel for pleasure as well, I go to Brazil once a year. It’s nice to travel somewhere for relaxation and not to play at a club. 

I enjoy my life as much as I can, and when you do what you love it gives you a kind of natural high which keeps you going. 

Did you ever expect to be doing music for so long?

Ever since I fell in love with music, I knew it was the only thing I wanted to do. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. 

Finally, when was the last time you did something naughty and devilish?

Well, a gentleman never tells.

5 killer cuts from ‘Teufelswerk’

‘Electronic Germany’

With it’s Kraftwerk-styled vocals, layered synthesizers, and dark haunting pads, ‘Electronic Germany’ is a perfect late night club track and destined to be a future classic.

‘The Disaster’

The bizarre drum sounds and radioactive feedback on ‘The Disaster’ creates a huge amount of tension and suspense on floors as the menacing, slowly creeping lead line sneaks its way into the mix.

Coupled with a full bassline and an odd arrangement, the track stands tall as the Earth crumbles all around it.

‘Hellracer’

The deeply hypnotic ‘Hellracer’ careers through a winding track, full of acidic u-turns and aggressive hairpins.

The action is fast, the FX and build ups are streamlined, and the pay load is worth it.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday

With nine minutes of raw bass, tribal drums, and air sirens, ‘Friday, Saturday, Sunday’ plays like a particularly strange journey full of dangerous magic.

There’s moments of clarity - squiggly electro lines - and brief snapshots of weirdness - twinkly fairy lights - which all add up to one heavy weekend of exceess.

The DJ feat. P. Diddy

P. Diddy’s lairy chatter on ‘The DJ’ brings an amusing urban MC flavour to Hell’s deep, flute-led techno track.

Sounding like a martyr for DJs, Diddy’s tongue-in-cheek rigmarole is surprisingly effective when heard in a club, and it’s something entirely unique in the otherwise clandestine world of techno.

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