Oliver Huntemann embraces Paranoia

Oliver Huntemann embraces Paranoia

7 November, 2011 | 3.13PM

• Written by: Beatportal
• Filed under: Music News: ideal audio, interview, oliver huntemann

Oliver Huntemann captures the tenor of the times on his new album Paranoia (Ideal Audio): true to its title, it cuts straight through to the dark side with searing synths and sensually punishing grooves.

We spoke to Huntemann about the making of the record, his collaborators Robert Owens and Anne Trolle, and what keeps him in Hamburg; read on for the interview, and check out the album on Beatport here.

Rotten

BEATPORTAL: The album’s mood is pretty dark. (Plus those titles—"Rotten," “Delirium,” “In Times of Trouble,” “Only the Paranoid Survive"…) Is that a reflection of your own emotional state at the moment?

OLIVER HUNTEMANN: Oh no, this is luckily not my state of mind. I just find paranoia per se quite interesting. It just encompasses such a wide array of feelings. Extreme depressions and hallucinations followed by ecstasy for example. So by exploring the topic I could do an album with a full circle of emotions. This happened not because I am a dark and prone to depressions person, though. Actually not at all, just this is the sound that appeals to me.

You typically take two or three years between albums; your last was 2009’s H-3, and before that, 2006’s Fieber. What generally tells you that the time is right for a new album, and how do you get started on the project? Do you take time off from touring, remixes, etc., in order to focus on the album?

Generally speaking, it is good to have a minimum two-year break before releasing a new full-length album. You release an album, you promote it for one year, and then in the second you already start working on new stuff. In my case, I released H-3 in 2009 and in the second half of 2010 I was already thinking of a new album, starting to play live, going one step further than before. The process was very natural. I felt it was the right time to start working on new stuff and I had many ideas how this next album should sound. I did not have to take time off touring, but I spent lots of time in the studio – Monday to Friday working hard. 

Dark Passenger

What’s your working relationship with André Winter like when you’re together in the studio?

We are a great team. André is an amazing sound engineer and producer. He knows all secrets behind the gadgets. I am more in touch with the audience, so I can always bring new ideas to the studio based on my weekend impressions, and together, we turn these ideas into reality. In the meantime we are like an old couple, knowing each other’s idiosyncrasies…

What was it like working with Robert Owens and Ane Trolle? How did they come to be involved?

I am extremely happy with both artists. They fit perfectly to the project and I am very honored to have worked with them.

I have always been a fan of Robert Owens, and when I thought of him doing vocals for my album, I was really happy when I realized that a friend of mine is doing his management in Germany. Thus, the initial contact was quite easy. After sending Robert the playback of the track, he was immediately on board with the project.

Ane Trolle came into my mind when I was working on the first version of “Wahnfried.” I know her voice from Trentemoeller’s music, and I thought she could be perfect for that song. The vocals she delivered are exactly what I hoped for. Ane is such a fantastic singer.

Hope feat. Robert Owens

Is “Wahnfried” a reference to Klaus Schulze’s alias Richard Wahnfried?

No, it’s not a reference to Klaus Schulze, even though I admire him a lot. Villa Wahnfried is the former residence of Richard Wagner in Bayreuth, and he was laid to rest in its garden. The name is a play on words in German etween delusion or mania and freedom. Strange enough as it is, but also perfect for Paranoia and the heavy, deep and dark vibe of the track.

Wahnfried feat. Ane Trolle

Were there any pieces of gear, or software instruments, that were particularly important to the sound of the album? And were there any things that you did differently, recording the record, than you’ve done on previous recordings?

I still use mostly the Arturia and the Albino software synths. I’m not running after all these new trendy plug-ins and flashy apps. It’s better to get focused on making music instead, in my opinion.

You have stayed in Hamburg rather than heading to Berlin, as so many of your fellow musicians did. What’s the Hamburg scene like these days?

The scene in Hamburg always was and still is very creative and more down to earth than the one in Berlin. We have great artists here such as the Diynamics crew around Solomun, Stimming and H.O.S.H., as well as Tensnake and Remute. I love this city; that is why I live here and nowhere else. It has its own vibe and it also inspires me.

For a long time, you were associated with “electro house"—a term that has come to mean very different things. At lot of attention on the underground has shifted to deep house and retro styles; but you’ve stayed faithful to a very particular vision of techno.

I stay true to the sound that represents me. I have gone through several style metamorphoses over the years, but these changes were not uncalled for. Just certain style worked better earlier in the ‘90s than now. And then, we all—or I in particular—thought that this was the sound that suited me best. Music goes through changes and so does one’s music taste. Meanwhile, I have my own vision of techno and electronic music in general, which I try to follow and to develop.

The End

Finally, will you be doing anything special when you tour to support the album? And when can we expect another installment in the Play! DJ mix series?

While promoting the album, I will be playing mainly live. I use a ReacTable to do my show. The ReacTable is a new electronic musical instrument, some kind of light table with a touch screen, which enables musicians to experiment via qubes and modules with sound, change its structure, and control its parameters. I do the whole arrangement of the performance live and can also combine loops, effects and filters any way I want.

What also makes the ReacTable so interesting to see is its visual aspect. That’s why while playing live there is always a video broadcasting on the screens, so that the people can see what I am actually doing.

When it comes to the PLAY! Series… I am already thinking about the next one. I cannot really give you much concrete information, but I am playing with the thought of recording the next mix in Asia somewhere or in Australia. Will definitely keep the Beatportal updated on this.

• (0) Comments
• (1101) Views
• Get Paranoia on Beatport