What’s in the DJ’s box: Tobi Neumann

What’s in the DJ’s box: Tobi Neumann

9 June, 2008 | 5.10AM

• Written by: Ben Raven
• Filed under: Music News: dj box, record box, tobi neumann

Each week we peek into the record boxes of one of our favourite DJs.

This time round it’s up to one of Germany’s most esteemed studio boffins and DJs to pick the tracks that rock his world.

Most DJs with studio aspirations start out by making club tracks.

Then a few years down the line when the clubs get too crazy and the plane rides too frequent, those aspirations turn to creating soundtracks and producing bands.

Tobi Neumann’s career seems to have applied this method in reverse.

Born and raised in Vienna and later Munich, he started out in bands before studying to become a studio engineer and went on to produce soundtracks and music for films and advertising.

It wasn’t until 1996 that Tobi Neumann discovered house music after a life changing session at Berlin’s Love Parade.

He began DJing and became a key figure in the early 2000s electro house scene (before the description ‘electro house’ became better known for commercial acts like Fedde Le Grand) as well as member of art electro-rockers Chicks On Speed.

Sven Vath’s Cocoon DJ agency signed him in 2002 and since then he’s been a key part of the underground house and techno scene, holding down residencies in Europe’s best clubs and releasing whalloping club remixes like his take on Johannes Heil’s ‘All For One.’

Next up from Tobi is an excellent mix compilation that captures the current deep house sound of the underground like no other.

‘Secretsundaze presents Tobi Neumann’ is a result of his firm ties with London’s premier summer party laid down by providing some of the parties finest guest DJ sets.

He’s also behind a series of new collaborations currently being dropped by the underground’s DJing elite.

Together with Matthew Styles he’s reworked the early prototype trance classic ‘Transformation’ and alongside Onur Ozer he’s behind Sensitiva, the project behind the Mimosa EP on 100% Pure.

No doubt, both will prompt another big summer for Tobi so before you check him out at one of his many killer gigs this summer, take a look at the records he’s been road testing.

Favourite set opener?

There are too many options to choose here.

I am a DJ and I always try and choose something different each time.

One very good track to start with is a bootleg remix of ‘Easy Woman’ by Guido Schneider.

It’s a bootleg from a bootleg and is probably not going to be released so it’s also one of my secret weapons to unleash.

Trippiest record?

It’s a track from Agent Cooper ‘Red’ on Raw Musique.

The tune in question is the untitled B-Side.

Bassline weapon?

The Armand Van Helden remix of Tori Amos ‘Professional Widow’

Oh my god! What a bassline!

Where are those kind of basslines today?

The record that will never leave your box as long as you live?

Perry & Rhodan ‘The Beat Just Goes Straight On and On’. It’s an old masterpiece from Tommi Eckart and Ralf Hertwig from back in the day in 1993.

The track you always get asked to play that you don’t mind playing?

Ricardo Villalobos’ ‘Easylee’ or ‘808 the Bassqueen.’

Both, especially the ‘Basqueen’ track, are so beautiful they could make me cry.

Oldie that everyone else has probably forgotten?

The Peking dub of Deepo King’s ‘King of Deep’ isn’t super old but every time I play it people come and ask what it is.

It’s a prog house monster, a little but silly but very, very strong.

Get out of jail card?

Mr White ‘The Sun Can’t Compare.’ Need I say any more?

Your “one more tune” end of night finisher?

Mood II Swing Dub of Crustation ‘Flame’ is such a masterpiece.

For me this record expresses the feeling of the mid-nineties house.

It’s a bit more tracky and trippy than commercial house tracks, but much more melodic and groovy than pure techno from this time.

At the time this was the music I’d always been searching for.

Check out the track at the beginning of this DJ mix on this YouTube clip:

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• Check out more music from Tobi on Beatport