VIRTUS //
DRUMCOMPLEX
WITH PAST RELEASES ON INTEC, SLEAZE AND OFF RECORDINGS, THIS IS AN ARTIST THAT IS SYNONYMOUS WITH PEAK TIME, BROODING TECHNO. WE CAUGHT UP WITH ARND REICHOW AKA DRUMCOMPLEX, AHEAD OF HIS UPCOMING 'PUNK' EP ON HIS OWN LABEL COMPLEXED RECORDS...
Hello Arnd, thank you for taking the time to speak with us at Virtus, where in the world are you right now?
Thanks for inviting me guys really appreciate that- I am just back from from my road trip during NYE. Played in Kassel and later on in Berlin. Just started working after the holiday for Christmas and NYE.
Can you tell us about your love for electronic music and how you started a career as a DJ/Producer?
Actually I've been in the scene now for 25 years and started producing 15 years ago. When i was a teenager i was listen to Metal and Punk music. Beginning of the 90´s i went to a club in Düsseldorf called Tor3 were i was infected by electronic music especially by Speedy J´s - Pullover track
What is the scene like in your hometown and do you feel that techno is in a good place right now?
I am living in Emmerich which is at the border to the Netherlands like 100km away from Düsseldorf and 130km away from Amsterdam. Its a quite place and the city is small. Actually there is no big scene in my town. Most of the people go to the bigger cities and visit the clubs and festivals. Its a bit a shame that nothing happens here at the moment and its been quit difficulty to host a venue in my town. In total i feel that techno has a good development over the last years and its been still back, all these rougher harder stuff sounding more old school and people are more open minded in real techno right now. I am happy about this situation.
As a producer, you have released so much great music since the early 2000's on top labels like Intec, OFF, Sleaze and many more. What release would you say has given you the most exposure and really helped kick start your career?
The real breakthrough happens when Roel Salemink stared releasing on Carl Cox & Jon Rundell´s Intec Digital especially our album Crossing Borders. We are super happy about the support from the Intec Crew. A deep impact had also my ATOMIC EP on Off Recordings last year which was played but early eery techno artist and was one of the most played tracks last year.
Now you have started your own label in recent years, tell us the concept behind the label and what are the upcoming releases on 'Complexed'?
Complexed Records will get this year 5 years old. The idea behind was about creating a platform with which I could release music of friendly artists and of course our own stuff. I can decide when and what which makes things much more flexible. We already had a couple of new and talented artists which started releasing on Complexed and grown really fast Upcoming i have Thomas Hoffknecht, Dani Sbert, Diatonik, Shaun Moses.
Your brilliant upcoming 'Punk' EP, combines heavy kick drums and intricate synth work, do you feel that being able to release new music on your own label gives you more freedom of expression as a producer, without having to wait for acceptance from another label?
I totally agree with it. When i started producing this EP i had no idea in which direction it will go and there was also no stress to hold any kind of a direction which fit to a label concept. I really like to have the freedom of releasing music on my own label what i like. I am really happy about the rest of all these 4 tracks of my PUNK EP playing them the last months in my set and they are doing all were damage on the dance floor.
When working in the studio, what is your favourite hardware/software plug-ins that you love to use in your tracks?
I´ve been working for years now with Ableton Live, using VST Synths like the Arturia Bundle, Diva from U-He. For effects i mostly use the effect session from Ableton. At the moment i am also using the Korg Minilouge & Behringer - Model D
What producers are you really enjoying at the moment in your sets?
There are quite a lot of good producers on the market but to name a few - Avision, Thomas Hoffknecht.
If you could give one piece of advice to anyone starting out a career as a DJ/Producer, what would it be?
Work hard, believe in yourself and think positive.
Where can we see you play next?
Coming to Stuttgart, Cologne, Ingolstadt, Hamburg, Saarbrücken etc. in germany, as well playing an India Tour end of march coming to Mumbai, New Dehli, Hyderabad.
Drumcomplex - Punk EP
Forthcoming on Complexed Records
Check out the track previews below
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