With his latest remix for Kieran Apter’s track ‘All I Want’ on Chapter 24 Essen resident Manuel Tur pays tribute to the deeper shades of House music and created a timeless version of the original that represents his composure, which he has gained over the many years he has been a constant in the scene. Torture the Artist spoke to Manuel about his first date with electronic music, his first release on Freerange, the Ruhr area and much more. Also you can listen to Manuel Tur’s remix for Kieran Apter’s track ‘All I Want’ in full.
Torture the Artist: Describe your ‘first date‘ with electronic music.
Manuel Tur: Probably as a kid in the mid 90’s when my older brother used to listen to all kinds of pop music. Euro Dance was big at the time but also a couple of House tracks like Kenny Dope’s Bucketheads project and MK remixes hit the charts.
Torture the Artist: You just remixed Kieran Apter‘s track ‘All I Want‘. What does a track have to have so that you remix it?
Manuel Tur: Ideally, the song or track should have one key element that I wish I had come up with myself and one that I think I would have done differently.
Torture the Artist: Aside from releasing music under your Manuel Tur moniker you also have some side-projects like Clavis, Amberoom or Ribn. Which project do you spend the fewest time with at the moment, and why?
Manuel Tur: Ribn because my partner Max and I now live in different cities.
Torture the Artist: Talking about projects and cooperations, what artist would you like to work with in the future, and why?
Manuel Tur: I don’t have a list of people I would like to work with. It’s often the cooperations you hadn’t thought of before that turn out to be most interesting.
If you’re still not inspired just keep working on technical aspects of your music.
Torture the Artist: You have been releasing music since 2002. Has there ever been a time when you lacked creativity to come up with new tracks and how did you cope with the situation?
Manuel Tur: Of course, it happens all the time. I usually try to do something different and come back later, maybe in a day or even a week. If you’re still not inspired just keep working on technical aspects of your music. There is always room to improve your technical skills.
Torture the Artist: What release made you further your career, and why?
Manuel Tur: It was my first release on Freerange Records in 2007, ‘Acorado‘, which might have been the most decisive release to help me make music for a living.
Torture the Artist: Since music is kind of your job, what do you do when you go on holidays from it and what is your outlet?
Manuel Tur: Read books, play chess, go for a drink.
Torture the Artist: Name a track of yours that sums you up as a person and explain.
Manuel Tur: I’m afraid my tracks are too simple to sum up anyone as a person.
Torture the Artist: Is there any production of yours that you once loved and now cannot listen to anymore?
Manuel Tur: Fortunately, there isn’t!
Torture the Artist: You are residing in Essen, Germany. A lot of artists tend to leave their hometown to move to a pulsing metropolis in order to focus on their musical career. What made you stay in Essen and why does the city seem to suit your character?
Manuel Tur: Essen is located at the heart of the Ruhr area, one of the largest urban areas in Europe with more than five million inhabitants. By car, it’s half an hour to Dusseldorf, one hour to Cologne. You can take a direct train to Amsterdam, Paris or Berlin. People would be surprised to find out how many artists actually live and work in this area.
Torture the Artist: What‘s the most valuable item (not necessarily in terms of money) in your apartment?
Manuel Tur: That’s a tough one; either the door or the fridge.
I did sample the subway on one of my albums already so that should have public transport covered.
Torture the Artist: What sound do you connect with your childhood and can you imagine using it in on of your tracks?
Manuel Tur: The sound of the local tram in front of my window. I did sample the subway on one of my albums already so that should have public transport covered.
Torture the Artist: Name a track that reflects your lifestyle and give reasons why.
Manuel Tur: John Cage’s 4’33“; the music speaks for itself.
Torture the Artist: What item do you always have in your hand luggage when you travel?
Manuel Tur: Ear plugs and a book. Those two things are one comprehensive item to me.
Being called off the decks 10 minutes into my set somewhere in Macedonia, presumably because I hadn’t dropped ‘Show Me Love’ by then.
Torture the Artist: What has been the most bizarre gig in your career, and why?
Manuel Tur: Being called off the decks 10 minutes into my set somewhere in Macedonia, presumably because I hadn’t dropped ‘Show Me Love‘ by then.
Torture the Artist: Being part of the scene for more than a decade, what advice would you give to aspiring DJs and producers?
Manuel Tur: Apart from the music itself, don’t take things too seriously.
Torture the Artist: What‘s the expression on your face after being ‘tortured‘?
Torture the Artist 