Even though the Berliner by choice has only been producing music for a bit more than two years, EDE has made quite an impression on the electronic music scene. With releases on Jennifer Cardini’s label Correspondant, TAU and as part of Innervisions’ Secret Weapons compilation, the artist has found top-notch output-platforms for his music. Having already new music in the pipe it’s safe to say that we will hear quite a lot from this promising and uprising artist, whose music was and is inspired by famous Berlin night club Panoramabar, which strongly changed EDE’s life and his artistical being. In an up close interview with Torture the Artist the DJ and producer gives some deep and interesting insights into his life as an artist, reveals details about his releationship with Âme, why his track on the Secret Weapons compilation is called ‘Jenny’ and what he has given up on in order to live his dream. Furthermore, the interview is accompanied by the latest art:cast episode.
Please just call me Ede.
Torture the Artist: Hello EDE, or Eren? Or Ehrenstil? How do you prefer to be addressed? Where exactly can we find you at this very moment. What did you have to eat for your last meal and what do you have planned for the rest of the day?
EDE: Please just call me Ede, it is my nickname and my parents have been calling me like that since I was a baby. Like almost every day, I start my day with takingmy dog Billy for awalk. After that I have breakfast and then – if I am on the right mood – I start doing music.
Torture the Artist: Which city do you consider home currently? Where did you grow up and how did your hometown lead you to discover a knack for music production? Think of a particular track that best personifies your hometown?
EDE: I grew up in a small town in south Germany called Rottenburg am Neckar, but I decided to move to Berlin, where I have been living with my girlfriend and my dog in Berlin-Friedrichshain for about two and a half years now.
Torture the Artist: Growing up, who were among your biggest inspirations. At what age did you discover your talent and felt confident in your skills as a producer? Which artist pushed you to pursue your passion in music?
EDE: In general, I just started doing music– and I’ve only been doing it for two years now. Artist-wise I would say that the Techno culture itself inspired me the most and namely Panoramabar in Berlin. The Techno scene is so open-minded and tolerant and welcomes everybody since it’s all about the energy, the love and the music.
Torture the Artist: Besides music, what are your other interests and hobbies. Did you always want to be an artist? If you weren’t doing music, what can you imagine yourself doing for a living? Any hidden skills that may surprise us?
EDE: I am very talented at painting and cooking but I could also imagine to manage my own cafè.
Torture the Artist: How involved are you within your local music scene? Do you often go out dancing? Any particular festivals which you religiously attend year after year?
EDE: Berghain is my biggest inspiration, especially Panoramabar. Love that place.
Torture the Artist: As of now, are you focused more on making music or playing it. Looking back at 2018, did you spend the right amount of time on production/DJing as you intended. Is there a particular aspect of your career which you plan to pay more attention and develop further this year.
EDE: I am more focused on making music as I finished three EPs already. Hopefully they will be released soon – one after another. Surely I would love to play more gigs because that is a way to share your energy in a more direct way with your audience or people in general and the people will give you back their energy.
I have a very special connection to Kristian. Of course, that connection is pretty one-sided as it comes from my side only.
Torture the Artist: Share with us one of the most memorable musical experience you have had on a personal level. Who was playing and which track hit most closely to home?
EDE: In summer 2016 I visited a friend in Berlin, who showed or rather introduced me to Berghain. We danced to a set from Âme at Panoramabar that fascinated and touched me in a way I had never experienced before. And then the moment came when Âmeplayed ‘Lingala‘ by Lee Burridge & Lost Desert – from that moment on it became clear to me that I would change my life forever, move to Berlin and start making music. Âme’s music directly hit both, my heart and my soul. Since then, I have a very special connection to Kristian. Of course, that connection is pretty one-sided as it comes from my side only.
The track ‘Jenny’ was a way to say thank you to her.
Torture the Artist: You recently contributed to the Berlin-based electronic music label Innervisions’ Secret Weapons compilation, with the striking ‘Jenny.’ Whether Jenny the girl or Jenny the track, or both, tell us a little bit about this particular character/presence in your life.
EDE: Jenny is my girlfriend, and I wanted to call my first track ‘Jenny’, because she is that one person in Berlin I fell in love with like I did with the techno scene, and she is also the person I’m living with and the person who has to suffer most from me DJing. She is the onewho has to deal with the lonely nights when I’m out DJing, so the track ‘Jenny’ was a way to say thank you to her.
Torture the Artist: Besides your participation in SW 11, your ‘Ensemble’ was also included in Jennifer Cardini’s label, Correspondant’s 5-track VA EP, ‘Numero Uno.’ These are two reputable labels, and releasing on both, especially within the same year, is quite an accomplishment. How much time have you spent on music leading up to these events. What was the first piece of music you have ever worked on, and how much does your current sound resonate with that production.
EDE: I tried different things with my first tracks, but I never finished them. The first 20 tracks were just experimenting, but it was good for the entire process of producing.
I think the The Acid – Bass-Arp and the 80s snare is something will hear in almost every track that I work on at the moment.
Torture the Artist: When did you first hear ‘Jenny’ being played on the loudspeakers? Who was playing and how did you react? Did you always think you would get this far?
EDE: I heard through various social media channels that Dixon had played my track ‘Jenny’ at Burning Man. And I must say that I was the happiest person on earth! This moment was onlytopped shortly after when Âme played the track at Panoramabar when I was there. After the evening I finally received the mail that Innervisions would like to release the track as part of their Secret Weapons compilation and that was like a dream coming true to me.
My mentality is that the most important thing always is that you have to love whatever you do and believe in yourself. I think this Walt Disney quite nails it down: ‘If you can dream it, you can do it.’
In the end, I squeezed myself into a suit for society that I didn’t want to wear.
Torture the Artist: We talked about successes, how about some let downs. What has been a hard pill to swallow in your career, and how did you pummel through that slump. How much of your earlier years in music inspire your more successful projects?
EDE: Where I grew up safety played an important role, especially financial security, while joy in your job was not priorized towards the aforementioned. That’s why I studied business information systems and was able to gain professional experience in the IT industry. I earned a lot in a reputable company, had a safe job, a company car and a social standing. In the end, I squeezed myself into a suit for society that I didn’t want to wear, and I was never happy with what I did. Still, it was hard to leave the comfort zone and the safety behind and move to Berlin
It can become like your daily job that you don’t want to leave the house for but you have to in the end.
Torture the Artist: Delivering consistent work is not quite easy, it can put some pressure which can get in the way of your creative process. How do you spark your creativity, tackle blocks and keep the momentum going? Any rituals or warm-ups that seem to work for you?
EDE: I do not have any rituals, but I always try to have fun, that means if I really feel that I want to do music today then I do music. On some days, if I do not feel it or I am not in the mood, then it’s better to stay away from it, otherwise it can become like your daily job that you don’t want to leave the house for, but you have to in the end.
Torture the Artist: Is there a current or even older track that you are dying to remix right now. Anyone in the electronic music game you wish to collaborate with if you had the chance?
EDE: The track that I am working on at the moment is David Bowie – This is not America. I would love to work and spend time with Ricardo Villalobos, because he is simply a genius.
Torture the Artist: List the last 5 tracks you listened to on Soundcloud.
EDE: I got some demos, can’t tell you more at the moment. <smiles>
Interview by Marie J Floro
Torture the Artist 