Written Interview with Dave DK for FWD.DJ 2018

Listen to the mix here: http://www.fwd.dj/mix/fwd97-dave-dk/

You grew up in the countryside outside of Berlin. Do you think your more “rural” beginnings contributes to the sensitivities and depth in your sound? Do you reference nature or other more expansive concepts in your production?

In fact I’m a country boy, I love being outside in nature, I need this as a contrast to city life to recharge my batteries. It’s all about the balance between outdoor activities and production time, sometimes there are these moments where it flows.

In general how do you think about the various tones, sounds and textures in your production? I ask because your audio design is absolutely stunning with sounds that are so vibrant they pop out of the speaker. Do you use a lot of layering or varied sound sources to achieve this or does it more come down to the EQ use and hardware post processing? I know you like to use vinyl samples as well as an important part of your sampling process - can you talk a bit about that?

Nice to hear that! It’s a combination of various techniques. Layering, using various EQ’s on different channels to give the sound an interesting and lush feeling. Sometimes it’s just a single sample that fits the right moment at the right time, sometimes I shift 5 audio channels on top of each other to create a rich monumental sound, it really depends on the sound source. Generally I like contrasts, so a nice balance between the single audio tracks is highly important.

No doubt that there’s already lots of life in vinyl samples. But that’s all a matter of taste. I love dusty, crunchy, noisy sounds in combination with happy melancholic atmospheres. When I find something nice that triggers my creativity I just play around with it in Ableton Live, stretch it, shrink it, loop it, reverse it cut it into endless pieces and combine it again. There are many great tools in Live and other crazy little plug ins you can use to make it a unique sound.

What does your studio look like right now? What hardware and software are critical to your workflow? What are some of your favorite plugin companies right now?

Mostly software based with some controllers. I love being flexible and take my compact studio setup out to the nature of somewhere else. When I feel like recording a special hardware synths for it’s sound I’ll do it for a certain purpose I feel in a track. I like UAD, Izotope, Fabfilter, Soundtoys and Native Instruments plugins from the early days on besides a wide range of other smaller companies.

I know you’ve switched from being more hardware driven to software… are there any pieces of hardware you’ve held onto because you like the workflow or sound better for production or mastering?

I love the flexibility you can have with modern small tools. The workflow begins in my head, imagining what techniques I could use on a certain sound. In the end it doesn’t matter where a sound comes from. You need to use it in the right way and have an ear for it. I love my Crumar Performer (it doesn’t have midi) for string sessions or the Eventide Time Factor for hypnotic delays that are out of this world. As for mastering, I don’t master the tracks by myself. Though there are incredible plugin options for mastering out there I think that’s a craft by itself and I leave it to my person of trust.

When you first started your career you held DJ residences at Tresor and Panorama Bar. I know you feel Berlin has become more commercialized and the scene has changed. Where do you think the underground is fresh/heathy right now and what trends would you like to see more of in various places you play?

The underground comes and goes, that’s the nature of things. Especially in Berlin you have the wide choice of parties you can enjoy - from commercial to underground places. I don’t really follow trends. If there is one thing I’d like to see across all the locations I play it’d be a great sound system as it’s the most important aspect for a great night.

What do you think is the social importance of electronic music/club culture? Do you think it can be a force for positivity or a political force (or that is that beyond its purview)?

It’s definitely a connecting force in a positive way, especially in countries with difficult political situations or restrictions. For me it was the sound of Berlin I grew up with after the wall came down.

If you could give 3-5 production tips to your younger self when you first started making music from your current self what would they be? Would it be the same thing you would tell any fresh producer?

It was a different time, things took much longer to evolve than today. You’d need to spend some serious cash to start producing. It’s amazing what you can do with modern tools. It’s hard to give any advice considering the wide range of options you have. Sometimes limiting yourself to a few things can be magic. Concepts and ideas are more important than specific pieces of equipment.
Also the listening situation is very important. If you train your ear and know your speakers/headphones well, that's already half of the battle.
Creativity comes and goes. If I don’t feel productive I prefer reading books or going biking instead of stressing myself.
Get a nice chair for your studio, your back will appreciate it.

Can you tell us a bit about this mix for FWD.DJ? Where was it recorded and what should our listeners know?

It’s the opening set at Hi Ibiza where I played for the summer closing September 2017.

What’s coming up for you in 2018 that we should know about?

Next up is a split 12“ with Stimming with one serious techno tool on it! There’s also some atmospheric space house is in the pipeline, further news soon!

Tags: Berlin, Dave DK, Panorama Bar, Tresor