One of Germany’s finest Torsten Kanzler is a DJ, producer and label owner who heads up TK Records. Along with regular releases on his own label he has also contributed tracks and remixes to the likes of Bush Records, Driving Forces, Naked Lunch and Kiddaz.fm.
Torsten Kanzler recently dropped a collaborative EP on Simina Grigoriu’s label Kuukou, which he produced in collaboration with Robert Egenolf, and we caught up with Torsten to chat about this release and his forthcoming projects.
> For the people reading this who haven’t heard your music before, how would you describe your style and the key elements that define it?
Torsten Kanzler stands for driving techno, with dark elements and powerful synths.
> Your most recent release is on Kuukou which is run by Simina Grigoriu, is there a story behind how the release came to fruition?
I’ve known Simina for a long time now. We are in close contact, get along very well, and I appreciate her work very much. I have done a couple of remixes on Kuukou and now it was just time to put out my own release.
> The Kuukou release was made in collaboration with Robert Egenolf, was this the first time you have worked together in the studio, and are there any plans to join forces again?
Robert is a very good friend of mine. We often hang around together in the studio and also do a small series of events called Open Circuit together. We already had a release together on Neuhain Records some weeks ago as well as remixes together, and we are working on future projects of course.
> Could you talk us through the creative process of putting a track together, and list any specific equipment used to bring your sound to life? Is it any different when collaborating with another artist?
To be honest, I often start with the drums. Then I select a synth and play with it until I have an idea for the topic. Working with another artist is always very refreshing for me. Over the years I have learned certain ways of producing a track and I sometimes find it difficult to leave those structures. Under the influence of another artist, you become a little braver and then inevitably discover new techniques and sounds.
> I understand you also run your own label TK Records, could you tell us a bit about that?
I founded TK Records in 2009. I release everything that I get sent and meets my taste. Also, big acts like A.Paul, The Advent, Sven Wittekind, Gaga and Klaudia Gawlas have already released on TKR.
This summer I also launched TKR Black. Currently featuring remixes from Alberto Ruiz, John Norman, 2pole, Kerstin Eden, [ Wex 10 ], A.Paul, Yan Oxygen, Sven Wittekind, and remixes for my new album, which I released on Bush Records in February can be found there too.
> What’s lined up after your release on Kuukou, do you have any festival gigs or big releases in the pipeline?
I have a release on Hydrozoa and my debut on Tronic in the coming weeks, which makes me very happy. Of course, as you can see and hear on social media, I work daily on new remixes and tracks, looking forward to the second half of the year with great expectation.
> Could you give some advice or words of wisdom to any aspiring producers who might look to your music for inspiration?
Make music with heart and stay true to yourselves. If you don’t get an answer to your sent demo, send 10 more.
> Thanks for taking the time to speak with us today, we like to finish our interviews with a couple of questions that are a little bit light-hearted… without getting to personal, could you tell us something many don’t know about you?
I sleep naked as a matter of principle.
> You don’t need to mention names, but what’s the most “outrageous” thing you have ever seen happen in a club… was it something outrageously brilliant, like a blindfolded DJ mixing seamlessly and scratching with his elbows, or something outrageously cringe-worthy, like some embarrassing drunk person urinating on the dancefloor?
Years ago, I recognised a warm-up DJ had actually burned the whole DJ sets onto the CDs and played with them. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the lettering on his CDs…
> Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, is there anything extra you want to add before we wrap up the conversation?
Rave on 😉
> You can pick up a copy of Torsten Kanzler’s new release from …HERE…
