mulletover interviews RebootAt an age when most kids are discovering video games and girls German production wizard Frank Heinrich, aka Reboot, was making tracks on studio equipment he bought with his pocket money. This precocious talent was nurtured by illicit nights out at Sven Vath’s infamous, and influential, Omen club in Frankfurt, where Reboot grew up.
Despite Reboot’s early indoctrination into tough techno sounds he draws on diverse musical influences. As a producer his approach borrows liberally from across the musical spectrum from jazz to world music to classic house. Alongside friends like Chris Tietjen, Robert Dietz and Markus Fix he now spearheads ‘the new sound of Frankfurt’ The result is what Reboot calls ‘complex polyrhythmic architecture’ – and what dancefloors call dynamite.
We caught up with Frank AKA Reboot to hear his sets being more of live hybrid, collaborations he can't talk about yet, playing in Villalobos' live band and surprises in store for our bday
Hi Frank. We're really pleased to have you finally over to play @ mulletover. Your tracks have been huge down at our nights. Where are you and what are you doing?
I took some time off in January to travel, relax and rebuild my studio. After the touring in 2010 that was totally neccessary. In Febuary i was playing some shows in Europe and spent a lot of time in the studio to work on remixes and new stuff. March the big touring starts again. I will be in Miami, NYC and of course a lot of gigs in Europe.
When you DJ, you're described as more of a 'one man live show' playing off keyboard's, laptops and the like. Can you describe your set up and how you use all the elements to create the atmosphere on the floor?
Last year i changed my DJ setup to Traktor. Just to see how good i get along with it and how i could use the advanced opportunities. I fell in love with it and kept on building my setup around it. By now i use Traktor together with ableton, ipad and changing hardware, like the Elektron Machinedrum or an Korg ESX for example. Playing like this is more a Liveact than just a DJ set because it leaves me total freedom of control. As i am playing Liveacts too, it was quiet easy for my to make the change. Now i can build up my DJ set like i would do in a Liveact by layering loops, samples and complete songs.
You'll be headlining our 7th birthday. Any surprises in store?
Hehe.. If i would tell you now, would it be a suprise anymore?
You're well known for coming from a classical background - does any of that make it into your current productions today? Ame commented in their interview last week that they were currently interested in ancient choir music. Can we see a collaboration on the horizon?! :)
All the stuff i listen to and of course my musical background, inspires me to produce the music i do. That can be latin as well as classic, funk or jazz elements. I have some interesting and suprising collaborations i am currently working on, but it would be too early to talk about it at this point.
You played as part of Luciano's touring Ether live band, how was that? It must have been fun to take that sort of thing on the road. Any plans for any other live tours either as Reboot or with anyone else?
It was an amazing experience. Working with such a huge group of amazing musicans, VJ`s and technitians was totally new for me and most of the times it was huge fun! At the moment i am fully focussing on my Reboot project. Also i am going to spend another summer in Ibiza, so there is not much time for other live tours at this time. For next year i would love to work on stage with other musicians, especially live-musicians, like percussionists, drummers, guitarists etc.. But doing that takes a lot of time for planning and organisation.
If you could put together your ideal dance party, where would it be and what DJs/Live acts would you get to play?
Hmmm.. As long as you are with your friends, have a great soundsystem, a beautiful location and some mindblowing music... I really don`t care about the namedropping!
You've collaborated with Marco Delle Donne - any plans to get back in studio and any other artists currently lined up to work with you?
We have actually been talking about working together again. We sure will, but nothing is fixed yet... Same thing with other artists. Lot`s of ideas, but nothing is sceduled yet.
You've been described as "the new sound of Frankfurt" ...how has the scene changed there over the last years and what's unique about it?
Especially in 2007 and 2008 there was this big hype around the Rhein-Main-House. It just happened, that a whole bunch of young and new producers found together and started producing a fresh type of house music. Before that, the scene in Frankfurt was very seperated in itself and not many people worked together. In my opinion this is the biggest change in the past years in this region. That Artist found together and some sort of community developed. I don`t know if that is very unique, but it was a nice progress. In the past two years that calmed down a bit. Not because we don`t like each other anymore, but due to the big success in 2008 a lot of these Artist really started off with their careers.
I think its fair to say Frankfurt's scene tends to get over shadowed by Berlin somewhat - do you agree with this and do you see it getting more of the right exposure in the future? Is this something you'd like to see happen?
Well, Berlin is a huge city and Frankfurt is just our tiny little hometown. I am not a big fan of comparing the two cities and their scenes. There is just too many differences and each of them has it`s positive and it`s negative attributes. In my eyes Frankfurt already has the right exposure, at least for those, that spend more than 5 minutes taking a look inside.
We caught up with Frank AKA Reboot to hear his sets being more of live hybrid, collaborations he can't talk about yet, playing in Villalobos' live band and surprises in store for our bday
Hi Frank. We're really pleased to have you finally over to play @ mulletover. Your tracks have been huge down at our nights. Where are you and what are you doing?
I took some time off in January to travel, relax and rebuild my studio. After the touring in 2010 that was totally neccessary. In Febuary i was playing some shows in Europe and spent a lot of time in the studio to work on remixes and new stuff. March the big touring starts again. I will be in Miami, NYC and of course a lot of gigs in Europe.
When you DJ, you're described as more of a 'one man live show' playing off keyboard's, laptops and the like. Can you describe your set up and how you use all the elements to create the atmosphere on the floor?
Last year i changed my DJ setup to Traktor. Just to see how good i get along with it and how i could use the advanced opportunities. I fell in love with it and kept on building my setup around it. By now i use Traktor together with ableton, ipad and changing hardware, like the Elektron Machinedrum or an Korg ESX for example. Playing like this is more a Liveact than just a DJ set because it leaves me total freedom of control. As i am playing Liveacts too, it was quiet easy for my to make the change. Now i can build up my DJ set like i would do in a Liveact by layering loops, samples and complete songs.
You'll be headlining our 7th birthday. Any surprises in store?
Hehe.. If i would tell you now, would it be a suprise anymore?
You're well known for coming from a classical background - does any of that make it into your current productions today? Ame commented in their interview last week that they were currently interested in ancient choir music. Can we see a collaboration on the horizon?! :)
All the stuff i listen to and of course my musical background, inspires me to produce the music i do. That can be latin as well as classic, funk or jazz elements. I have some interesting and suprising collaborations i am currently working on, but it would be too early to talk about it at this point.
You played as part of Luciano's touring Ether live band, how was that? It must have been fun to take that sort of thing on the road. Any plans for any other live tours either as Reboot or with anyone else?
It was an amazing experience. Working with such a huge group of amazing musicans, VJ`s and technitians was totally new for me and most of the times it was huge fun! At the moment i am fully focussing on my Reboot project. Also i am going to spend another summer in Ibiza, so there is not much time for other live tours at this time. For next year i would love to work on stage with other musicians, especially live-musicians, like percussionists, drummers, guitarists etc.. But doing that takes a lot of time for planning and organisation.
If you could put together your ideal dance party, where would it be and what DJs/Live acts would you get to play?
Hmmm.. As long as you are with your friends, have a great soundsystem, a beautiful location and some mindblowing music... I really don`t care about the namedropping!
You've collaborated with Marco Delle Donne - any plans to get back in studio and any other artists currently lined up to work with you?
We have actually been talking about working together again. We sure will, but nothing is fixed yet... Same thing with other artists. Lot`s of ideas, but nothing is sceduled yet.
You've been described as "the new sound of Frankfurt" ...how has the scene changed there over the last years and what's unique about it?
Especially in 2007 and 2008 there was this big hype around the Rhein-Main-House. It just happened, that a whole bunch of young and new producers found together and started producing a fresh type of house music. Before that, the scene in Frankfurt was very seperated in itself and not many people worked together. In my opinion this is the biggest change in the past years in this region. That Artist found together and some sort of community developed. I don`t know if that is very unique, but it was a nice progress. In the past two years that calmed down a bit. Not because we don`t like each other anymore, but due to the big success in 2008 a lot of these Artist really started off with their careers.
I think its fair to say Frankfurt's scene tends to get over shadowed by Berlin somewhat - do you agree with this and do you see it getting more of the right exposure in the future? Is this something you'd like to see happen?
Well, Berlin is a huge city and Frankfurt is just our tiny little hometown. I am not a big fan of comparing the two cities and their scenes. There is just too many differences and each of them has it`s positive and it`s negative attributes. In my eyes Frankfurt already has the right exposure, at least for those, that spend more than 5 minutes taking a look inside.
I'm currently doing a stint in New York (where you played Electric Zoo festival last year). Although I've been lucky enough to go to loads of amazing parties, with some top DJs, I still haven't found the 'one' in terms of something really mind blowing. I'm wondering if nothing really compares to the parties 'back at home' that I've grown up with - do you find the same having played all over the world?
I think that just depends on the party as such. I had outrageous partys in NY for example and i had some really horrible nights back home. I think it just depends on the right moment, a nice crowd, sound etc. and you can make “home” anywhere in the world.
I think that just depends on the party as such. I had outrageous partys in NY for example and i had some really horrible nights back home. I think it just depends on the right moment, a nice crowd, sound etc. and you can make “home” anywhere in the world.
Do you have any particular records that you never leave the house without/makes it into pretty much every set?
Hahaha..
Involuntary that would be my Caminando.. People try to force me to play it in every set...
Voluntary i could name:
Octave One – Blackwater
DJ QU – We Are One
and
Trancesetters – The Secret of Meditation
Is there anyone else you've been playing with or seen around that have blown you away.
There is so many talented new kids around. I played with Nicolas Jaar in Paris and was stunned by his performance. Also Max Vaahs, a young gun from Frankfurt is an superb DJ.
You talk of your love of old school house producers - Enjoy Music had a very distinct nod towards the mid-90s. Who would be your dream old school producer you'd like to collaborate with?
Hehe.. You really want me to name them all? That would be a long list... I guess the Top 3 would be Kevin Saunderson, Todd Terry and DJ Sneak
What should I have asked you but haven't?
Frank, why don`t you stop answering interview questions and go back to the studio? :-)
Lastly, your Essential Mix you did in '09 was phenomenal. Still sounds so fresh today. Any chance we can persuade you to do a mix for mulletover to celebrate our 7th birthday? What a birthday present that'd be!
Done!!!!! Happy Birthday!!!!
Interview by Wil
Check his amazing exclusive mix above or check the Essential mix from '09 below:
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