Techno Tuesday: Recondite talks producing on the roadRecondite

Techno Tuesday: Recondite talks producing on the road

Techno Tuesday is a feature on Dancing Astronaut documenting the culture of underground dance music. We’ll bring you exclusive interviews, tracks, and narratives from artists within the techno, tech house, and deep house world in an effort to shed light on some of the best talent outside the world of mainstream dance music.

Certainly not a new asset to electronic music, Lorenz Brunner has been a rising force in the techno world since getting his start as a fledgling producer in 2009. It wasn’t until 2011, though, that Brunner founded Plangent Records and began releasing music as Recondite. Having since made his Essential Mix debut and experimented with coveted imprints like Life and Death, Dystopian and Innervisions, it’s clear that the Bavarian producer’s impactful output is making its mark on the techno world.

Recondite’s authoritative brand is still growing, and with a new EP on Dystopian on its way, Brunner may very well catch the dance world by surprise as he continues to blur the lines between slow-rolling, cerebral deep house and brooding techno — both of which have become staples of his thriving portfolio.

Catch Recondite at Movement Electronic Music Festival May 27-29 and Exit Festival July 5-9.

Techno Tuesday: Recondite talks producing on the roadRecondite

Are there any limitations or challenges you face when you’re making music while on tour?

There are a few limitations like, for example, the listening environment. There is obviously not always a professional studio provided, and if so, you are not used to its individual sound. You have to be able to use the limitation in terms of slimming down your requirements and therefore getting the opportunity to use the precious moments when you feel like you really want to make music and you really have the motivation to be creative, like a ludic drive.

For me this fact is the most important one: being able to make music when you want to make music, not when you force yourself in the studio because you finally managed to get some time off.

What are some of your biggest sources of inspiration for music while on the road?

I think it is the whole energy of being on tour as a performing artist. Basically, it’s an overwhelming amount of inspiration. You travel from one side of the world to another in a few hours, you meet likeminded people, you share your music with them, they give you a direct response. You sense very detailed reactions too; let’s say new material which is still a work in progress — ideas to add or take away from a production pop up and you execute them. Next step you still want to make music, start a new production with the drive of the show the night before…for example.

Do you find that consistently being in the company of others is conducive to your creativity while on the road?

Well it is company — and somehow then it is mostly not. You might sit next to a stranger in an airplane but in the end you are wearing your headphones, your neighbor is reading a book, and both do their thing. So it is a lot of solitude actually — a lot of time to focus, which is important.

How do you manage your creative state on the road? 

The most important thing is to be initially ready to make music as soon as I feel the urge to do so. Open the laptop, headphones in, open Ableton, and start.

What are some original productions or remixes of yours that were produced on the road, and how did they come about?

Several! Both “Warg” and “Phalanx” were started on the road. Also, my remix for Mind against, and my remix for Function. Several tracks of my Placid album also were born on the road. So were parts of my upcoming EP on Dystopian.

What advice would you give to other artists who are struggling with making music while touring?

First, get good noise cancelling headphones. They obviously cancel the sound (which you have to put in perspective when you listen to the production later in your studio) but they have one major benefit which is that you don’t have to crank your headphones in an airplane while working on music anymore. It’s really a big help. You hear more details again and you also don’t have to put heavy stress on your ears (which you do on stage already).

Then be ready to use your chance when you feel the lust to play. Don’t miss the moment when you feel like doing music. Open the laptop instantly — you’ll get caught up in it quickly. Even if it’s just for half an hour. Sometimes I just do a loop / sketch in 15 minutes but it already has potential to be a good record.

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