When you think Ibiza, you think of big labels like Desolat and Cocoon bringing electric atmospheres to breathtaking summer venues like Ushuaia and Sankeys.
And one of the most talked about names on the white isle this year was none other than Robert Dietz.
His bold switch from Cadenza to Artist Alife saw big dog Loco Dice snapping up Robert to feature at his monster Used and Abused night at Ushuaia, as well as underground favourite Sankeys also adding him to their bill for the infamous VIVa Warriors.
His unique flair as an artist makes Robert a staple crowd favourite and we knew it would be silly not to catch a few words with him after he brought the addictive techno sounds of Ibiza and Frankfurt to Manchester’s Solar night at Gorilla.
Hey Robert! So, what kind of vibe does the UK give off to techno DJs like yourself? Is it a different kind of expectation?
“I think everywhere you play is such a different expectation to the other. I love the UK and I’ve played London countless times over the years, it’s always a wild crowd!
“Crowds differ from country to country and you can never expect a perfect crowd, like even in my home town of Frankfurt now the nightlife scene has died out slightly compared to past years, but places will always surprise you with a really different atmosphere wherever you go!”
How much of the ‘show’ element is necessary with techno? We see a lot of big showy sets at Gashouder, Tomorrowland and Ushuaia , do you think it should be just back to basics and all about the music?
“No, definitely not! You don’t just experience with your ears and it’s not wrong to capture more of people’s senses with great shows! There’s always a totally intimate atmosphere when the music is right, but you can electrify it even more with another element, it’s like adding spices to food, it just works!”
How has Loco Dice and being a part of ‘Used & Abused’ in Ibiza helped you this year? How have you evolved?
“Dice has always been a really great supporter of my work and musically we mesh together really well! I left Cadenza for a bit of a change in direction and I’ve really enjoyed working over the transition from the old to the new Ushuaia and with their focus this year a lot more on the entertainment side of things!”
Where do you gain your inspirations for the intricate and delicate noises that make techno such a defining genre? Can it be from everyday life? Like Loco Dice, you have a lot of strong hip-hop influences, how do they echo into your electronic music?
“Yeah hip hop has definitely always been a huge influence in my life and it’s always present in my music, based on samples that interest me. As for everyday influences, they’re literally everywhere… from everyday noises to sometimes just things heard when driving in your car!”
What’s your mindset when you go into the studio, do you have a pre-planned structure?
“I think it’s important to go into the studio with an open mind really, I like to just have a few ideas and go in and just jam! I like to keep me as a producer and me as an artist separate and find you come up with the most different and unique material then, when you’re not planning into it too much!”
Do you feel like techno is dying out or following a kind of ‘rule’ and becoming too ‘safe’ now? What about the advancements of technology- do you feel the ‘hard work’ of having to go out, get vinyls or listen to DJs on the radio to get inspiration for music has been replaced by a lazy ‘convenience’ because of technology?
“I think it is slightly dangerous that some technology is so readily available- anyone can ‘be’ a DJ once they have certain equipment!
“But I think no matter what level people DJ at, it’s mostly about how they built their set and created it individually! Technology is a natural progression for us all, I played till 2011 with just CDs and vinyls and then you have to naturally start incorporating other things to advance your music!
“For me, it’s all about the creativity not the technology, the ‘feeling’ from a person as an artist that makes them individual!”
How did your career as an artist begin and what was the point at which you thought you would be able to succeed on an international scale when you really knew you’d made it?
“It just was my dream really, I started going out in Frankfurt at 17 and bought myself a turntable because I wasn’t satisfied by just hearing the music, I just wanted to get involved! I started out doing a few small gigs and then my first release amazingly ended up on an international scale and by 2007 I was doing sets internationally!
“It is such an unpredictable industry, but I guess the blessing I feel from it is the amount of travelling I get to do with music. I’m playing South America in November where there is such a huge market for techno, Japan is one of my favourites to play for their amazing culture and food!
“Travel for me is living, so I feel really lucky to be able to get to combine it with my career!
And finally Robert, we have to ask- what does Manchester as a city sum up for you in four words?
“Ha ha…Wild, sweaty, cloudy and fried food!”
Well that was actually five words Robert but we’ll let you off seeing as you absolutely tore the roof off Gorilla!
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