Liam Miller
“Viktor Talking Machine” have managed to convince with exceptionally good productions and impressive vinyl sets over a long period of time. Whether it’s their official remixes for artists like Acid Pauli, andhim or Super Flu or DJ sets lasting several hours in which the records slide into each other like clouds – they always surprise with a characteristic sound. Their releases such as “Line” on Monaberry are supported by acts such as Kollektiv Turmstraße and stick in the brain like a Quentin Tarantino film.
Thinking outside the box also applies to “Viktor Talking Machine” in the DJ booth behind the turntables. And this approach fascinates the crowd all over Europe, like at the Amsterdam Dance Event in the Netherlands, in clubs in Italy or hip clubs like the Sisyphos in Berlin. Recently, “Viktor Talking Machine” mixed a truly wonderful and touching Lovecast – now it’s time for an interview.
Over the last few months you have delivered a multitude of mix sessions and podcasts like for Desert Hearts and our Lovecast series. Is music the best antidote to Corona?
Of course … in combination with sport. Music helped us a lot during those strange times and was always a push to keep things going and don’t stop at some point, because everything seems senseless.
You only play vinyl – which records have been in your record bags lately and why?
It always changes from venue to venue, from stream to stream. But we have some beauties for each situation. For a smooth housy start we choose V.I.C.A.R.I – Pascia. A nice transition to more italo grooves is Donald Dust – I’m Bobby Orlando. If the energy level is high enough, it is time for Jordan Nocturne – Gemini Boy. And if we want to hold the level of energy Todh Teri – Kone Kone Sampadan 30 is doing its job.
What do you think about genres and where is your personal sound journey going?
We don’t really care about genres and are super confused by checking them on some platforms. In our opinion it limits your selecting process because you maybe miss a tune that is hidden in a different or wrong genre. Or you call yourself a house dj and miss all these techno, italo, trance, acid bombs out there. It is all about the content.
Each track we select feels right at some point, no matter what genre it is.
Among other things, during the Corona crisis you played in clubs with a reduced contingent and also online festivals. What do you miss the most?
The people in front reacting to your music. Seeing somebody feeling the same strong emotions for a track is the best feedback and the thing we miss the most. Playing on stream or with reduced capacity and distance is nice, but not the same … it helps to survive the time until we can get close together in a dark, loud and packed location.
Your “Reincarnations” vinyl is an important milestone next to your regular releases on Monaberry. Reincarnations includes your official remixes for Acid Pauli, Super Flu and MooryC (Sonar Kollektiv). There is a special story behind the production of the sleeves – can you tell us more about it?
This EP is special in so many ways. We founded our own label, we released our own tracks, and we showed the idea of a remix also on the outside.
We used old record sleeves from the garbage of some record stores and silkscreen printed them with our own graphics. So each record is unique and saved a lot of recourses.
What are your plans for the next few months?
Our plans are easy described … work work work. We are rebuilding our studio and working on a bunch of new tracks. Beside doing some nice interviews we are growing some herbs and cook a lot.
