In strictly techno terms, Boris Brejcha is one of the world’s most popular DJ/producers, and DJ LIFE recently caught up with the German talent.
In strictly techno terms, Boris Brejcha is one of the world’s most popular DJ/producers. With millions of streams across all platforms and thousands of fans showing up for gigs at top venues and festivals, the German talent has built a fervent audience with nearly two decades’ worth of original and unique music.
Brejcha’s sound has been called “High Tech Minimal,” and indeed it’s a mélange of styles incorporating effect-filled ambient layers, ominous synth patterns, and arresting rhythms. He’s released 13 full-length albums and innumerable singles, including global faves like 2021’s “Spicy” (feat. Ginger), 2019’s “Gravity” (feat. Laura Korinth), and 2014’s “Purple Noise.”
And now he’s returning with Level One, a 148-minute release on his own Fcking Serious label that’s one of the more bracing musical rides you’ll take this year. Spearheaded by compelling singles “Level One,” “Space X (Edit),” “Miracle,” “Vienna (Edit),” and “Dimension,” the album delivers intense, but dancefloor-friendly soundscapes full of sharp melodies and rugged beat patterns. It’s quite a ride.
Accordingly, Brejcha (loosely pronounced bry-sha) will be supporting the album with a nearly eight-month tour. Wearing his trademark joker mask onstage, Brejcha will play 37 cities on three continents – Asia, Europe and North America – with a show that he promises to be “a colorful mix” of Level One tracks, fan faves, and unreleased material. He discussed it all in a recent interview with DJ LIFE.
DJ LIFE: Growing up, did you learn any traditional instruments?
Boris Brejcha: Yes, my dad played drums in a band back then. I always found that interesting. That’s why I learned to play the drums. I also learned to play the piano. I can recommend that to anyone. It gives you a good musical foundation.
DJ LIFE: What was the first electronic music that really caught your attention?
Brejcha: That was the CD, Thunderdome [a Dutch series of hardcore-techno compilations]. I think I was 12 years young then. Up until that point, I only knew the sounds of normal instruments like keyboards or drums. When I heard the sounds of the Thunderdome CD for the first time, it was like… “Wow! What is that?” That was an amazing experience.
DJ LIFE: So, that put you on your path as a DJ/producer?
Brejcha: That came automatically. I listened to electronic music for the very first time at school. I was immediately fascinated by it and wanted to find out what this music was like. That’s how I came to produce electronic music.
DJ LIFE: What were the first electronic artists that you appreciated?
Brejcha: That was Stephan Bodzin. I was very impressed by him and his music inspired me a lot back then.
DJ LIFE: Were you a clubber or a raver? What was the electronic-music scene like where you grew up?
Brejcha: When I was growing up, I was never someone who went clubbing. My friends always asked me to go a lot, but I always stayed at home and produced music. I just enjoyed that more. As far back as I can remember, I was in a club maybe once or twice a year.
DJ LIFE: Creatively, how did you approach the new album, Level One? What does this project represent for you? From my listening, it’s a real roller-coaster ride. You’ve got some crazy effects going on and some really rugged rhythms.
Brejcha: Correct. For me, it’s a roller-coaster of emotions. I deliberately called my album Level One because it’s something like a small new beginning for me. This album reflects me 100-percent as an artist. There are songs on the album that are reminiscent of Boris from the very early days and some songs that step out of line – all wonderfully packaged in one album. There was no particular approach to producing this album. It’s more that I always have had a lot of songs that I wanted to release and when we decided to make an album, we listened to all the songs and then decided which ones to put on the album.
DJ LIFE: For the album, how do you work on your collaborations? How do the connections happen and how do you execute each project?
Brejcha: This usually happens spontaneously. I start a song and sometimes I feel that I need a voice for it. It was the same with the songs on the album. With Ginger [on “Message in a Bottle” and “Rave City”], it’s super-easy. I usually already have a pool of different recordings from her and then I just choose one that fits. I got to know Malena Narvay via Instagram. I had seen a few videos of her singing and was immediately convinced. Working with her [on “Vienna”] was also very easy and relaxed.
DJ LIFE: Generally, what is your process for creating music?
Brejcha: It’s all very spontaneous. I usually start making a beat, then I add a bassline and see where the journey takes me. I love this way of working because it’s often very surprising where the journey goes. Sometimes, it can also happen that I just sit down and play the piano, so that I can express my current emotional state very well, and that’s also how the song “Gravity” came about in the past.
DJ LIFE: From your main studio gear, what’s your DAW? Monitors? Fave plug-in or two?
Brejcha: I have been using ADAM Audio monitor speakers for years. They sound the best to me, personally. You can really feel the sound. Back then, I was in a music store where you could listen to all the speakers from different manufacturers in one room. The speakers from ADAM convinced me straight away. I work with Cubase software – I’m well-attuned to it. My absolute favorite synthesizers are [Spectrasonics] Omnisphere and [reFX] Nexus. I do almost everything with these two. I don’t use hardware. I love doing everything in the box.
DJ LIFE: How has your music-making approach evolved? With which gear/software did you make your first tracks?
Brejcha: The music world is constantly changing and there is always a new, better synthesizer on the market. I still remember very well that I produced my first songs with the synthesizer One from FabFilter. That was ages ago, but I still use this synthesizer today. It just sounds really good and is timeless.
DJ LIFE: Which producer/remixers do you most admire and why?
Brejcha: To be honest, I hardly listen to any electronic music in my private life because I don’t want to be influenced. At the moment, however, our member Moritz Hofbauer is a musician I really appreciate and who can also produce very good music.
DJ LIFE: What’s your DJ background? How long have you been at it and what gear did you learn on?
Brejcha: I don’t really have a DJ background. Back then, I didn’t know that you could be successful as a DJ. I always thought that I produce music, sell it and that’s it… [laughs] I spontaneously learned to DJ from a friend in two days when I knew I had my first official gig. I taught myself the rest during the gigs.
DJ LIFE: In the DJ booth now, what gear do you use and why? How would you describe your style of DJing?
Brejcha: I use the latest mixer from Pioneer DJ and two CDJs that are also from Pioneer. I think I’m a very classic DJ…. without a lot of gimmicks. I love it and I think it’s important to play songs from start to finish, and not to make a transition directly after two minutes… because every song has its individual feel. Since I only play my own songs, I know them by heart and can create a special feeling when I play them.
DJ LIFE: You’ve become well-known for your joker mask and your interactions with your fans. Can you describe your relationship with your audience?
Brejcha: I love my fans. That’s why I also love interacting with them, not just at the gigs. I also answer every single message personally on Instagram, for example. I think that’s important, it’s fun and you can give a lot back to your fans that way.
DJ LIFE: What’s the hardest part about being a global DJ/producer? I’d imagine that managing your time is important.
Brejcha: Time. That is the greatest good. We have too little of it… especially as a lot of time is spent traveling. It can often become very stressful as a result. With little sleep, it’s a feat to play so many gigs all over the world… coordinating everything and always being on-point onstage. But I am very happy to be able to travel all over the world.
DJ LIFE: Which DJs do you admire and why?
Brejcha: I have been to a Solomun gig twice in the past. I like him very much. The music, his vibe. That’s cool.
DJ LIFE: What’s the DJ’s job these days?
Brejcha: Nowadays, the DJ job has changed somewhat. It has become more of an entertainer. It’s cool, but I think you have to keep the balance. I love being onstage, especially because I make people dance with my own productions. It gives you an incredible feeling that I wouldn’t want to miss.
DJ LIFE: What’s next for you?
Brejcha: We are currently in the middle of my album process. There’s still a lot to do. I’m also going to have a little party for my album where a few selected fans can be there. On May 1, my tour will finally start again. That means I’ll be on the road every weekend until the end of December. I’m really looking forward to it and I’m already very excited. I’ve been on vacation for four months so far and have produced a lot of new songs during this time, which I can now finally present. Musically, I’ll be taking a little break after the album release. But there will definitely be new songs this year. You can look forward to that.
DJ LIFE: I see you have three North American dates on your upcoming tour. What can fans expect from you when you return to this side of the Atlantic?
Brejcha: Oh yes, I’m really looking forward to it. People can expect lots of new songs – songs that I will probably play at my shows for two years before they are officially released. But I’m also making sure that my older songs don’t get short shrift. There are also certain songs that my fans always want to hear. So, it will be a colorful mix. I’m looking forward to it.