As he launches his new RAAR imprint with Louisahhh!!!, Maelstrom talks us through his all-time favourites.
What’s the first record you ever bought?
The first Headz compilation on Mo’Wax is the first vinyl I remember purchasing, as much for the artwork as for the music, which was completely out of this world at the time, and still is.
Your favourite ever record?
Steve Reich – ‘Different Trains’. It’s probably the track I’ve played the most in my entire life. I love how it’s mathemati and at the same time connected to human emotions and history, with samples of Reich’s governess, Pullman porters and holocaust survivors, European train sounds and sirens setting the tone for the strings. Reich calls it ‘speech melody’ and it was actually made using a Casio FZ1, one of the first samplers ever manufactured.
The guaranteed floor-filler?
The Hacker – ‘Shockwave’. It works everywhere, all the time – not only in Belgium where it takes its inspiration from, but also in Australian clubs or South African festivals.
The last track of the night?
SHXCXCHCXXSH – ‘This Hmming Raverie’. I remember closing the Rex Club in Paris with this one at 7.30 in the morning after a four or five hour set. It’s immersive, crazy and wild, but still soft and deep in a weird way. It’s perfect for the moment when the lights are switched back on.
The record everyone loves but you hate?
SOPHIE – ‘Just Like We Never Said Goodbye’. I don’t understand this music. It makes me nervous and irritates me. To me it sounds like Aqua, the Swedish band from the 90s, with even more glitter. People often say techno and industrial music are nerve-wracking but it’s music like SOPHIE that makes me feel angry and moody.
The record you’re proudest of?
‘Tank Diving’. It’s one of these tracks that came together very quickly – I think it took me only a few hours to get all the elements together, and then a few more days to mix it down. The best tracks always happen when you don’t expect them. I spend several months recording music that doesn’t make the cut sometimes, and then suddenly, at a point where I’ve almost lost faith in what I do, a track like ‘Tank Diving’ brings back light and life into my studio.
The future classic?
Nick Höppner – ‘Relate (The Black Madonna Remix)’. If this one doesn’t make it to any end of the year chart I promise to eat my hat. The best techno track I’ve heard this year by far.
Louisahhh!!! & Maelstrom’s ‘Holy’ is out now on RAAR. Find Maelstrom on Facebook, Twitter and SoundCloud.