What is your name?
Markus Lindner aka Delfonic.
Where are you currently based?
Berlin.
You’ve just released a 12“ on Razor-N-Tape some with edits that you made some time ago https://soundcloud.com/razor-n-tape/sets/rnt031-delfonic-oye-edits where and when did you create the edits and with which instruments or programs?
Normally I start to do live edits in the club with CDJs and then, when I feel the vibe I recreate them with ableton live at home and go back to the club to check them out. Mostly on my way to a gig on a train or plane I finish them especially for the gigs. Some of my edits are done really quick, because in my head their are done before I start to cut or add some parts. The best way for me is to finish them quite fast, that I don’t loose the idea of the edit. after playing them for the crowd I work on some details and mistakes to make them better.
How has the reaction of your fans been to the release?
Really good so far. What is really impressive is, that a lot of DJs and producers gave me good feedback directly at OYE and bought the 12“.
How did you first getting into music and producing?
When I was 9 years old, I went to a boarding school, which also was a music school. So I started with classical music, learned piano and had singing lessons. But I wasn’t really good at it, because the system put you under pressure and make you „work“. But still I feel thankful to get in touch with music quite early in a professional way.
I was listening to popular music really late. I remember, that a friend had some HipHop CDs in the 90ies like Cypress Hill, Fugees, Outkast etc. and I was really impressed about the energy and flow in this music.
With producing I started really late, because I saw myself more as a collector, DJ & Record Store Dealer. In 2010 I started to produce music for TV advertisement spots with my friend Boris Meinhold.
But when I met Max Graef, we had some sessions together and released a 12“ on our label Money $ex Records called „Mo´ Money Pt. 2“. The music is a mix in between bass music and funky breaks. Was really fun to work with Max as he is an incredible producer.
We hear your going to launch a new online store for OYE very soon! What will you releasing via the online store and what prompted you to go in this direction?
After 8 years it´s time to relaunch our webshop and put it on a next level. We try to have more interactions with artists we already have a strong relationship and show everybody outside our selection and idea of good music.
There are a lot of big players in the online game, but a lot of people know our physical stores in berlin and we will give them the opportunity to get our selection online in a easy way.
f.e. we gonna have „staff charts“ as we have these selections also in the stores. our staff is really good informed and busy in the berlin music scene
You also run you own label with Max Graef & Glenn Astro, how did this collaboration come about?
classic move: they had a 12“ ready, but no-one wanted to release it. They asked me, if we could do it together and launch a new label at the same time. Box aus Holz, which was already a platform for friends, was founded by Max & Luds, but it was always more a collective vibe, but with Money $ex Records we wanted to give friends a platform to release under their monikers 12“ and also Albums and we released in 2 years around 6 albums, which is a lot for a small label. But this is only possible with OYE Records in the background, as I manage the administration for the mastering, pressing and distribution.
Why did you all choose to start a label?
I think for every artist with some ambitions its important to have a music platform, where you can decide everything without asking or begging someone else. It gives you freedom and even when you need some success or break even. Also we decide in the team, what we are doing, but we trust each other for 100% and that make the „work“ way more easier.
What are the greatest challenges of running your own label?
To sell the music nowadays. thats it. there are so many great artists out there, but to select the right vibe or music is really challenging. Also everything is happening on social media. But it´s really hard to find a good way to work with them. To avoid them is not really an option, but at the same time it takes a lot of time is quite annoying about getting clickbait and likes. Too many eople check the likes, hypes and feedback on social medias, instead of following their own way.
Do you have any tips for somebody else wanting to start their own record label?
Don´t be on a rush, don’t follow any hypes. Take your time to start. Ask yourself about the goals in the next 5 years. Don´t do it for the fame, please do it for the good music.
Soon you will be releasing the 3rd Torben Unit Album called ” Sawaasch Garahsch” where and when did you record?
Torben Unit is the Band around Max Graef he founded with some friends like Luds, Alex Seidel, Vally, Kickflip Mike and Gerry Franke. They recorded the 3rd album in September at Lutz Fahrenkrog-Petersen´s studio in Neukölln. I was just there 2 times to hear some ideas and songs. I have to say, that compared to the first two albums its more consistent and the evolution of their playing and the music itself is step forward. I really like the album and you should take your time to listen to it many times to get the whole picture. We hope, that we have the vinyl in the stores in the beginning of december.
What or who influences your sound?
Everything around me. But my roots are definitely in HipHop / Rap. But then you´re close to funk, jazz, disco and any kind of funky breaks. My biggest influence as a DJ was DJ DSL from vienna, who was the best hiphop dj in europe in the nineties. He was mixing hiphop and breaks like a house dj, but with some cuts and scratches. I always wanted to play like him.
What instrument and programs do you use?
Ableton Live & 2 turntables are my instruments.
At the beginning of next year you will be releasing a various artist 12“ on Money $ex Records:
here are the track titles / nothing to hear yet as I just send the premasters to the mastering studio!
A1. Funkycan & Max Graef – Steiermark 2017
A2. Max Graef & Glenn Astro – No Tricks dub
B1. Glenn Astro & Delfonic – Riddim für die Atzen (premaster)
B2. IMYRMIND & Lonny Benz – D.I.D.
Can you give us an idea of what to expect from this release?
This gonna be really hard to sell – hahahaha. The idea behind this EP is, that there is no 4 to the floor beat and the BPM is quite wild. My idea for the track with Glenn Astro was to create some broken beat flavor, but with a touch of music in 2017. We just got the masters and they sound really heavy. Really looking forward to play them loud in the club. Release date should be around end of january or beginning of february.
On Dec, 5th Max Graef / Glenn Astro / Delfonic enjoy the WWFM radio show hosted by the legendary Alex Barck / Jazzanova at the sonar kollektiv studios in berlin, we will be tuning in!
Oh man. what an honor to be invited by Alex Barck. He was one of my heroes when I moved to berlin and he played with Jazzanova at the Kaleidoskop nights or the old Cookies club. my hands are already shaking, when I think about the music I want to play!
Favourite food and place to hangout?
As i´m living in Neukölln I can really recommend this indian food place called” Café Tschüsch“ with only vegetarian or vegan food. Best shawarma you can get at “Al Safa“.
A really nice play for me is the Spielplatz at Weichselplatz, where I spent a lot of time with my son during the summertime.
https://soundcloud.com/delfonic