Bionik was one of your biggest singles to date, but on the LP the track has become called Lotuseffekt. What’s the story here?

Yes, I know, that was a bit strange. The EP was supposed to be a teaser for the upcoming album, and we wanted to tell people that ‘bionics’ was the theme, but I wasn’t able to finish the album as quick as I thought as I was travelling so much. The real title is just in the context of all the other bionic-themed tracks on the album, but people already identified “Lotuseffekt” with the title “Bionik”. I’m sorry for that. 

This is your second LP of the year, do you find making music a rapid process?

"It’s not really my second LP, because “Heimische Gefilde” was more a compilation of older tracks, but new edits, and a bit of education about bird-singing. It took me a very long time to finish “Bionik”, because I would listen to a track 100 times before I was satisfied. Finding ideas sometimes is a rapid process, but producing well balanced music takes much time."

Do you have a constant flow of ideas or do you sometimes find it dries up?

"Like everybody else, I sometimes have no musical ideas, so I have to find my inspiration; we’re not machines. I switch off my mobile phone and go for a walk through the woods or the meadows in front of my studio. On a Monday, especially after a hard weekend, I’m usually not very motivated and try going to a sauna or something like that, which helps to recharge my batteries. In January I took a month off from DJing so I could relax a bit and have more time in the studio."

Much has been said about your affinity with nature and how this affects your work, do you have a method of bringing elements of nature into electronic music?

"I sometimes use sounds from animals I have recorded. Either you can identify them directly, like in my remix for Dirt Crew “Largo”, or you can just hear them and not realise, like in my remix for Pier Buccis “L’nuit”. There is a frog singing all the time, but a lot of animals sound like a synthesizer or vice versa. For example, you can compare a frog croaking to a 303.

Nature is my main source of inspiration; I very often try to paint acoustic images, to make them the soundtrack to a special feeling when I was outside. My music is rich with details and surprises, like when you are rambling, you never now what’s around the next corner."

What else influences your work?

"Of course there are always very innovative young producers who inspire me and I also get a lot of musical input at weekends, but my friends are also influencing me, especially Gabriel Ananda. We phone each other every couple of days and we meet up once a week to chat about music, technology, life, astronomy and nature ‘til the morning light. I’m really glad to have him because we can exchange our knowledge about music and everything."

What has it been like working with Cocoon and playing places like Amnesia last summer? Any other highlights?

"For me it was a big honour to release an album on Sven Väth’s label. He was the person who brought me to techno music in the early 90s. I grew up in a very rural area and the first contact I had with electronic music was Sven’s radio show “HR3 Clubnight”.
I’m really happy with Cocoon, I can work very freely with no pressure and I have a very friendly relationship with them. Amnesia always has a great atmosphere, very enthusiastic. I enjoyed all the festivals too; I always feel the most comfortable at those."

What are you up to for 2008?