We caught up with Berlin’s Torsten Kanzler for a quick chat..
So tell us a bit about your musical history, what is your earliest memory of music and how long was it before you found yourself under the electronic music umbrella?
I come from a musical family, when I was about 4 years old we used to sing together with guitar and accordion very often. I don’t remember a lot though. I played the accordion a bit longer but then lost interest in it. As a teenager I went to rock and punk concerts until a friend took me to an illegal techno party. This whole new experience totally fascinated me and from that moment on there was only electronic music in my life. All in all music is my companion since I was born.
Do you feel that the town/city you grew up in helped shape you as an artist?
Maybe subconsciously. I lived in Berlin from the age of 14, you have a lot of opportunities to get inspiration there with its numerous clubs and DJ’s. Although I think the city shaped the person Torsten Kanzler more than it shaped the artist.
What came first for you, was it DJing or producing?
The hen or the egg? I started off as a DJ and wanted to mix records and after a few years I thought about producing my own. Since I had no clue how to do it I gathered friends around me who knew how. Explaining my musical thoughts to the producer became a problem for me, because there’s always the producer’s handwriting in my track. That made me produce on my own really soon.
This latest EP Makro is set for release through your own imprint of TKR. Why did you decide to start your own label?
Like everyone I have my own taste in music, not always fitting the taste of other people. To showcase my idea of Techno to the public I needed my own label. That’s when I launched TKR in 2009.
Do you feel running a label has changed the sound you produce since you are always searching for new releases and artists?
No. On TKR I tend to release tracks that rock my world and put a smile on my face. It’s a fact that you become more picky on the track’s sound quality, the master or the graphics, but that’s the usual process when you’re busy with the same stuff. Though I would say that my work as a DJ and producer with all it’s experience and impressions influenced my label work the most.
Is there a favourite release from the label over the years? What makes it so special?
I love all the releases to be honest, here are no favourite, all releases come from the heart.
How would you best describe the sound of TKR and what does it take to become a part of the family?
TKR stands for impulsive, deep and pushing techno. Everyone whose track convinces me and puts a smile on my face has the chance to be part of the TKR family. I only release tracks I can relate to.
Going back to your upcoming release, what did you set out to achieve with this collection?
I hope my fans love it and of course I want to win some new fans over.
How did you go about selecting who would remix the two original tracks and why did you settle on Sven Wittekind and Drumcomplex & Roel Salemink?
I have already worked a few times with Sven in the past. I appreciate his friendship and like his productions a lot. His remix is definitely my favourite and shows that he is a very good remixer. Just like Drumcomplex, whose work convinced me in the past. I had him on my wish list a long time now.
What is next for yourself as an artist and also the label?
In the last years I constantly developed my sound. At the moment I’m totally into analogue synths and really like it tribal and groovy which you can hear on my new release. My goal as an artist and for the label is to be more present in the international techno scene.
And finally what are your top five tracks in your set right now?
1. Torsten Kanzler – Makro (Sven Wittekind Remix)
2. Medicine Man (Original Mix)
3. Niereich & Xhei – Acid Rain (Original Mix)
4. Bart Skills – Lost Boys (Original Mix)
5. Frankyeffe – Go Away From Here (Original Mix)