Name: Jakob Mäder
Nationality: German
Occupation: Producer, DJ
Current release: Jakob Mäder's new album A Matter of Time is out via Freund der Familie. About the record, Mäder says that, for him, “it’s been a dream for very long to release music that isn’t for the dancefloor only and works as a listening journey. 10 very personal tracks on a label that I’m a fan of since years. I really can’t complain about that and am super happy to share it with the world.”

If you enjoyed this Jakob Mäder interview and would like to stay up to date with his music, visit him on Instagram, and Soundcloud. 



What were some of the musical experiences which planted a seed for your interest in electronic music?

First of all I have to name the movie Berlin Calling. I watched it around 2010 and the emotions inside the soundtrack just touched me, so I wanted to learn more about this kind of music.

From that on, I was hooked and dived deeper and deeper.



Most genres of music make use of electronic production means. What does the term “electronic music” mean today, would you say?

I think electronic music is an easy phrase for a lot of styles that aren’t sounding classic or known to the consumer. But as genres are blending and production is getting more and more individual, there aren’t any major boundaries any more.

For me, everything is just music - and if you’re lucky, you manage to connect some dots, find background of genres and scenes and understand more.

But if it’s electronic music, classical music or whatever you wanna call it - does that really matter?

Disco, house, techno, drum n bass, IDM and many other genres were about a lot more than just music. For you personally, is electronic music (still) a way of life – and if so, in which way?

It’s a way of life.

Music, and especially everything around house music has been leading me home for many years. It’s bringing me peace and the feeling that everything is good - which it is, even if it doesn't seem that way right now.

It’s freedom of expression and mostly about connecting people and that is a very important thing.

What are examples for artists, performances, and releases that really inspired you recently and possibly gave you the feeling of having experienced something fresh and new?

I was very happy to see a new album of one of my favourite producers popping up: Moomin - Into The Distance.



Also, I was lucky that Moomin mastered some of my upcoming tracks and all I wanna say is, that this guy definitely knows what he’s doing.

What kind of musical/sonic materials, and ideas are particularly stimulating for your own work right now?

I listen to a lot of ambient and experimental music, experiments with field recordings and enjoy the beauty of noise and distortion.

That said, I end up mostly making house tracks in the end - guess that’s just where I always need to come back to.

Where do most of your inspirations to create come from – rather from internal impulses or external ones? Which current social / political / ecological or other developments make you feel like you need to respond as an artist?

I mean, it does feel weird to “only“ do music in times when a lot of bad things are happening in the world.

Still, I strongly believe that music helps bring people together and that always is a good thing. It’s what I can give and I’m happy to be in contact with people through music.

That’s also the main inspiration: Being with friends, in nature, trying to enjoy the little moments and connect.

Today, electronic music has an interesting relationship between honouring its roots and exploring the unknown. What does the balance between these two poles look like in your music?

You should know where the roots are to build something on a solid foundation. Remembering the early heroes and heroines of house music or music in general is essential to me.

To me, it’s mandatory to have some history lessons every now and then, be it about clubs or influential tracks. Watch a documentary, read a book or talk to people that experienced it and learn from that. And, then, maybe you can create something new or at least your own interpretation of something you’re connected with.

And of course, give something back and try to help other people, if you can.

How, would you say are your live performances and your recording projects connected at the moment? How do they mutually influence and feed off each other?

Inspiration comes and goes. But, for me, a mainstay for new motivation is going out, and listening to music. I need that just as much as watching tutorials, playing music as a DJ and on my own.

And the other way round too, after some days in the studio I want to play that music for other people and after some DJ sets I need time to process this experiences in a studio session.