FIBER Podcast 015 Refracted

What this episode covers

With fall looming and times of darkness ahead, it is the perfect time to present the next installment of the FIBER Podcast. Berlin based DJ and producer Refracted challenges the listener to experience the various layers of deep techno. “This mix was recorded in a very special afterhour session with close friends at my home in Berlin. This recording is made with love and dedicated to them.” For Refracted (Alex) It all started back in 2000 with Birmingham techno: “Thanks to a friend of mine I found out about this Spanish radio program (Zona 3) which played techno mixes on Friday- and Saturday nights. I used to lie down in bed with my headphones and just listen to the mixes. Listening to these new sounds so intensely, I really felt the music. It conveyed feelings and emotions no other music had done before. The presenter of the show Sonia Briz transmitted a huge love and admiration for every artist that it really set you into the mood for the mix. Thanks to her I discovered artists such as Oscar Mulero, Jeff Mills, Richie Hawtin, Surgeon, Regis, Christian Wunsch; dark, raw and industrial techno at its best.” Before his acquaintance with electronic music, Alex came from quite a varied musical background. His older brother was of great influence and responsible for getting him interested in music. “I used to borrow all his tapes and listen to them non stop. There was so much to choose from; Queen and Bowie, The Velvet Underground, The Doors, and finally Depeche Mode and Joy Division. In hindsight I was already shaping up my path towards electronic sounds without even realising it.” Finding connections between genres and artists is one of the joys of a music lover. “I am lucky to have met many like minded people in this incredible city (Berlin) and we always enjoy getting together to play records.” After a while the repetitive mode of techno can become a bit boring. Therefore, an outing to another genre can be quite refreshing. “I feel very much inspired by ambient and experimental music. There are too many artists and labels to mention but Thomas Köner, Eleh, Kevin Drumm, Pan American, Raime, Ezekiel Honig are the ones who caught my special attention. Labels such as Digitalis, Type, Further or Blackest ever Black can’t seem to go wrong.” These days the artists from the Prologue label constantly manage to amaze and inspire. Artists such as Donato Dozzy, Mike Parker and Dino Sabatini have been creating sounds that never disappoint. “Other artists that inspire me are; Natural/Electronic.System, Alan Backdrop and Air Protection Office. I’m lucky to have become quite good friends with most of them and have to say that, be it either through their mixes or their tracks, I always feel a very deep connection with the sounds and the taste. The same can be said for the Prologue artists.” The music is dark just like Refracted preferred color black. “There is something very interesting and beautiful in Dark music. It’s elegant, meaningful and it can also get very deep. If you understand it you love it. But I can see why it’s not for everyone.” This love for darkness also prolongs in his visual inspiration sources “I’m into abstract photography. A good idea of what inspires me can be seen in my tumblr page ( http://alex-eme.tumblr.com/ ). Dark imagery, the universe, space and the female body are all sources of inspiration. These elements also are seen in the artwork. “The image for this podcast perfectly represents what I want my listeners to experience while hearing my music or mixes.” Soon Refracted will release an EP on Silent Season. Follow us for more information.

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