Catching Up With...Anthony Rother and Stream His Live Set

From the early days of Anthony Rother’s career, he became something of a figurehead for the electro scene. His output circa Sex With The Machines combined the raw funk of breakbeat with a mastery of the analogue equipment that still make up his studio and his sound today but it was really through him setting down the vocoder and adopting four four that created the sound he became really known for – see his Popkiller albums released on Rother’s own Datapunk imprint. He’s also kept a parallel body of work for the more experimental works he creates in the depth of his extensive studio, releases on the Fax +49-69/450464 label have been more ambient in tone and are a beautiful diversion into sonic land capes and warm electronic machine tones. Returning to a more usual setting for the dancefloor end of his work, Rother’s set to appear in Room Two here in Farringdon this Saturday. Occasionally when performing he’ll dive all heady into diversions at the more ambient end of is varied output, which you can hear for yourselves in this live set recorded here at fabric last year. We also got to talk to the Berlin based performer about his working history and how he’s looking forward to diversifying further through taking his music into the visual realm. To start from the beginning, what was it that first made you want to start producing on electronic equipment? I’m a great fan of Kraftwerk, and the first Casio synthesizer I bought was the one the band Trio used for their hit “Da Da Da”. It took me quite a while to figure out that I was making what they called electronic music; it was only when Kanzleramt signed me that I actually realized there was this scene. You’re known for taking electro, and making it your own by downing the vocoder and introducing more four four beats – why did you feel that was the right way to go? Quite simply because I find the four four beat more contemporary and modern than a breakbeat, and also because I’ve done my experimenting with the broken beat. It’s the combination between electro and four four that’s interesting too. From seeing videos of your studio from 2006 and 2009 you’ve made some big changes in the studio, eliminating the hardware mixing desk for example – what’s been your biggest change this year? Do you change things around often? The greatest change since 2011 is that I have a digital mixing desk now, from Avid, the Venue sc48 console, which can manage plug-ins easily. I really can’t work without a mixing desk, because I produce music in jams, and you just can’t jam without a mixing desk. As such I’m always changing my studio, adapting it to my ideas. What’s never changed? Anything that you think will always be at the centre of your studio? Me. I’ve never changed. One more techy question, you master your own work, do you think there’s anything to gain by having another set of ears do that job? I don’t do all the mastering by myself. I work together with Tony Calhoun at M3 Mastering, but I am there whenever we do the mastering and we do master the tracks together, down to the very smallest detail, until I’m perfectly happy with the sound. Last year, you released three more ambient based works, they’re pretty beautiful to be honest why’s it important for you to make this kind of music as well as your more ‘Datapunk’ music? It’s important for me as an artist to vary with various forms and styles and to do what I enjoy doing. My experimental material - I prefer calling it experimental as opposed to ambient - goes beyond background music, it nourishes my other material. You’ve said in previous interviews you’re looking to work on a more visual level, collaborating with film makers – are the videos for your recent twelve inch that we blogged her e a product of that direction? Yes. I work together with Format67, run and owned by camera man and director Daniel Michaelis. We’re currently working on the video for my next release and will start filming in the next few weeks. My next album will also feature a film and I’m currently writing the script. I see the visual and the musical aspects all as one and the same creative unit - I’ve been doing video since 1996 - and I often have a visual idea when I produce my music. What visual artists do you find interesting at the moment? I’ve seen some chatter from you recently on the topic If I started listing everything I like we would probably still be here in 2 days’ time. I suppose what interests me most are futuristic films from the 1960s to the 1980s that illustrate a type of realistic futurism, i.e. with authentic worlds. If you watch the Grid Stripper video, you can see what I mean. In the past you’ve shared the studio with DJ Hell and Sven Vath, they’re both known for being interesting characters and stand out producers – what was it like working with them? Can you share any stories? What goes in the studio stays in the studio. Working with the two is very productive. They are both music lovers and have a vast knowledge of music they can share with me, both in my role as a mixer and producer. Anyone who’s ever been in a studio and has seen how tracks happen will also be able to imagine what it might be like, and I don’t think things are much different in other studios. What’re you currently working on now? You had a vinyl out earlier this summer, is there an album to follow in that vain? There is a new 12’’ coming out in November, “Traumzeitreise”. I’m also working on a new album, which is planned for autumn 2013 as a larger package, with a film and a soundtrack album and a club album… And finally, what can we expect from your show at the club? Is it a mix of old and new? Basically, the punters should expect themselves. The show will be between me and the crowd, everyone’s involved. And, of course, I’ very excited about playing at Fabric and also a little bit nervous, which is good. It shows it’s a very emotional occasion.