Alex Niggemann Interview: I want to release music purely for lovers

Germany certainly isn’t short on talented producers, but that hasn’t stopped Alex Niggemann from standing out from many of his peers. Possessing that deft ability to marry the funk of house to a more clinical aesthetic, he’s currently about to start a brand new record label after his album, Paranoid Funk, dropped on Steve Bug’s Poker Flat records last year, and was kind enough to speak to us off the back of a gruelling gig schedule after Sonar.

You’re part of the Future Gods stage at Global Gathering this year. Have you played many UK festivals before and are you looking forward to the event?

Yes, I did a few so far. Always good fun, although some of them ended up pretty muddy. UK weather is not a festival’s best friend. But yes, I’m really looking forward to this one. Global Gathering is a great festival! 

We’ve also seen you played Positive Education on Saturday 16^th June at Sound Control, Manchester. Have you a strong relationship with the city at all?

I already played many shows here during the last five years and never got disappointed. So yes, I really like Manchester as a city and also as a place to go out and have fun. That’s because of having a lot of friends and colleagues there.

How does the scene here compare with in your country, Germany?

I’d definitely say that the UK scene is, and always has been, very different compared to the German scene, which is a positive and refreshing thing for both countries. The mixture of both parts makes it become interesting.

You can definitely hear the difference between German and English inspired sounds. House music in the UK has usually got a touch of Garage/D’n’B or Dubstep, while the German sound sometimes feels more straight and clean with less big touches.

You’ve just come back from Sonar. How important is the festival and all the off parties in the global dance music calendar?

I just came home now and I still feel pretty smashed. I had one week full of Off-Sonar gigs and then Munich and Manchester on the weekend. I had a good time, it’s always nice to meet so many people from the music industry at one place. Of course it’s also work, but combined with meeting friends, enjoying sunny rooftop parties and chilling on the beach from time to time, it could be worse!

No, honestly – I like Sonar and I think it’s one of the most important events in the global dance music calendar.

You released your album ‘Paranoid Funk’ last year. Have you been happy with how it has been perceived?

I’m definitely happy with everything, I got lots of great feedback. I also think one important factor is where I released it. Poker Flat is a big and well-established label in today’s electronic music scene. They're perfectly connected and have a brilliant network and a great family spirit.

The whole team consists of experienced people working who are highly professional and accurate, that's why I felt from the beginning, without any doubt, about the fact that my album is in good hands there. I definitely approved of the great feedback, good sales and brilliant promo results we received. Collaborating with Poker Flat was clearly one of the best steps in my career which helped me a lot.

What else can we expect form you in the upcoming months production wise?

The first release on my new label AEON, an EP from myself called ‘Just A Little’ feat. Jonny Cruz is just out now. Remixes come from Steve Bug and Glimpse. I also just finished some tracks for Poker Flat, which will be released spontaneously now at the end of next month because we think these might do pretty well during summer. I’m also working on some more tracks these days… Just coming back from Sonar now, I’m inspired and full of new ideas.

Have you any exciting news to reveal about your label, AEON?

Yeah, as you might know, I just started AEON. I always wanted to do my very own thing, release the music I’m 100% behind. I created AEON to be a platform for a crew of talented artists, who share the same thoughts about House Music and its way of life, creating one platform to release music that stands for quality and that certain something.

I want to release music purely for lovers, for people who cut their own path, who dance just the way they feel, celebrating and being passionate about what they do without following rules and trends; the things which characterized the “rave culture” of the nineties. That’s what really fascinates me! As I told, the first release is out now. Also the next releases are already planned, there’s a lot of nice stuff coming up, trust me!  

Finally what else can we expect from you this summer?

Definitely a lot of touring, my schedule looks crazy. But I’m really looking forward to this!

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