Page 32 - DemoZone Magazine Issue 003

FEATURE INTERVIEW
" Now techno has many different directions and you can find a lot of techno tracks that allows you to play your own unique style. "
Skober is a Ukrainian born techno DJ & Producer with his own unique deep- techno style. His early background and experiences playing in a rock band in his youth, gave him the framework to build upon his as of yet undiscovered love of the repetitive beats. It is of no surprise that after being exposed to the infectious House rhythms he immersed himself in this electronic experience.
Since then Skober has replaced the guitar with a set of decks and synths and has gone to produce many tracks and remixes for labels such as Phobiq, Analytictrail, Respekt, Trapez, Fone Audio, Remain, Rhythm Converted, Spark Musik, Code, Organism. He is supported by such famous artists as Adam Beyer, Alan Fitzpatrick, Joseph Capriati, Slam, Dubfire, Sasha Carassi, Markantonio, Luigi Madonna, Harvey McKay, Mark Reeve, Spektre, Tom Hades, Axel Karakasis, Steve Parker Loco & Jam, Mr. Bizz, RedHead and many others. So watch out and support!
Zone hooked up with Skober in the studio to get his side of things...
How have your earlier musical influences, such as rock impacted on your intense crisp techno sound, how did it all begin?
I was playing in the Rock band just for fun and I didn't have any plans to do it as a professional and make a career with this kind of music. But after I heard house music for the first time, I decided to start producing this style. After that I started to find more styles of electronic dance music, and found two genres that resonated with me - Minimal and Techno. My first D.A.W was FL Studio, and with this software I started to learn how to make Minimal Techno tracks. One of them was my track called "Controller". Is was released on Ukrainian label "Perfect Groove Digital" in 2007. And after 2011 I started to make darker techno tracks. One of my dark Techno tracks was "Uniminor’’. Since 2012 I got more involved in big European Techno labels that had a darker sound. So since I have released on labels such a
"CODE" (Loco & Jam's), "Phobiq" (Sasha Carassi's), "Remain" (Axel Karakasis's), "Fone Audio" and many more. It was my first steps to professional Techno music!
You have had an interesting and successful production career with some monster releases on Phobiq and Drumcode, how would you describe your sound?
My music is not 100% techno sound I dont think. I like to put in my tracks some tech
house beats, some synth parts which sounds like in the 90's, some vocal parts but I always prefer to use very strong and powerful techno kicks and bass lines. I always try to make something interesting, something memorable for the listeners. I don't want to have all my tracks with one template. My best friends help me when I'm producing my tracks they are my ears and my soul! They always helps me to find a right direction of my sound.
You have had a busy schedule over the last 12 months in various countries on the DJ front, what has been your highlights?
All my gigs give me many highlights and big emotionally for me. I love to share my feelings inside my soul through the music. So I can't make the best one.
Which is the most inspiring track from the past 12 months that you have produced and why, and what’s next?
My track "Membrane" is the best one I think. In this track I made a very interesting melody which consists with very nice synth sounds. This track has a special atmosphere that I like very much. Maybe because of that Adam Beyer has taken "Membrane" to his label Drumcode. The next big track from me in my opinion is "Back to Life". I very much love this track, by the way, now I'm working on my first album, and I'm trying to make it so that all my fans who will be listening to my album will be able to feel all that I have in my soul and in my mind.
Have you got any tips for aspiring Techno producers and DJ’s, and what they should be looking out for?
First of all if you're an aspiring Techno producer you must to be very self- organised. Because besides producing you must do many other things to grow up as an artist. You must spend a lot of time active in social networks, to find new connections with another producers who can help you to contact with owners of big labels or promoters. It will be useful to learn the basics of marketing. If you really love what you do, just do it in spite of everything. Be more interested in many different kinds of techno and house music. And improve your sound in every track you make.
If you could pick anyone to collaborate with in the studio, who would it be, and why?
I really like Alan Fitzpatrick's music and it would be great to collaborate with him. For me his tracks are the most harmonious and saturated. I really like his oldschool synths. Also I would like to collaborate with Joseph
Capriati, who has very original sound, or with Harvey McKey, because he has unique techno-house sound with super original vocal parts. For me it would be a very big experience to work with any of big artists like them. By the way, I have recently collaborated with my friend and very good techno producer from Ukraine Yan Oxygen. We have done a collaboration track called "Take a Look Inside" which was released on "Phobiq". I highly recommend listening to it!
How has techno evolved over the last decade, and what are your thoughts on it?
Over the last decade techno has evolved to a slower bpm. Now it has 124-128 bpm instead of 133-138 bpm. But now it has a more quality sound for me. Now techno has many different directions and you can find a lot of techno tracks that allows to play your own unique style. Another thing which I can notice is the quality of the sound. Now it has a better sound. Every year the technology is improving and it's allowing the evolving of the techno-sound too. Now more techno producers have moved to making music with only digital vst synth instead of hardware instruments. So many young producers can make the tracks only with their home computers, and don’t need to buy expensive studio equipment. As a result we have a new generation of techno producers who make their contribution to the sound of new Techno world.
What exciting future gigs have you got planned?
As I said before, I love the tracks of Alan Fitzpatrick and he is one of my favourite sound producers. And this weekend I will be playing with him in the Netherlands. I'm very much looking forward to this gig and to meet him! And for sure I'm looking forward to my other gigs in many countries to share my music with people who love great parties good music and massive sound systems! Also I plan to play in next ADE in Amsterdam, I plan to play my very first set in China, and maybe I will be able to visit USA on my DJ tour. I'm very much looking forward to every gig. It's my life, it's my passion!
CONNECT: http://www.facebook.com/SkoberDj http://www.beatport.com/artist/ skober/82820 https://soundcloud.com/digitalorganism/ organism-replication-014-skober
Words by Mike Moggi Mannix and DaGeneral Pics By Maite De Lorenzo Bollen