Features
Gold Artist 002: SCNTST
German youngster whose rise to success has been orchestrated by Boys Noize.
Mixmag: Gold Artist is a new series dedicated to the DJs and producers who we think are making the strongest waves within dance music right now. Up next is SCNTST, the German youngster whose rise to success has been orchestrated by Boys Noize.
Exclusive interview and track premiere below.
When Bryan Müller started to get props for his unique, intricate and complex productions he was only 17 years old. That in itself is some achievement but when the person backing you from the start is German visionary Boys Noize it's a recipe for something very special.
Growing up immersing himself him the skate and snowboarding scene, Muller took an early interest in hip hop, specifically the sounds of J Dilla.
When he was discovered by Boys Noize he then had an outlet to push the music he'd been making in his early years and with his home at BNR he's matured at an alarmingly fast rate.
His inimitable style ranges from dark warehouse techno to glitchy and erratic two-step all the way to sweeping and melancholic bass music. No two tracks are the same yet his sound is unquestionably his own.
We caught up with SCNTST ahead of the release of his debut album 'Self Therapy' and got to grips with how being taught by the master shaped him today and how he feels about his rise to stardom.
You first started at Boys Noize Records back in 2011 through Alex Ridha hearing some of your tracks. At such a young age how did that feel and what ran through your head at the time?
It was of course very exciting and cool to be signed as a teenager by Alex. His own music was always a big influence on me so to have his backing is a real honour and I'm very proud of this. My approach on how to produce tracks however is still the same as it has always been and he has always
encouraged me to stay true to myself, to keep doing what I do production-wise and follow my own path. This is almost more important to me, the combination of having Alex on my side and being allowed to express myself in the way I want and always have.
Was it ever daunting entering into something were you were predominantly younger than your peers?
Not really, I didn't even know how old my peers are, I just kept doing what I do and it has developed from there. I don't go to clubs very often, I just like to do my own thing and if people like it then I am happy.
Had you always wanted to be an electronic producer or did you have other passions growing up?
I used to be very keen on skateboarding and snowboarding, and really liked making and cutting videos about it so I guess something like that. All my interests are creatively driven and I enjoy seeing something evolve from start to finish.
How did you first discover you had a talent for making your unique brand of techno/electronica?
I always loved making music and I discovered I had a unique style especially when I was signed by Alex. I love developing intricate rhythms and sequences on midi keyboards and playing around with melody and structure and this probably forms the basis of my sound. It is always a great feeling when people who inspire me, come up to me and tell me that they like what I am doing.
You've cited the work of J.Dilla and several hip-hop acts as massive influences to you. Why are they so special to you and how have they influenced your album?
They have their own sound and the ability to touch me, impress me and inspire me in a unique and different way I can't explain.
What is it like having Alex as a mentor and someone who has backed you from the start? Do you feel any pressure from it?
I feel no pressure, it is very helpful to have this very experienced and knowledgable guy on my side. I really like the fact that Alex is still - despite his huge success - very down to earth and it is very cool hanging out with him. We get on well and he gets what I'm doing.
Last year Alex said that he had over 200 songs of yours on his hard drive and this year you were going to pick the best for the album. How did you go about doing that and are you upset you missed some out?
Alex and I picked out the songs that we thought would fit best on this album, no regrets about anything being missed out - there will be opportunities in the future for the other stuff that I have done. A lot of the tracks were written a long time ago and it was a difficult process as it wasn't easy to be objective about that and the fact that some of them felt 'old' - this is part of the reason the album is called 'Self therapy' - the whole process was like a therapy for me.
Talk to us a bit about the album, there are so many different styles, tempos and lengths on it. Did you want to get across that you can make the best in each or include styles that you were passionate about?
I just used the styles because I really like them I think. I don't start a track with a particular style in mind, they evolve throughout the process and sometimes take on different style, and tempos along the way.
The song we are premiering is 'Self
Therapy'. Explain a bit behind this track. It's the final and longest track of the album and arguably the most anthemic.
I'd like everybody to listen to the songs themselves and make up their own minds about what they like and how each song feels for them. I try not to talk about the tracks because I want people to listen to them with no pre-conceptions at all.
In an ideal world what do you want to achieve with this album?
Make money and get all the bitches.
SCNTST's debut album is released on November 18 and he plays at Fabric tonight for the Boys Noize Records takeover.
