INTERVIEW: Kris Menace

German producer KRIS MENACE released his latest LP Features late last year to an avalanche of positive reviews by going beyond the regular tropes of the electronic album and crafted a sound totally his own. Recently we had a chat with the guy.

You released two albums in the last year, 'Electric Horizon' and 'Features', which included vocals by some pretty impressive names such as Julian Hamilton from THE PRESETS, MISS KITTIN, Simon Lord of SIMIAN and JUSTICE fame, as well as ROMANTHONY, who sung on DAFT PUNK's 'One More Time'. How'd you manage to find time to do all of this?

I always seem to work on a number of different projects at the same time, so I’m used to juggling a lot of things. The Features album needed patience, to fit in with everyone’s schedule, there was a lot of too-ing and fro-ing, but I really enjoyed the process, so it was never a chore. I also have a great team around me, who help me with most of the annoying parts of the business.

How'd you get all of these people involved? Was it as simple as calling them up and asking them to be apart of it?

To be honest, I already had connections with most of the artists on Features. So, it wasn’t hard to persuade them to be involved. Of the ones who I had no prior relationship, it was simply a question of just asking them directly or their management. Luckily pretty much everybody I approached was up for it. Sometimes schedules didn’t fit, but everyone was keen. I’m very proud of what we all created together. I love the album.

Who was your favourite person to work with on 'Features'?

A gentleman never tells. However, there were two collaborations that just clicked which have resulted in new projects that we’re working on. Honestly, it was great to work with everybody on the album! Everybody was really nice, easy to work with and I think we all had fun doing it.

The latest single from your new album is called 'Trusting Me' and has vocals by Robert Owens. An instrumental version of the track can also be heard on 'Electric Horizon'. Was this song always going to have vocals in it?

Yes, when I originally did the instrumental it was intended for Robert. I had already imagined his voice on it. That’s why Trusting Me was already called that name on my fully instrumental album Electric Horizon. In fact, by the time I’d released Electric Horizon, the vocal version was already complete.

Last year you launched 'Electric Horizon' at Razzmatazz in Barcelona with the help of HEXSTATIC on live visuals. Why did you choose to launch your record at this particular club, rather than in your home country of Germany?

Razzmatazz has always been one of my favourite clubs. I have played there so many times over the last eight years that I’ve become close friends with the guys who run it and I really love the open mindedness of the audience there. It was clear in my head that I was going to do my first ever live show at Razzmatazz.

I remember you mentioning how amazing that night was on Facebook and Twitter. Is there something special you can share with us about it?

It really was a special night. There was magic everywhere. It’s rare, but this night had it all for me. The whole Razzmatazz team came, most of the people from the Sonar Festival, it was just a who’s who of the Barcelona music scene coming together with a great audience who was really open minded to what came musically. This night was full of special moments.

What do you love most about performing live?

What I really loved about playing live is that I’m able to perform my own music the way I want, without too many expectations. It’s beautiful to prepare a whole show with your own music, it’s more personal and the result is that it’s even more beautiful to see how people react to it. Although it’s not easy to remember all the melodies I had to play live on a keytar. That was pretty nerve-racking.

What about DJing?

To play live is certainly something very different to DJing, which I also love. Not all my music is made for DJs, which is why I enjoy being able to play live and perform tracks that you wouldn’t normally hear in a club environment.

I love to DJ by heart though and really love to share the music I like, even if it’s techno or house. I really don’t care about genres; I just do my own thing. This can be hard when you have a crowd in front of you who just want the Ed Banger sound for example. I have a feeling that people are a bit lost with DJs at the moment, because everybody is one.

Unlike a lot of other electronic artists, it appears as though you put producing well ahead of touring. Would you say that this is true?

Yes, I kind of lost the love of performing in clubs and all the travelling. I don't think my expectations of touring were ever met. That’s why I developed more into being a producer, an artist even. I would never simply call myself a DJ.

The last time you toured Australia was way back in 2007 when you DJ'ed with ALAN BRAXE at the now defunct We Love Sounds Festival, do you plan to return to Australia anytime soon?

Actually, something went wrong with my work visa and so a mutual friend of Alan’s and mine performed on the tour as a replacement. I have never been to Australia and don’t have immediate plans to go there, even though I would really love to. I like the people and the country a lot. In fact my parents had plans to move there before I was born, but for whatever reason I ended up with German nationality in my passport now. It’s not so bad to be honest.

Words by Tony Kingston

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