Throughout history, human beings have had a fascination with masks and the power we perceive them to hold. Enjoying a history almost as long as our own, rulers and governments have successively fought to control their use in the interest of maintaining public order. In the 12th century, Pope Innocent III banned masks as part of a crackdown on immorality among the clergy whilst in 1845, New York State made it illegal for more than two people to wear masks in public after farmers in the Hudson Valley dressed up as Native Americans and killed their landlords. Around the globe, people wear masks for rituals and ceremonies wherein they need to, for want of a better term, cut loose — from the violent masked clowns of the Mexican Yaqui Pascola to festival goers attending the many carnival celebrations across Europe; disguising oneself does seem to offer up a bizarre libertarian sense of freedom.
Over the course of the last century sociologists have collected empirical data showing that masks make people more likely to violate rules and norms. The point isn’t lost on masked German techno auteur Redshape whose signature red visage has become almost as famous as the music it was designed to promote. “When I first pulled on the mask, it was simply to prevent people knowing it was me behind the alias.” Redshape explains. “At the time music forums had exploded and a lot of artists were getting a lot of criticism from fans for the slightest change of musical direction. Being quite sensitive I really didn’t want to read horrible things about the music I was making so I thought it best to use a new moniker if I wanted to be able to truly express myself in the way I wanted. Then when people reacted positively to it as a new project, I felt really honoured and realised that the anonymity of the mask did more than protect me, it caused people to focus on the music rather than me as a person and so it worked on two levels. Then as Redshape became bigger, it ended up having the opposite effect as the mask started to become a talking point in itself! People were still talking about the music but the mask had taken a far more prominent role than I wanted it to. For some reason it captured people’s imagination in a way I couldn’t have foreseen.”
So does the man born Sebastian Kramer think that too much focus is placed upon artist’s personalities in 2015? “That’s what I thought when I put the mask on ten years ago and it’s what I think now.” He asserts. “In that sense techno has become like pop music where everybody was and to a certain extent still do look to a small number of artists – the same 5 or 6 people who…” he stops him self short so as not to name names. “ Look, I’m a pretty old school guy in terms of how I got in touch with and look at electronic music. For me it was always based upon respect, being cool, underground and intelligent. Sadly, it’s not like that for everyone.” He laments. “The scene has become totally pop focused and whilst I initially didn’t like it I’ve got used to it. I’m older now and see the world in a different way to when I first put the mask on. What it offers me now is different. It’s not about hiding anymore. It’s acting. Redshape is my alter ego. When I put the mask on I’m that character. I have some things that I only do when I don the mask. I don’t know why. If people watch me when I play they may notice some strange moves I do involuntarily. That’s a cool thing for me, that I’m secure enough to express myself to the maximum.”
Talk turns to DJing. Widely regarded as one of the most forward-thinking electronic artists of today, his rich approach to creating new and exciting music, while also pushing the boundaries of what a live show can be continues to expand minds and challenge orthodoxies. From the very outset his work showed a nous for the unconventional and it was this experimental edge to his production style that has seen comparisons made to some of electronic music’s most visionary artists. As big fans of his work both on stage and in the studio we enquire as to whether we can expect him to find him in the DJ booth again in 2015. “Well I was just in the process of selecting records to play at Berghain this weekend when you called!” he laughs in a display of a jovial nature and dry wit that occasionally peppers moments of our conversation. It belies a man who, in contrast, makes such wild, and at times, industrial sounding techno. After describing what he has planned for the legendary Berlin monolith – 7 hours of “classic, soul drenched techno” – we discuss him making a more regular habit of taking to the wheels of steel. “I’m constantly thinking about doing more DJ sets but there are several reasons why I’m not convinced that I should… Both are from a health perspective. I’m really proud of my ears which are still working perfectly and I know if I were playing 3-4 hour DJ sets every week at some point I would notice them start to deteriorate and lose hearing functionality. Secondly, I’m a person who can’t really say no, so I’m sure I would drink a lot more than I do when delivering a one hour show! The mask limits my ability to drink but even if I was DJing with the mask I’m sure that I would be ducking under the booth to drink vodka and that… every week would not be so healthy… But I love DJing. Lots of the time, after finishing my live set I’ll end up playing back to back sets with resident DJs because I love to DJ. I’ll always have a USB with me to use just in case an opportunity presents itself to play with them and that’s really nice. I’ve also played some Redshape only sets which really were great fun so I’m thinking of how to best manage it. Perhaps next year I’ll work it out…”
With such a love of selecting, does he feel that the art of DJing has been lost somewhat in the digital age? “Undoubtedly.” He responds. “Until fairly recently, I was super vinyl only. It took me a long time to decide to learn how to use CDJs and even then the way I mix using them is as if I were mixing vinyl.” Being a latecomer to the CDJ revolution we enquire as to what his thoughts are regarding Native instruments newly designed audio format, Stems. For the uninitiated the concept is simple: rather than simply having a whole track – to which DJs can only apply EQs and effects – Stems breaks tracks down into four component parts, e.g. drums, bass, vocals and synths. This then allows DJs to combine and affect different elements of tracks in ways which they never could before, but Redshape isn’t convinced the development is a positive one. “I won’t release any Stems” he tells us from deep within the bowels of his studio. “The thing with Stems is that it goes even further than pre-synced mixing. You’re going deeper to the core of the actual music and I don’t think that’s a good idea. A lot of people don’t know anything about harmonic structures so I’d imagine it could have some fairly horrible outcomes musically. From an artist perspective it wouldn’t be nice to hear someone butchering my tracks. I’m shocked, not at just how many labels have signed up for it but at some of the ones that have too. Depending on how much work has been put in – and I’m assuming most artists put in a lot of work to the different aspects of their material – the basslines, the percussion etc. to then go and give that out for anyone to use? No. I’ve never been a super share everything with everbody type of guy because I have respect for what I do. I respect the art in other peoples work – from movies to TV shows to music and I’d hope people would respect my work enough not to tamper with it on a fundamental level.”
Having discussed his distaste for Stems, the conversation moves on to the musicality of his own music. Just what is it about his beats that have seen them pick up such cross-genre support? “I’d like to think you can hear the soul of my music and the idea behind its development when you listen to it.” He muses. “I think that’s why it might gel with a variety of styles. Tempo wise it fits with a variety of genres so you can pitch it with plenty of different types of music. As a DJ I similarly play tracks from across the electronic spectrum. I’m quite diverse so as long as it isn’t disco you might hear me play it! My tracks are more than tools to me as there is always an idea behind it. I think that sees them make connections with people.”
Having previously stated that music should have a message deeper than ‘dance’ we ask what is his music trying to tell us in 2015? “I can’t tell you. You’ve got to decode it for yourself!” He laughs. “My message is always different. I’m adapting emotions from my past memories. The key idea is for me to make something radical but still musical enough that it’s possible to dance to it.”
So what “radical” music does he have lined up for us in the near future? “I’m working on a new Present.” He tells us. “That’s almost finished and it’ll be super 90s-ish. I’ve also been working on a number of remixes for some of my favourite artists including a rework for Lake People on Permanent Vacation. In the Autumn I’ll probably start working on a new album as I’m just thinking about what direction I want it to take. I also need to buy some new gear as I always buy new equipment before I start work on a new album!”
Photos: Pelle Buys Van Houtem, Shaun Bloodworth