For the next part of our guest mix series, we’re honored to welcome Benedikt Frey. An active musician, label co-owner, and DJ, who has tirelessly supplied the market with his recordings since the beginning of the last decade through labels such as ESP Institute, Hivern Discs, and Craigie Knowes. Just as Detroit built on the atmosphere of the post-industrial era of the 80s, Benedikt draws inspiration from the greatest technological change of the 90s, the transition from analogue to digital. He talked to us about the risks, issues, and opportunities in the record industry, shirtless pictures on Instagram, and obviously, music.
Hi Benedikt! How are you and what have you been up to lately?
Hey, I´ve been finishing a lot of projects to get more space on my hard drive (and my head). Apart from that my current activities can be narrowed down to: work, eat, sleep - sequence repeat.
I think this sequence is very common among people these days. Are you a person who likes routine? Do you still have enough input and stimulation, despite the current circumstances?
Good question, to be honest I do like & respect people with routine. Especially in terms of writing music. Routine can be a really good thing to keep you going. But at the same time (depending on the subject of course) it can be quite refreshing going down a road you didn’t walk before.
And yes, I still have enough input, it's a different one under current circumstances. Hard to pin that down though.
I found your quote, which says that the more you know about the profound mystery of music the less you feel the necessity to talk about it. “It is an ongoing work in progress, there are no words needed.” So maybe let’s stay away from talking about music for now. What kind sounds do you enjoy apart from music? And what kind of silence?
Sounds of my cat complaining about pigeons sitting on other balconies. Silence in its purest does not exist in Berlin. That's why I tend to listen to music instead. ;-)
Wasn’t there some silence during the first lockdown? Prague got very quiet for a while, which was nice but also a little bit anxious.
Indeed, traffic slowed down and to some extent it got quiet on the streets. I was okay with that. What made me feel sad was seeing so many homeless people struggling even harder for change or a place to sleep.
Do you intentionally avoid talking about music in general, like with your friends, or is your statement just a way to mess with people who try to get you talking about music? ;-)
That´s a double-sided sheet. In a way I like analyzing music & of course talking a little about methods of composing. But at the same time talking too much about it can take away its “magic”.
Furthermore, I`m super skilled in not remembering artist names, labels and so on. But I can clearly remember my mind drifting away when conversations get too nerdy for me. I´d rather take action. Deeds, no words!
There are a couple of Youtube uploads of yours I’d like to know more about. Like this scene from Shining for example, in which you altered the audio. Where does the sound come from and why does Jimmy have to pay for MTV?
I had to take foley recordings (during my studies) and work with the given image. I took my son's tricycle and went up and down on grandma's carpet. The concept behind was not letting Jimmy enter the “party chamber” where his friends are watching MTV (unless he’d pay but he has no clue)... It should be a statement about the privatisation of music television.
I grew up watching a lot of German TV, including MTV, in the late 90s / early 00s. I have to say I don’t remember much about the music from there. It was mostly reality TV all the time. I guess the video didn’t kill the radio, it was just ‘louder’. Did you use to watch it?
It definitely changed during the 00`s and it got worse and worse until music television died. I guess that happened to me when VIVA II stopped broadcasting. What I remember watching out of boredom sometimes was The Osbournes.
There is also your reinterpretation of Philip Glass’s soundtrack for Koyaanisqatsi, the timeless essay-movie about our civilisation and our technologies. Are there any particular technological advances that influenced you when you were growing up?
Sure, I think the biggest thing was computers & the internet. It was amazing not to waste 1 hour of your time downloading 10 MB. Also making music has shifted to a whole new level by new music software for instance.
Did you become familiar with these technologies quickly? Or are you careful and adopting slowly in general, even nowadays?
Yes, kids learn quickly. Nowadays I need more time to learn stuff ;-)
I feel like some of your releases sound very cinematic (those on ESP Institute for instance). It feels they are doing more than just feeding my ears :) Why do you think that’s the case?
Thank you. To be honest I can’t answer that. What could be, is that I keep losing myself in layering parts together, that I am obsessed with tuning, with my lack of using chords and with my equipment.
It’s probably highly subjective. I’ve just re-listened to Cells and I get very fleeting glimpses of our visits to VHS video rental shops with my father around 2000, or like some movies from that era, hard to pin down.
Have you found any simpler answers yet?
Unfortunately not.
Why did you pick Koyaanisqtsi? Did Glass’s work have a special impact on you? Which soundtracks do you think work better alone than when being listened to together with watching the movie?
I had to do it for university and it was picked by our sound tutor. It was quite challenging and I didn't check the original scenes before I finished my version. Back then I had just “heard of him” and that he studied with Steve Reich.
As I’ve told you, I'm super bad at remembering names, except when they have had a big impact on my perception. The biggest one for me was Miles Davis’s Soundtrack for Ascenseur pour l'échafaud. Cool movie but even greater soundtrack
Wow, I am reading that Davis improvised the soundtrack in one long sitting. I saw your performance with Sebastian Studnitzky from the XJazz festival, which was sort of a double improvisation for you. Can you tell me a little bit about the performance and how did you make it work? Like technically or in terms of finding synergy with your partner?
A friend of mine is part of the XJazz team and asked me if I could imagine, preparing something „live-ish“ by chopping up a drum solo that was played an hour before my performance by Sasha Mashin in St. Petersburg. My task was taking the recording and mixing it up with an instrument of mine within twenty minutes before my show. After that (also because of lockdown restrictions) Sebastian Studnitzky should have played over my „arrangement“ afterwards. Just one hour before the show I was asked if we could imagine performing together with some „secure distance”. So Sebastian and I had one really amazing rehearsal minutes before the streaming. And then the second try that was captured on „tape“ then.
He improvised so well and I got goosebumps all over my body when he hit the first notes! It felt like a combination of Miles Davis and Jon Hassell playing just next to me. What was also amazing was that the crew of Xjazz used the reverb of the church we were performing in. All that made this recording to an unforgettable performance, something I’d love to keep on doing when the lockdown is over.
Is it your first time doing something like that? Do you already have an idea how and where to continue with performances of this kind? Would be great to see you at a jazz festival over here :)
No there's nothing like that planned so far, but we´ll see what the future brings.
Lastly, I wanted to ask you about R.i.O., the label you co-run alongside Markus Woernle & Nadia D’Alò (Menqui & DALO) and which we really dig over here in Prague. Since the title is an acronym for risks, issues, opportunities: what were the biggest risks you took, weirdest issues you’ve dealt with and what kind of opportunities you’d like to get during your time with the label?
R.i.O. can be an acronym for Risks Issues Opportunities, however we like to keep that open for interpretation. But if we go there, my biggest Risk was certainly (and still is) sticking to music production & DJing for a living. A lot of things have changed in the industry since the last decade. For example, it became so damn fashionable & super easy to start a DJ or a producer “career”. All you basically need is an instagram account, soulseek and a pair of CDJs. A few half naked pictures of you posing at the beach making music will certainly help gaining more wankers doing the exact same thing.
The Issues list is quite long. Starting from A-nxiety ... ending with Z- , you name it... I think it becomes evident when you start asking yourself too many questions throughout the day. Without the support of my family & friends for example, I wouldn't have made it this far. (sending out virtual hugs here)
To end with something positive, there is the Opportunities section. As part of the label we have / had the chance to meet and work with like-minded people who do amazing work. It feels like an extended family, something I was always looking out for in the music business for a long time.
Thank you to everybody behind the scenes of R-i-O! Simon, Leo, Falko, Sebastian, Flo & Michael, without you this label would not exist.
* The conversation took place in a google doc between 23:56 on Friday (Mar. 12) and 12:35 on Monday (Mar. 22), 2021.
Tracklist:
No tracklist provided.
Scroll to Top ↑
For the next part of our guest mix series, we’re honored to welcome Benedikt Frey. An active musician, label co-owner, and DJ, who has tirelessly supplied the market with his recordings since the beginning of the last decade through labels such as ESP Institute, Hivern Discs, and Craigie Knowes. Just as Detroit built on the atmosphere of the post-industrial era of the 80s, Benedikt draws inspiration from the greatest technological change of the 90s, the transition from analogue to digital. He talked to us about the risks, issues, and opportunities in the record industry, shirtless pictures on Instagram, and obviously, music.
Hi Benedikt! How are you and what have you been up to lately?
Hey, I´ve been finishing a lot of projects to get more space on my hard drive (and my head). Apart from that my current activities can be narrowed down to: work, eat, sleep - sequence repeat.
I think this sequence is very common among people these days. Are you a person who likes routine? Do you still have enough input and stimulation, despite the current circumstances?
Good question, to be honest I do like & respect people with routine. Especially in terms of writing music. Routine can be a really good thing to keep you going. But at the same time (depending on the subject of course) it can be quite refreshing going down a road you didn’t walk before.
And yes, I still have enough input, it's a different one under current circumstances. Hard to pin that down though.
I found your quote, which says that the more you know about the profound mystery of music the less you feel the necessity to talk about it. “It is an ongoing work in progress, there are no words needed.” So maybe let’s stay away from talking about music for now. What kind sounds do you enjoy apart from music? And what kind of silence?
Sounds of my cat complaining about pigeons sitting on other balconies. Silence in its purest does not exist in Berlin. That's why I tend to listen to music instead. ;-)
Wasn’t there some silence during the first lockdown? Prague got very quiet for a while, which was nice but also a little bit anxious.
Indeed, traffic slowed down and to some extent it got quiet on the streets. I was okay with that. What made me feel sad was seeing so many homeless people struggling even harder for change or a place to sleep.
Do you intentionally avoid talking about music in general, like with your friends, or is your statement just a way to mess with people who try to get you talking about music? ;-)
That´s a double-sided sheet. In a way I like analyzing music & of course talking a little about methods of composing. But at the same time talking too much about it can take away its “magic”.
Furthermore, I`m super skilled in not remembering artist names, labels and so on. But I can clearly remember my mind drifting away when conversations get too nerdy for me. I´d rather take action. Deeds, no words!
There are a couple of Youtube uploads of yours I’d like to know more about. Like this scene from Shining for example, in which you altered the audio. Where does the sound come from and why does Jimmy have to pay for MTV?
I had to take foley recordings (during my studies) and work with the given image. I took my son's tricycle and went up and down on grandma's carpet. The concept behind was not letting Jimmy enter the “party chamber” where his friends are watching MTV (unless he’d pay but he has no clue)... It should be a statement about the privatisation of music television.
I grew up watching a lot of German TV, including MTV, in the late 90s / early 00s. I have to say I don’t remember much about the music from there. It was mostly reality TV all the time. I guess the video didn’t kill the radio, it was just ‘louder’. Did you use to watch it?
It definitely changed during the 00`s and it got worse and worse until music television died. I guess that happened to me when VIVA II stopped broadcasting. What I remember watching out of boredom sometimes was The Osbournes.
There is also your reinterpretation of Philip Glass’s soundtrack for Koyaanisqatsi, the timeless essay-movie about our civilisation and our technologies. Are there any particular technological advances that influenced you when you were growing up?
Sure, I think the biggest thing was computers & the internet. It was amazing not to waste 1 hour of your time downloading 10 MB. Also making music has shifted to a whole new level by new music software for instance.
Did you become familiar with these technologies quickly? Or are you careful and adopting slowly in general, even nowadays?
Yes, kids learn quickly. Nowadays I need more time to learn stuff ;-)
I feel like some of your releases sound very cinematic (those on ESP Institute for instance). It feels they are doing more than just feeding my ears :) Why do you think that’s the case?
Thank you. To be honest I can’t answer that. What could be, is that I keep losing myself in layering parts together, that I am obsessed with tuning, with my lack of using chords and with my equipment.
It’s probably highly subjective. I’ve just re-listened to Cells and I get very fleeting glimpses of our visits to VHS video rental shops with my father around 2000, or like some movies from that era, hard to pin down.
Have you found any simpler answers yet?
Unfortunately not.
Why did you pick Koyaanisqtsi? Did Glass’s work have a special impact on you? Which soundtracks do you think work better alone than when being listened to together with watching the movie?
I had to do it for university and it was picked by our sound tutor. It was quite challenging and I didn't check the original scenes before I finished my version. Back then I had just “heard of him” and that he studied with Steve Reich.
As I’ve told you, I'm super bad at remembering names, except when they have had a big impact on my perception. The biggest one for me was Miles Davis’s Soundtrack for Ascenseur pour l'échafaud. Cool movie but even greater soundtrack
Wow, I am reading that Davis improvised the soundtrack in one long sitting. I saw your performance with Sebastian Studnitzky from the XJazz festival, which was sort of a double improvisation for you. Can you tell me a little bit about the performance and how did you make it work? Like technically or in terms of finding synergy with your partner?
A friend of mine is part of the XJazz team and asked me if I could imagine, preparing something „live-ish“ by chopping up a drum solo that was played an hour before my performance by Sasha Mashin in St. Petersburg. My task was taking the recording and mixing it up with an instrument of mine within twenty minutes before my show. After that (also because of lockdown restrictions) Sebastian Studnitzky should have played over my „arrangement“ afterwards. Just one hour before the show I was asked if we could imagine performing together with some „secure distance”. So Sebastian and I had one really amazing rehearsal minutes before the streaming. And then the second try that was captured on „tape“ then.
He improvised so well and I got goosebumps all over my body when he hit the first notes! It felt like a combination of Miles Davis and Jon Hassell playing just next to me. What was also amazing was that the crew of Xjazz used the reverb of the church we were performing in. All that made this recording to an unforgettable performance, something I’d love to keep on doing when the lockdown is over.
Is it your first time doing something like that? Do you already have an idea how and where to continue with performances of this kind? Would be great to see you at a jazz festival over here :)
No there's nothing like that planned so far, but we´ll see what the future brings.
Lastly, I wanted to ask you about R.i.O., the label you co-run alongside Markus Woernle & Nadia D’Alò (Menqui & DALO) and which we really dig over here in Prague. Since the title is an acronym for risks, issues, opportunities: what were the biggest risks you took, weirdest issues you’ve dealt with and what kind of opportunities you’d like to get during your time with the label?
R.i.O. can be an acronym for Risks Issues Opportunities, however we like to keep that open for interpretation. But if we go there, my biggest Risk was certainly (and still is) sticking to music production & DJing for a living. A lot of things have changed in the industry since the last decade. For example, it became so damn fashionable & super easy to start a DJ or a producer “career”. All you basically need is an instagram account, soulseek and a pair of CDJs. A few half naked pictures of you posing at the beach making music will certainly help gaining more wankers doing the exact same thing.
The Issues list is quite long. Starting from A-nxiety ... ending with Z- , you name it... I think it becomes evident when you start asking yourself too many questions throughout the day. Without the support of my family & friends for example, I wouldn't have made it this far. (sending out virtual hugs here)
To end with something positive, there is the Opportunities section. As part of the label we have / had the chance to meet and work with like-minded people who do amazing work. It feels like an extended family, something I was always looking out for in the music business for a long time.
Thank you to everybody behind the scenes of R-i-O! Simon, Leo, Falko, Sebastian, Flo & Michael, without you this label would not exist.
* The conversation took place in a google doc between 23:56 on Friday (Mar. 12) and 12:35 on Monday (Mar. 22), 2021.
Tracklist:
No tracklist provided.
Scroll to Top ↑