BONDI is an electronic DJ & Live act from Berlin. The musical character is defined by danceable deep house beats, mixed with indie elements, a variety of synth sounds, other instruments, and organic recorded material. Driven beats and electronic elements let you easily drift away in a hypnotic state and end up in a pleasing physical experience – you just need to dance. With extraordinary vocals, slightly melancholic lyrics, supported by a guitar, and driving synth-sound melodies, his pieces remind us a little of the 80s Dark Wave – with a great impact on the dance floor.
EG caught up with BONDI to learn more about the drop of his new single ‘Turning Blind’, his new JUNA POLY label, his upcoming debut album, his workflow, views on the state of the scene, and more.
EG: Hi Daniel! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. Where are you based right now? How have you been?
BONDI: Hi thank you for having me! I’m still based in Berlin and had an amazing time recently.
EG: So, Summer’s just about officially over. What have been some of your highlights?
BONDI: Yes, it’s been a ride! I had some amazing shows where I could already test a lot of new material I’ve been working on. But mainly because I took the time to write and produce my very first studio album, which was finished just this summer. During the process, I got introduced to the most amazing people and artists. Many of them are now featured on the album. Another big highlight is the launch of my new label JUNA POLY.
EG: Congratulations on the release of your new collaborative single with Jacob Drescher, ‘Turning Blind’, which is out now via your newly launched JUNA POLY label! What has the initial reception been like?
BONDI: Overwhelming! It’s out for a few days and I got so much amazing feedback already, which is such a huge motivation boost. It makes me really happy because it’s just the start of something bigger.
EG: So, what can your fans expect to find on ‘Turning Blind’? Is there an inspirational trigger here?
BONDI: My sweet spot when creating music is usually where a deep emotional bond of harmonies and vocals comes together with rhythm and repetitive functionality. ‘Turning Blind’ is a perfect example of that. It’s a folk ballad with Jacob’s beautiful intimate voice on it paired with my blend of electronic and organic deep house. The track leans on an indie guitar riff, rounded by some field recording percussions on top.
“’Space Logic’ combines my sonic vision with the influences of different singer-songwriters. It leads to a piece gathering different genres like folk, indie, new-wave, and pop, and brings them all into the context of electronic music”
EG: What was the process of collaborating with Jacob Drescher on this one like?
BONDI: ‘Turning Blind’ was our first collaboration for the album and the initial idea was done in just 30 minutes. After sketching a simple beat, guitar riff and vocals, I felt immediately attached to the idea. Only two more nights of recording and arranging and the song was done. Working with Jacob is a real pleasure for me. It’s an incredibly fast studio working process of exchanging ideas and recording stuff intuitively. Usually, we try to block a whole week for a session. Now we have so many ideas already that we need to focus on actually finishing a production first before starting a new idea. The good news: there are many more songs in collaboration with him to be released!
EG: And ‘Turning Blind’ is just the first in a line of releases leading up to your much-anticipated debut album, ‘Space Logic’, which is scheduled for release on February 2023. What can you anticipate on that front?
BONDI: It’s so exciting for me! ’Space Logic’ combines my sonic vision with the influences of different singer-songwriters. It leads to a piece gathering different genres like folk, indie, new-wave, and pop, and brings them all into the context of electronic music. There are a few songs with a high-energy level made for playing or performing in a club. Some of the songs I just really enjoy listening to. I felt like, in the context of the album, I could truly express myself the way I wanted. The recording process was very collaborative. Besides Jacob Drescher, who worked with me on three songs, I was lucky to work with some other amazing artists. There is Cile on two songs, who is an amazing electronic pop artist from Berlin. Followed by a breathtaking performance from Save The Kid, who collaborated on two songs as well. Charlotte Colace did a beautiful vocal performance on the most acoustic and rough piece on the album. The perfect indie house round-up brings Sinus with his beautiful rough voice. Everything will be released digitally as singles until February, when there’ll be a vinyl record of the album available as well.
EG: What does your setup look like at the moment? Any new soft or hardware implemented on the recording of ‘Space Logic’ that you’d personally recommend?
BONDI: On the software side, I originally come from Logic, which is amazing for recording and composing but switched to Ableton recently. The working process is just so much faster and it’s amazing to catch stuff that is happening just at the moment. Next to the native plugins, I use the FabFilter EQ, Sondtoys plugins, and some Universal Audio stuff quite a lot. When it comes to finding inspiration and creating music, I actually rely on hardware. My Juno 60, Korg Mono/Poly, and Telecaster are currently my favorite tools. Feeling, touching, and tweaking them with both of my hands makes all the difference for me. Another big part is guitar FX pedals, like the Rooms or Mood. These boxes can be a real idea booster in the process of writing and recording. For the album, I actually recorded a lot of percussions / hi hats too.
EG: How do you keep entertained when not in the studio? Have you come across any good movies, books, or albums lately?
BONDI: Nothing new, I haven’t had much time for other entertainment than being in the studio recently (which I really enjoyed btw.). But sometimes, to clear my head and to get some distance, I like to listen to podcasts and also found my way into the old Star Trek universe.
EG: What does a regular Monday in the life of BONDI look like? And a Friday?
BONDI: Both Monday & Friday are the days which are the least constant. When having a busy weekend, one is for recovery while the other is mostly for traveling. But during the last winter when everything was slowed down, I found a really good rhythm being in the studio every day from 9 to 5. During this time the whole idea of creating an album and founding a label was born.
“I really like to see that now more female and diverse artists taking place and getting more chances. But it’s still a long road to equality and needs way more attention and support from people in power like promoters, but also from the whole community”
EG: By the way, what are your thoughts on the current state of the scene? What would you like to see more and less of?
BONDI: That’s a big one! A lot of stuff is happening and everything is tied together. Having all those smartphones constantly recording and filming every moment of a party or performance can be a real vibe killer. On the other hand, right now people are the media and can share good moments with their friends and can help artists to get exposure. Finding the right balance is important.
I really like to see that now more female and diverse artists taking place and getting more chances. But it’s still a long road to equality and needs way more attention and support from people in power like promoters, but also from the whole community.
EG: What’s next for BONDI? What particular milestones are you looking forwards to now?
Bondi: These milestones are all linked to the new label which is very personal for me. Releasing my debut album is definitely the biggest one. The next one will be the remix edition of it. It feels like it’s just the beginning of an amazing exciting chapter for me.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, Dan! We wish you all the best for the future.
Bondi: Thank you guys for the chat and likewise!
BONDI & Jacob Drescher’s ‘Turning Blind’ is out now via JUNA POLY. Purchase your copy here.
Follow BONDI: Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud | Spotify
