Illustrious and innovative – DJ-producer Reboot’s experimental sound has earned him regular appearances at infamous locations in countries all around the world. However, his hard-earned recognition and musical expertise were ignited from humble beginnings in Frankfurt, using small savings from an early age to purchase equipment to produce and record his first musical creations. Reboot, aka Frank Heinrich, draws his creative inspiration from a colorful collection of musical influences including classic house, jazz, funk – and tough techno sounds in particular – which originally sparked his early passion for electronic music.

His latest project is his long awaited third full-length album ‘aLIVE’, forthcoming on Get Physical Music this summer – alongside his international live tour of the same title – providing partygoers around the globe with a true analogue experience.

We caught up with Reboot to find out more about ‘aLIVE’ and what we can look forward to from him in the future.

Electronic Groove: Thank you for joining us today! Can you tell us a little bit about the production process of ‘aLIVE’? We know that it took two years to complete the album, how much time did you roughly spend on each track?

Reboot: Yes, finishing this album was a rather long process. It was not so much about the hours that I had to spend at the studio to finish the tracks, but compiling and selecting the tracks I had in mind for it took a lot of time. I had collected many sketches, ideas and field recordings in the past two years that had in mind for the album. The main work was done at my studio – the inspirations for the writing have been collected by lived experiences all over the world. The biggest challenge was to bring them together in a sensible way. It became a lot easier when the concept, which is based on the input of the people that worked on it with me, became clear. Honestly, without their support, creative feedback and motivation it would have taken a lot longer. At the studio itself, I usually finish my tracks in a couple of hours. If a track doesn’t grow on me within the first two or three hours, I move on to another project and maybe go back to it after a while.

Electronic Groove: What was the vision for ‘aLIVE’? Did you always know that you wanted to combine an album with a live show experience?

Reboot: Whilst the general idea for a new album has grown on me for quiet a while, it took a lot longer to complete the whole picture. The final concept for the album has been created together with the people that worked on it with me. aLIVE stands for reminiscences to the beauty of Life in all aspects. The connecting links between everything in existence and the progress we make trough them. How everything is connected and we are just a tiny part of it. It is about life itself – how being alive makes us feeling. aLIVE is a good word to describe the biggest treasure we have – Life itself.

So the music that I produced is just one mosaic piece in the bigger picture. The wish to play live shows again has also been growing on me for some time, but it would only make sense, if it comes with a proper theme, visuals and artworks. Production wise we decided to bring a big setup for the live shows, so this requires a suitable concept around it and we believe that aLIVE is the perfect one.

“When I am making new music, I very often visualize
what I want to say.”

Electronic Groove: You’ve said that the album is based on ‘the beauty of all aspects of life’ – and a lot of your music is based on an immersive musical AND visual aesthetic experience. Do you think that you are influenced by art? A lot of Frankfurt natives say that the thriving art scene in the city is an influencer of their craft – do you think that this is the case for you?

Reboot: When I am making new music, I very often visualize what I want to say. That might be an impression that I have during travels, in my social environment or simply at a great party. I love art though and I am very open-minded for it – especially photography, but I wouldn’t call myself the biggest expert on art or poetry. I enjoy it a lot and I try to catch as much as possible. We have some amazing museums in Frankfurt and a very vibrant art scene. As I am not really a specialist, I thankfully have people around me that can actually bring this type of visions to paper or screens and transform them into a concept. That’s exactly what happened with the aLIVE conception.

Electronic Groove: Being so dance-floor driven and forward thinking, Get Physical is the perfect home for your new LP. If you had to pick, what would be your top 5 Get Physical releases since it began in 2002 and why?

Reboot: It absolutely is. Get Physical has had a big influence on my house music education. I follow the label from the very first release and have been a fan ever since. It is quiet hard to pick only 5 tracks from their amazing catalogue, but as you ask so kindly it would be:

1. M.A.N.D.Y – Put Put Put

The first release was straight away a killer. During this time, a lot of great things happened around the Frankfurt area music wise and this track will always remind me of it.

2. Lopazz – Migration (Luciano`s Chameleon Remix)

During the time of this release, the output of Luciano and also Ricardo Villalobos had one of the best phases. I played this remix on heavy rotation.

3. Booka Shade – Body Language

This track is an anthem – no other comment necessary

4. Francesco Tristano – Place on Lafayette (Thomas Gandey & Radioslave RMX)

This is a new release that I am still playing up and down. Francesco is an outstanding musician and the original track is already a masterpiece. The remix brings in the right punch for the early mornings at the club, when the sun is slowly rising and everybody starts smiling.

5. M.A.N.D.Y. vs Booka Shade feat. Laurie Anderson – O Superman

(Reboot`s 20 Cubans Rework)

This one was my first collaboration with Get Physical. It was a big honour for me to get the chance to remix this track and I still like to listen to it.

Electronic Groove: Do you have a favorite track on ‘aLIVE’? Would you say that there was one that stands out in your set list?

Reboot: Well, generally every track on this album is my baby and if I wouldn’t like them all, I wouldn’t have released them. There are tracks on the album that I have potentially listened more often than others. One of them is for sure “Just Hang On” It has been one of the first tracks that I made for the album. It reminds me of these moments when we have the chance to just stop for a moment and enjoy presence. During the break, the silence breaks up for a while and when the beat comes back, I feel some sort of energy boost that simply makes me smile.

Another one is “For A Shadow To Dance With”. The main theme of the track was produced on an airplane somewhere over Europe. The sun was going down and the sky looked like it was on fire. I tried to memorize that picture when I went to the studio to finish it. Usually my productions contain a lot of different little elements and things happening in the background, but for this one I didn’t feel any urge to do that. I wanted to keep the picture pretty clear and without too many distractions.

Electronic Groove: In 2014, you started your own imprint (Noon Records) that is a record label and artist management and booking agency. What’s it like running such a multifaceted imprint? Have there been any highlights for you whilst running Noon?

Reboot: Starting this project was the beginning of a new cycle for me, professionally as well as personally. During that time, my business partner and I decided to create something that represents the music and visions we had. My associate runs the business, not myself. My role in the company is more on the artistic side.

Since we have started this project, we had so many fantastic moments and impressions that I couldn’t highlight only one. The whole process of seeing this baby and with it also myself, growing up is probably the biggest. I feel very proud to be part of this.

“By now you have digital based solutions that sound absolutely amazing and it is nearly impossible to hear any difference if they are used appropriate.”

Electronic Groove: ‘aLIVE’ is based on a complete analogue experience, do you think analogue recording makes for better listening than digital recording, which is popular in music recording today?

Reboot: The sound processing is based on analogue equipment, the sequencing is done via Ableton’s LIVE. The whole idea is more based in the preferences that I personally have for performing than on the pure doctrine of sound engineering. By now you have digital based solutions that sound absolutely amazing and it is nearly impossible to hear any difference if they are used appropriate. So I am not going to start a analogue versus digital debate on principals. Everybody needs to find what is best for his personal workflow. For me, that means having tons of knobs and blinking lights that directly modulate the source. It is just the way I like to boogie.

Electronic Groove: Besides touring around the United States, South America and Europe, what’s next for you? Anything exciting we can look forward to after the release of the new LP?

Reboot: During the summer, I am mainly busy with touring and working in improving the aLIVE show. One great thing about setting up a new live performance is that you collect so many ideas and patterns for new tracks. For sure I will go back to the studio to work on those after the big tours that are coming up until after September. The next big thing after the album will be the remix packages that are currently being put together. I can’t wait to listen to the interpretations of some really incredible artists that I admire.

aLIVE Tracklist: