VELVE is a singer, composer, and producer of techno, ambient, and electropop from Berlin. She has received several international awards and became famous in GAS as first interactive smartphone assistant.
Photo Credit: VELVET – Official
She just released ‘Be My Pony,’ a three-track hardware-driven EP born from her work composing the score for the documentary KitKatClub – Kinks of Berlin. Blending cinematic depth with the raw physicality of classic Berlin underground techno using 909 and 808 drum machines, the release bridges soundtrack composition and functional club music.
Recently, we had a chat with VELVE about her new release, inspiration, challenges, among others.
EG: Hi VELVE, welcome to EG. Before we begin, where are you today, and what kind of energy surrounds you right now?
VELVE: Thanks for the invite. I am at my studio in Berlin, still soaking up the incredible energy from the movie premiere; it was an absolute blast hearing my productions on a massive cinema screen.
EG: When you think back to your earliest encounters with sound before production ever became a career, what is the first memory that made you realize music could carry weight?
VELVE: Actually, a situation like that never really happened because I was surrounded by musicians from the Kraftwerk scene from an early age, with music constantly filling my ears. It was simply part of my life right from the start, as my father was a professional musician.
EG: Your new release ‘Be My Pony’ grew out of your score for the KitKatClub documentary. When you were writing music meant to live inside a film, what were you actually chasing emotionally?
VELVE: I tried to capture the vibe of the film scenes, to map the inner turmoil of the protagonists and the rupture between nightlife and reality onto the music. Because of that, it became clear to me very quickly that it had to be raw techno, with sudden breaks and plenty of grit.
“The energy of the film was just so intense that these tracks simply had to come out, not just for the screen, but for the dancefloor”
EG: How did the idea to be part of the KitKatClub documentary soundtrack came to be a reality?
VELVE: The director noticed my album ‘ANALOG’ and wanted exactly that kind of minimalist underground style. We then got together for a listening session, went through various tracks, and figured out the direction we wanted to take. After that, I received the rough cut and just got to work.
EG: Why did you ultimately need to make these specific tracks, and what part of yourself lives inside this EP?
VELVE: The energy of the film was just so intense that these tracks simply had to come out, not just for the screen, but for the dancefloor. On top of that, I’m just completely in love with the raw sound my analog synths deliver and that gritty Berlin underground vibe. That’s my personal taste, and it’s meanwhile a core part of my signature sound.
EG: Looking at the wider electronic music landscape today, what is the biggest challenge facing new producers entering the scene?
VELVE: The biggest challenge is that anything outside of the mainstream or EDM, especially when it gets experimental, tends to be categorized more as art than just music. Because of that, it simply takes longer to find your specific audience and build a dedicated following.
EG: If you had to describe your entire creative journey so far in three words, what would it be?
VELVE: Keep developing further…
“I tried to capture the vibe of the film scenes, to map the inner turmoil of the protagonists and the rupture between nightlife and reality onto the music”
EG: What corner of your creativity do you want to explore next as you look toward the future?
VELVE: Right now, I’m continuing to work on tracks like these, but with vocals. Since my roots are originally in jazz singing and songwriting, these two sides of my personality are desperately demanding to be expressed. I’m honestly excited myself to see what comes out of it.
EG: What are your plans in the near future? Anything special you’d like to mention?
VELVE: I would absolutely love to do a small live tour in the US, which is actually where most of my listeners are. My live sets feature my analog synths, vocals, and video art, so if anyone reading this is interested, feel free to reach out!
EG: Thanks for the chat today!
VELVE’s ‘Be My Pony’ is out now via VELVET Music. Stream and download here.
Follow VELVE: Instagram I Soundcloud I Bandcamp
