The German trio Wareika has been spearheading the worldwide development of electronic club music for over 15 years.
Photo Credit: Wareika – Official
Their music and their remixes have influenced hundreds of producers around the globe, if not to say they created their own genre within the electronic club music scene. They constantly renew and refresh the genre with the groundbreaking new styles and influences they bring into the scene, be it from classical, jazz, oriental, or whatever musical tradition they use as a source of inspiration.
Their live shows are one-of-a-kind, and they are one of only a handful of bands that constantly tour techno clubs worldwide and share stages with DJs and laptop-solo-live acts. Their concerts are full of improvisation and can last up to 6 hours of unique and inventive live performances that will never be repeated in the same way again.
Based in Germany, they have been the house band of club music’s international brain cell Club der Visionäre for many years, and they have played all the other famous clubs in Berlin, like Berghain, Kater Holzig and many more.
Internationally, they have played more than 300 concerts in the past 10 years, including all of Europe, South and Central America, Canada, Russia, the Middle East, North Africa, China, Japan, and Australia.
EG caught up with Wareika to learn more about the release of their new ‘Tizinabi’ LP, their creative vision, future plans, and more.
EG: Hi guys and welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to chat with you today. Where are you located right now?
Wareika: Indeed, and EG is something we really appreciate. We are right now in Berlin, licking our wounds from our amazing Club Der Visionäre gig. We live in different parts of Germany, so coming together is something very special for us.
EG: Sounds great. Also, congratulations on the release of your latest album, ‘Tizinabi’! How would you describe the creative process behind this record and the overall concept you aimed to convey?
Wareika: There are concepts, like salsa montunos, jazz, Indian raga music, and an underlying techno spirit that are able to give so many flowers and melodies, that thankfulness is maybe the best words to describe our mindstate behind this album. From a technical point of view, this album was an enormous and very free jam session that we recorded and later turned into an album in a musique concrete way: by cutting it into 1000 pieces and re-composing it to something very unique.
EG: ‘Tizinabi’ seamlessly blends electronic and organic sounds, incorporating classical instruments into the mix. What inspired you to merge these different musical elements, and how do you feel it enhances the listening experience?
Wareika: We just played three days in a row and tuned ourselves into that, we just invite the listener to enjoy. That’s it. While we played and recorded the session, we didn’t really think of an album or any kind of musical concept. After a few hours of playing free improvised music, the concepts of time and space start to vanish…
EG: With a discography that spans 15 years, you have undoubtedly left a significant impact on the electronic music scene. How do you approach each new project to ensure that you continue to innovate and bring fresh influences to your sound?
Wareika: Thank you for mentioning an impact, which goes beyond time. Friendship, working for peace, tolerance, and understanding challenge us day by day. We exchange freely and give space to each other. This enriches our sound, wherever we go to.
Wareika has integrated multiple measures, complex rhythms, and ancient scales to connect spirits with a deeper system, which can be found in musical traditions from around the globe and of the past centuries, including electronic music. We never meet in the studio like: “Let’s make a house track with a slight gamelan influence today.” It is always happening in the improvisation, in the interaction between us, that the ideas come up. It’s more like opening the windows, and a bunch of beautiful birds come in.
EG: Your live shows are known for their improvisation creating a unique atmosphere. How do you maintain the energy and captivate the audience throughout such extended performances? Are there any memorable moments or stories you can share?
Wareika: Of course. First of all, you have to know, that the maximum amount of sampled time is 750mb on the MPC, which is the length of a cd. For complex multi-track music, this means a few minutes – and your sample time is gone. So we reduce our sample time to the max and play most of the music really LIVE. We play with the samples, we play synthesizers and guitar, and sing and play percussions and play and play and play. We never know what really happens before the show starts and we don’t have a tracklist. This brings our creativity back, which allows us to play four hours or more flawlessly. It’s a kaleidoscope of sound, creating a smile and a good turn to dance to.
The magic is in the moment, let’s share more magic: come to our concerts or just listen to the album… greetings to all of you!
EG: Having performed at renowned venues and festivals worldwide, is there a particular show or location that holds a special place in your heart as a band? What made it stand out from the rest?
Wareika: The tremendous effort is, that each gig seems so easy, improvised, and lush that you will be carried away with a sparkle ✨. Transmitting this excitement on a festival turns our whole being into the band ‘Wareika’ into a collective spirit.
Hope we can share this in the near future at Houghton and the Montreux Jazz Festival in full creativity.
“It is always happening in the improvisation, in the interaction between us, that the ideas come up. It’s more like opening the windows, and a bunch of beautiful birds come in”
EG: Collaboration has been an integral part of your musical journey, working with artists and labels such as Perlon, Mule Musiq, and Visionquest. How do these partnerships shape your creative process, and what do you look for in a collaborative project?
Wareika: We share the same values and one day we all may dance together. Setting up an idea, which connects generations of musicians is already formed in the tonality of each track; the rhythm section calls our roots, our connection to the earth, and the bliss of the highest sun energy. Rhythm is fire and earth at the same time, like a melody, which can evaporate into aether and air but can stay solid in your heart. Yes, we shared melodies and friends did share theirs with us.
Hope we can encourage others to do so as well- because doing music is the essence of our creative being as humans.
EG: ‘Tizinabi’ is being released on vinyl, a format that has experienced a resurgence in recent years. What are your thoughts on the enduring appeal of vinyl records in the digital age, and how do you feel this physical medium complements your music?
Wareika: The sound on a solid sound system is the core part. To capture an idea on vinyl and bring it into conference to the DJ scene, who then makes their own mix out of it, is another dimension, which we love to enrich further. We hope this album can nourish each listener deeply and we can invite you to send us your vibe, feedback, and pics, wherever this album has touched you.
EG: How do you approach the incorporation of improvisation in your music? What role does spontaneity play in your compositions, and how do you strike a balance between structure and freedom?
Wareika: Freedom comes always first. The structure is built from the ideas that are born from the freedom of musical speech. We say what we want to say through melodies and rhythms, and these vibes find their own structures. Sometimes they become a house track, sometimes a Tizinabi.
EG: In an era dominated by social media and digital platforms, how do you navigate the challenge of maintaining a balance between staying connected with your fans and preserving personal privacy?
Wareika: “We burn connected” is a phrase on the first Wareika track ‘Burn’in’. So we definitely keep on believing in a future society that incorporates social media as a digital hug.
We see through this consumption of mass media and we would love to gain presence without the reflection of these mirrors. But this is part of our reality and we have found a way to deal with it. I guess that is already something “independent”…
EG: What is your personal take on Social Media?
Wareika: It’s too much projection and can turn into contradiction, which can’t be seen, because of the glamorous aspect of it.
The sad thing…there is no real counterpart to it unless you really feel like “re-act”. And our music is definitely a core part of putting our visions and ideas into conferences and inspiring people to connect solutions for a better world.
EG: Music has the power to convey messages and evoke emotions. Are there any particular themes or messages that you explore through your music, or do you prefer to leave it open to individual interpretation?
Wareika: Ragas, meditation, ancient languages, lyrics, scales, rhythms, tonality, 11/12, 7/8, 14/15 – complexity and the always inherent drive to dance – to swing free… This hints at the spiritual part of Wareika.
EG: In today’s interconnected world, politics and social issues often intertwine with art and music. Do you believe it is essential for artists to address these topics, and have you ever found yourselves inspired by political events or societal changes in your creative process?
Wareika: Yes, we do take part in politics and ethical discussions and movements. We presented a creative crew of an electronic car to the Chinese mobility minister, contributed to the demonstration against nuclear weapons in Germany, played at a very early stage in Ukraine and Russia and so much more. We can decide independently, and I hope people can respect that, even if we also can say nothing to things that do affect us. We answer with music and we hope this will be understood instantly.
EG: Your music draws influences from various musical traditions, including classical, jazz, and oriental. Are there any specific cultural or musical elements that have particularly captivated you recently and found their way into your compositions?
Wareika: Yes, we have a long history of studying church music, Turkish and Arabic maqams, voodoo drumming, jazz, ragas, and many more. Honestly, our most recent blast of creativity, which will be audible in the near future, came from the techno-magic of Robert Hood.
“We see through this consumption of mass media and we would love to gain presence without the reflection of these mirrors. But this is part of our reality and we have found a way to deal with it”
EG: Over the years, technology has undoubtedly transformed the way we create and experience music. How has the evolution of music production tools and equipment influenced your sound and the way you approach your craft?
Wareika: Of course, we started using computers in music production from the year 2000 onwards :). In the last 10 years, the upcoming possibilities in the Eurorack synth format also made a big change to our workflow.
It seems like creating music works best for us in the world of analog instruments, with strings, knobs, or whatever to have physical contact with. Mixing does work digitally for us, and sometimes it is a mix of all technical possibilities together, that helps to create the magic.
EG: Looking ahead, what can we expect from Wareika in the future? Are there any exciting projects or collaborations on the horizon that you can share with us?
Wareika: Many!!! and they will surprise you as much as the ‘Tizinabi’ does. Stay tuned!
EG: How do you guys keep entertained when not in the studio? Have you checked out any good movies, series, books, or albums you’d recommend?
Wareika: Mentioning ‘Grasgeflüster’ as a nice film, and the music of Bruno Pronsato and the latest works by Lawrence draws our attention. We all three have a spiritual practice and the approach to get better on the instrument. Therefore we exchange ragas and sounds to meditate or to move on further. And our families keep us balanced to exchange the real stuff, like Deichkind and Asian k-pop stars 🙂
EG: Can you guys share something about yourself with us that only a few people know about?
Wareika: We played in a prison.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, guys! Take care!
Wareika’s ‘Tizinabi’ is out via Ornaments. Purchase your copy here.
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