Electronic music veterans Powel and Christian Voldstad’s journey began in 2015 at Brooklyn’s Lot 45, where a chance encounter sparked what would become a lasting musical partnership.
Photo credit: Powel / Christian Voldstad – Instagram
Now the duo has teamed up for their first official collaboration, ‘Powelstad’, a groundbreaking EP on Bespoke Musik.
From that serendipitous meeting in 2015, their relationship has blossomed into a dynamic musical force, with the pair performing countless back-to-back sets—from the dusty plains of Burning Man to Berlin’s underground clubs. Their natural chemistry and shared artistic vision have earned them the endearing nickname ‘Powelstad’ from their devoted fanbase.
Crafted in Powel’s Berlin studio, the EP showcases their commitment to authentic sound production, using hardware synthesizers and organic instruments to create rich, textured soundscapes. The release features a remix from Minds Alike Records’ Samihe, adding another dimension to this curated collection.
Released through Bespoke Musik, ‘Powelstad’ represents more than just a collection of tracks – it’s a celebration of organic collaboration, hardware-driven production, and the pure joy of creating music without constraints.
EG sat down with Powel and Christian Voldstad to explore the story behind their partnership, their creative process, and what lies ahead for these innovative artists.
EG: Hi guys, welcome back. Where are you right now and what are you up to?
Christian: We’re both sitting in my apartment at the moment, mostly recovered from our event on Saturday, and getting ready to play a vinyl set tomorrow at Outer Heaven in New York.
EG: You’re celebrating the release of your new EP, ‘Powelstad’. How did the idea of a formal collaboration first come about, and why was now the right moment for it?
Christian: We had been playing music together for such a long time that producing together was the next logical step. We’ve been working on a number of tracks together for years and finally finished them at the end of last year during my last trip to Berlin.
Powel: Yep, we took a while to finish those tracks as we didn’t want to work remotely on them, as the synergy gets lost this way.
EG: Each track on the EP seems to have its own distinct vibe. Could you share a bit about the creative process – were these ideas planned in advance, or did they develop organically once you began working together in the studio?
Christian: We once tried to plan a house track in advance and it ended up becoming disco. Every track we’ve made so far has been something we came up with on the spot.
Powel: Also, having fun in the studio was a crucial part. We didn’t want to work stoically towards the goal of having finished tracks. We did things like trying to create melodies by drawing animals in the midi matrix… that didn’t go so well. But still, it was worth it… creating new music is fun, it’s not business time.
EG: You’ve both played back-to-back sets for years and the nickname ‘Powelstad’ naturally followed. How did that actually come about?
Christian: I don’t really even know where Powelstad came from, it just started popping up in the SoundCloud comments of our B2B sets. Although it wouldn’t have been my first choice, the people have spoken. Haha – we both like good self-deprecating humor so to name the EP after a moniker we weren’t immediately fond of made perfect sense. It works, there are no other reasonable combinations of our names that even stumble off the tongue.
Powel: I was also not the biggest fan of the name, but since it was given to us – which is a super nice thing – people might not have cared at all for our collaborations – and we weren’t able to come up with something better, I’ve warmed up to it now.
“Every track we’ve made so far has been something we came up with on the spot”
EG: You’ve mentioned using hardware synths and recorded instruments to craft these tracks. Why is that hands-on approach important to you, and how do you think it’s reflected in the emotional tone of ‘Powelstad’?
Christian: I would say that producing strictly using VSTs and software removes some of the human or soulful tones from the music. Everything is snapped to a grid, and completely error-free. It just sounds a little too perfect for me. We are actually, as Daft Punk would say, human after all.
Powel: It’s also easier for two people to work on music together. Instead of staring at a screen and fighting about who has control over the mouse. With hardware, there are enough knobs and faders to push and turn for everyone.
EG: Samihe steps in to provide a remix on the EP. What drew you to his style for this release, and what does his remix bring to the overall narrative of ‘Powelstad’?
Christian: I’ve known Sam for a number of years and always loved his music. Paul does as well, so when it came time to choose a remixer for the EP he was the immediate choice. His remix brings a welcome spin on our EP to add a little bit of spice to the overall aesthetic. He also has an awesome cat named Shadow.
Powel: Love Samihe’s music, it’s always authentic and fresh. Just listen to his track ‘Legna’. Still one of my favorites from him.
EG: The project is being released on Bespoke Musik. How would you describe your working relationship with Bespoke, and what’s special about releasing music under their banner?
Christian: Bespoke Musik was the first event brand to book Paul, and I actually played on the same lineup as Paul for my first Bespoke event. Now I help run Bespoke with the brand’s founder, Rocky, and manage the record label as well. We’re all good friends because of our shared appreciation for the music & community. Considering both of our histories with the brand, our first collaborative work belongs with Bespoke.
EG: Both of you bring different backgrounds and influences to the table. How do you balance your individual sensibilities so that the final product sounds cohesive yet remains interesting?
Christian: Trial and error, as well as A/B testing – just going with the flow of what works and feels right while being respectful of one another’s taste and aesthetic. My cowbell suggestion was rejected at some point though, so there are guardrails.
Powel: Working with Christian was a very effortless and natural process. It all kind of… just happened in its own time without pressure, and I am very happy with the results.
“Just going with the flow of what works and feels right while being respectful of one another’s taste and aesthetic”
EG: From Berlin to Burning Man, you’ve performed in diverse settings. Do those experiences factor into your production choices for an EP like this, or do you consciously separate your live mindset from your studio work?
Christian: I would say all of these tracks came about with no specific direction in mind. Any time we have tried to plan something like that, I see something shiny and then we skew off onto a completely different path.
Powel: I never consider the live/DJ mindset when I’m in the studio, alone or with a collaborator. For me, music is something that needs to happen in the moment, transforming what you’re feeling into sound. Considering how playable or DJ-friendly a track is just feels fundamentally wrong to me. Electronic music is special because there is, for everything, a small or big section of the culture that likes it – and you just create what you are feeling and hope it finds some ears and makes people happy.
EG: Looking ahead, do you foresee more collaborative efforts, or are you exploring solo paths as well? What directions or sounds are you each eager to investigate in the near future?
Christian: Considering the amount of fun we have playing and making music together, I would certainly say there will be more collaboration in the future. At the same time, both of us have some interesting solo projects we are working on. I can’t say more without breaking the NDA though.
Powel: I like to explore my influences from my earlier years in a house music framework… punk, rock, hip-hop, etc. But yes, what he said!
EG: Finally, for listeners discovering your music via ‘Powelstad’, what do you hope they take away from this EP, and where can they follow your next steps as artists?
Christian: Hoping the tunes are as fun to listen to as they were to make. Follow us on Soundcloud for new musik and live set recordings, and Instagram for pictures of my cat!
Powel: I hope people find the music interesting and have happy moments when listening, whether it’s on a dancefloor or a nice home speaker system. It’s really an honor to do this… the best part is when people resonate with what you’re sharing with them.
EG: Thanks for the time and all the best!
Powel / Christian: Thank you!
Powel & Christian Voldstad ‘Powelstad’ is now available on Bespoke Musik. Stream and download here.
Follow Powel: Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram | Facebook
Follow Christian Voldstad: Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram | Facebook
