October 12th sees the release of a brand new LP from renowned Berlin-based producer Daniel Steinberg. Forthcoming on Arms & Legs (a label, which he cofounded in 2011 with Nils Ohrmann) is ‘Left-handed’ – an eclectic mix of electronic sounds ranging from club oriented cuts to more laid-back aural delights. Ahead of the album release, we sat down with Steinberg to learn the ins and outs of his process, the influences behind the piece and much more. In addition, ever so kindly, he’s share an exclusive snippet ‘State Of Mind’ from the LP exclusively for When We Dip readers.

WWD: Thanks for joining us Daniel. Congrats on the album, it’s a quality LP!

Thanks, super nice to hear.

WWD : Tell us about the moment you decided “That’s it, I’m finished’.

The last track I made was Punch, it’s such a powerful rough club track I knew it was just what the album needed to be complete. I finished bouncing the track around 5:30am, I’ll never forget the moment, I was exhausted but really satisfied I rolled a massive spliff and watched the sunrise over the Spree from my balcony.

WWD: This is your third album. What distinguishes this release?

I think Left-Handed is more stylistically diverse than my previous 2 albums. There are quite a few genres covered from hip-hop and breaks to electronica and techno. It was important to me that this album wasn’t just one sound.

WWD: Takes us through ‘’State Of Mind’, do you remember where you put the track together? 

I made State of Mind the same night as Punch, it was just one of those magic sessions.

WWD: Was the album a drawn out process for you or more short and sweet?

I’m by nature a pretty impatient person so for me the album felt really drawn out. Not in making it as such but in all the other parts like waiting for the artwork, getting the tracks mastered etc.

WWD: Aside from producing killer LPs, how does Daniel Steinberg like to spend his time?

Well I’m completely music obsessed so honestly I don’t do a lot (or anything) else. When I’m totally wrecked and in an attempt to get whatever hook I’m working on out of my head I watch TV series. At the moment I’m watching Mr. Selfridge its so stress free, no one has mobile phones or internet, ah love it.

WWD: How do you see the value of an LP in the modern era of electronic music?

It’s definitely less relevant than it used to be. The way people consume music has changed, for better or worse. Listeners can click through tracks quickly and cherry pick what they like for free. It used to be you buy an expensive album and listen to it to death. These days are gone. But I think for the fans LPs are still a great insight to their favourite artist’s minds. Also as an artist an LP is a wonderful format creatively. You can take the listener on a journey and explore different sounds, which is just not possible with a single or EP.

WWD : Can you tell us about some of the key production tools behind the album?

My left hand and my ears 🙂

WWD : Are there any albums in the electronic domain that stand out for you as ideal examples of quality LPs?

Absolutely, I still listen to KLF – Chillout whenever I’m on a plane, this album I’ve been listening to for 25 years! It still sounds fresh. Another classic is Metro Area – Metro Area, it’s a timeless album, pure class.

WWD : What was the biggest influence to start work on this LP?

A few factors came together to make for a perfect album producing environment, injuring my right hand, having some time off, my internet connection breaking and my girlfriend going home for Christmas. I was alone and distraction free in my studio, heaven.

WWD: Before we leave you, what are the big dates coming up in your calendar?

The big one is this coming Monday October 12, album release day! Really looking forward to getting it out there.

Follow Daniel Steinberg: Facebook // Soundcloud