In the wake of a scintillating new remix on the delectable Nie Wieder Schlafen imprint, Berlin-based Ryan Davis joins us to talk through his new release, remix process, and more…

Thanks for joining us Ryan! Can you talk us through your remix process?

When I hear a song, mainly it is its melody and the feeling that comes along with it that inspires me. From there i start to transform it into my own version. If I hear for example a 4/4 beat im going to try to make a break beat out of it to directly go into another direction of the original, giving it something that it didn’t had before. When I hear a song that has this calm mood im tending to give it a more energetic twist. I started the remix by walking away from the 4 to the floor beat and gave it a lot of energy in the middle part while keeping the piano sounds that I really liked from the very 1st listening in the mix.

Your rework has patience and emotional impact, with quite the build-up. What is the ideal place to listen to it or did you have a certain mindset in mind, when producing it?

I mainly listen to music when I prepare for a set that I’m going to play in a club, while doing something relaxing or on my travels. I guess the remix is a perfect companion for a next airplane flight or if you are sitting in a train and you look outside.

I always feel music gives your travels or the movement around you kind of a soundtrack. It is like you’re in a movie and music is playing in the background which I feel is a nice way of perceiving music while listening. Everybody has his favorite place or way to listen to music or a special mood. In the end everybody has to figure out for himself, but for me it’s definitely traveling and matching the music to what I’m seeing or getting inspired by hearing music while watching the world passing by.

Your music could generally be put into the category of Electronica? What makes it your genre of choice?

In general i produce music of many genres or most of the time there is different genres to find in what i do as i personally not listen to a specific genres in my freetime. I also find that listening to all the genres gives more inspiration. That i get categorized into the electronica category might be as it, for my understanding, is the most open genre of the electronic genres. It has no clear borders and can melt many influences together within its realms.

The original album was inspired by spacey atmosphere – Imagine yourself in space and only 3 albums to take with you – which would you take with you?

Sigur Ros – Hang the Dj (Black Mirror Episode)

Boards of Canada – Tomorrows Harvest

Jon Hopkins – Immunity

You have been in the game for quite some time now – if you could travel back and meet your younger self, which advices would you give yourself with the knowledge you have now?

Do always what you feel you want/need to do and not what you think is better to do or others want you to do with your art.
It is what makes you unique and not blend into the noise of the mainstream. Believe in what your inner flame burns for, thats the thing that will give you joy and motivation for the years to come.