We had the pleasure of catching up with Berlin-based analog maestro Hannes Bieger, who has recently unveiled his latest album, ‘Galaxies,’ on his own label, elektrons. This meticulously crafted journey through deep melodic textures and cosmic soundscapes sees Hannes embracing creative freedom after a period of transition. In this exclusive interview, we delve into the inspiration behind ‘Galaxies,’ his evolution from a renowned mix engineer to a celebrated live performer, and how his new studio space influenced the album’s creation. Join us as we explore the cosmos of Hannes Bieger’s musical universe.

WWD: Your new album ‘Galaxies’ has just been released. What was the inspiration behind this project, and how do you feel it stands out from your previous work?

It’s all part of the process that started with ‘Black Hole’ and the foundation of my own label. Last spring, just weeks after I launched elektrons, I was invited by Electric Animals Festival to play a performance with the Orquestra Filarmonica of Costa Rica. The idea to perform with a 30 piece orchestra was an incredible opportunity, and I didn’t want to just have my regular current live set arranged for the orchestra, instead I liked the idea of creating a new body of work, an album, that could see the light of the day with that show. And that’s what happened! In December we debuted my album for the first time in  full length with the orchestra, and it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life… the album itself is a journey that starts with very melodic, synth driven tracks and slowly builds into a more muscular approach. I really like the idea of an album having a conceptual through line, and I believe that’s the case here also. That said, it also represents a phase of my composition work that has now come to an end with it, and I’m already in the process of developing my style further.

WWD: You’ve recently surpassed 500,000 followers on Instagram. How has this growing online presence influenced your connection with fans and your approach to music?

I’m not “just” a musician, I’m also a very visual creative person. At one point in my life I almost went to art school to become a painter, and I have been doing photography on a professional level for many years. I believe this is a huge aspect of why I have managed to establish this online presence – creating photos and later videos never really felt like a chore, a burden, for me. I took this as a photography challenge: coming up with a photo every day that reflected my work day in the best possible way. Much like a pianist does his 30 min of finger training every day, this was my daily practice as a photographer so to speak. I believe it’s only possible to connect and engage in such a way if what you do is genuine and real and not forced. I wouldn’t say social media has influenced my approach to music, though. If anything, it makes me want to go against the grain of an ever more solidifying mainstream. But as a medium to get in touch with likeminded people all over the world, fans, promoters, colleagues… that’s almost priceless, and it makes you more independent as an artist when you don’t have to rely on other platforms with their own gatekeepers to transmit your message. Of course I also see the negative aspects of social media, but it still remains a fantastic tool for independent artists.

WWD: Your live performances are known for their energy and the use of a mobile studio setup. Can you share how you prepare for these gigs and what equipment is essential for your shows?

When I relaunched my artist career around 2018, after having worked exclusively behind the scenes as an engineer/producer for over a decade, I felt like I wanted to try and transport the reputation I gained as someone deeply interested in good sound from the studio to the stage. The notion of quality instruments not being important because it’s “just live” never appealed to me. In fact it was quite the opposite. I have a background playing guitar and later also synths in bands, and I always took great instruments on stage. In the last band I played up until 2007 or so I even took my Minimoog on stage! So it was clear I didn’t want to cut corners with this once more. My current setup is based on a Moog Subsequent 37, Prophet 6 and Moog DFAM for the synths, a PLAYdifferently Model 1 mixer and a couple effects pedals, amongst other things. Quite a challenge to haul this setup around the world, but I do it for the love of music… and there’s nothing like the feeling of playing a nice Moog through some pedals and a good sounding mixer into a big sound system!

WWD: As the founder of your own label, elektrons, what motivated you to start this venture, and how has it impacted your artistic freedom?

It all started with the reels of my first ‘Black Hole’ snippets going viral. They racked up over 25 million views across all platforms, and yet none of the labels I wanted to give it to were interested in releasing it because it sounded too classic, not enough in line with the current melodic techno mainstream. People were literally ripping it out of my hand, but I didn’t have a platform, an avenue how to give it to them. That was the tipping point where I decided I never want to be in a situation again where I organically conjured this momentum and the wasn’t able to follow through with a “proper” release. It means complete artistic freedom to me, and my new album reflects that. Now that I have made that sort of statement I’m open to releasing on other labels again, though, to widen the scope. I already have a few exciting things in the works for 2025, more news on that to come very soon…!

WWD: With the release of ‘Galaxies,’ are there plans for a supporting tour or live performances? What can fans expect from these upcoming shows?

Yes, of course! In this winter I played a little less, focusing more on studio work and an extended holiday after all the work last year, but of course I’ll bring ‘Galaxies’ on tour now. I will return to Argentina for the first time after a too long break in spring, play shows in the US, and, not least, do a proper album release at my Berlin home base Ritter Butzke.

WWD: Balancing studio work with live performances can be challenging. How do you manage these aspects of your career, and do they influence each other?

It’s a lot of work, indeed! But it’s all part of the bigger picture. It’s always exciting to play new tracks live for the first time, and this experience often feeds back into the studio work, helping to fine tune the final arrangements. I also love to take the inspiration of visiting fascinating places while touring as a starting point to create new music.

WWD: Looking ahead, are there any new projects or collaborations in the pipeline for 2025 that you’re particularly excited about?

I have a bunch of exciting new projects in the works, but most of them I can’t share just yet. One thing that I’m really looking forward to is doing more shows together with the orchestra. We are already working on bringing this project to other places outside Costa Rica…

WWD: Sounds incredible! Thanks for the chat, Hannes! 

The ‘Galaxies’ album is available here

Photo Credit: A K BERLIN