higher frequency

You may've first heard of Dominik Eulberg back in 2003 when his debut release ‘Der Hecht Im Karpfenteich' came out on Riley Reinhold's Cologne label Traum Schallplatten. Or maybe the first time you noticed Eulberg was when his remix of Roman Flugel's ‘Geht's Noch?' appeared on famous Frankfurt imprint Cocoon Recordings. Well whenever it was, by now you have definitely heard of this nature-loving producer who continues to churn out the pumping tunes for both Traum and Cocoon, with an album planned for early '07.
We sat down with Dominik in the backstage of ageHa as he regailed us with tales of Sven Vath, University, Gabriel Ananda and a little info about a man named Rocco Branco.

HigherFrequency (HRFQ): When you started getting into music you were listening to Sven Vath on the radio. Now your track ‘Bionik' has been signed to Cocoon, was that just a huge thrill?

Dominik Eulberg: Of course. Sven was always an idol of mine and he influenced me with music. Growing up in Westerwald where it is a very natural region, we had no clubs so this radio was my first contact. I always bought the records he played on his radio show. One day he called me to do a remix of ‘Geht's Noch?' and I first thought it was a joke of one of my friends.

HRFQ: Next year don't you have an album coming out on Cocoon?

Dominik Eulberg: Yeah, it should've been released this year in October but I did not make it because I had to travel so much and my girlfriend needs a lot of time, and I was bird watching. So we delayed it until next year. In January I'll take one month off and go into the studio and I think I will finish it then.

HRFQ: So it's not going to be old material? It's all new stuff?

Dominik Eulberg: Yeah yeah yeah. I've just finished only two or three tracks and the others aren't made yet.

HRFQ: Are they already in your head?

Dominik Eulberg: No, I don't make music in my head. I sit down and then it comes out of me.

HRFQ: But are you thinking about music all the time or is it only when you go into the studio?

Dominik Eulberg: I still think a lot about music but not as much as years ago. Sometime when I cannot sleep I think a lot about music and music is produced in my head. When I do a track it's always like bursts and then I can't sleep so well because in my mind I am thinking “You could've done this more…”. So I am always happy when I finish a track. This is also a reason why I don't have my studio at my home anymore. I have it at another house because it is hard to switch off.

HRFQ: You and Gabriel Ananda have done a Traum release together this year and you've also done some remixes together. How do you know each other? Are you friends?

Dominik Eulberg: Yeah, Gabriel is one of my friends. I've known him for so long, I think four or five years. We met in Cologne, through Riley Reinhold from Traum. Its nice to have someone like Gabriel who I can talk to about anything. When I have a technical problem I can call him, or anything broken with my life I can call him. He is one of my best friends.

HRFQ: You did a remix together recently of one of your favourite tracks.

Dominik Eulberg: Yeah, it's coming out. Cold's ‘Strobelight Network'. There's a label Exacta.udio from Germany and you could choose the track. They asked me, “Dominik which track do you want to remix?”. I chose my favourite track, ‘Strobelight Network', and they got the licenses but that was two years ago. I told them I was a little bit scared about touching it because it had a lot of honour about it. So I needed the perfect time and when I feel like I could do it then I would do it. I talked with Gabriel about how I was scared to do it and it was also one of his favourite tracks so I said lets do it together. It's nearly finished, it needs one session on it but we did it in two or three nights.

HRFQ: So that is your favourite track, can you go any better than this. Is there another goal you have, something else that you really want to do?

Dominik Eulberg: The funny thing is I never have a goal with my music. I never thought that I would come to Tokyo one day and play music. I always do what I like to do, what I think is good and what is fun for me. I'm satisfying my passion and sometimes I am really surprised but I try not to think too much about it and just do what I think is good.

HRFQ: In a previous interview you've said that you don't plan to make music forever, are you still thinking that way?

Dominik Eulberg: I mean I never planned it in the past. I was going to University, I was a good student, and I was even teaching at University. Suddenly my music got more and more popular. So the question was should I make music or continue studying because together it is impossible. So at the moment I am making music but I must tell you that studying and working in nature satisfies me a lot, it is a big aim for the future and I want to do it. Of course I will do my music for my whole life but I think not as much as I do now. But when the break will come I can't tell you.

HRFQ: We wanted to ask you about Rocco Branco. What is the difference between that and your music as Dominik Eulberg?

Dominik Eulberg: Rocco Branco is for releases on Platzhirsch Schallplatten and we made it because Rocco Branco is more rough music and more dry music. Sometimes I like to do music like this and the other reason was the guy that runs Platzhirsch Schallplatten, Tobias Becker, is a good friend of mine and he wanted to do it so nobody knows it is me because people should buy music because of the music not because of the name. But now everybody knows it is me.

HRFQ: You started producing in 1994 and your first release was in 2003. What should young producers be doing in those nine years? What were you doing in those nine years to get a release?

Dominik Eulberg: I think the most important thing is that you must know that it takes time to learn all of the techniques, to get used to it and to get the routine. They should never do music to become a well-known producer or DJ. If you think that when you become a big producer you get a lot of money, a nice wife and buy a nice car then forget it. You always have to do it because you want to do it or because your heart is telling you to do it. You have to do it because it is a passion of yours. When you are born to be a good producer or a good musician or a good DJ, you are one. You don't have to ask the question “Should I be a producer?” because when you want to find out how it works you just spend nights over the computer or the machines. I must say I am really happy it took such a long time until I made my first record because then I went through more suffering and I was got tougher.

HRFQ: So that nine years was good for you?

Dominik Eulberg: Yeah, it's like wine.

HRFQ: Do you think your music would be different now if you had released earlier?

Dominik Eulberg: Um, good question. I cannot say if it would be a good thing or a bad thing but I think it would be different. Because I would've spent more time on it and I would know much more about the music. But I don't know if it is good because sometimes it's good when you don't know so much, when you just start and do something and then listen to your heart.

HRFQ: Thank you very much for talking to us even though you are running out of time.

Dominik Eulberg: Thank you. No problem.