INTERVIEW: Milan Milano

MILAN MILANO based in Nuremberg / Germany began to know techno in his childhood on the turntables of his older brother. He likes to mix and create sets with smooth transitions over several hours, in which the music intertwines and thus he creates his own vitality in the music, the energy and the dance floor.

We had the pleasure of interviewing him and this was the result.

What first attracted you to the world of electronic music?

I was already fascinated by music and technology as a child. I gained my first experience with my older brother's Turntables at a very young age. At some point, I realized that I had to buy my own records. I was 15 at the time

Do you remember any album or concert that changed everything?

I think the first time was at Timewarp in Mannheim when I was 18. That completely changed my world view of the techno scene. I had never heard anything like it before. It was gigantic. Light, sound, vibe and not a single cell phone on the dancefloor. 

Since you got into this professionally, what helped you the most to grow, even to believe in yourself?

When I started DJing 20 years ago, there was no social media, no YouTube, etc. I had to teach myself everything and practiced several hours a day. That motivame on because I wanted to play sets like the DJs I saw/heard every weekend in the club “partying”

How is the music scene in your city with this murky post-pandemic situation?

I live in Nürnberg -  Bavaria. Here it sometimes feels like a permanent club pandemic. Other Citys sometimes laugh at us because of the Nightclub regulations etc. 

What are your favorite places to hang out?

I prefer to be outside, in nature, in the mountains, on the rocks. Sometimes I also like to be on the dance floor. Preferably where nobody knows me

Have you had time to focus on making music, spending time with your family, or planning future projects?

Without my wife “Lena”, I wouldn't be where I am today. She has my back. So it's easy for me to reconcile everything. Of course, a good healthy balance is crucial here. I call it „Rave Life Balance“ :-) 

How did your latest project come about?

I produced the track “We Burn Together” in 2022-2023 and i played the track for the first time at the Burning Beach Festival. That's how it got its title. I only played the track in my sets for over a year and wanted to keep it under the radar in terms of a release.

What do you want to convey in this work? 

The track “We Burn Together” is a homage to the Burning Beach Festival and a sign of  togetherness, resistance and cohesion in the wake of the raid on Club Rakete in 2023

What is the concept behind?

I was able to win over three producer friends for my EP (Remixers). Torsten Kanzler, Drumcomplex and Mar Dean from Zurich. All of them are closely connected to our club Die Rakete. We try to implement the same concept for our label “Die Rakete Records”. 

By friends, for friends. 

As for your studio, what is your setup currently made of?

I produce with Ableton Live 11 and prefer to use the Moog Sub 37 Sequent for most elements. I also use Ableton Push 2 a lot, but I also like to work with my own field recordings, e.g. bells from Buddhist monasteries or sounds from “outside”.  You can also hear a few signature sounds in my tracks. 

What's the one thing you'll never get rid of, no matter what?

No matter what happens. Music will always be one of my centers of life. Whether it's on the dancefloor, behind the decks or just at home. Although I have a very diverse taste in music. Music is too good to only dj one genre. 

What would you say is the definition of your sound?

Magical Techno to define it short and smart. 

What was the last record store you visited and what did you buy there?

My first own vinyl was from Dominik Eulberg - Björn Borkenkäfer. I bought it in the Beatwax record store in Nuremberg. That was a very, very long time ago. 

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