Robosonic aka Sacha and Cord are two musicians and DJs residing under the same roof in Kreuzberg, Berlin where they passionately produce electronic music. After taking the world with storm back in 2007 with their highly applauded debut album ‘Sturm und Drang’ they have been on a nonstop spin playing and being played by top DJs around the world. Famous for their multidimensional and intelligent approach to music, this DJ-duo always delivers high-flying live performances filled to the brim with glee and attitude, a virtue that has turned them into a constant crowd-pleaser, no matter if it’s a club, a festival, random afterhours or a high street fashion show they are playing at.
Sacha and Cord also run their own label Diskomafia (which is now being transformed into a digital imprint called “0001”) and rock Berlin Kreutzberg Institut, a trusted podcast platform for the talent-hungry where they showcase DJ mixes, brilliant live sets and interview their favourite artists. Moreover, they recently got involved in PUNCHI, a clothes brand focused on towel-scarves specially designed for DJs, dancers, joggers and party animals. So, if you are like me, a great fan of fully dedicated people blessed with high performance skills and a good sense of humor, these two musicians are just impossible not to adore.
What’s up in Robosonic’s world right now?
Cord: As always we are surrounded by music and there are cables, computers, records and instruments everywhere. More than ever at the moment since our office and administration space recently shrunk. We are also highly enjoying the collaboration with labels and our booking agency JACKMODE who represent us on their international roster of quality artists. In other words, more groove and melody then ever.
Being a DJ, is it fun or is it a job?
Sacha: I consider myself blessed to be able to live from DJing and producing music. It’s the life and hassle I’ve chosen because it fulfils me even if, like most other freelance jobs, it has its rough moments and can be exhausting at times. Producing is something I truly enjoy since I just love nerding around in the studio. Although, the best moments of being a DJ is when everyone is having an excellent time on the dance floor while I’m having fun playing the music I love and produce… pretty straightforward.
Cord: Word up! For me, being a DJ is a fun job with some responsibilities. Sometimes it’s pure fun and sometimes it’s sheer work. Like clownery. Mostly it’s intensive and emotional in a way… sometimes it’s just bizarre.
If you had to evacuate your studio, what’s the one thing you would grab?
Sacha: My hard drive because it contains everything I have made during the past seven years.
Cord: Hell yeah, music-wise I totally agree. Plus maybe also the analogue counterpart, you see I have this box with all the records and CDs I’ve made so far. Thinking about it, I’d also grab a bunch of documents and memories that I wouldn’t want to lose. But they are stored in a chaotic way, so would I have time for that?
Well, actually you were only allowed to grab one thing, haha! So, tell me a bit more about Berlin Kreuzberg Institut.
Sacha: It is a platform where you can download DJ mixes and live sets from great dance music artists, as well as label showcases. It started out as the little sister of Berlin Mitte Institut run by Fresh Meat and Kandel. Berlin Kreuzberg Institut is my way of saying “thank you” to the electronic music community and to give something back. It’s also a great tool to find and contact interesting artists and labels. No one has ever made a buck from it so far.
Could you describe your style like a good friend would describe it?
Sacha: Dance entertainment for junkies and joggers?
Cord: Dance floor storytelling between romanticism and enlightenment? Punchi Punchi? I think genre-wise we do Techno and House crossover in an open¬-minded way given that we’re always on a look out for a fresh and innovative sound but still functional enough to please our crowd.
Is there anyone you’d love to work with?
Sacha: Giorgio Moroder, Nina Simone, Loleatta Holloway, Mos Def, Snoop Dogg, N.e.r.d., DJ Funk, Helge Schneider, DJ Koze, the singer from Faith No More and many more!
Cord: The list is long, but yeah, Helge is a good pick; he rearranged my sense of humour and taste in music at an early stage. I would also mention Hi-Tek & Talib Kweli for being rap and production heroes from my youth and Jimi Hendrix for being the greatest motivation ever to play the guitar. If we talk about producing songs it might be Beiruts Zach Condon or another gifted singer and writer.
The crew here at the Hidden People is a big fan of PUNCHI, how did you come up with the idea and how did you develop it?
Cord: Well, as Robosonic, we had already been wearing yellow towels on stage for quite a while and every now and then when I went dancing with my good friend Kim, who is a designer, we’d wear towels too. When we came up with the actual concept we soon realised that the proper product was nowhere to be found so we simply decided to create it. That’s how it started and soon it became clear that we had to make a ROBOSONIC YELLOW version of it too. If you ask me, it’s the best merchandise product for dance music acts ever and now we’ll see where this simple idea leads to…
Speaking about dance music; how is the electronic scene in Berlin right now?
Sacha: As busy as ever…
So when in Berlin, which places do I definitely need to check out?
Sacha: For clubbing you only need to check Resident Advisor, it is always up to date, but speaking about good places in general, there’s this pizza place in Kreuzberg that makes the biggest pizzas you have ever seen. I don’t remember the name right now but just ask around. Also, the Crèperie Manouche in Grimmstrasse is a great cosy place to get drunk on red wine and eat cheese. And finally, I recommend my favourite local café A.Horn near the Urbanhafen – I have a coffee there every day to wake up.
Cord: You should just come and go with the flow.
What inspires you two?
Sacha: Fun times, love, food, travelling, dreams…
Cord: …stories, music, challenges, business, words of wisdom, problems, restrictions and freedom.
The first DJ who ever made an impression on you was…
Sacha: Right now the first name that comes to my mind is Fuse’s resident Dave Clarke… he made a lasting impression on my teenage self with the way he rocked dance floors in my native Brussels in the mid-nineties, mixing Dancemania Ghetto Tech with Techno.
Cord: When I started recognizing music in the early nineties DJ Bobo was big…but he wasn’t really a DJ, more a frightening successful Eurodance performer. In my case I think it must have been some Hip Hop DJ who strongly impressed me back then. Could have been Premier or even some German guy I respected a lot.
One of your best memories would be…
Sacha: My best memories of Robosonic gigs would have to be playing Turmbühne at Fusion 2009, and in 2010 at the massive GZG party in Amsterdam.
Cord: …playing out our own tunes, can’t remember which one and when. If it works and people are moved by it everything makes sense.
What can we expect from Robosonic in 2011?
Sacha: …bass music with a 4/4 heartbeat!
Cord: …and like always, creative chaos on the next level, open-source inspiration, wild parties, sweat on the walls, precious production and hi-tech soul!
Robosonic, you rock!
