Vinyllover Recordings label boss Tobias Wollborn aka Disscut founded his imprint back in 2012. He’s an artist many of you won’t have heard of before, but definitely one to keep an eye on.
How old are you, where are you living and how long have you been producing and Djing?
Disscut: Hi Guys. I am 27 years old and live in Göttingen, a small town in the middle of Germany. I have dedicated more than half of my life to music. Dj’ing I started learning at the beginning of 2001, with traditional vinyl. I started producing later, which I believe was in the year 2006.
Where do your musical roots lie and what made your get in to dance music?
Disscut: The origin of my passion for music lies clearly in hiphop, more precisely in turntablism. It all started when I saw on MTV a transmission of the DMC World DJ Championships. As a young boy, I was so fascinated by this show that I did not want to talk about anything else. For my tenth birthday, I finally got my first turntables from my mother. At 16, I had my first club experiences as a hiphop-dj. I also began at this time my first attempts as a self-taught artist to produce music with the magix music maker. Two years later, when I was 18, I heard, by chance, the track “Google” by Spencer & Hill. Again my curiosity was peaked, and I realized that I was even more enthusiastic for electronic dance music than hiphop. What can I say, my passion in this genre has deepened more and more. Today, I can proudly claim that I have found myself as a techno artist, body and soul. Without techno, I can no longer work. It has become my drug.
How difficult was learning to produce for you in the beginning? Did you take any Audio Engineering programs or production courses to help you out or are you pretty much self taught? And did anyone give any advice early on that really helped?
Disscut: All beginnings are difficult, especially if you do not know anyone who can teach you something. I’ve done everything myself, from playing vinyl as dj to producing music. I think enthusiasm is the best teacher. In 2012, I took a mixing and mastering course to deepen my knowledge about Cubase.
Talk to us about your latest release “Bitterness” and the inspiration behind it.
Discutt: I just wanted to create a statement in these difficult times. With Bitterness I describe our current situation, and how we have one last chance to change this situation. Simply put, I would like to say that this world would be much nicer if we would all just dance peacefully as friends with one another. This message is important to me, so I did the vocals myself. From a purely technical point of view, I have kept Bitterness quite classic, powerful, and decisive.
What’s the music scene like where you live and how often are you playing?
Disscut: I have to say quite honestly, where I live the scene is manageable but absolutely hungry for good
techno. I can not say on average how often I play, sometimes more and sometimes less.
It depends a little on where I am focused at the moment, producing in the studio or playing in the club. For a while, my focus has definitely been in the studio. I also play one or two times a month at different gigs, depending on how I am booked.
Which other DJs and producers do you admire right now?
Disscut: These are quite clear to me, Klaudia Gawlas, Björn Torwellen and Brian Sanhaji. Of course, I could easily write a 5-sided list with artists who inspire me, but these three are my absolute heroes. I especially appreciate Klaudia Gawlas and listen to her sets at least 2 to 3 times a week. You could say that I am a pretty big fan of hers.
You have your own label Vinyllover Recordings. How did this decision come about?
Disscut: Well, let’s just say, I’m a perfectionist and like to have full control over what my music is about. No matter whether it is about the press release or the cover design, the release date or the promotion, I just want to be sure everything fits. In addition, I have made my own goal to provide a platform for young talented artists who would not otherwise get the chance to be heard. The name Vinyllover Recordings I chose because I found my own music through vinyl.
Tell us about your DJ setup? Do you have a video or mix you can share?
Disscut: After many years of dragging vinyl, I switched to a digital system. I have tried various equipment-variations. My setup is a bit unconventional but effective … Now I have a pretty satisfying combination with a DDM4000, two Contour IE & CE, a NI Audio2, and a laptop with NI Traktor Pro2. However, I’m also working on expanding my setup to include analog hardware, such as a stepsequencer and a synthesizer, all synchronized via MIDI.
What’s been your biggest achievement to date?
Discutt: My biggest achievement has nothing to do with music, but with love. The decision is to be a father for my daughter although I am not her biological father and no longer live with her mother. This decision to take responsibility for a small wonderful person for a lifetime, even though I have no obligation to do so legally, has changed my life. And I am absolutely proud of that!
What are your aspirations for the future?
Discutt: I want to stay healthy and happy, so I can continue to live my music. And do not forget, I would like to play in gigs outside of Germany.
Apart from techno music what other genres do you listen to and do these genres have a direct effect on your own productions?
Disscut: Sure, of course! I go through different phases. Sometimes I like Drum’n’Bass, sometimes Classic Rock or Hard Rock. And of course, a good guitar riff can also inspire me for my productions in the studio. Now, I don’t mean that I would sample a guitar or something. Rather, I like to analyze different styles I hear and reproduce the arrangement in my head. For me, this is very educational and inspiring. However, this has a disadvantage, since it happens at any time, even with music that I do not want to analyze at all.
There are countless producers out there trying to find their way and create their own unique sound, what advice do you have for them?
Disscut: Go on and on! If you love what you do, you will eventually get to the point where the hard work and the countless hours will pay off. But most importantly, remain true to yourself. Of course it takes a certain amount of time to find your own style and sound, no one goes without learning from the Top100. For example, I needed 16 years to get where I am now. What counts is the passion behind it and the love for the music. Everything else is a side issue.
Disscut: @ Soundcloud @Vinyllover Recordings
You can buy his latest release here
