Ben Rau is a German\/Ghanaian DJ based in Berlin who is highly respected by all his peers, and always seems to perfect quality house music whenever he sets foot in the studio. With a new LP \u201c8 Track\u201d out on Hot Since 82\u2019s Knee Deep In Sound, we spoke to him recently to see how the LP came to be, and what inspired it…<\/p>\n
Hey Ben, how has your year been so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n Great thanks it’s been an exciting few months running up to the release of my 8-track Album on Knee Deep In Sound.<\/p>\n When, why and how did you first get into electronic music? What gave you the bug?<\/strong><\/p>\n My brother would bring back mixtapes he recorded from the radio when I was in my early teens as he was also into house. I fully got involved when I went to Uni in the UK and from then on raving was just something I always wanted to be involved with.<\/p>\n What is your signature sound and style \u2013 what makes your music unique?<\/strong><\/p>\n I’m always trying to figure out new soundscapes and use a lot of hardware. I don’t use sample packs apart from single shot sounds for percussion and I make all my sounds myself. I make everything from quirky minimal underground house and tech house to full on hands in the air emotional house belters. I have to keep myself interested so I’m not confined to a subgenre.<\/p>\n Why did you want to do your recent \u201c8 Track\u201d LP, what inspired or influenced it?<\/strong><\/p>\n Hot Since 82 approached me for the project. It\u2019s the third in the series on the the label after Cristoph and Daley\u2019s own editions. I\u2019d released previously on the label and so I happily agreed to do it. I wanted to showcase my range as a producer and so I did everything from deep house to breakbeat, French filter house as well as 90s inspired KORG M1 Organ belters so all my house influences can be heard on the project. I\u2019m very proud of it<\/p>\n And how did the link with Knee Deep In Sound come about?<\/strong><\/p>\n Daley (Hot Since 82) had previously signed an Ep by myself and Jansons which went to No1 on Beatport. Doing the 8-track project felt like a natural progression.<\/p>\n