“The time will come when I have to think about giving up DJing. I’m 41 years old now and realistic, I can’t keep touring forever” opens club music kingpin Timo Maas. “It’s a super-human commitment.”
But make no mistake, this is someone talking with a refreshed and re-charged outlook on life; with the assuredness of knowing exactly what he wants from the next few years of his career. It wasn’t so long ago – the mid Noughties - that Maas took time away from dance music to “find himself” and re-assess his priorities.
“I desperately needed a break” he confides. “I was actually low on confidence, and constantly questioning myself on projects and releases. It’s hard, as a name in dance music, to slow down sometimes and work things out; I was feeling jaded and in need of new inspiration.”
It’s hardly like Maas had much to look back on in disappointment. His rise to clubland’s higher echelons was meteoric and his subsequent stay there, impressive. He was rocking friends’ parties in hometown Hanover, Germany from the age of 13 and soon fronting big, local commercial nights; he was subsequently introduced to Germany’s fast rising, late 80s rave scene and so began establishing himself – quickly - as a key name on the electronic underground.
Come the following decade and bigger, international bookings were ‘de rigueur’. Maas was also now producing; in 1995 he released ‘aggressive trance’ cut Die Herplatte alongside Gary D and earned himself plaudits all over the world, not to mention a close association with influential, Nick Warren A&R-d imprint Hope Recordings. 1997’s genre-bending single Mama Konda (a favourite with everyone from Sasha to David Morales) and a monster 1999 remix of Azzido Da Bass’ Doom’s Night completed his rocket-propelled ascent to dance’s top table.
Post-sabbatical, Timo Maas is feeling amazing. “I truly am” he beams, “I’ve been able to plan out what I want from the rest of my career. In the past I sometimes felt like I was in a routine and that wasn’t fulfilling. You need to be able to break those patterns and set yourself new targets.”
Generally speaking, Maas’ official return in 2008 was about revisiting his underground and somewhat unpredictable roots. His comeback cut Satellite, released on Cocoon, was a whip-smart techno-led declaration of intent, as was last year’s aptly-titled mix album Return Of The Legend, a peppy combination of beats from many of Maas’ current artistic projects.
These, of course, include Mutant Clan and Rockets & Ponies – two operations driven by Maas’ new partnership with Italian producer Santos. “To meet him was and is the best” Maas explains. “Santos gets my musical vision, and has the ability to help me evolve ideas in tracks and songs. I’ve never expressed my music better than with him, right now.”
If Mutant Clan allows Timo Maas to endulge his deep electro-fied passions, then Rockets & Ponies is an opportunity for complete beat, tempo and stylistic freedom; expect the unexpected. Rockets & Ponies is both production outfit and cult imprint, the latter function bringing Maas close to rising, open-minded recording talents such as Alex Dolby and Tiefschwarz co-producer Sante. “All that creativity feeds into my own work” Maas suggests. “It’s partly about me being able to move smoothly with the times; there is a new generation of clubbers and music-makers out there and you can’t ignore all that, otherwise you will fall over.”
A monumental new CD compilation from the German, Balance 017 (the latest instalment of the prominent Balance compilation series) once again reflects his renewed creative drive and sonic flexibility. The record spans two discs and 40 cuts, and allows Maas to move through everything from innovative tech ‘n’ progressive to deep, eclectic and thoroughly engaging downbeat material. Featured artists include everyone from Carl Craig and Deetron to Kenny Larkin and Wolf + Lamb’s teen wunder-kind Nicolas Jaar.
“I wanted to create a genuine trip with the record” he outlines. “Not just another track-by-track compilation blended together by Ableton. I don’t do too many albums like this because they’re normally so restrictive but here I had the freedom to really express myself. The label told said to me ‘you choose the trip’. I’m very happy with how it all turned out; it really sums up how I feel at the moment…on it.”
Further ahead will come a new Timo Maas studio album – a follow up to the successful, if rather direct Loud (2002) and acclaimed, song-orientated follow-up Pictures (2005.) Pictures was, on one level, noted for its major array of guests, including Placebo’s Brian Molko, Neneh Cherry and Kelis. It was noted, on another, for the way in which Maas skilfully used their talents.
“There will almost certainly be important guests on the new record” he teases, “but I’m not saying too much about them. At the same time, I’m also working with some incredible local musicians and producers; some of whom I grew up listening to. It’s a fantastic experience for them, and for me. I have four or five tracks sketched already but there’s a long way to go; it’s promising, the album will sound totally different from what I’ve done before but hopefully timeless, also.”
As for the DJing; well, that’s still a major part of Maas’ life but a gradual, long-term shift towards more production and artist management work is the longer-term goal. “Don’t worry, I’ll be firing out sets like nobody’s business for a good few years yet. I’m having too much fun” he wraps up, “but, yes, I’m mindful of the future.”
And what a glorious future it looks set to be….
Words: Ben Lovett
Balance 017: Timo Maas is released by Balance Music on October 18.
