Frankfurt DJ and producer Robert Dietz is cutting his compilation teeth on what feels like titanium with debut mix album Arkitekt 01. It’s not so much the track selection and concept, although that took considerable time and effort to master, but the fact Arkitekt is making its debut too and comes from the team behind Renaissance – perhaps one of the most monumental compilation series in dance music history. No pressure then, as Defected’s Lovett discovered.
“Actually there has been a lot of pressure” Dietz laughs, at home in his Frankfurt studio trying to make some new music. “I felt personal pressure being that this is my first mix album, pressure on behalf of Arkitekt because it’s their first outing and I want to do them proud, and pressure because of Geoff Oakes’ [Renaissance founder] reputation and what he has achieved. Oh, and I only had two months to get everything done.”
The clock started ticking earlier this year when Oakes and co. approached Dietz, confident that he was the man to stylishly and persuasively launch their bold new project. Arkitekt had already been operating as a successful, forward-thinking house and techno club night in London, Leeds and Birmingham and wanted to bottle that unique sound – an organic, peppy blend of minimal and lush, melodic 4-4 – on circular plastic, and download.
“I’d had offers before but none had felt right. The market is so busy today and nothing seemed to suit my own agenda and musical opinions” Dietz explains. “When Arkitekt came along their proposal immediately appealed; here was an opportunity to start something new and really fresh. And they were happy to trust me with whatever I wanted to do.”
Arkitekt 01 crosses two CDs, both with distinctly different vibes. The first pushes a trademark Dietz club sound; underground and tech-led, driven by powerful yet precise cuts from the likes of Markus Fix, Davide Squillace & Philip Bader, Sascha Dive and a bass-y, swingingly metallic Ben Nevile (presenting Awshashen). The second, however, hits a deeper, wider stride in perfect synchronicity with the home or intimate after-party. Hence Dietz selects tracks by everyone from Chicago deep house veteran Boo Williams to ambient Argentine Leonel Castillo (splicing pure Detroit with dubby Basic Channel-alike techno on 1974).
Does he compartmentalize away from the studio? “Not at all; for me compilations are very different to DJing” he answers. “Of course, you want to accurately convey an essence of what you sound like and represent, but the club is a highly fluid experience. Everything can change so quickly so you need to adapt and vary things. I like to do that anyway. Compilations, by their nature, often suit more cleanly defined categories. Working out how to specifically frame Arkitekt was really difficult. I had so many ideas in my mind, and so many old vinyl tracks that were difficult to license; artwork decisions too, and packaging. All the while my deadline was approaching!”
Dietz, 30, grew up in Mainz, close to Frankfurt where he resides today. As a teen he balanced his time between Frankfurt’s hip-hopped skate parks and smart underground dance clubs Robert Johnson and Monza, ultimately succumbing to a career in house – kick-started by purchasing Technics SL1210s and borrowing a Roland 303. Dietz has developed his DJ profile to its current international proportions over a period of about 10 years. His “warm, sexy and groovy” production history is much shorter but similarly weighty, starting in 2007 and incorporating releases for labels Cécille, Deep Vibes, Running Back, Cadenza and, most recently this spring, Nic Fanciulli’s Saved (the Heavy Mental EP).
What does Dietz prefer – DJ booth or studio suite? “The booth... the club... definitely” he says. “I started out as a DJ and have been doing it a lot longer. That’s where most of my focus is; it’s where I feel most free.”
Does that imply Dietz has so far felt trapped in his role as producer? “Not really but I think I’ve been putting too much pressure on myself in the studio” he confides. “I’ve been thinking about what route to take too much. My head has been getting too involved. This summer I’ve been so, so busy with bookings that the studio has taken a back seat. I’m keen to get back into the groove with it, hence I’m at my desk today, but I think the break has actually been a good thing.”
Talking of breaks, Dietz recently removed himself from Cadenza’s inner circle. The Frankfurter’s appeal has rocketed over the past two years, in line with the rapid rise of Cadenza’s Balearic party brand Vagabundos. Why, then, the gear shift? “I was with Cadenza before Vagabundos” he opens; “Luciano [Cadenza’s head honcho] has done an amazing job. He has such a good team and family around him; they all pretty much moved to Ibiza when they launched Vagabundos [at Pacha, 2010] in order to give the idea the best possible chance to grow. It’s become this huge success now; a one of a kind. However, it was moving increasingly in a direction that I didn’t want to. It was a personal choice but I felt the need to change, and try new things. I owe so much to Cadenza but it is time to move on again.”
In turn, Dietz has picked up a new management and booking team, keen to evolve as far as he possibly can. Considered career shuffling like this begs the question about a debut artist album, often identified in musical circles as the true sign of coming of age. Are there any plans for a long-player? “I keep putting any plans I do have back” he sighs. “I’ve spoken before about needing to be able to tell a story before I start work on an album and I’m still not sure I’m at that point yet. You need to put considerable amounts of time and effort behind an album, and be in the right situation. Too many artists today make albums because of the media attention they think they’ll generate. It’s the wrong approach, and the music is often undermined. I don’t want to rush for the sake of it. I’ll look at an album in time, just not yet.”
For now fans will have to do with further EPs, the first of which can expect to land (possibly on Saved) in early 2013, not to mention a new track on Cécille’s fifth anniversary compilation just before Christmas. How exactly does Robert Dietz explain his success and global fanbase? What, in his view, sets him apart from those other wannabe artists who have yet to make it – can he draw a line between breakthough and breakdown?
“It’d be easy to talk about hard work, and that is part of it” he begins, “but success in today’s industry is much more complicated. There are so many things at stake. You have the hard work...the commitment to social media and to networking, but it’s also about luck and simply being in the right place at the right time. I’ve known people who were excellent producers but their DJing skills weren’t up to scratch so they’ve been unable to raise their profile in the same way and there, again, is another factor.
“I’ve always put the effort in with my music, because I’m so passionate about it. But I was fortunate to be living in Frankfurt in 2007. That was a time when several producers were setting a new benchmark with house, moving away from minimal and adding new layers and depths. I matured within that creative environment.”
How does Dietz find Frankfurt today? There was talk at one point about moving out to the surrounding German countryside. “I still love living here” he affirms. “I grew up near enough to Frankfurt to record shop there and go clubbing. I have a deep connection to the city, as do many other well-established artists [the city’s famous offspring includes Sven Vath and Reboot]. Truthfully, the scene in Frankfurt isn’t quite what it used to be. The city used to be second to Berlin within Germany in terms of its scene but I’m not sure that’s the case anymore; a few things have fallen away [last month, Vath’s Frankfurt-based Cocoon Club announced imminent administration proceedings]. Nevertheless, we still have exciting new talent coming through; Frankfurt remains a fruitful place for electronic music. It has a genuine community spirit.”
That local support should keep him well-grounded as he moves beyond floor-stealing EPs like Home Run and Bingo Wings and his current programme of global DJ dates to even bigger and better things. Dietz’ ongoing rise is inevitable.
“I do have a lot of friends and family in Frankfurt and I’m generally able to hang out with them mid-week without compromising my work” Dietz suggests. “I think I have that balance OK between work life and private life. I’ll play sports...go out...all the usual things. It works great.”
He’s not remotely worried about how his long-term future might test that balance either: “I try to keep a free head. I appreciate that artists need to be more organised than they used to be but I avoid sitting down and scheduling my life away. I don’t want to be pinned down; that’s not the best way for me to work. Working in electronic music is more challenging than ever. The plane travel and social media...it all tires and distracts. The music’s growing commercialisation is also questionable. I simply try to empty my mind. House music is at the core of what I do and, in that scene, there’s much to get excited about. This music is getting rawer again, influenced by those sounds from 10 or 15 years ago; I’m really into that. The future is good.”
Dietz’ computer whirs and clicks loudly in the background, suddenly breaking the flow of conversation. “I’m updating all my software because I’ve been away; it’s finally finished” he informs. He’s a fan, generally, of technology? “There are always arguments about it but it’s the creativity that counts. That’s all.”
Time to let him go and do his thing....
Words: Ben Lovett
Arkitekt Vol 01: Robert Dietz is released by Arkitekt (Ministry Of Sound/Universal) on October 15.
