interview

29/11/03

brought to you by joe90

 

georg levin LEVIN AN ELEVATOR one of the seemingly endless stream of new artists that jazzanova's sonar kollektiv label have joyfully introduced to over the last couple of years,

singer songwriter georg levin has just had his debut album 'can't hold back' released. he also works as wahoo in collaboration with deep house dude dixon. (who, incidentally owns a fine sandwich shop in berlin, with some of the most attractive staff i've ever seen) the props that rained down on georg's first two gorgeous singles 'when i'm with you' and '(i got) somebody new' were fully justified as 'can't hold back' is the sound of sweeeeet soul music. something for the laydeez....

1. please introduce yourself?

Hi, I'm Georg Levin, a real bad motherf***er from Berlin (something like this...?)

2. congratulations on your debut lp. what would you like to tell us about it?

This is my first album, it took me quite a while to produce it because I am pretty slow and picky at times, but I am quite happy now. I hope I will sell lots of copies and that people will listen to it for the rest of their lives. It shall make them dance, meditate, make love, cry, laugh, relax and do many more things.

3. some of the tracks on the album sound like a live band, and others sound more studio produced - is this intentional, and if so, why?

The different arrangements were chosen because each of the compositions required a different outfit. "I'll Be" would have sounded silly with programmed beats as well as "You know what you want..." with real drums. There were some kind of sound blueprints for each song that i thought would work best for them.

4. is your work as georg levin your first or have you had other musical projects in the past?

No, this is my first serious one. I have played in some bands before, but never really seriously.

5. how did you hook up with the sonar kollektiv guys?

I knew Alexander Barck from Jazzanova through his wife. I met him one morning in their bathroom. (!)

6. there seems to be a lot of quality soulful music coming out of berlin at the moment - why do you think this is?

Who are you thinking of? There is some Soul music which I think is very good but unfortunately sung in German. Sometimes I this works but often it doesn't (especially for people from other countries). But when you're talking about bands like Micatone... I don't know. Maybe because some people are getting sick of techno or are becoming more confident with their own stuff by thinking that they can do it perhaps as good as, say, their American idols.

7. i'm guessing you grew up listening to a lot of soul music?

Yes, indeed. I had already formed my taste in music from a very early age. I was fascinated by Earth, Wind and Fire, when I first listened to them when I was about 8 years old. The favourite tunes I had then are still the ones I have today. The same with Prince when I heard Purple Rain when I was about 11. Before that, I only knew some old Stax Soul or Beatles records from my parents.

8. tell us a little about your wahoo project with dixon?

This is a rather dance orientated project. Dixon knows what's working on the dance floor and knows how to use a mixing desk and I can write songs and play instruments. And this combination kind of works.

9. so far wahoo has been about remixes - do you have any releases/album planned?

There will be a single called "Take Over Me" pretty soon. And an album that is (hopefully) finished this summer.

10. are you working on any other projects at the moment?

I am working with other artists as in singing for them or writing their arrangements. At the moment I am working with Boris Dlugosch on one or two tracks for his new album.

11. the future's bright, the future's....?

Getting over my hangover. >