Guy Gerber has been releasing music for more than a decade, constantly aiming for new creative combinations. From a collaboration with P.Diddy which led to the free album, 11:11, to his Rumors party series, Gerber is not afraid to take risks. Maybe this (plus 12 hour sets at Burning Man) is why Resident Advisor consistently ranks him as one the best live touring acts. Growing up in Israel, his journey to music began with rock. But the game changing album for him was Homework by Daft Punk, which led Gerber to house music. Playing in Israel, outside of the electronic scenes of London and Berlin, allowed Gerber to draw from many inspirations rather than adopting the sound of any particular city. This can be heard on the diversity of his productions, of which there are many (apparently, he doesn’t suffer from writer’s block).
Guy Gerber’s latest release is an EP with installation artist and electronic musician Deniz Kurtel. The drum patterns evoke a nostalgic longing for summer, paired with melancholic synths, and an atmospheric vocal sample. The combination sums up Gerber’s approach to music nicely, who in his own words feels art should be “strong and painful.”
What are you working on at the moment in L.A.? Throughout the year I’m always making music, I would say around 90% of the time. Sometimes in headphones, on planes, in hotel rooms; but when I’m in LA, it’s the only time I’m in my own studio with my own instruments, so I can be very productive. I’ve been working on a project for about a year and a half; I can’t say much about it right now, but it involves a lot more songs rather than tracks made for the dancefloor.
How did you find dance and electronic music? Like a lot of people, I grew up listening to Rock music. But then came Homework by Daft Punk, and here was an electronic 4/4 album that was the most rock n roll record of that era - way more than any of the bands of that time. I was always listening to a few electronic bands like Depeche Mode, Soft Cell etc, but I hated the 4/4 beat -but Daft Punk really changed by opinion, and after I looked into their influences I really got into House music, and fell in love with it, and that didn’t change.
What makes dance music so special? There’s two things. First, in a good techno track, the drama and dynamics are in the little nuances of the track, the small details, and that always intrigued me as a producer, that you could create certain feelings of emotions with such small details. The second thing is that, unlike any other genre, once you finish playing as a DJ or performer, and the curtain goes up, you end up in the real backstage of the event. In techno, every single person you see in the crowd has the opportunity to end up in the hotel room at an afterparty with their favourite DJ/Producer, that’s kind of weird and quite funny.
You are constantly ranked as one of the best DJs and live acts in the world. How do you prepare for an event? What are your goals before you step onstage or into the booth? First, thanks for the compliment. How I prepare… I try to personally not go to too may big dinners before I play, or go out at all. Even though I have a lot of friends in certain cities around the world, I need to keep my mind as free as possible. I’m always improvising and jamming on stage, so I need to be focused and ready. I always need to know I left a bit of real magic with people when I leave the stage, otherwise I’m really disappointed in myself.
When you first started releasing music, how did you know were ready? I think my first release was around 2002. I never ever know when my tracks are ready - it used to just be friends persuading me to finally let it go. I think it’s a talent that I’m really missing, to really finalize a track. I usually have the opposite of writers block - way too many ideas and directions. I think over the years I got a little bit better, but I’m still working on it.
What is your production process like? Why do you enjoy being the studio so much? I look at the studio as a playground that has a lot of toys. My studio isn’t a tidy place, there’s a lot of cables, instruments and generally things just lying around. For my creative process - I think Brian Eno once said that he first shoots the arrow, then paints the target around it. That’s similar to my process - I try to think as little as possible, and just jam; it leaves a lot of room for mistakes. In general until I make myself dance, and get out of the chair - I don’t really feel like it’s working. And until I have goosebumps, I don’t think the melody is emotional enough. So I keep sculpting the track until I get these feelings.
How is it different when collaborating with someone else? For instance P.Diddy? Very different. You need to have a lot of respect for each other, and look at it as more of a fun thing. That’s why I feel better working with people I’m friendly with, it’s easier to let go in the studio. Sometimes you have to be patient, and listen, and wait until it’s your turn. It’s fun when you collaborate, because you can project yourself into the other person, instead of making something that sounds 100% like you - it’s refreshing.
What was the process like creating your new EP? I was with Deniz, about 2 years ago in NYC. A friend of mine was moving into this apartment block that wasn’t built yet, but had a studio in it. He let us use it, and we were just jamming on a cold night in New York, and at one point it starts to snow. It was beautiful, but I really didn’t want to call the song Here Comes The Snow, so we decided on “Here Comes The Rain.”
Why do you feel it was time to start the Rumors label? Like everything I do, I try to have a concept and context, and to have a bit of a message. I can’t really explain the message as it takes a lot of the mystery out of it. But I thought Rumors (as a name) represented some kind of alternative to a lot of the serious vibes in the scene, and it’s also a little different in that it’s not ashamed to be a more more sensual and emotional in a scene dominated by serious techno.
Any tracks that have stood out for you already this year? I really like these guys S4U - they had a great record called ”One Key" in 2016. Also my good friend Koreless has an amazing album coming on Young Turks in 2017 - so watch out for that.
Are you still working on your crossover pop album concept? Yes, it’s something that I’ve always been interested in. As an artist, what keeps me going is making new challenges for myself. I think I made quite a lot of dance records over the years, so I want to do something different.
What challenges do you see that are facing underground and electronic music? I think the one positive thing right now is that underground music has a lot more fans, which is great. But a lot of these people don’t really know the background of the music, and what they call underground is actually the most accessible music you can ask for. I also think that a lot of music that was considered lame back in the day is considered uber cool right now. The one thing I have a personal problem with is people that have absolutely no issues or trouble in their life are pretending to be very spiritual, use body paint, and using the word ‘tribe’ way too often. I’m afraid that the real message behind it is getting lost. For me, personally, I feel art should be painful and strong, not soothing and relaxing.
"Here Comes The Rain” will be released via Beatport on 27th January 2017. It will be available everywhere else on 10th February.
For Guy Gerber’s upcoming live dates CLICK HERE