ARTIST OF THE MOMENT: Blazej Malinowski
These days, the life of Polish producer and DJ Blazej Malinowski looks pleasantly busy. Amidst a packed touring schedule, this multi-talented artist is on a roll with numerous releases in 2023. Not only that, but he's also dedicated to further developing his own label, Inner Tension, which includes organizing a series of events as well. In everything he does the visual aspect is extremely important - so unsurprisingly he also curates a regular night to soundtrack silent movies.
Renowned for his unique take on Astral-Plane-Techno, Blazej has crafted a mix for Delayed that perfectly captures his signature sound and is well fitted to bring a dark club night right to your ears. At the core of his work lies a passion for creating uplifting moments through electronic music and fostering meaningful connections with an open mind. This philosophy shines through in his upcoming collaborative EP, "Are we alone or are we just overwhelmed?" set to be released on Inner Tension. Teaming up with esteemed collaborators like Neel, Svreca, Claudio PRC, and Milena Glowacka, Blazej embarks on a sonic exploration that ensures the hearts of techno lovers will certainly beat faster. It was about time that we got together for a chat with Blazej and discussed his philosophy, musical roots and of course latest release.
Hi Blazej! Great to have you here for an interview, that’s certainly overdue. You have a busy touring and release schedule - where are you taking this interview from and in what state of mind?
Hello and thank you for having me. Up until the beginning of May, I was engaged in an extensive touring schedule. However, currently, I find myself at my Berlin studio, preparing for what’s ahead of me. Firstly, I am thrilled about the upcoming release on Inner Tension. Additionally, I am working on a new record and rehearsing for two distinct live performances. While one of them is my solo act, the other introduces a collaboration with my friend Robert Matysiak. It will be a live debut of our new experimental project – Keen Distress. On an emotional level, I am in a very positive state. I usually keep myself busy, always thinking about what I want to do next in the studio. I am very happy that the culmination of hard work that I have put into music production over the last year is finally going to be revealed through upcoming releases.
These days, you're involved with two hair-raising releases. One of them is your "Perception of Tomorrow" EP on Kvalia Records. The record has a melancholic appeal and embraces the 129 bpm region. What did you have in mind when producing this record, particularly in achieving this melancholic notion?
Indeed and that is not all! In addition to the projects you mentioned, I am thrilled to be part of the upcoming Hidden Tapes VA release. The next Inner Tension record by Keen Distress, which marks the beginning of a new series for my label, is scheduled for September. Shortly after that, my solo album will be released. I must admit that I have never had such an intense release plan in my entire life. I am incredibly excited about it. "Perception of Tomorrow" is a personal continuation of my previous record on Kvalia Records. I enjoyed the creative process a lot, and when I shared it with Linny, she instantly liked it. Now, the release is just around the corner, scheduled for June 16th, 2023. When it comes to creating music, I don't usually overthink the outcome or limit myself to a specific direction. I appreciate both emotionally charged and hypnotic tracks, as well as those that are designed specifically to make you dance. It always comes to a specific time in my life and mental state while working on music in the studio.
One of the releases is on your imprint Inner Tension. Also, you bring a quite reflective topic to the forefront. The title of this collaborative EP is “Are we alone or are we just overwhelmed?” and I’m curious to hear a bit more about the title and the artwork.
The photo cover was made by eerie mydriasis, my friend and extremely talented photographer based in Iceland. I was lucky enough that since Inner Tension’s first release, she has been sharing her work with me. While the music was coming first, thanks to her I could always pick a picture that fitted every release best. With regards to the title itself – I’ve always felt that working in the music industry; living in the current, fast-paced times; and especially being an artist can sometimes constitute somewhat of a lonely path, despite the huge number of people that we meet around while touring. For me, music was and still is a gate to building long-term friendships. This record is a response to my feelings towards it, as I believe that there is no better way to unite people than through a shared sonic identity. At least this is what helped me in creating my personal relationships. We are all born and die alone but let’s not forget about people close to us.
For this EP you worked with some artists you have close connections with and also play with regularly - Claudio PRC, Neel, Svreca and Milena Glowacka. How was the work in the studio together?
Every individual track took shape at different times and in different forms. From the moment I came up with the idea for this record, I promised myself that I would not plan or predict how the music should sound or which direction it should take. I wanted the process to remain as unrestrained by my boundaries as possible. I wanted each of the duets to be able to capture a specific moment in time, translated into the language of music. That is why the tracks are so diverse. When collaborating with Claudio PRC, we followed our usual routine of meeting in the studio, and the track came together within a matter of hours. Neel and Svreca finished the ideas I sent to them, while for the ‘Equal’ track, I completed what Milena had initially started. I have to say that I had no idea where each of them is gonna take us, but I am very proud we were able to bring everything together in this form.
One of the featured artists is Milena Glowacka who, like you, comes from Poland. You host your Inner Tension events also in your home country. Poland has some very interesting events in the electronic realm - just to mention Up To Date Festival or Unsound Festival here. Can you tell us a bit about how you experience the current Polish techno scene these days, especially given the country’s very conservative climate?
The general political climate has indeed been conservative since 2015. Nonetheless, the techno music scene in Poland creates a space of its own, that functions outside of the political sphere of influence, or, I would say, against it – most of the time as the force opposing the general direction the country is heading into. We care about being inclusive with all we do and stand for, especially in the places I work with closely. You mentioned Up To Date – it is one of my favourite festivals in the country run by close friends. We share the same values in terms of life, music, and the music industry in general. I missed only the first of the 13 editions they have organized so far. The whole scene has grown a lot in the last few years so at the moment you can find whatever and anything you like really in terms of mindset and values, curation, music, or locations.
Personally, I perceived this collaborative EP on Inner Tension somewhat as a “celebration of techno”. It represents multiple facets of the genre - while all the tracks have a somewhat hypnotic appeal, they don’t stop there. How did you choose the curation?
It’s more a celebration of connection to people through music. Curation was very natural and organic, the main obstacle was the time and picking the right schedule for all of us. I am extremely happy to have worked with Milena Glowacka, Claudio PRC, Neel, and Svreca, in addition to being able to call them my friends. I feel humbled by their presence in this new record. While music always comes first, the personal relationships I could cherish with it are immensely important to me. We all have a lot on our plates, so it took a bit longer than expected, yet I could not have imagined a better outcome.
I read that in the beginning you were more influenced by house music and this was possibly the entry to then become deeply immersed in techno. What made your fascination with techno start?
I was born in Toruń which is a rather small town in Poland. When I was 18 or 19, the main thing that the city had to offer was house, drum’n’bass and hip hop music, which I’ve loved since a young age. Until the moment I moved to Warsaw, I couldn’t experience more in the club scene. And after I discovered it, I realized techno is the genre that gives me a feeling of endless possibilities in terms of sound design, mood, and purpose. Over the last few years, it got even stronger, especially because many of my favorite producers create both techno and ambient or experimental Music. In my mind, it all comes from specific minds and musical tastes that I admire.
As a child of the 80s and you grew up behind the “iron curtain” and witnessed its disappearance. Some time after that you lived in the US for a certain time. How did these events shape you and your view of music and its role?
I spent a very brief period in the United States in 2004, I wouldn't consider it living there. It was just around 5 months. Nonetheless, I mark this time as the beginning of my musical journey. Being a student at that time, I went there with one purpose only – to work, buy the best turntables I could afford and as many records I could carry back home (it was impossible for me to afford them back then in Poland). I was working in Lake Tahoe and there was not much in terms of discovering a music scene in that location. Yet, as I mentioned, it is where my music path began for me. The real process of discovering what interested me in music started after that.
Next to your “Inner Tension” showcases you also organize WHY SO SILENT, a series of movie projections and live electronic music. How did your interest in silent movies originate and are there some movies on the list that you would love to be scored as part of the series?
Until now, I have run 44 events under that name. Initially, they were purely experimental and ambient shows, focusing mostly on avant-garde movies from the Silent Era. At the moment, I am implementing the concept into the club environment and the silent movies became a visual part of the night. Over the years I have discovered lots of emotionally charged and experimental movies that in my opinion go very well with electronic music – no matter the genre. At first, it was a small project prepared for me and my friends; soon after, it became something that people were waiting for, for which I’ve been grateful.
The visual domain seems generally important to you - how does that show up in your sleeve designs but also in the events you run or venues you play?
I have been a graphic designer for many years. On top of it, I graduated from the Landscape Architecture Department. So naturally, the visual aspect of everything is important to me, not only for the events. Designing the layouts or the choice of the visual materials for the covers is something I enjoy a lot. Of course, it has to come from the right place, so I often invite artists that have a powerful visual language rather than keeping the creative process just to myself. In terms of my label, it’s always the same order: first, the music is created, and then comes the visual part.
I read that Blazej Malinowski creates “tripped out psychedelic grooves for pitch black dancefloors”... - do you still hit the dancefloor yourself when you have time and what sound do you enjoy most?
To be honest – in the last few years not that often. But as my daughter is growing (she’s already eight years old now), I can now take some time off and discover what’s up there again, while I have a weekend off. I’m trying to go and listen to my favorite artists when they’re around. While touring I like the feeling of being surprised, especially by the artists I didn’t know beforehand. When it happens, I can leave some energy on the dance floor for sure.