Reduction to the essentials
A classically trained pianist, Alex Niggemann’s love of dance music formed at techno clubs in his hometown of Dusseldorf. A DJ career was appealing, yet it was a degree in audio engineering that laid the groundwork for his technical understanding of production – then it was all about following his nose. His 2012 debut album Paranoid Funk immediately captured the imagination. While limitations are a factor in Niggemann’s creative process, some attributes are instinctive, such as his uncanny ability to merge influences and create entirely new sounds.
Since 2006 a steady flow of critically acclaimed releases have marked the arrival of a true visionary. By launching the AEON label in 2013, Niggemann has not only developed the careers of others, but widened his appetite for exploration further still.
Beat / How did a classically trained pianist segue into electronic music?
Alex / It was a strange route. I was playing piano from the age of four because my brother was also playing at the time. Later, he would influence me because he was a ravehead in the mid-’90s and used to throw his own parties. I was 15 at the time and had only heard about techno clubs – I just needed to find a way to sneak out of the house and go to one. That was the starting point for it all, but if I didn’t start playing piano I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Beat / Is it true Ken Ishii was a big influence on you?
Alex / He was the one who said to my brain, ‘you’ve got to do this’. He was playing with three decks and I remember thinking, how can he make people freak out like that just by playing records? I felt I needed to discover how that could be done, and that’s how I started as a DJ. It was only later that I became interested in how the sounds were made, but I always thought that DJing and production were a combination that belonged together.
Beat / Was it difficult to become a DJ in Dusseldorf?
The scene was quite small at that point, and
