German producer Stimming’s new album, ‘Friedrich,’ carves a light-filled path through electronica. Blending one-of-a-kind sonic experiments and personal storytelling, the second chapter of Stimming’s trilogy dives deep into everyday life to uncover the feelings lying beneath.
Amongst the many grand creatures of the animal kingdom, it’s not every day that the humble pigeon gets noticed – even less frequently does it get an homage. But in Stimming’s new album, the ubiquitous, nearly invisible bird gets prominently featured because of its very ordinariness.
“For me, the pigeon is the symbol of these normal life moments that are kind of small but if you look at them with a lot of attention you find stuff that’s incredibly interesting,” says the German electronic music producer and musician. The symbol is somewhat recurring in Stimming’s work- it made an appearance as far back as 2013 in the title of his famed track ‘Taube auf dem Dach’ (Pigeon on the Roof). More recently, it featured on the cover of ‘Ludwig’ where it also got a track named after it. What the creature represents; a special attention to the minute – which, in Stimming’s world, comes across as a particularly careful and considerate way of crafting sound, has marked his music from even earlier.
“I’m not competing with pop that’s shiny and open, my music is about the details.” Friedrich continues to delve deep into the details, both sonic and existential ones, but in this exploration, Stimming uncovers more light than usual. “After 15 years of doing this full time I’ve come to a strange moment where I feel like I know what I’m doing finally, and it’s just fun,” says the artist. Instincts sharper than ever before, Stimming proceeds to navigate his world of abstract hardware and hard machinery with a newfound lightness.
As a collection of “normal life moments” of the last three years, ‘Friedrich’s’ scope is both personal and universal. It speaks of past relationships, parenthood, and illness. “The music is how I express these very specific emotional states brought about by these different circumstances which I can’t put into words,” he says. Out of all these experiences, curiously, it is a trip to the Waking Life festival in Portugal – not as a performing artist but as a guest – that inspired ‘Friedrich’s’ most complete track. With one foot firmly in the clubs where Stimming has built a solid career, and the other being carried away by all sorts of dazzling experiments and shimmering harmonies, ‘Golden Path’ is a celebration of music in all its limitless possibilities.
“The inspiration I took from the festival, the music, the people are embodied in this track: a new groove for me, celebrating techno energy, yet maintaining a musicality that feels like a golden path waiting to be explored.” -Stimming
Stimming’s soundworld has always been known for a high-level, brainy type of architecture. The artist takes electronic music to a compositional extreme where every single sound is imbued with meaning and nothing is un-thought of. “For every track I do, I’m looking for the organic emotion within the computational machinery,” he says. The emotion is there on ‘Friedrich’s’ every track, but on the three that feature vocals, it is overflowing. “Vocals are such a strong additional level. They are directly connected to what you feel,” says Stimming of his collaboration with vocalists Salomea & Dominique Fricot.
The whole of Friedrich carries a certain upbeat energy, not in a naively positive sort of way, but it seems to point at the lightness that co-exists with the oftentimes dreary reality of life. “You know how a city can feel like this very cold, unnatural space but then all of a sudden you see a flock of pigeons take flight and just then it reminds you of life and three-dimensional space? I mean, a pigeon can fly, isn’t that beautiful?”
On this week’s episode of the Main Mix, Stimming leaves us speechless. His set, recorded last October at Fi in Cologne, unfolds like a dream – rife with mystery, haunting beauty, and his unparalleled technical finesse. Plus, to celebrate the upcoming release of his album, ‘Friedrich,’ he gifts us with an exclusive interview and rare look into his musical world. Enjoy!
WWD: Pleasure to have you with us, Martin! How are things in your world at the minute?
Hey, thanks for having me. I’m currently preparing for my upcoming shows – getting the setup done, aligning visuals in Resolume, etc.
WWD: When speaking about your new album, ‘Friedrich,’ you mention that after 15 years, you finally feel like you know what you’re doing and are having fun. Was there a defining moment when writing the album that this manifested, or was it more of a gradual feeling?
That’s a bold statement, I admit. In fact, this feeling pops up once in a while, but the opposite one – you’re too stupid to find a proper hook! – is still a well-known friend. (He’s becoming smaller, though…)
WWD: Has this newfound confidence changed your creative process at all?
Not really, no.
WWD: You describe ‘Friedrich’ as lighter and more instinct-driven than your previous works. What led to this shift in approach?
It’s friendlier in a musical sense at least, still quite complicated here and there, while keeping a positive vibe. This is mostly because of the tones and harmonies used…
WWD: The new album centers around the more normal, day-to-day moments of life and happiness… What are some of these moments for you?
Well, being part of a family of five, daily life is pretty exhausting – sometimes even extreme – in comparison to life as a single. The things that need to be done are often small and simple, while the whole picture is a lot bigger than it seems. Like the last album, Ludwig, this one is part of a trilogy, representing my kids. Reflecting daily struggle, the bigger picture, risks, and rewards – that’s what I try to do here (at least I try, haha).
WWD: Do you have a favourite track from the album…or one that means the most to you?
‘Keys Don’t Match’ is probably the strongest. ‘Lucky Me’ is the most personal. ‘Sugar and Lemon’ is the friendliest.
WWD: While the album generally focuses on light moments, there are some darker elements. Why did you feel it was necessary to include them? How did you strike the proper balance between dark and light?
It’s like in cooking: you put salt in a sweet dish, and sugar (or a sweet component) in a salty one! I’m afraid, in general, I do salty dishes.
WWD: What do you hope listeners take away from the album?
Well, that’s simple – I want them to have a good time while listening! And hopefully a melody or two that’ll come back as an Ohrwurm.
WWD: Friedrich is the second part of a trilogy. How do you think it builds upon ‘Ludwig?’ Can you share any insights regarding where you see it going next?
Ah yes, I said it before. And for now, I only have a nebulous idea of how the third one is going to sound.
WWD: You’re known for taking your productions to the compositional extreme and thinking of every detail. How long does it generally take to finish a track? Is there ever doubt that it’s not finished?
Thanks for the compliment! Luckily, my mother told me pretty early in life that reaching 100% is close to impossible. But a little less is a lot more realistic—that’s why I never started the madness of chasing perfection, which is a great way to lose your sanity, if you ask me.
What I want to say is: luckily, I never had a problem with actually finishing a track, which, in a modern musician’s reality, is more a choice than a necessity.
WWD: Your mix for us is a set from Fi in Cologne this past October. As you say, the precision of that sound system is unheard of. Besides the technical perfection, what made this show stand out to you? Are there ever moments when technical difficulties get the best of you?
Technical difficulties usually cause stress and discomfort, so I can’t say they ever “get the best” of me in a good way. But difficult or challenging surroundings definitely do sometimes.
I once played in Switzerland at a party organized by a group of students. The DJ who was supposed to play after me simply left, leaving me alone after my already 2-hour set. To not stop the party immediately, I played another 90 minutes, which probably became the most interesting set I’ve ever played—simply because I was so playful and fearless.
WWD: Lucky students! As an innovator—and dare we say, someone who hasn’t conformed to any mold—we’d like to know: what are your thoughts on the current scene? Where do you see it going?
Oh nice, another compliment from you—thanks again! At least I take it as one. Being molded into a trusted form is easier to sell, I’m afraid, while the actual content tends to become more and more boring. Again, at least for me.
My thoughts on the current scene… hmm. Musically, it’s becoming more and more fragmented. Twenty years ago, there was still some kind of mainstream—even in the underground scene. You remember the minimal techno time around 2010–2012?
Before that, everything was slow, below 120 BPM. Now, in Germany, it’s very, very fast. In Mexico, it’s still mid-tempo and more on the house side. The whole scene feels very fragmented and incalculable.
On the promo side, it’s a lot more technology- and data-driven. Every artist needs to be a content creator nowadays, just to be seen and heard, while actual music-making is easier and more accessible than ever (which is a good thing!). I have no clue where it’s going – but I strongly believe in art being made by humans, for humans.
WWD: As fellow Montrealers at When We Dip… we have to ask: do you have any plans to return to our city in the near future? If not, are there any shows or other things you’re looking forward to in 2025?
Yeah, it’s been a while. Back then, when I came once or twice a year, it was often connected to a U.S. tour, which I don’t do anymore. The visa is expensive, the politics aren’t inviting – but more importantly, being away every weekend just isn’t possible for me anymore.
Finding a balance between being on the road and being home with my family was quite a challenge. I’ve found a sufficient balance now, but it keeps me from playing that much.
That said, I will be playing ‘Friedrich’ as a concert this year, which I’m really excited about. And hopefully I’ll be able to make it to Canada again – maybe before or after a trip to South America!
WWD: We truly hope the concert makes its way to us! Thanks for the chat and congrats on the album 🙂
Stimming: Instagram // Soundcloud
‘Friedrich’ is available here