She has a really versatile live act. For example, one week she played a techno set at Suicide Circus, but the next month she played a live ambient gig at a church in Cologne.
Besides DJing, she discovered the world of producing and synths. This has led to many releases and remixes on labels such as Manual Music / MNL, Cinematique, Modern Agenda, Stripped Digital and many others. She also did a remix for Nick Warren which will soon be released on his label Soundgarden.
She released her album Peaceful Heart on Honey Drops Recordings in 2017 which went into Beatport’s Electronica and Progressive House Top 10. Juliane loves diving deeply into analogue equipment and loves the sound of vintage synthesizers. Because of her wish to be independent as an artist, she started her own label Wizarding Wolf in May 2019, together with her Wizarding Wolf radio show on DI.FM Progressive.
We had the pleasure of talking with Juliane Wolf, where we got to know about her life in music.
Tell us about your earliest musical memory?
Listening to ABBA records of my aunt. I still love that group and the quality of their recordings from back then.
At what point in your life did you have that moment where you said to yourself “This is it. This is the type of music I want to create?”
At a DJ workshop at a local club in Germany. I think this is why there should be more creative hubs like that, where people meet in groups, discovering new music and sharing their knowledge.
Please list some of the most influential albums on your creative outlook and output:
- The Who – Quadrophenia
- Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
- Above & Beyond – Anjunabeats Volume One
- Air – 10,000 Hz Legend
- The Notwist – Neon Golden
- Deine Lakaien – Dark Star & Second Star
- Sigur Rós – Agaetis Byrjun
- Grasscut – 1 Inch 1/2 Mile
- Pendulum – In Silico
What key pieces of gear/software are you using to define your sound?
I love the sound of vintage synths, but because I don’t have the money (at the moment), it’s hard to find vintage gear in good condition and I also like to use the advantages of today’s technology (for example USB connection and automation in the DAW), I am always searching for alternatives. That’s why I like to use synths such as the Model D. For reverb I love the Blackhole Plugin by Eventide. For 303 emulation I use AudioRealism Bassline. For Juno 60 emulation I use Tal U-No-LX. One thing I really look forward to is building my own NAVA 909 soon!!
What inspires you outside of music? What do you turn to when the creative well runs a little low?
Going outside and seeing other stuff, other than screens. I try to enjoy other sounds, mostly nature. I look at visual art, watch good movies, eat good food, meet up with friends, just using my senses and getting new impressions.
What is your opinion on the ever-spreading sub-genre vine? Are there too many? Do you think there’s perhaps a sub-genre that doesn’t get the attention it deserves?
Sometimes I hear people ask the question whether a certain track belongs to a certain genre. I don’t take part in these discussions, because it doesn’t make sense for me to divide. For me, everything is just music. With regards to my own music, I mostly call it electronic music. What would you call it?
A sub-genre I like very much is Synthwave and I hope that there will be more artists and DJs in the future that will make this sound even more popular.
Studio work and music creation or performing and interacting with a live audience, what do you prefer?
Working in the studio is an essential part of my artist life. I am also preparing a live set for the near future. But showing it to people adds another layer to it. The rush of adrenaline that you get at a live gig is not replaceable for me. It’s the best way of getting dopamine ;). Although, I always suffer from stage fright 🙂
As a music artist, it becomes apparent that there is a huge difference between the art and the business. Is there anything about the music scene that you would personally change?
I would like to stop the people who focus so much on numbers. Sometimes I talk to people who keep asking how many followers I have on social media before they even listen to my music. This makes me very sad. I would love to have more of a community feeling than the competition. I also don’t like it when artists talk bad about each other. We all have the same mission: making people happy with music.
Any new or upcoming artists on your radar? Who shouldn’t the world sleep on?
One artist I really like is Luciano Scheffer. He’s a great progressive producer and DJ from Brazil. He is doing a remix for my next release ‘First Kiss’ on my label Wizarding Wolf. It will be released in October after ADE. He sent me the remix a few days ago and it’s amazing how he builds up the groove and arrangement. I can learn a lot from artists like him.
What can we expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or gigs in the pipeline that you would like to tell us about?
At ADE I am playing at the Modern Agenda party. Label boss Amber Long is a woman I really look up to. She is so inspiring with all of the energy she puts into things and she is such a positive person. Something really great that also happened this year was that Nick Warren asked me to remix his and Nicola Rada’s track ‘Severe Heads’. It will be released on Nick’s label Soundgarden. I was so blown away by a request from such an amazing and legendary artist. Besides his great music and DJ sets, he is such a humble and nice person. Can’t wait to meet him at ADE as well!
Famous last words?
As an artist, always be who you are, do what you want and what you feel comfortable with.
Follow Juliane Wolf
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