The Plug
Spotlight: Tell us about your latest release, Balance 017. How did the opportunity come about?
Timo: I think, the Balance guys heard me playing in Miami this year. Shortly after, they asked me to do the new compilation for them. I actually liked the series a lot, before they approached me. Balance stands out these days, with their musically open concept for the mixes thatthey do. I was also looking for a platform for doing a new compilation, so paths crossed here on a pretty much perfect way! I really enjoyed putting this mix together.
The series has such a high benchmark for quality. How did you go approach making the compilation?
It was a process of about 4 month, listening to many many tracks and songs and also writing some exclusives for that mix. The selection of music is obviously the most important thing for a mix compilation, so to find the right music was the hardest work really. I wanted to create a certain vibe on the mix, a certain "trip". Actually I am doing mixes since about 25 years, in the early years always one a month for giving to my friends and also as a way for me to "learn" about the music.
Did you have any doubts about including older tracks like Elements or At Les?
No, why? It's about the trip and the music not essentially about when the track came out! Both tracks you mentione are true masterpieces and I thought they fit perfectly into what I was supposed to bring together.
What are your 2011 plans. Anything specific?
I am working on my new studio album at the moment with Santos. We also just finished a sample-CD for Loopmasters which is out early 2011 and loads of great releases coming up on our Label Rockets&Ponies and for sure the Mutant Clan is not sleeping!
The Issues
Does good music have to be timeless?
Not essentially as club music is very quickly outdated, but a good album should stand a bit longer. For example Leftfield - Leftism or any Pink Floyd, absolutely timeless and still mindblowing! That actually is a sign of outstanding quality.
Is it harder to distinguish different sounds and genres more these days?
Yes, I think so. The people are a lot more open-minded and so are the producers and DJs too. I like it this way, I never feel very comfortable to be stuck in a particular genre.
What current trends in electronic music annoy you?
Nothing really annoys me. Nobody forces me to listen to music I don't like. The market has changed drastically, but I see it more as a challenge to be honest.
What social or political issue would you like to preach about?
I'm not a politician, allthough I sometimes feel like an ambassador due to all my travelling into so many countries ( like people asing me "are you German?"). I better leave the preaching to people who understand more about that, although I obviously have my own political position, but that belongs to me!
Tracklisting Balance 017
CD 1
01. Timo Maas – Morning Beauty
02. Timo Maas – A Day After George
03. Nicolas Jaar – Time For Us (Original Mix)
04. Dana Bergquist & Peder G – Acapulco (Sasse Remix)
05. Solvent – Loss For Words (Vector Lovers Remix)
06. Random House Project – The One For Ever (Toby Tobias Dub Mix)
07. Phattivan – Man From Ternopil
08. Deetron – Sing
09. Mathias Kaden – Kawaba (DJ Koze's Kosi-San Remix) / DJ Koze – Blume Der Nacht
10. Henrik Schwarz & Kuniyuki – Once Again (Kuniyuki Version)
11. Giorgio Roma – Across The East Side / Timo Maas – Spacemooger Experience
12. Alex Flitsch meets Mutant Clan – Imanah (Patrick Chardronnet Deep Mix)
13. Mathias Schaffhauser – The 1st Thing
14. Danny Tenaglia – Elements (The Dtour)
15. Sante & Adam Port – Solano
16. The Crystal Ark – The City Never Sleeps (Instrumental)
17. Florian Hollerith – Fluxus
18. Carl Craig – At Les
19. William Orbit, Elgar – Nimrod (Timo Maas & Santos Remix)
CD2
01. Timo Maas – Latenza
02. Marc Romboy & Stephan Bodzin – Luna (Mutant Clan Laser Gun Remix)
03. Kenny Larkin – Glob (Kenny Larkin Mix)
04. Alex Niggemann – Take Control (Matthias Tanzmann Remix)
05. Alex Dolby & Santos – To Be Large
06. The Mole – Nervous Disid
07. Mutant Clan – Totally Wet (Sante & Adam Port Remix)
08. We Fell To Earth – Lights Out (Timo Maas Remix)
09. Timo Maas – Kick 1 Kick 3
10. Mutant Clan – Arcadia
11. Sante & Adam Port – Faire Des Siennes (Mutant Clan Caraibic Remix)
12. Santos – Matinee
13. Rockets & Ponies – Chinese Massage (Alex Dolby's Porno Dolby Remix)
14. Timo Maas – Clouds
15. Lost Veteranos – It's Wronger
16. Emmanuel Top – Somewhere
17. Hardfloor – Acperience 1
18. Placebo – Ashtray Heart (Timo Maas Unreleased Remix)
