We talk to Jakob Seidensticker & MELINA about their label We R the Aliens, DJing, Clubbing in Hamburg and more.
There’s a certain dedication involved in running an independent dance music label today. It goes beyond any practical or commercial objectives, because the pitfalls are many and the returns are few, or most often non-existent. It takes dedication and when you consider a label like We R The Aliens, whose reserved output focuses on the physical format, you’d expect nothing less than some of the most dedicated individuals behind it.
That’s what I get when I phone Jakob Seidensticker and Melina Klein. Together with George Boronas (Boronas) and Shyam Anand (Snad) they make up the Aliens in We R The Aliens and with artists like Katie Drover, Ohm Hourani and Just Jack on their catalogue, they’ve established a sonic identity through the label.
Jakob, Melina, Boronas and Snad were all established DJs and producers, before they got together in 2019 to create We R the Aliens as an outlet for their own music and the artists that make up their extended family today.
Through these artists and their own efforts, We R The Aliens have cultivated a sound based on minimal foundations that extend into regions like Drum and Bass. These are records made by DJs for DJs, and they only have one other rule: “it can’t be boring!”
We speak to Melina and Jakob the week before they arrive in Oslo for a double header starting at Jaeger this Wednesday with Vinny Villbass and Daniel Vaz for a badabing.diskos. Besides being partners on Aliens, they are also partners in life and have been living together these past 8 years while running the label with Boronos and Snad.
The pair met in the DJ booth— where else?— and both had already enjoyed careers as DJs, producers and artists under various aliases, Jakob most notably as part of Wareika, while Melina has held residencies at PAL and Uebel & Gefährlich in Hamburg.
Today they run the label with their friends, produce and DJ together, creating something of a symbiotic bond through music and a musical identity all on its own. We discuss how much of that is informed by We R the Aliens, the label itself, their own origins and Hamburg.
Where are you at the moment?
Melina: We’re always in Hamburg.
What’s Hamburg like at the moment for its club scene?
Melina: We mostly go to the Golden Pudel. It’s still open and still vibing. It’s had a change of management, but I still feel very comfortable there.
What’s the music scene like in Hamburg at the moment?
Melina: It’s a little tough right now—lots of clubs are closing. What’s happening is that people gather in random places for hectic parties. They’ll set up a good sound system in a field and go from there. Some events are a bit more business-oriented, but still super fun.
Jakob: There are lots of collectives transforming warehouses for 15-hour raves.
Melina: It’s mostly daytime, actually.
We R The Aliens; is the label split between Hamburg and Berlin?
Melina: Not really. It was, when Snad still lived there. Since he moved back to the U.S. and started traveling more, the label is mostly run from our flat.
How did you all meet? Were you already DJing before starting the label?
Jakob: I met Snad a long time ago. We’re all musicians and DJs and connected through our love of music.
Melina: Jakob and I met through the Hamburg club scene and got closer through music.
Jakob: I fell in love with her because of the music she played. That was the start of our relationship—playing together and eventually creating the label.
Melina: That’s 8.5 years of relationship, and now we’ve been married for one!
I always find it fascinating when couples also make and play music together. Who decides what’s playing at home? What do you listen to?
Melina: We don’t really plan it.
Jakob: I’m sitting in our living room right now, where we spend a lot of time here with friends, listening to music. Often, we listen to our own sets.
Melina: It’s not just house music either—we also listen to a lot of jazz and hip hop.
What’s your background in music?
Melina: I played bass in a garage band, but I sucked! (laughs) I was actually a ballet dancer first—dancing came before the beats.
Jakob: I also played bass in bands, but I was fairly good, I have to say.
Melina: Of course you’d say that. (laughs)
Jakob: As I got better, I moved into producing. I preferred being on my laptop and working with machines, rather than practicing jazz scales all day. Producing and electronic music really changed everything for me.
Between the four of you running the label, are there ever disagreements in musical taste?
Jakob: I think Melina and I match pretty well.
Melina: It used to be different. I used to play way more vocal-heavy stuff, and Jakob didn’t always love that. Now, I can play whatever I want. (laughs)
Jakob: It’s interesting—we’ve really created our own style and taste. Before, we all had distinct sounds; now it’s merged into one.
Melina: It used to feel more like a battle, but now it’s more collaborative. If I play something, Jakob responds with something complementary, rather than doubling down.
Jakob: I used to hear tracks from Melina that weren’t my style, but now—two years later—we both love them.
Melina: When it comes to picking tracks for the label, we usually agree.
Jakob: We do have some debates. VA (Various Artists) releases are easier—everyone picks one tune. But for full EPs, we sometimes disagree.
Melina: Like when Katie Drover sent us 35 tracks! It’s easier if someone just sends three.
Melina: Plus, staying in touch with the artists creates this lovely, connected family vibe. This isn’t just an in-and-out business—that’s really important.
What are the label’s origins?
Melina: That was the other three guys—I joined later.
Jakob: We had tracks ready, and instead of waiting on other labels, we just started our own. Melina joined soon after.
Melina: Because they needed a good accountant! (both laugh)
Let’s not get into the economics of running a label…
Jakob: And we found the name quickly—it all just happened naturally.
You’ve released artists like Ohm Hourani and Just Jack. How do you find your collaborators?
Melina: Through going out and partying! We know Ohm through the Perlon crew, and Jack from playing in Australia at SASH.
Jakob: With Ohm, we crossed paths back in my Wareika days. It was more of a friendship than a business thing.
Do you still go out a lot? Do you check out other DJs and artists when you’re not playing?
Melina: Yes. Though I do complain sometimes—I lack energy!
Jakob: You can’t live with it, and you can’t live without it.
I assume that shapes the label’s sound. It feels very DJ-friendly.
Melina: Mostly, yes. Like Jakob said, we added a Katie Drover track that’s very drum and bass. It doesn’t have to be danceable—it can be emotional too
Jakob: A little experimental, even.
Melina: It’s always hard to describe in words.
Jakob: We’re pretty open. If it feels good, we might release it. But we do focus on club music.
Melina: It can’t be boring!
How do you choose tracks for releases like Various Aliens?
Melina: Everyone picks one track, but it has to work for the group. If one person strongly dislikes it, we choose something else.
What about your own music? Do you have to approach it in a more objective way?
Melina: Not all of our own productions actually fit the label. If I feel something suits another place better, I try that first.
Jakob: There’s a spooky, alienish texture to a lot of the music we put out—eerie but lovely.
When you play out as We R The Aliens, do you tailor your set to the label?
Melina: Not really. I play what I feel in the moment.
Jakob: Maybe one or two label tracks sneak in, either to test them or remind people, but we mostly just play our sound.
How’s that different from the label’s sound?
Melina: Maybe a bit more ravey. I love drums.
You mentioned drum and bass earlier too. Would you ever go there during a set?
Melina: I wish! It’s just too fast. I do love a proper DnB set, though. It’s a time issue too; two hours isn’t enough. But with five? Sure.
What are you packing for your Oslo gig?
Jakob: I’m in front of my—well, our computer…
Melina: We share everything. (laughs)
Jakob: Well, it’s my playlist! Friends like Mountain People send us amazing music. It’s great to play it out and support them.
Is there a track you’ve played a lot recently?
Melina: The new Mountain People! I love it when Jakob plays it.
Do you ever end up packing the same track and have to divide ownership of a track?
Both: Ja.
Melina: We often cue the same song from the USB.
Jakob: Out of hundreds of tracks, we’ll both pick the same one at the same time.
Can you share anything about the next We R The Aliens release?
Jakob: Not too much yet.
Melina: We’re still planning—it’ll be just one release this year, like always.
That’s a very reserved pace, which is rare these days.
Melina: Exactly. That way, you know it’s special.
You’ve only released VAs and EPs. Any plans for a full album?
Melina: Not from us, Jakob and I don’t have the time. An album needs six months in the studio.
Jakob: Nothing’s impossible. If the right artist and concept come along, we’d do it.
Melina: But it would need to be a strong concept, and we’d all have to agree that it’s not boring!