Introducing Annweiler, who doesn’t really need an introduction since he’s been known in and around Oslo for some time. The DJ and artist has been a noteworthy presence in DJ booths and on record labels around Norway, featuring on labels like Full Pupp in the past. A figure behind the scenes of Oslo’s clubbing milieu, Annweiler only takes to the record and booth under the right conditions.
He makes his debut on the Jaeger mix, having been no stranger to Jaeger’s sauna, channeling the idiosyncratic sounds of 90’s House music through a modern aesthetic where impulsiveness dominates and spontaneity perseveres. Building on “tracks that sound like two elephants jumping on a trampoline” there’s a palpable energy that dominates the mix, tying a red thread between other artists and his own material.
Featuring some unreleased tracks from Annweiler himself, it offers us a peak into the artist’s crystal ball and future releases as we’re likely to hear much more from him in the near future.
This is your first time doing this mix. Can you tell the people about you and your musical history?
Hi, thank you for having me! I’ve been giving out some various releases through local imprints Full Pupp and Project90 for the past few years and started playing out about 5 years ago or so I guess, but I’ve only actually played here a couple times so it’s nice to be back in the sauna.
What is your earliest memory of listening to a piece of music?
No idea really, but I have some very fond memories of my dad playing lots of electronic, downtempo and trip hop records around the house. He’s got great taste.
At what point does music become more than a hobby for you and what have been some of the highlights of your career since?
I’m big on the «it’s the journey, not the destination» mindset so let’s just say it’s all one continuous highlight.
What are some of your musical influences?
First off, just black American dance music, the midwest but also the east coast’s been important for me.
My major influences have been defined in a way by two very different yet similarly spirited venues and related artists. The first was around 2013 at Revolver sneaking in to see Ball Em Up any chance possible, Purpurrpurple, Skawr, Slick Shoota and Drippin were really important for introducing me to such a wide array of experimental club acts.
My second big club era happened when I moved to New York in 2016 and started going to Bossa Nova City Club literally all the time. New York’s the best clubbing city in the world and I’m ready to die on that hill haha. There’s so many local talents breaking the rules and shaping the game in their image. It’s impossible not to be in awe.
There’s too many to individually name everyone but some important labels, agencies & parties: Haus of Alter, Sonic Messengers, Discwoman, ghe20g0th1k, Sorry Records++
Give us an introduction to your Jæger mix.
I once read a tweet by Ciel talking about the kinda tracks that sound like two elephants jumping on a trampoline and I just instantly felt it. This turned out to be a mix of that + some dubby tracks and fun percussive jams.
There’s a kind of nostalgia coming through this mix, with tracks that sound like they either come from the classic era of club music or are hugely inspired by it. Was there any specific theme to this mix that might explain that?
I don’t think of it as nostalgic, but I usually mix a lot of 90’s tracks with new ones. So much of this is timeless in my opinion.
What’s the relationship to that music and the music you release?
A lot of the music I love and play out has an aspect of live-ness to it. Either if it’s live dubbing, synth improvisation or a percussive element. Which is something that I strive towards capturing in my own music.
When making music I really believe in the «first take best take» concept. There’s something about the spontaneous energy that’s essential to me, oftentimes I’ll do several takes but return to one of the earlier ones because it’s just got some kind of energy to it. I know some people who’ll work on perfecting an arrangement or tweak a mixdown for months but that’s just not me, I like to trust my intuition, work quickly and move on.
What are some of the highlights in this mix for you?
There’s some new unreleased ones by me, some tracks by friends and some from heroes.
As a mixtape concept based in the live setting of a club the Jaeger mix is kind of unique. How did that aspect influence your selections and what do you hope it conveys to the listener as a recorded piece?
It’s a bit of a dilemma – I’m usually not too fond of recording mixes because in that context I’ll tend to overanalyze the situation and play a bit plainly with little risk. In a live club context on the other hand It’s easier to allow yourself to live a bit more in the moment, be a bit cheeky and approach the mixing with more fun and experimentation. I guess here we are somewhere in between, nothing crazy though.
In general my ethos is that a live mix or performance shouldn’t sound too clean, it’s live and it should sound live. That energy is important to me. Embrace the clang.
What is right on the horizon for Annweiler after this mix?
I’ve spent the past half year locked away a bit, doing fewer gigs and focusing more on production. Excited to open the flood gates and get back out there again, I’ve got about 4 EP’s lined up that’ll start trickling out for the next few months.