Markus Guentner Interview: “I want to leave the interpretation entirely up to the listeners”

German producer, Markus Guentner, has had a fascinating journey throughout the world of electronica.

Over the years, the Regensburg-based artist has travelled from the sweaty walls of clubland as a DJ across Europe, to making the more isolated listening experience something that reaches mind-blowing levels.

Guentner’s time in the DJ booth is a vital part of his story. The throbbing beats and subtle euphoria of clubland, bleeding into the patchwork of his early releases such as debut In Moll (2001) and 1981 (2005) – Kompakt staples where Guentner stitched together the raw energy of such environments with the rolling washes of sound that would become vital components in the world of ambient and tech house years later. Guentner, finding the perfect balance between grimy warehouse chaos and secluded listening.

And it’s the latter where the producer has thrived, both in a solo capacity (2021’s Crystal Castle and 2023’s Onda) and in collaboration (which reached its apex alongside Joachim Spieth’s for Overlay – also 2023). On either side of these releases, there have countless other collaborations, including work alongside zakè, Karen Vogt, Abul Mogard and Benoît Pioulard.

Black Dahlia, Guentner’s latest full-length release sees the producer like never before. The majestic dreamscapes underpinned by glacial-like production of his past, slowly melting into a residue that sinks into soils of deep-listening.

Where Guentner’s body of work is largely designed to unlock the quintessential endorphin rush, Black Dahlia is far more exploratory. Soundscapes that are more elusive, making you work for the best results. It starts with Shattered Remains – a portal through to the world of deep-listening that is so quiet, you can almost hear the blood coursing though your veins.

Following is System Seizure. Aptly titled, considering the piece is basically a destruction of Guentner’s previous works – those staple bliss-scapes, mangled and reverse engineered. Meanwhile, Hive and Humanity’s Shadow are like a slow-motion dream reaching unknown terrain, as electronic jolts light up paths that lead to new places across it.

Which is where Guenter arrives on Downfall. Exploring a bourgeoning architectural-like sound, it’s similar realm that Michael Vallera and Steven Hess explored during their latest release as Cleared, Hexa.

On Midnight Sun and closing piece, The Turning Wheel, Guentner finds liminal space between past and present. Both pieces, cavernous and cascading, as he reaches a point of sound that is simply borderless. It’s Guentner reinventing himself, moving fluidly with time and creating something that harbours hope in a time where that is hard to find.

At the beginning of the month, shortly after the release of Black Dahlia, Guentner answered our questions about his career, his creative methods, and more.

Sun 13: Was electronic composition something you were interested in from a young age?

Markus Guentner: “Maybe not necessarily the compositions themselves, but music (especially electronic) always held an immense fascination for me. Creating music without a ‘classical instrument’ made me very curious from an early age. Growing up in the ’80s, electronic elements in music were omnipresent – sounds that were somehow new and unusual, yet gave a great enrichment and complemented what existed before. When I delved deeper into electronic music (techno, house, etc.) at the age of 13, DJing was initially my main focus. Subconsciously, I was deeply engaged with compositions, arrangements, and so on, because DJing is not just about beatmatching but also about how tracks fit together at certain points – what harmonies and structures exist within the tracks to create seamless transitions.”

S13: Can you tell us about the process behind your new album, Black Dahlia?

MG: “The album definitely didn’t come from a need to make a new album. In fact, at that time, I was struggling with significant physical issues that stopped me from stopping my normal daily routine. As a result, composing and producing actually took a backseat. Nevertheless, there were always days, evenings, and moments when I experimented and tried things out. Over a longer period, several drafts and ideas emerged that I would later draw upon. The album itself was made in a relatively short period when my physical condition had worsened. I suppose that’s precisely why I needed this psychological and emotional ‘journey’ – to block everything else out. This is probably also why Black Dahlia is so much more introverted and introspective than my previous works.”

S13: Is the title a reference to the L.A. murders and the subsequent James Ellroy novel?

MG: “At no point did I have the story of the murder victim in mind (although, of course, I am familiar with it). The title comes from a card in the Cyberpunk game, NETRUNNER, which I played briefly in my early youth. I had been toying with the idea of naming one of my albums after it for quite some time, but until now, it never really fitted or felt like the right time.

“Many factors (musically, globally, and otherwise) led me to choose this album title. Since this album is somewhat darker, and perhaps even slightly ‘uncomfortable’ in places, it felt like the perfect fit for me. When looking at today’s world (global events and possible futures) the idea of a dystopia as portrayed in NETRUNNER isn’t far-fetched at all. Therefore, this title felt justified.”

Joachim Spieth | Warmth: Fragments

S13: What was the most important aspect you wanted to achieve with the record?

MG: “Fundamentally, I wanted to explore and experiment more, and this had been on my mind for a while. I wanted to move away from ‘layering’ and massive sound walls, and instead create certain atmospheres with just a few, but well-accentuated, sounds and elements. I was looking to give certain sounds space and air to unfold. A bit more of a focus on sound research and expanding the spectrum, while reconsidering and restructuring my approach.”

S13: It feels quite far removed from your previous works. I’d almost call it ‘deep ambient’. With this release, did you want to teleport your listeners to different places than you have before?

MG: “Yes, the album is definitely very different from my previous work because it moves away from the immersive, warm, and pleasant-sounding soundscapes. This is certainly not a ‘feel-good’ ambient. With most of my previous works, one could simply let go and absorb the music. Black Dahlia requires you to listen actively – it’s not necessarily something you just play in the background. There is a certain openness to all the tracks that invite deeper listening. How listeners interpret it, or what direction they take is entirely secondary.

“My albums are primarily about what comes from within me – the processing of my inspirations, emotions, and moods. I don’t try to steer anything in a particular direction, nor do I want to force listeners into a specific mood they might not even feel. A track might sound very melancholic and perhaps dark to me, whereas someone else might perceive it as a beautiful and warm piece. I want to leave the interpretation entirely up to the listeners.”

S13: Some artists say when they enter the writing process certain things are taken out of their hands. Is this something you’ve thought about?

MG: “I fully agree! I rarely approach a track with a concrete idea. Sounds and ideas emerge more from the mood I’m in at the time. This naturally gives a certain direction. It’s not something that is pushed further through deliberate sound creation or processing – it happens more through a kind of flow that drives the pieces forward. When, and how, something is incorporated (how I edit certain elements, how I arrange everything) comes later in the process, after the initial euphoria has settled down.

“Throughout the composing process, things often emerge in ways that weren’t planned or even considered. One could even speak of chance – perhaps even chaos, where nothing seems recognisable at first glance. But this creates opportunities to experiment and further develop the pieces with a certain kind of freedom. I prefer to avoid being constrained by strict structures. So, one could certainly say that a lot simply happens while composing that is completely beyond my control.”

S13: Your artwork has been a prominent feature both in your own work and throughout the AFFIN label. Do you see it as a part of the story of your compositions?

MG: “Absolutely! Having worked as a freelance graphic designer for over 15 years, visual work is a big part of my creative world. Long before that, I placed great importance on the impact of visual identities (album covers, videos, etc.) in connection with music. The graphic work for AFFIN allows me to be completely free and without constraints. Emotions and moods play a crucial role, and the artworks emerge through inspiration, experimentation, and exploration. The visual aspect is just as important as the music itself. While one might function without the other, the connection between the two should not be underestimated.”

S13: I asked Joachim Spieth the same question… you’ve worked alongside him in the past. Does your writing approach change in a solo capacity in comparison with collaboration?

MG: “Of course, collaborations always involve a different approach compared to composing and producing solo work. It’s a dialogue. In collaborations, it’s always an exchange and a buildup of ideas. For example, when you receive drafts and sounds from a collaborator, something immediately starts to take shape. You have something tangible to work with and build upon.

“Naturally, you then consider which direction the whole thing could take – how to interpret it as inspiration and how to develop it further. The same applies in reverse. This way, incredibly interesting things can emerge – things you never would have thought of on your own. Through processing and interpretation, your ideas might take a direction you wouldn’t have chosen otherwise, or perhaps wouldn’t have even thought of. This kind of exchange leads to results that are not solely based on personal approaches.”

S13: Do you have strict routines when producing music? Is it something you work on every day?

MG: “No, definitely not. I am in the incredibly fortunate position of not needing to make music to survive – or rather, not anymore! That was a conscious decision for me because I never wanted music to become just a product. Creativity cannot be forced – it has to happen naturally. That’s why I never force myself to make music. There are times when I don’t turn on my music computer for half a year, and there are other times when I spend three months working on tracks every day or night. I simply need to be in the right mood – I want to approach music freely and without pressure.”

S13: Do you believe your immediate surroundings inspires you to make the kind of music you do?

MG: “Yes, I think my music is completely based on this principle. I compose and produce tracks purely from the emotions I’m feeling at the moment. It wouldn’t really work for me to create an incredibly dark track while sitting by an open window in the summer at 30°C. Of course, my mood could be very different at that moment. My environment and my current state of mind have a major influence on the music I create. My pieces are always shaped by my impressions, experiences, inspirations, and discoveries. The way these elements manifest and how the tracks and albums come together is a direct result of that.”

S13: How much do you think your music reflects your personality?

MG: “That’s not an easy question to answer! On the one hand, I would say: not at all! I definitely wouldn’t describe myself as a typical ‘ambient artist’ (if such a definition even exists). I don’t live the typical musician’s life. Many people I meet have no idea that I make music – especially this kind of music. But on the other hand, my music is a direct result of what comes from within me. It’s the deepest thing one can express. It exists publicly, even if people don’t know me personally or have never heard a word from me. So perhaps it’s not so far-fetched to say that my music reflects my personality.”

Black Dahlia is out now via Affin. Purchase from Bandcamp.