Hilary Rawk

German electro-rock duo Digitalism makes super-fun dance music "for your ears and your feet." I had a chance to chat with Jens about their music, goals and sudden success over the last year. Calling from the band's secret lair in Hamburg, Germany, Jens explained that his own musical path was a bit like going into the family business. Not only had he grown up around music--learning to play the piano and organ when he was just 6 years old--his grandfather made his way as a professional opera singer before Jens was even born. "I never met him `cause he died so early, but my dad always tells me he's gotta do some quality control before anything passes because he thinks he should take care of his dad's legacy."

He and Isi--the other half of Digitalism--met in college while working at an underground record shop. They started out as hip-hop DJs, playing tracks from the likes of Dr. Dre and Wu-Tang Clan. "We started out as DJs, and it took us quite a while to figure out that we [could] write songs and turn into producers. So I see myself as a musician now, or at least an artist."

Huge fans of both dance music and indie rock, they realized that combining the two genres would bring both audiences together. "You can add song structures into electronic music, or you can add dance or disco sounds into indie stuff... all that people want is to have fun and dance at a huge concert of rock bands, and that's the same as an electronic-music party. So if you combine everything, you just make everyone happy."

Their first release, "Zdarlight" (2005), received such a positive response that they were suddenly whisked away on an international tour to play along with artists like Daft Punk and The Presets. "Last year, it was such a surprise for us to be sent around the world. We couldn't afford much crew around us--we had to carry everything around ourselves." Despite their minimal live setup--a huge table with "a computer, some controllers and synthesizers"--they have quickly gained the respect of audiences and musical peers alike.

Touring has been a great experience for these two, but a bit crazy at times. Lucky for Jens, Isi is there to regulate. "Once he had to check me out because I was not there, and pack all of my stuff and carry everything--poor guy. I was just finishing my last glass of wine in the really late afternoon. And then we had to head over to some other city, and then we had to play two gigs that night. And it's always a bit like that. It's fun."

Asked to remix songs by indie groups like Cut Copy and The Klaxons, they've become part of the tight community of musicians that make up electro-rock. "It's like a huge, global family, and we are in touch with loads of musicians. It's always a pleasure just being asked to do something for anyone."

Despite their sudden success, they are trying to stay grounded, not letting the glitz and glimmer of electro-rock superstardom go to their heads. "It's really important to have close friends around you all the time, because yourself, I think, it's hard to judge how much you've transformed."

When it comes to the business of making music, Jens and Isi hunker down and focus on the task at hand. "Our studio space is in a WWII bunker, so we don't have any oxygen, lights, windows, heating and we drink loads of beers. While we're inside there we are pretty isolated, which gives everything a bit of a dark touch."

Of course Digitalism is on the cutting edge right now, but they'd like to make it into the rock pantheon next to the Beatles and the Stones. "A big honor would be still to be found in a record store in like fifty years."

Their newest album, set for US release this June, is called "Idealism" for a few reasons. "We had some strong visions about the album. Traveling is really important for us and discovering new things... it's a bit like a global launch or a departure toward something new.

"We believe in ideals--like, of course, the obvious ones like love and friendship. We think everyone should get his ass up and head toward something like this and not be happy with average stuff... which is kind of a huge vision. It's like 100 percent or nothing."

Digitalism joins Guns & Bombs, Bio-Booster and la Radio at Smart Bar, 3730 North Clark, (773)549-0203, on March 24 from 10pm-5am. $10.

(2007-03-20)

Also by Hilary Rawk

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