TSC Behind The Decks | Katarakt
In our latest TSC Behind The Decks interview, I caught up with German DJ and Producer – Katarakt, known for his YouTube channel, where he has established a big following with his “Stonerhouse” and “Lazy Sunday” mixes. Katarakt’s spot on track selection has quickly gained him quite the following. The mixes perfect for your weekend pre-party, hungover Sunday, and anywhere in-between.
Creator of the infamous Stonerhouse series. Overlord of the dark demons. Your pilot through the space of melodic soundscapes. My split personality constantly tries to create a balance between laid-back lofi house and dark and eclectic hard techno mixes.
Hey Katarkt, thank you for having me for this interview. Where am I catching you and what have you been up to lately?
Hey, thanks for the interview. Actually, I’m very busy with my medical studies right now. I’m preparing for a practical exam at the moment and I’ve been caught trying to draw blood from bananas or stitch up orange peel skin quite often lately.
You have developed quite a following on your YouTube channel, through your “Stoner House” mixes. Are you surprised by how much the channel has grown? What are your plans for the future of it – how do you want to keep growing it?
Yes, definitely! It always surprises me when I see how many people listen to my music and from which parts of the world my listeners come. For the future, I will continue to produce new mixes and maybe try out other genres. I’ve also been thinking about the possibility of a livestream for a long time, I simply miss a bit of direct interaction with my audience.
Tell me more about yourself – how did you get into music? Which artists are you biggest inspiration and drive? What music genres is your sound inspired by?
It probably started out like a lot of people, I was at some house parties, some guys were DJing, I thought it was pretty cool and wanted to try it out. It’s hard for me to say which artists are my biggest inspiration. I listen to so many different genres, across Ambient/Noise, breakbeat and Deephouse to harder, faster Techno…. I think I just take a bit of inspiration from everywhere and try to create something new from it. Two artists I like a lot for that reason are “Trudge” and “Nthng”, both of them manage to serve different genres with their music.
What is your personal favourite mix – one of your own, and one from another dj?
That’s a hard one… I think my personal favourite mix is this one here >> https://soundcloud.com/kataraktmusic/acid-rave-afterhour-leipzig , because of the memories I associate with it. I was playing an afterhour set in an illegal club in Leipzig, Germany after a wild night playing in the “Institut für Zukunft”. Technically a very rough mix, but with very nice memories. A mix by another DJ is this one here >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVrUb3xuzrs. Maybe a bit dark, but I love to walk through Vienna in the evening and listen to this mix.
How can you describe the guest mix you recorded for us? What story did you want to tell with it?
It’s a combination of my favourite tracks from my “Stonerhouse” and “Lazy Sunday” series. It reflects a long gone club night with all the ups and downs that nightlife has to offer. Perfect for clubbing in your living room.
With Covid-19 restrictions easing out across Europe and parts of the world, and more events being announced – what are your warm-up, peak-time, and closing records, at the moment?
Oh yeah, I can’t wait to play in clubs again! As I would probably play a techno set my tracks would be:
- Warmup: Heitt by nthng
- Peak-time: NITE NRG by Fractions,
- Closing: Sundowner by Narciss
You also produce music. Your last release was “Everything Was Fine” EP from 2020. Can we expect from you more releases in 2021? Any exciting plans and collaborations you can share?
I really hope to find more time for producing again, as I have several tracks almost ready but unfortunately it always takes me forever to be satisfied. I’m also working with another YouTube channel at the moment to have the right visuals for a possible next “Stonerhouse” mix.
Where do you feel more natural, when recording mixes or producing music?
That’s a really good question. I think I feel more natural when I’m DJing, where I just go with the flow and see where my mixes take me. I haven’t been producing that long and it often doesn’t work as smoothly as I would like it to. But I love the constant challenge and enjoy every day when I can create something new. I have phases where I record more mixes and then phases where I lose myself completely in producing music.
What are your goals for 2021 as well as beyond that, as an artist?
I would definitely like to produce another ‘Stonerhouse mix’, as this is the most requested mix by my fans. Otherwise, I will continue to grow my YouTube channel and see what opportunities arise for me.
Thank you for the interview Katarakt. Stay safe!
I have to thank you! All the best and stay healthy!
Connect with Katarakt on YouTube and SoundCloud.
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