What’s it like to fulfil the dream of a major DJ career: do you immediately find yourself on the biggest stages, signed with the most prestigious labels, and alongside the very top headliners? Maybe yes, maybe no – but usually, before an artist achieves international success, they are part of the local scene in which they’re rooted. Because without support, developing their career step by step and focusing on quality (rather than just “the image”), it’s hard to build anything.
Local scene has value and its own character, emphasises MAUER, a Warsaw-based producer, DJ and founder and owner of SENSOR Records label. His latest EP, “Subzero Complex”, released at the end of February, provided an opportunity not only to immerse oneself in a modular, minimalist sound, but also to reflect on the Polish electronic music scene. And although MAUER operates locally, his tracks are played and appreciated all over the world.
Agata Omelańska: Hello, Piotr! We’re meeting on a special occasion for any artist – your latest EP, “Subzero Complex”, was released on 27th February. I had the opportunity to pre-listen to it, more than once or twice, and I can honestly say it’s a really good batch of music. Tell me, what are these tracks about? What inspired them and what was the process of working on the EP like?
MAUER: I was inspired by the Polish electronic music scene and the way local artists are often overlooked in favour of their foreign counterparts. The EP is a response to this situation and an attempt to show that the local scene has value and its own identity. I focused on more modular sounds, which have a deeper tone, and many elements were created through improvisation. Rather than striving for sterile perfection, I’ve emphasised the small imperfections that build the character and atmosphere of the tracks.
“Subzero Complex” consists of four tracks with a raw, modular aesthetic. Listening to this EP, I got the impression that your style has evolved significantly over the last two years. It’s still yours – of course – but the more minimalist the sound, the more intriguing it becomes. What influences how you play and the music you create the most?
I think the biggest influence on how I play or produce comes from my experience, the way I perceive music today, and the stage of life I’m at. Non-musical factors are also important, such as emotions, and how my approach to the scene and the creative process itself is changing. Minimalism has ceased to be an aesthetic in itself for me, and has become a tool that allows the details to come through more clearly.
Today I’m more interested in authenticity and coherence, rather than the “WOW effect”.
The story behind this EP is very interesting. You touch on many important aspects of what it means to be a producer in the industry, particularly in Poland. You highlight locality as a creative force and point out that keeping local artists in the background not only limits their development, but also stifles the growth of the entire scene. This is a very important voice on today’s scene, and thank you for speaking out about it.
This EP was created precisely out of a need to name the things that many of us feel, but rarely speak about directly.
I don’t see this as criticism for criticism’s sake, but as an attempt to draw attention to the mechanisms at play. Localism is something natural to me – if we don’t build trust in our own artists, who are often called “local buskers”, the scene will always operate in a mode of comparisons and complexes. And yet we have everything we need to create authentic and valuable work. I’m pleased that this project is received as a voice in the discussion, because that was exactly the point; it was about this reflection and, perhaps, a slight shift in perspective.
It is worth noting that the premiere of your EP took place exclusively on Polish SoundCloud channels: Polish Techno.logy, Lost in Ether, Znamy się z Techno and Synapsa. This was, on the one hand, a symbolic decision, and on the other, a conscious one, particularly given the prevailing belief that “to get noticed, I have to land on international channels only”.
It was a fully conscious decision. I wanted the format of the release to be consistent with the concept of the entire EP. Since “Subzero Complex” is about local identity and trust in our own scene, the natural step was to base the release on Polish channels that genuinely support local artists. I’m not denying the importance of international platforms, but I get the impression that we often treat them as the only route to a career. Yet local initiatives create the space without which no scene stands a chance of developing.
It’s not just a symbolic gesture, but also practical support for the ecosystem of which I myself am a part.
And yet, foreign artists have heard you too! The “Subzero Complex” EP received very positive reviews from artists such as Quelza, Ben Klock, future.666 and Tasha; your earlier productions have also been appreciated by them. How do you feel when you receive such words from artists you admire? It warms the heart, doesn’t it?
Every time I get a message that someone has played my track, I feel immense gratitude and satisfaction.
It reminds me that music has a life of its own, reaches people, travels the world and becomes part of someone’s story on the dance floor.
The realization that music, created out of a pure need to create, then finds its way onto sound systems in places where people from all parts of the world come together, is truly special.
I’m also incredibly grateful for those moments when my idols play my tracks at a venue that has held a special place in my heart for years – Berghain. It’s a venue that has long been one of my most important landmarks on the club music scene. That’s why the realization that my music is being played there in sets by artists I admire means so much to me. It’s all a huge motivation to keep working and creating new things.
Tell me, what’s the state of that persistent myth in our country about foreign artists versus local ones? Do we really still only go to see headliners and foreign artists, whilst treating those listed on the poster in ‘smaller font’ as inferior?
It seems to me that this has always been the case… and I think it still is. Marketing is still treated as something negative here – yet it’s thanks to marketing that foreign artists have risen to become headliners. All those tracks used in social media reels are proof of this. We live in an age where, if something has poor stats, it’s overlooked and considered inferior. It’s precisely thanks to the power of marketing that someone can go from their bedroom to the main stage of a festival.
On the other hand, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the public is taking a more conscious interest in the local scene and recognising the problem. Last summer, I organised two events at one of teh Warsaw’s clubs – both featured exclusively local artists, and the turnout was higher than at many a foreign headliner.
How do new faces have a chance to showcase themselves and their work? Do traditional methods, such as open decks or submitting mixes to competitions, still offer debutants real opportunities? Or has online presence dominated the DJ world, becoming the key to making a name for oneself?
Traditional formats, such as open decks, can still be valuable, because they provide contact with the audience and teach you how to read the dance floor in a real-world setting. It’s a good place to gain experience and build initial connections. The problem is that, on their own, they rarely suffice for long-term visibility. Online presence has become very important today, as the internet is the natural environment for music distribution. Sets, mixes, your own productions, or even the way you communicate help you reach people who would otherwise never have come across you.
However, “the image” alone, without a solid musical foundation, quickly loses its meaning. Image is a tool, but not the goal itself.
I’d also like to draw attention to one very symbolic, yet important element of “Subzero Complex” – the iceberg. How should audiences interpret it? What lies beneath this huge, cold mass, in relation to our electronic music scene?
This symbol is meant to remind us that the value of the scene does not stem solely from what is most spectacular or media-friendly.
The foundations are often quiet, scattered and underappreciated;
yet they are what hold the entire structure together. Without this ‘invisible part’, nothing on the surface could exist. Some comments online suggest that the Polish scene is young – but, yet as recently as 2021, the anthology “30 Years of the Polish Techno Scene” was published.
OK, we’ve touched on some very serious topics in the entertainment industry – I think it’s time to shift to a slightly lighter and more positive side. What’s the best, coolest thing that happens to you when you’re playing? Maybe something happened that made you think: “I’m proud of myself, I gave it my all, is it worth doing?”
Every time I finish my set, it’s the smiles and joy of the clubbers that make me fall in love all over again with what I do. It’s proof that I’ve done my job well. It’s happened to me many times that after a set, someone would come up to me and say they’d had a tough week, but they’d forgotten all about it because they’d had such a great time. And that’s the most valuable feedback for me.
As for funny situations, I’ll mention a fairly recent one – during one of my sets, the crowd got so euphoric at one point that people were literally squealing. I remember that moment exactly, because it was during one of the build-ups to the Slam’s track. Suddenly, security guards with torches appeared on the dancefloor, thinking something had happened. But it was just MAUER!
Moments like that definitely make it all worth playing! While preparing for our chat, I decided to list your most significant recent achievements. A lot has happened, so the list is long: the EPs “Human Grotesque”, “Pointless Conversation” and “Nostalgia Ultra”. Podcasts for BCCO, Numero Netherlands, Zement and Kaltblut Magazine, as well as performances alongside artists such as Orbe and psyk or Ben Klock. At the end of the year, you also played in Berlin at the OST club – what else would you add to this list?
I think my greatest success is that my tracks are played regularly all over the world. I’ve lost count of the messages I’ve received from DJs telling me they’ve played them. I’d also add that a while back,
our VTSS was playing them regularly at festivals, which caused my Spotify following to literally explode!
Another thing that’s important to me is performing at the legendary Sisyphos in Berlin. And supporting my idols, whom you mentioned, is also something very important.
I simply must ask you about Berlin and Berghain – I know that this club is your favourite place on earth to listen to music and dance. Whose performance at “The Temple” made the biggest impression on you? And for whom – or what – do you return there with the same, unwavering passion?
Just from walking the streets of Berlin, we can feel and hear what this city lives for and how essential techno music is to it. When it comes to clubs, I recommend Sisyphos on hot summer days, and Berghain – all year round. Stef Mendesidis playing a four-hour live set was the best thing I’ve ever heard. Plus, I’m always impressed by Ben Klock’s sets; I simply adore him.
And the final question would be… How do you become someone’s favourite DJ?
There’s no set way to do it, because I’d love to know myself… but from my perspective,
I think the most important thing is to play tracks that people don’t even realise they want to hear.
Thank you for a wonderful and inspiring chat, MAUER! May all your dreams come true – not just the musical ones – and may your authenticity, hard work and approach to the club music scene inspire both other artists and clubbers!