Hannes Bieger (DE)

As one of Europe’s most in-demand mixing engineers Hannes Bieger spent a decade cultivating an untouchable reputation, with an exhaustive client list that includes some of the biggest names in contemporary house and techno. In 2017 Hannes decided to step back into the foreground and return to making his own music again, emboldened by years of studio experience, a renewed zest for production and a lifelong romance with electronic music. Since then he has made quite an impact; picking up a series of releases with highly influential labels, and traveling across Europe and South America to perform live. One of his most recent cuts, ‘Stars’, which dropped on John Digweed’s Bedrock label, hit the No.1 spot in Beatport’s Progressive House chart. An impressive list of achievements in a very short space of time, and it’s just the beginning... In 2017, after 11 years ago in the world of mixing and mastering, Hannes was at the top of his game, his magic touch making him a popular choice for a variety of world-famous producers. In recent times he has shifted his focused, dedicating his energy to solo productions and crafting an unforgettable live show. Hannes returned to making his own music with his debut EP on Poker Flat in 2017 inspired by the purchase of a coveted Moog modular synth, which reinvigorated his passion for production and inspired him to start performing live. With an endless stream of case studies passing through his operating table as a mixing engineer, Hannes came to learn exactly what works when it comes to premier dance floor material. Learning key lessons from some of the most talented producers in the game, he has accumulated a huge store of knowledge and skills resulting in a deeply intuitive, ‘less is more’ approach. Placing great importance on this reductive method for his own productions, the results have been impressive, with several key labels signing his music for release. They include his “first” release on Steve Bug’s Poker Flat, the ‘Strato’ EP, which picked up positive feedback across the board, including an ‘8 out of 10’ review in Mixmag. This was followed by ‘La Selva’ on Audiofly’s Flying Circus, an EP which the duo continue to support up until today, plus a follow up to ‘Strato’ on Poker Flat called ‘Tephra’ in June 2018. Hannes has also remixed Monkey Safari for Hommage Records, dropped a beautiful ambient composition called ‘Birth Of An Island’ on Aeon and has an exclusive track, ‘Mauna Loa’, featured on Bedrock’s huge ‘XX’ compilation celebrating the 20th anniversary of John Digweed’s label. This was followed by his first full release on Bedrock, the ‘Stars’ EP featuring four brand new productions. In March 2019 Hannes returns to Poker Flat with three dynamite tracks entitled the ‘Chemistry’ EP. The title track typifies Hannes’ approach to production with a simmering build up, ultra fine detail across all the various elements and stirring atmospherics that provoke an emotional response in the listener. Teaming up with Sailor & I, who provides soulful vocals, Hannes delivers another exemplary dance floor bomb. ‘Chemistry’ has a brooding atmosphere, with wistful vocals and crisp percussion. There is also a ‘Dub’ version of the track, with the vocals stripped out and, on the flip, there’s ‘El Fuego’, which is a hard-edged, minimal cut aimed at taking the dance floor into the darkside. A modulated synth forms the main riff of this cut, wriggling and writhing around as the tension fluctuates and Hannes uses his expertise to cultivate a rousing, sensual atmosphere. Hushed vocals whisper ‘soy el fuego’, and this is certainly a very hot piece of music… Parallel to his production exploits, Hannes has been investing his time and energy into developing his own live show. Over the years he has poured his earnings into collecting a mouthwatering selection of synths. Forming a symbiotic relationship with these machines means the production process always takes place outside the box, with a spirited, physical approach to making music. This technique allows Hannes to have fun while making music, to embrace the physicality of his sounds and immerse himself in the production process, resulting in music that comes straight from his heart and soul. This same process is applied to his live show, bringing the studio on the road with him, making zero sacrifice in terms of quality to present audiences with a live performance on high quality equipment. His set up includes a Moog Sub 37, DSI Prophet-6 and a UA Apollo 8 all played through an SSL board, reinforcing Hannes’ belief that there should be no cutting corners when it comes to live shows. His debut at IPSE, on 11th August 2018 in Berlin, went down a storm, and the hour-long performance gave Hannes a huge confidence boost. Since then he’s traveled across Europe and South America with his remarkable collection of machines, promising to deliver a scintillating set at every show. So far, amongst others, he has appeared at Watergate (Berlin), D.Edge (Sao Paulo), The Bow (Buenos Aires), Baum (Bogotá) and Bassick (Quito) plus a spectacular show at the stunning church Kulturkirken Jakob in Oslo. Things have come full circle for Hannes, going back to performing live, which is where his musical journey began back when he was a teenager playing in bands. Proof that dedication to one’s craft and an uncompromising focus on quality over quantity can provide the perfect foundation to a lifetime of success, Hannes Bieger continues on his quest to keep the levels high and the energy consistent - promoting joy and good vibes every step of the way…