YENI (DE)

YENI is a hugely driven person. Once she fell in love with techno she decided she wanted to make her own, so she spent time in dark clubs watching and learning from the DJs. Even though she was only 15 years old, she learnt how to get sounds of analog synths and Fruity Loops, took what she made and handed it out on CDs to people who went to Leipzig’s 10/40 techno club. She started to build a profile and now, years later, the East Germany born artist is a regular on the global circuit who has played across Europe, South Africa, India and the United States under her alter ego. After years as part of the Alter Ego, which took her to key parties round the world, YENI is now focused on solo work. She is a strong willed character who does things her own way. Music brings out visceral reactions in her, and she always tries to convey the same strong feelings with her productions and DJ sets. “I am not the kind of fish that swims with the shoal,” she states. “I am the one who tries out exactly the opposite; the things that are not currently hyped.” As such, this classically trained pianist, vocalist and former soprano choir singer has a sophisticated sound that is keen to experiment and head in unknown new directions. It has lead to releases on well regarded labels like Alex Bau’s Credo, Florida Music, Unknown Territory and Complexed Records, and has found its way into the bags of tastemakers like Adam Beyer, Agoria and Charlotte De Witte. She is also an in demand vocalist who worked with other producers such as Drumcomplex. More recently, this infectiously enthusiastic character has started her own label Cyborgs in Love, which put out her own fierce Hang On EP. The label deals in proper techno and, drawing on her background when she worked as a Management Consultant crunching numbers for insurance companies in Switzerland, has quickly become a quality operation. DJ Emerson, Wigbert, Drumcomplex, Rob Hes, Andres Campo and Roland M. Dill are all part of the Cyborg family. “I loved to be successful in my normal job, but I could not only live this nine to five thing,” she says. “I need an extraordinary lifestyle by spending my weekends in dark techno clubs.” So that’s what she does, weaving together high octane sets of uncompromising techno with compelling grooves and well crafted synths that come together to create stark atmospheres. It has taken her to play alongside the likes of Slam and Ellen Allien in Finland, at Nature One in Germany and her own label showcase during ADE. Having more than proved herself, she is now signed to Times Artists alongside the likes of Matthias Tanzmann and Timo Maas and is an essential voice in the global techno conversation.