Since their first big break in 2012, the Adana Twins have established a sterling reputation, refining their sound constantly, pushing the boundaries of their musical ambition, and evolving organically with the passage of time.
Photo Credit: Felix Krueger
Driven by a deep-seated desire to transmit emotion through electronic music while expanding their creative horizons, the German duo has been working together since 2006, merging Benjamin’s love of hip-hop and Friso’s passion for club music to produce a series of highly-regarded releases on labels such as Diynamic, Afterlife, Innervisions, Watergate, Kompakt or their own label TAU, that form the foundation of their global success.
EG caught up with Adana Twins to learn more about the release of TAU’s new ‘Spektrum 4’ VA compilation, future plans, and more.
EG: Hi guys! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. Where are you based right now?
Benjamin: Hey guys, thanks for having us. I am still based in Hamburg and absolutely love it here. Besides my family, I have almost all my friends here.
Friso: Hello, I’m sitting by the window in Lisbon right now with a cup of coffee in my hand while the sun is shining.
EG: So, what was your summer like? Any particular highlights?
Benni: This summer was maybe the busiest we ever had. We played in so many fantastic places. The biggest highlight was most likely our shoe at Levels in Porto Alegre. The vibe and the energy there were absolutely stunning. But also Ibiza and the gig at Reworks later in the summer were for the books.
Friso: There were really some highlights this year. recently we were also in Argentina (Buenos Aires, and Cordoba). The latest gig in Uruguay was amazing too. We love Latin America in general.
EG: Congratulations on the release of your new VA compilation, ‘Spektrum 4’! What has the initial reception been like?
Adana Twins: The feedback we are receiving so far is just wonderful. I think we never got so much DJ feedback from our promo, which is quite a good sign. Really makes us happy, that so many people outside are feeling the stuff that we produce. Including the trading cards, we released a special box for hardcore fans and collectors. At TAU, we always try to create something special around the compilation. We feel there all the artists combined put so much work into it that it would be a waste if we only release it digitally – even if this is the most common and easiest way to release music. Sometimes it’s important to go the extra mile as we do with ‘Spektrum’.
EG: What can TAU & Adana Twins fans expect to find on this one? Are there any personal favorites?
Benjamin: You can find a mix between indie and melodic stuff. Mostly focused on Indie. ‘Spektrum’ is the taste of Adana Twins and a collection of stuff we have been playing during the past 12 months. I really love everything on it. But when it comes to favorites, I really love the most ‘Don’t Walk’ from Maya Evers, SXF’s ‘Workshop 5’ and Phunkadelica – ‘Disphunzione’.
“Including the trading cards, we released as a special box for hardcore fans and collectors. At TAU, we always try to create something special around the compilation”
EG: Just the tracklist looks monumental. How much work goes into compiling a 16-track VA? How do you guys select which are the right pieces? Are any of these commissioned just for this release?
Benni: As said before, it’s a collection of the songs we are played during the last 12 months. Some are demos extra for this, some are demos from EP demos, and some are from artists we asked to contribute to it as we really love the stuff from them. For us, it’s important that the music on it fits our taste and that we can play. And as we love to play long sets or all night long it’s important for us to have a “Spektrum” of tracks that are not only peak-time. We are searching for a wide range of songs that can guide us through a magical night.
EG: How has TAU evolved since its conception? Is the label where you thought it would be when you started TAU?
Adana Twins: Hard question. But I think we are where we want to be right now. Maybe a bit more than expected. We founded TAU to have a playground where we can try things. Where we can do mistakes we can learn from them. Like ‘Spektrum’, the regular TAU releases show what we love at the moment. And when artists release an EP, we also love it when they show a different side besides their dancefloor skills. For example, Lehar will release an amazing EP next month. It’s a great mix between dancefloor and listening. We also made a remix for it which shows our love for more stripped-down music.
EG: What is the best advice you could give to someone looking to start their own “successful” label?
Adana Twins: The most important thing is to find the right moment. You need to be ready for it and nobody should push you to do it. In the past, there were a lot of people who were saying: “Guys, you need a label. Do it.” But it never felt right. But then came the moment when we had the feeling we are ready for it and then we were pumped for it because it came straight from our hearts and from nobody else. Also, you need a lot of time and passion because a label is a lot of work. These days it’s not only the music that counts. Even if this would be the best thing. But let’s be honest: today it’s the whole package that starts with music and ends with your image and the story you are telling.
EG: What are your thoughts on the current state of the scene? What would you like to see more and less of?
Adana Twins: Of course, it would be great if there were no more dancefloors with cell phones or cameras waiting for the next drop. Only focussing on the music. Lose yourself on the dancefloor. But it became part of the game and we have to deal with it, and of course, a nice video if you play in front of thousands of people always looks nice (laughter).
In the beginning, we tried to collect a lot of videos on our cell phones. But I am not feeling comfortable with this because I just want to focus on playing instead of searching for someone around me who can make a video. I guess that’s why you don’t see so many videos of every show on our Insta account that are professional 4K productions (laughter).
“Let’s be honest: today it’s the whole package that starts with music and ends with your image and the story you are telling.”
EG: What is art and why do we need it?
Adana Twins: Great question with more than one right answer. With the right story, everything can be art. You can throw an egg on the street, make a photo of it and claim it as your art. I think art is something you can express yourself with, without taking into consideration what other people think of you.
EG: What’s next for Adana Twins? What particular milestones are you looking forwards to now? Where can your fans catch you next?
Adana Twins: The next milestone will be an album. It’s always on our minds. But we don’t pressure ourselves. We are collecting songs and when we have the feeling we got them, we will release them. This can take a few months or a few years. One day it will be there. And we are really looking forward to the final part of the year. Today we are flying to Mexico and Guatemala. After that, we are back at Watergate. Friso will play in his new hometown Lisbon. And at the end of the year, we play in the US, Canada, and India. Really looking forward to that.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, guys! We wish you all the best for the future.
Adana Twins: Thanks, EG!
Adana Twins’ new ‘Spektrum 4’ VA is out now via TAU. Purchase your copy here.
Follow Adana Twins: SoundCloud | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify
