Leipzig based artist Mint4000 aka Vassim Koes has released his dubtechno influenced sound on great labels like Greyscale or Axaminer. Last year he won the dj-contest at DAVE Festival in Dresden. The dj-mix is a proof of his fine music selection skills. We chatted with him about his different artist names, Leipzig and where he bought the vinyl records for his dj-mix.
Hi Hannes! Great to have you on the podcast. How are things going?
All-in-All quite good so far… heath is good, war is still far away. The nature is blooming, the gras is green…. Summer (2024) is great so far, and I’m enjoying it a lot (in Leipzig & the Hinterland).
Dispite that I’m into studying (social & economic-management) & watching Olympic Games… I like different kind of sports, and Paris (of course) as well.
For autumn, I hope some more people (especially from the hinterland) will wake up from their prosperity lethargy and take on their responsibility for the next generation.
Last year you have won the dj-contest at DAVE Festival in Dresden. How do you feel about it?
Still buzzed..for sure! I was so honored to be part of the DAVE Festival 2023. There i’ve won a voucher for Fat Fenders Recordstore (in Dresden) where I bought 95% of the records I used in this mix.
You are releasing music under the monikers Mint4000 and Vassim Koes. Why do you choose different artist names?
I like letters, and names as well… especially on walls, trains, etc.. But yeah… as I come from a time when producers and dj’s had different kind of monikers/names, for me it feels quite normal to introduce different „words/names“. It’s a bit more ego-less approach and you can build up a wider range of music-spectrum, as an artist and craftsmen.
At the end of the day, the creative process / music has the main focus… not people, names, sausages, acters, jukebox’s, ai, .. I would say.
What’s your favorite piece of gear – hard or software?
Ear’s, and pure „gear”-wise: maybe AKAI MPC, as the (sequence) center-part. Synths, Groovebox, etc. varies from time2time, as I like the (life and) creative process a bit more versatile.
Which three artists have inspired you?
Maybe they aren’t inspiring me at all, but I adore the musical approach & journey from Ricardo Villalobos, Maurizio/Basic Channel, SunRA, Oscar Mulero, Cristian Vogel, Mathew Herbert, Matthew Dear, Pantytec, MUTEK, EightMilesHigh/RomanIV … so many names 2 say.
b.c.: > endless creativity, electronic/machine-style funk w. free-jazzy-human touch, futuristic, odd, timeless
What is the idea behind your mix?
The challenge was: put all records, I’ve bought 2 day’s before at FatFenders recordstore, in one (or 2) mixes. At home I’m more into „laidback“ mixes, and here I try to get more into that „live club-zone vibe“.
What can we expect next from you?
Supporting & push people with a difficult social background and other difficulties (in the real life). And “in the bubble“.. poppin’ out some tunes, on different labels. Some more mixes as well. Maybe getting some proper artist-pic’s :D
Any tips and secret spots to visit in Leipzig?
Limit yourself, and make the most out of it. Be true 2 the Game, and for sure… to yourself (if you’ve found it yet).
DUQO (former MJUT) is a (new?) fine place to chill & enjoy (the more deeper side of) music. Pittlerwerke. “Hart&Herzlich“ (pastrie), Naturali, VARY Recordstore & Sleeve++, beautiful nature in Leipzig and around.
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More InformationRecords I’ve used in this mix (random order):
Livity Sound
CV313 – Echospace Detroit
Alden Tyrell- CLONE Basement Series
VA 3 – Modern Hypnosis
M. Dehnert – TECHUM_006
SAWLIN – FDF raw_005
Binär_003
Alex Cellar – Brouqade
D’julz – BassCulture
Mihai Pol – Aurum
