As part of the original Diynamic team, H.O.S.H. prides himself on first and foremost being a DJ. Producing comes second. It speaks volumes then, that he is so highly regarded for his own sound and his unique productions. He's a self-proclaimed entertainer and educator, playing what hasn't been played before, supplying the crowd with what they want, but also educating them in what he deems musically significant. This all probably has something to do with the continuing and increasing success of his sound and his numerous appearances on the island. He has been one of the more signifcant artists at Solomun's Sunday night party at Pacha, Solomun + 1, their chemistry unmatched behind the decks. Also the Diynamic label's success is constantly growing as are its Tuesday nights at Sankeys.
This summer sees the strong and much-welcomed return of Solomun's Diynamic Neon Nights party at the underground club Sankeys. The venue is a perfect fit for H.O.S.H. to showcase his sound, especially as this is the summer where Sankeys is really being put on the map thanks to its musical decisions this year, thus bringing only great things for him and the whole Diynamic team.
I spoke to H.O.S.H. after a particularly edgy evocative set at Neon Nights, amidst moody melodic synths, electric guitars and grumbling bass lines, to find out how his season is going and what's next on the agenda for him...
How do you think your set went tonight, did you enjoy it?
"I think it went really well. I had a good connection with the crowd which for me is the most important thing. I like to play some new stuff and also in a way educate the crowd- that's really the job of a DJ."
Educate the crowd? Elaborate...
"Well, what's good for Neon Nights this summer and will hopefully continue next year is that we've really got a crowd who are into their music. People are coming here specifically to see certain DJs and hear a certain style, it's great."
The team at Diynamic has expanded so much over the last couple of years especially. What would you say your position at Diynamic is? What do you bring to the table?
"When we started, it was just Stimming, Solomun and me. People always ask who's doing what. Obviously its Solomun and Adriano [Trolio]'s label but we've always been involved in the musical process of the label because our own sound was always the measurement of what we take from outside. If someone sounds like us we won't release it because it's already been done - our mission is to be different and bring some new stuff to the people. I'm always involved in the decision of the tracks."
You're renowned for introducing your own unique sounds into your music... What songs do you think really showcase this?
"There are a couple of tracks that I consider really edgy. Like 'Steppenwolf', that's a trip! Harmony-wise I'd say 'White Elephant', and also the psychedelic guitar break in 'Technicolour'. I always try and do something fresh. Nowadays it's easy to just play what's popular right now which is a big mistake. Just because its five years old doesn't mean it's bad, and if you drop it unexpectedly at the right time, it's always special."
Germany is such a hub for talented DJs and musicians. People are always talking about the Berlin music scene but what makes Hamburg special?
"What have always been special in Hamburg are the open air parties. I would say Hamburg stands for quality and also belief in your own thing. With Berlin so many people move there and just try to jump on the bandwagon but Hamburg has always been different. We care for quality."
A packed Pacha as everyone parties to H.O.S.H at Solomun + 1, a new night this season which has created a new Sunday tradition to rival the Sunday roast. The two of them treated the excited crowd to a back to back session, something one always hopes for from this duo as they work so well together. The residency has been successfully joining a varied mix of talented, fresh and established DJs as Solomun's 'plus one', creating a weekly original and unpredictable musical spectacle.
For a lot of DJs, thanks to Ibiza, summer is a really hectic time. With there being such a big and busy music scene back in Germany anyway, do you find Ibiza affects you as much as it might others?
"Well I've been a little bit stupid this summer... I've taken on a project called ‘Forever Young', which consists of four releases, eight tracks in total. I felt I wanted to do it but now it's summer I'm actually finishing the tracks in my bedroom like I was eight years ago! But I always do what I feel. The main thought behind it for me is, I'm living my dream. I don't want to stick to the rules of a regular 9-5 job and I want to be my own boss and I like to connect to people. I've found the perfect thing just by believing in the stuff I want in my life."
How do you get inspiration for your music?
"It's always different. I know many of my producer colleagues are influenced by their everyday lives. Like if Stimming's in a bad mood he'll go to the studio and create really dark stuff, but with me it's different; I've always been a DJ first. I really love producing but I always take my inspiration from what's happening in the clubs. But then at the moment I'm in love and that's an inspiration too. It always goes into my tracks. When I listen to a track from two years ago, I can tell what my status was and how I was feeling at the time. I always picture the party. I'm not a musician, I never learnt any instruments. I see myself as an entertainer, producing tracks for the dance floor, which isn't a bad thing!"
How did it all start for you then?
"I did an exchange year in Iowa in the US and when I came back my friends were like ‘Hey H.O.S.H., we like techno parties!' I thought... 'what's techno?!' I just had this picture in my head of it, but they swore it was different. So they took me to psychedelic trance parties and such. I fell in love with techno music. A year later we organised some turntables, so you can see, for me, it really did start with DJing."
Have you ever thought about bringing your outdoor parties to Ibiza?!
"It's really a concept for the noise of Germany. It would work but I wouldn't really know how to do this in a successful way- we have a big following in Germany but I would say 80% of those people have never been to Ibiza, so without a label or something beside [Neon Nights] behind us it would be difficult to integrate this year. It would be amazing though... I'll think about it!"
