Thomas Schumacher was eleven years old when Depeche Mode released Construction Time Again. "I'll never forget sitting at home, listening to the album in my headphones, trying to figure out how they made those sounds."
Thirty-five years later, Thomas Schumacher still burns with curiosity. The Berlin-based DJ and producer makes light of his status as one of the most successful, versatile artists in electronic music. "What I love about Techno is that it demands that you constantly challenge and reinvent yourself."
Thomas Schumacher is always pushing his own boundaries. "The art of being relevant," he says, "is to repeatedly forget what you know.” In his early days producing music, he had to learn how to physically create the sounds he heard in his head. Now, as a virtuoso, the challenge is to use his breadth and depth of musical knowledge to convey profound emotion. "Techno is not just a tool to make people dance" he says, "it is a very personal, intimate way of connecting."
This intimacy fuels the unique vibe of a Thomas Schumacher DJ set. He likens what he does to being the captain of a ship. “I purposely steer my sets into rough waters. I want to help people get out of their heads and into their bodies. I create a safe space for people to lose their minds, in the best possible way. They know they don't need to worry or be afraid, because I’ve got them. I know what I'm doing. They can let go and just be."
When not guiding clubbers through seas of sound, Schumacher reaches them via his productions on labels like Drumcode and his own label Electric Ballroom. The more he creates, the more there is to explore, the more opportunities to invent, connect, and imagine. "I am always the one to change it up," says Thomas. "My ongoing ambition is to connect with the people, every single time. Thats why I do what I do and love it so much. I have never seen a reason to compartmentalise my music and my life. Everything is energy and everything is connected."
On Beatport Thomas’ remix of the classic “The House Of House” became his third number one hit within the past 24 months after “Stella”- a propulsive anthem dedicated to his daughter and “Wonder”, his collaboration with Victor Ruiz - once again reinforcing his place as one of the Techno greats.
Thomas Schumacher on Instagram
Thomas Schumacher's Studio (Berlin)
