When the Coronavirus shut us down, clubs and festivals ceased, and everyone was essentially forced inside with no definitive end in sight, DJ Times wondered: How is our tribe coping? How are DJs getting by?
So, we sent out our “Coronavirus Questionnaire” to DJ/producers from all musical genres to find out. During this period, DJ Times will continue presenting the questionnaire responses from talented music-makers from all over the world. Here’s our latest entry, this time from Germany, the Cologne-based techno talent Tim Engelhardt.
What’s it like where you’re living? I’m currently in a rural part of Germany, locked down in the studio, working on new projects. I work music-related stuff mostly, but also reading a lot, learning and trying to use the time for myself a bit.
What income-producing work did you lose? I have lost all gigs since March and haven’t been playing gigs at all. But, fortunately, I have other projects and investments that are still generating income.
Are you doing anything now that can or will produce music-related income? What new music should we look for? I’m working as a sound designer and sample-pack creator a lot these days, which is a lot of fun and a totally different exercise to delivering full tracks. My next release will be my remixes for Trentemøller’s “Moan.”
What are you doing now that’s ultimately constructive to your music life/career? Trying to educate myself in aspects that I didn’t have the time to do before and further developing my vision in terms of sound, trying to figure out what kind of music I want to write in the future.
What’s the most surprising thing you’ve realized during this period of social distancing? How quickly club music can be vanished and how easily the whole concept falls apart. I’ve been noticing a steady decline in Spotify streams for me and similar artists, which is an indicator how strong clubs actually influence a listener’s music taste and the relevance of the music itself.
Have you done any live-streaming? Seen anything that you like online? I’ve done one in April, but other than that I haven’t really invested time in watching sets. I prefer truly interactive experiences.
Any theme tunes recommended for the moment? Duval Timothy’s “Fall Again” is on repeat here these days.
Any advice on staying sane & relatively positive through this situation? Accepting the circumstances and making the best out of them. Don’t be too hard on yourself these days and, especially, reach out to a friend if you’re feeling under the weather.
To check out more Life in Lockdown interviews, click here.
