Electronic music innovator Jensen Interceptor pierces genre boundaries with his latest EP, ‘Thermaic Rise’. Fresh off the heels of his collaborative project, Jensen & Friends LP, the Berlin-based Australian artist returns to his solo roots after a three-year release hiatus, showcasing a fusion of juke, breaks, tribal, and experimental techno. Named after the Thermaic Gulf—a nod to his Greek heritage—the EP not only explores sonic landscapes but also delves deep into the cultural and personal influences that shape his music.
In our exclusive interview, Jensen Interceptor discusses the intricacies of blending traditional Greek sounds with modern electronic production, the significance of his heritage in his music, and his views on the current Berlin club scene. Read on for a glimpse into the mind of an artist who continuously explores the limits of his production styles.
You’ve named your EP after the Thermaic Gulf in Greece, a place with personal significance to you. Can you describe your earliest memory of this place and how it influenced the overall sound of the EP?
I first visited this beautiful part of the world when I was 16. I traveled to Greece for the first time and lived with family I had never met before for six months. It was an incredible experience that I’m so grateful for, as it helped shape who I am today and saved me from many issues and troubles I was dealing with at the time. In recent years, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on who I am as an artist and reconnecting with my cultural roots. This introspection has been an effort to make my music as authentic as possible while navigating the various sounds and cultures that have influenced me along the way.
Your latest work mixes a wide range of genres from juke and breaks to experimental techno. How do you approach blending such diverse musical styles while keeping a cohesive sound throughout the EP?
Thank you for the cohesive compliment; I really appreciate it. The styles of music you’ve mentioned are sounds that I’ve loved and played for years, so it’s natural for me to channel them into my own music. It’s no secret that I’ve always made music with a practical approach, geared towards DJing. Unless I’m setting out to create something conceptual, every time I start a new Ableton project, I think about how it will work in a club and how I can make people’s asses shake.
One thing I’m conscious of, which might explain the blending of multiple styles, is that I don’t necessarily like things that sound typical or obvious. For example, if I hear a new electro track these days that only uses a standard 808 drum kit, I find it a little uninspiring and unchallenging. Of course, there are those classic techno & electro tracks that have those hallmark sounds we all love, but a few years ago, my approach took a more experimental turn. Now, I love hearing new music that breaks from tradition and incorporates textures and sounds not usually associated with a particular genre.
You’ve incorporated samples from Thessaloniki-based drill artists in your tracks. What draws you to these artists, and how do you go about selecting specific sounds or pieces from their work?
I approached it the same way I would any other sample: by finding the parts that I like the most or that fit best into what I’m creating. I guess I wanted to sample these particular tracks as I had been listening to them at the time & thought it would also be a nice way of adding another layer of authenticity, sampling music from where I come from.
The EP features live recordings of traditional Greek instruments like the Lyra and Pandura. Could you share more about the recording process for these instruments and any challenges you faced while integrating them into your electronic tracks?
I sampled sounds from tutorial videos on YouTube. Before doing so, I reached out to the creators in the videos to ask for their permission, as I couldn’t find any suitable samples for these instruments on Splice. I then imported the audio into Ableton and processed it to sound completely different. For example, I ran the recording of the Pandura through a granulator, then re-pitched it, resampled it with the Ableton sampler, played it backward, and added various effects like delay and reverb to create the lead sound in the “Break Fluid” track.
Beyond the sounds of Greece, what other influences did you draw upon while producing ‘Thermaic Rise’?
It’s no secret that Latinx producers are currently taking over the scene, and I absolutely love to see it. I hope the fostering, healthy cultural exchanges and support of these artists continues and that it’s not a fad. The recognition of BIPOC producers is long overdue, largely due to the relentless whitewashing of our scene.
Around 2018 I had grown tired and bored with the techno here in Europe, and became heavily influenced by producers from Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and other Latin American countries. Everything was becoming predictable and monotonous, In contrast, many Latinx producers don’t seem to worry about fitting a certain mold; they simply create whatever they want, and the results are incredible.
For example, you can find tracks that combine house, duke, dubstep, tribal, and experimental bass all in one. This explosion of creativity and genre-dismantling is what initially excited me about underground music. The futurism that had been missing has thankfully returned, thanks to these incredible artists who shatter creative constructs and reveal endless possibilities.
Some notable mentions include Badsista, Kontronatura, JLZ, Verraco, El Irreal Veintiuno, Amantra, RHR, Kue, IDLIBRA, Nora and Tayhana.
This is your first solo release in over three years. How has your artistic vision or production process evolved during this time away from solo production?
Not much has changed on the technical side of things, but one notable shift is my use, or lack thereof, of machines. I used to rely heavily on synths and hardware for my earlier tracks, but recently, I’ve been enjoying working with samples and have started using Splice.This will sound incredibly privileged, but sometimes being in a room full of synths can be overwhelming. This used to happen in my studio, so I would set limitations for myself, like using only one synth on a track, and those limitations would fuel my creativity. Currently, I’m doing everything “in the box,” and I’m really enjoying it.
You mention incorporating humor and charm into your tracks. Can you give an example of how these elements are reflected in this EP?
This applies in a few different ways. One example is the erratic shifts in tempos or energy in certain parts of the tracks. Another is the use of the virtual reality sex scene from the movie Demolition Man with Sylvester Stallone and Sandra Bullock in the “Love Boat” track, which is where the name comes from. In this movie scene, the theme song from the TV show The Love Boat is playing, and if you listen to the very end of the track, you can hear the song in the background.
I find these little details funny and charming when I hear other producers include them, and it’s something I’ve always tried to incorporate into my tracks since I first started making music.
How do you see your music contributing to or diverging from current trends in Berlin’s club scene?
Hmmm, that’s a tough one to answer. Honestly, I try my best not to think about trends. I fell into this trap early in my career, back in Australia the scene was so small, so I became too focused on making tracks that would hopefully translate into gigs, which is a horrible headspace to be in.
The moment I stopped thinking that way was when I started writing all the electro stuff that I’m now mostly known for. At the time, electro wasn’t “in” or the cool thing, but it was the music I loved dearly and wanted to make. By not worrying about trends, I was able to focus on creating what I genuinely wanted to.
Following ‘Thermaic Rise’, what’s next for you? Are there any other cultural or personal explorations you plan to undertake in your upcoming music projects, and where can we catch you performing next in Berlin?
I am currently working on my next full-length album, which I hope to release in the first quarter of next year. While I can’t reveal too much yet, I can say that it represents another step forward in the evolution of my sound. Like Thermaic Rise, this album has a strong focus on my cultural roots, aiming to make it as authentically “me” as possible.
I’m also excited to announce my next Berlin date is on the August 30th at my homebase, Tresor, where I will be playing a B2B set with my sister from Brasil, Ananda.
