We’re excited to have 8-bit Records label-boss, Gorge, on the Lovecast!

Mannheim’s Peter Felix Waldmann, known to the electronic music world simply as ‘Gorge’ has been undoubtedly one of the most consistent names on the deeper side of the house music spectrum for almost two decades.

Gorge aka. Pit Waldmann has been a musician, DJ and producer for more than 18 years. Gorge started out playing drums and piano but at the end of the 80’s, beginning of the 90’s he became inspired by the upcoming electronic dance music scene, which changed his path from being a live musician to a DJ and producer.

At the same time, Gorge was co-running 8bit Records together with his partner Nick Curly along with his second imprint Katchuli Records. Both labels received worldwide credibility over the last years and the so called “Mannheim sound” changed the minimal trend back to deep groovy house music.

Throughout the years Gorge has released several club friendly deep house tracks on highly rated labels like Freerange, Objectivity, Diynamic, Systematic and Brise, only to name a few of them, all receiving high positions at the Beatport and Decks charts. In 2010 he was nominated as one of the top 5 Beatport deep- and techhouse artists.

Gorge’s first album “Mood” was released in 2010 and gained great reviews showing his talent in producing timeless deep house music as well as club friendly house tracks. Gorge has also become one of the most frequented remixers. He has done approximately 40 remixes over the last few years – all reaching high chart positions as well as making him Nr. 8 charted all time artists on Resident Advisor.

Returning to Déepalma with yet another masterful creation, his latest work highlights Gorge’s innate ability to remain at the forefront of cutting-edge electronic music with compelling studio productions that stand the test of time.

‘Sleepless’ is an instantly dissolving deepened house cut with pulsating frequencies and sweeping textures from the outset. Floating delicately around a sensuous vocal hook, its hotbed of reverberating synth layers, deep bass stabs and gliding pads bring enveloping warmth to its loosened grooves and crisp percussive drive.

2023 marks an impressive milestone for Déepalma Records as they prepare to celebrate their tenth anniversary. The label has gone from strength to strength over the last decade, welcoming releases from some of the best-known artists on the planet and helping springboard some of the industry’s most promising talents. To celebrate ten years of Déepalma, the imprint is releasing a set of special anniversary singles throughout the year, along with two extra-special editions of its renowned seasonal compilation series, packed with a wealth of amazing tracks.

Gorge’s ‘Sleepless’ is available now via Déepalma Records. Listen HERE!

We caught up with Gorge to chat about exploring his long-running relationship with the label, this latest release and his ventures as a DJ, Producer and Label Owner.

Check it out below!

TRACKLIST:

1. Gorge – Sleepless – Deepalma
2. Oliver Dollar – Strings for life – Rekids
3. Fred Everything – Light of Day (Manuel Tur 2022 Dub) – Lazy Days Music
4. Nick Curly – Silom (Mihai Popoviciu remix) – 8bit
5. Jordan Arts & Gorge – Fallin’ (extended) – Housemusic with love
6. Gorge, Danjo(ITA) – Stellaris – Katchuli
7. Audiojack – Liberation – 8bit
8. Pazkal – Slippin’ Future (Marc Lenz remix) – Klauselle
9. Collective Machine, Julian Milan – Enjoy the beat – 8bit
10. Gorge – Tayo 2.0 – 8bit
11. Glamorama Don’t make it – 8bit

DOWNLOAD

INTERVIEW:

Can you tell us about your creative process when producing music?

It’s always different, but mostly, I get inspired by some records I heard in the club on the weekend. Production always starts with a rough idea, loop, melody or vocal, which I try to put together into a rough sketch very fast. If this doesn’t happen in the first hour, I quit and start something new or leave the studio as it’s the wrong day for that track. If I have the right main part ready, I arrange it very quickly not to lose the vibe.
This is one of the most important things I learned over the past 25 years. The longer you work on a track, the worst it gets.

What do you think sets the “Mannheim sound” apart from other electronic music scenes?

When I look back, it was the change from Minimal House to more groovy percussion-inspired house grooves. The people were bored of the klick klack sound, and some of the Mannheim artists went in the right direction by adding these elements to their music. That was the moment when we got the name from the world press, and Cecille, Olso, and 8bit had a big hype for the next years.

How has your experience running 8bit Records and Katchuli Records influenced your music production?

Well, 8bit was built because we were sick of waiting for labels to answer when we sent them our demos. Also, we wanted to bring out the music of the Mannheim artists like Johnny D, Sis, Ray Okpara, Nick Curly and my own stuff. My music production was a big part of all this, as I have also worked with Nick Curly on his music for nearly 20 years now. Nick and I are still 2 of the best-selling artists on 8bit.

Could you discuss your latest release, ‘Sleepless’, on Déepalma Records?

Sleepless came out of checking some new synth presets, which led me to the bass stabs, and I had the idea to combine it with the piano chords I played for another track which I had stopped working on the week before. The aim was to create a mood between the chilled piano and the bad synth stabs, which can also work on the dancefloor then.

How do you balance your time between producing music, running a record label, and DJing?

Producing is the biggest part of my life nowadays. The label has had label management for seven years now, so we only have to take care of the music and the artwork, and the artist connections, which gives us plenty more time for the rest. I love Djing, but I’m not playing every weekend anymore, which gives me a balance between work and family life.

What advice would you give to up-and-coming producers trying to break into the industry?

Take your time and build it slowly. Instagram is one thing, but the quality of the music is the most important. Don’t be pushy when you send out your music to labels, and don’t give up too quickly when the biggest labels don’t want your music.

How do you stay inspired and motivated to continue creating new music after many years in the industry?

I love music, and I’m very open to a lot of styles. I can produce deep-house and bring in some elements of a nice EDM track I heard the week before. Also, I work with many artists, and it’s still inspiring to listen to tracks they like that I have never heard before. This keeps me always learning new things and not falling back on old arrangements or sounds. One very inspiring person is my friend Markus Homm. We work on some projects together, and it’s always great to show each other new plugins, skills or samples.

What do you think makes a great DJ set?

Taking the people on a journey with you. Give them peaks and quiet moments during your set. When I started DJing, I played eight-hour sets in the club, which most the DJs could never play nowadays as it’s hard to keep the energy during such a long mix. Most of the slots are too short, and everyone fires his bangers, not having the whole night in mind.

Can you tell us about any upcoming releases or projects you’re excited about?

The next release is a collaboration with Jordan Arts called “Falling” and is out now on HMWL. I did a remix for Freddy B and Savi Leon from “Monday Social”, which is gonna be released beginning July, and a single I with my friend Danjo (ITA) called “Stellaris” will also be out in July on my own label Katchuli. Another collaboration with two great artists from Australia, Greater than Us and DeSaint, is gonna be released on by Valiant end of July, I think. I’m working on another EP on 8bit at the moment to be released in August or September then.

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– jbravo
Juany Bravo
Managing Editor
jbravo@musicis4lovers.com