Marc Romboy talks Systematic Records, juggling roles, and Kraftwerk goosebumps

Jasmine Phull talks to the soulful tech-house producer about his long history with Stephan Bodzin, their impending Luna release and the soul of their music.

Mid-70s electronic German band Kraftwerk were pioneers in their field. They created timeless tracks that to this day have yet to age. It’s a longevity that cannot be taught or ‘copied’ says fellow Deutsch producer Marc Romboy. Their music has ‘a certain spirit’ that cannot be imitated. The band hail from Romboy’s very own city of Dusseldorf and this is something he is very, very proud of; to say he is gushing would be an understatement.

Marc Romboy of imprint Systematic Records creates music with soul. As a label founder his main focus is signing those who are in it for the long haul. ‘I’m not signing just a track’ so I don’t want ‘someone who is a label jumper’, he states firmly. For Marc Romboy, Systematic Records is a commitment where ‘personal taste and mutual loyalty’ are King.

The album Luna you created in partnership with Stephan Bodzin is to be released this March. I read it was six years in the making. That’s quite a long time. Did the initial focus of the project change over that time? A lot of things in your life must have changed that perhaps impacted the album.

We released out first 12inch Luna in 2005 through Systematic Records and then after we released a couple more 12inches so this album is containing a couple of tracks from these works and also some new material. During this time a lot of things changed but our aim to make the soundtrack of space never changed. The concept was always clear and the same.

You’ve featured over 20 artists on the 3-disc album. What things did you look for when deciding on remixers?

Well the aim was to create a network or ‘think-pool’. So we had our idea and then we wanted to invite artists that we really liked and respected so we could expand the creativity of this project. Most of them agreed so it was really nice to extend the creativity of this album through their remixers.

So all the artists you invited onto the project were ones that you yourselves were fans of?

Yea absolutely. We made a list of people that we play and people that we liked. In the beginning the plan was not to have so many people, but due to the fact that they all agreed we decided to include them all!

You founded Systematic Recordings in 2004. Did you have other label projects: Alphabet City, Terminal M, and PSI-49-Net prior to that?

Alphabet was a label I founded with a friend and the others were part of this label group that I looked after. In 2003 I decided to establish my very own label not in cooperation with anyone else.

Are you based in Dusseldorf? Where is Systematic Records based?

Yes both myself and the label are based very close to Dusseldorf in the Western part of Germany.

Is it hard juggling the role of label founder and producer?

Absolutely. When you hear someone say: 'I run the label but I’m also active as an artist', you can be sure that he has a lot support from other people. I work with a friend in the studio in order to make productions and I also collaborate with a lot of people in regards to the label. The structure changed a bit recently but now everyone has their own office and everything is out-sourced to other people. I have one friend looking after the online distribution, another looking after the promotion and one company doing the statements. It sounds a bit sad but I’m actually sitting on my own in the office right now.

When looking for artists to sign, what are some things you look for?

The first thing you ask yourself when you listen to track is would I spin it myself? Would I play it in a DJ set? If the answer is yes then that’s already one step. But with Systematic it’s a bit different, I also appreciate a personal commitment from the artist. I’m not signing just a track; I want to sign a little bit more. I want to make a collaboration with someone who appreciates the label; someone who’s not a label jumper. I always ask people if they are up for collaborating for the long-term so we can make single 1, single 2 etc. That’s the reason why Systematic has already released so many albums; the last one was from Spirit Catcher who told me in the beginning that he wanted to be involved for the long haul. It makes no sense anymore to make one-off singles. Personal taste and mutual loyalty are the things that I look out for.

Do you learn off them?

All the time. When you work with someone you teach things and you learn things. I really like when you can both influence something and you can support each other.

What was the first album you bought?

That’s not difficult. Computer World by Kraftwerk who are also from Dusseldorf! I say that with all my pride. This album is from 1981 yet when you listen to it, it sounds like it’s from last year. It sounds so futuristic it gives me goosebumps. If you try to copy it you won’t reach your aim because it has a certain spirit one cannot copy anymore.

How do you hope your music makes people feel?

Well that’s pretty easy. Stephan (Bodzin) and my aim is to make techno music with soul and the soul can be ‘voice’ or a melody, which hits the heart. I always want to make music that has the soul of the listener. Sometimes it maybe fails, I don’t know but that’s our aim. When I see the long life some of our tracks have I feel we have achieved this.

What should the crowd expect from your gigs?

We are playing really live. Well as much ‘live’ as a techno artist can. We don’t have a guitar but we don’t just play ‘playback’ clips from software we use controllers on our iPads, we have a drum machine, visuals and an analogue synthesizer machine. It’s a lot of work to set it up but that’s more Stephan’s role because he’s the technical wizard out of the two of us. (Laughs).On average the show is 90 minutes long and at festivals it’s 60 minutes. Some clubs allow us to play for two hours.

Do you prefer the longer sets?

Well it would be nice to play for 2 hours because then you have more time play special techno tracks. For example there’s one that has a sore tooth bass line and is really deep but then we can go to another part where we play 3 by 3 exit line.

Interview by: Jasmine Phull
Twitter.com/j_fool

Catch Marc Romboy at the WetYourSelf May Bank Holiday Special at Fabric on Sunday May 1st.