Interviews

His real name is Johannes Paluka. Iron Curtis is a dynamic DJ, formidable producer, musician and in demand remixer based in Berlin. Known for being hard to put into a box and for his devil may care approach to mixing up genres - as displayed on his 2018 Upstream Color album - over the years he has amassed a broad discography, ranging from leftfield experiments to broken beat to house. With outings on Rawax, Hudd Traxx, Delusions of Grandeur and Permanent Vacation, his love for adventurous electronica shines through. ‘Dial Me Up’ shows Iron Curtis firmly on the dancefloor. On the week of the release, we get the chance to have a chimneyside chat with this legendary underground figure.

Where are you this moment and how are you spending the today?

Right now, I'm in a small village on the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece. This is where I usually spend my annual summer vacation. I fell in love with the country decades ago and. I mean, as long as my friends, family, and partner let me, I return as often as possible. The day has been pretty exciting so far: I got up late, had a cup of coffee, took a refreshing dip at the nearby pier, and petted the kitten that lives around the corner.

Where were you born and where are you based currently?

I was born in Nuremberg, in the south of Germany, and I'm currently based in Berlin, which has been my home for over 16 years.

What is it you love most about the city in which you live?

It's the sense of artistic freedom that's hard to find elsewhere - despite ongoing challenges like significantly increased living costs, political pressure on clubs and other cultural institutions, and funding cuts. It's a harsh, edgy city filled with incredible people, some of whom I’m lucky to call my friends.

How is the health of the music scene where you are?

At no point in human history have there ever been more DJs or more music released on a single day. Overwhelming? Yes. Ultra-competitive? Yes. Healthy? Financially, not at for artists, but culturally, absolutely.

Trends come and go: dub-house and dub-techno are making a comeback, and there’s a shift from hard techno toward tribal sounds. I remind myself to keep an open mind and not get stuck in my own bubble. That’s what keeps me musically healthy at least.

How is the health of the music scene generally in your opinion?

Let’s see how well we cope with the rise of AI-slop and -tools, the return of music piracy, and all the future and present-Daniel Eks of this world who fuck up the system. It’s scary. But in the end, we’ll still have music.

Who are the icons who have inspired the music that you make?

When it comes to house music and beyond, it’s Blaze, Larry Heard, Move D, Steve Spacek, Needs, U.R., Pepe Bradock, Miss Djax, Chez & Trent, Ian Pooley, Kelli Hand, Theo Parrish & Kenny Dixon Jr., Seiji, Château Flight, Basic Channel, DJ Hell, King Britt, Dego, Jazzanova, Charles Webster, Daft Punk, Luke Vibert, Isolée, Jori Hulkkonen, Roy Davis Jr., DJ Koze, Kerri Chandler, Westbam & Klaus Jankuhn…

Your productions cover a broad range. This makes you quite unpredictable. Do you like to keep people guessing about what you’re going to make next?

I like to listen to and make so much different types of music. It's so stimulating but challenging at the same time as I get distracted easily. Of course, most of my releases are in the ballpark that is house - and deep house because it's been my first love. I used many aliases in the past to release all of this diverse music. But these days, I tend to not care so much and just do it as Iron Curtis. But you're right: I like the idea that people can’t quite predict what’s next. From a career point of view that's rather complicated. But it's fun!

This is not your first release on Hudd Trax. How did you come to meet Eddie and the label?

Eddie and I met online, on Myspace, if I remember correctly. I already owned a few of Hudd Traxx releases, the first probably being the JT Donaldson-produced Dirty Kicks - Bang The Lights EP. Eddie asked me for music, I sent him some, he released my Stansfield EP, and the rest is a 15+ year friendship with this mad-crazy label boss. Eddie never gave up on me, kept pushing me, asked for new music and brought me to Manchester many times.

Why did you feel the label was the right home for your releases?

Eddie knows exactly what he wants when it comes to house music and apparently, my house music fits. When he came up with the idea of doing the first ever album on Hudd, I could only say: yes.

Give us an overview of your new album Dial Me In.

It's not as introverted as my previous albums. I've so much music I want to release that ties in with for example - Upstream Colour or the EPs I released on Office Recordings. But Dial Me In is meant to be a house music record in its purest sense: music I’d play out when DJing, and house I’d like to listen to when running or driving. It's a record for Eddie and Hudd Traxx.

How long did it take to come together? Did it flow easily, or did it take some time to perfect?

It took a couple of years, between gigs, remixes, and other projects. Some tracks were very spontaneous; others took me months to find the right feel. I wish I could finish music faster, like I did when I started out. Life goals...

Do you take some time - after you have made a track – to leave it alone for a while to evaluate?

Sure. It’s important to step away and come back with fresh ears. But for me, that’s mostly about the technical side of production, like mixing. As said above, I’d love to get back to finishing tracks more quickly, working on something for a day or two, then calling it done. If I leave it unfinished for too long, I end up with countless versions and get lost. Friends like Johannes Albert and Benjamin Fröhlich are quite inspiring since they are so good at that!

Do you find the feedback of others is important to you in the production process?

Yes, but I’m still pretty bad at showing new, unfinished music, whether to friends or while DJing. I’m a bit of a chicken. But I’m working on it.

What are some of the challenges in putting out music currently?

There’s so much music released every day that it’s easy to get lost. I'm glad I started out when social media was still in its early days as today, promotion can feel overwhelming or even useless if the algorithms don't play along. It's insane how much time people spend making content for Insta or TikTok - more than making the actual music! The problem is that artistry itself and the music industry will always remain unfair and unpredictable: I have to remind myself every day that I was so lucky and that I should enjoy what I make.

What drives you to create music do you think?

It’s just something I need to do. It’s my way of making sense of the world around and inside me. When I’m in the studio and I close the door, I’m me and completely by myself.

What other artists do you think are making great music right now?

I’m a huge fan of DJ Split, NTHNG, Tom Carruthers, and Tommy Vicari. Rawax keeps putting out great records, and my best pal Johannes Albert is on fire. There’s so much talent out there! Bandcamp and record stores are full of fantastic music. Just go and dig! And DJs like Bennet, Natascha Kann, and Kate Davids deliver the goods on dance floors here in Berlin and beyond.

What was the last record you purchased?

Download: Lazy Deejay – W Coast Blvd

Vinyl: Liberty City – That’s What I Got (Murk Vocal) (thanks Quarion for the reminder!)

What has been a highlight of the last year for you?

Keeping my sanity and staying mentally healthy while finishing the album, working my day job, and managing life.

What can we expect next from Iron Curtis?

Less procrastination and doubt, more music and joy.

Check out the latest release from Iron Curtis.