As October marks the release of their debut album "Steam Circuit" on Tom Clark's Highgrade, our artist of the month is Format:B. Those familiar with Franziskus' & Jakob's productions on the Highgrade, Opossum and Stil Vor Talent imprints should know what to expect: Format-boys at their best damaging every dancefloor with powerfull tracks without a break to catch a breath.

Format:B is a german duo of Franziskus Sell and Jakob Hildenbrand. Jakob started his musical journey with a bass guitar and his taste fluctuated between rock, jazz and funk being youth. Shortly after his visits in Berlin's techno clubs and buying the first records he decided to try the production himself. Afer getting the cheap synthesizer and Atari computer in his hands it came out that it is not that easy as he thought. Franziskus got infected with music production at an early age by starting piano lessons being 6 years old, but it was the incidental night at the legendary E-Werk club that made his heart to beat in 4/4 rhythm. Three years later the first residency at Subground Lighthouse Afterhour and bookings appeared.
Their music passion caused that they both started the sound engineering studies and after spending a few long party nights in Berlin the idea of Format:B was born in quite funny circumstances.
Year 2005 brought the initiative output from Format:B with spanking 12 inch "Slaps" followed by more records soon: Highgrade's successful "Like A Techmachine", "Vivian Wheeler" with its infectious, wobbly bassline on Koletzki's Stil Vor Talent or the smashing "Split Pot EP" released under Opossum just to name a few.

Have a listen of the live mix prepared by Franziskus & Jakob for electronicmusic.pl and enjoy reading the interview. We assure that the mix will make you move instantly. Their specific recognisable pumpin' tech-funk sound style won't let you hold your feet and is able set the night on fire. Play it loud!

Tracklist:
Format:B vs Jake The Rapper - Something Suitable
Format:B - 2Quite
Format:B - Bootcut
Format:B - Si pero No
Luciano Esse & Toni D - Istanbul (Format:B remix)
Format:B - #69 Bronson Road
Format:B - Flat Call
Format:B - Widow Maker
Unknown - White Horse Remix
Philip Wolgast - Rudimental (Format:B Remix)
Format:B - Vivian Wheeler
Format:B - Full House
Format:B - Formatic One

When did you get introduced to electronic music first? Some first raves or artists & labels that made you dig more in that kind of stuff?
 
Jakob: When I was 16 I became more and more interested in Techno music. Before that time I was listening only to hiphop. After visiting my first techno parties in the SO36 the energy of this music immediately caught me, and it still has the same effect to me!
Soon I went to the local records shops with really no idea what I should listen to, but I bought basically the U.S. stuff. I remember that Seventh City and Test Tube Records really inspired me back in the days.

How did the story with Format:B started, where did you meet? Where does the Format:B name come from?
 

We met each other while studying audio engineering in Berlin. The name Foramt:B was born by accident and the story is a bit nerdy :)
We had some beer and Franziskus' room mate was pissed off by his lame computer and he said: "I need to format the PC. It is time to enter format:b". If you’re interested in computers you might know that the right term is “format:c” to erase everything, format:b does not exist, so we really laughed about that and we said: "That's so stupid, why not taking this as a project name!" It also made sense with the B for Berlin.

Your debut longplayer "Steam Circuit" is coming out soon on Highgrade, when did you decide to start working on it? Have you had any plan for it earlier or it was built incrementally with new tracks produced?
 
After a number of EPs in the last three years it was simply time to work on something with a new demand, a new challenge. We already thought of it 2 years ago but Tom Clark was right to give us one more year to develop. I guess we started in October last year and worked on it for 6 months everyday.

How does your studio work look like in duo, who is responsible for what? How do you start with new tracks usually?

We have two studios with identical computer setups, this way each of us can work on ideas separately and then just export the project and come over to the other place. 
There are basically two ways to get started with a new track. Either one of us is coming up with a basic groove/hookline or we are developing an idea of the aesthetic/groove before we get started in the studio. This can happen after listening to another inspiring DJ Set for example.

Your newest album as well as the older productions are always strongly targeted on the dancefloor, have you ever thought about slowing down?

I think this project is dedicated to dancefloor tunes. It does not mean that we stick with one style, we both feel that it is getting more groovy again, but you don’t have to wait for a lounge listening album :)

Have you ever had any experiences with the polish scene?

Until now we haven’t had a gig in Poland, but it’s time for it for shure!

Do you work on software only or also use some analog hardware? I heard you co-operate with Native Instruments.

By the time our setup is concentrated more and more on plug-ins. The quality good VSTi’s can deliver today is way better than the one plug-in had 4 years ago. So it is possible to realize high quality productions only in the computer. But there is still a use for expansive analogue outboard in my opinion. I think I have to buy this Manley EQ I felt in love with recently :) In terms of musicality and sonic excellence this kind of stuff is still not comparable to all digital emulations. 
The reason why nearly all the software we use is made by Native Instruments is simply because their instruments combine the most innovative concepts with the highest sonic quality at the moment. Also with the DJ8 interface we love to have one solution for both live and DJ set.

You used to take lessons and learn to play on various instruments being younger and then studying to be sound engineers, do you think that the basic musical knowledge is really important nowadays in producing electronic music?

Jakob: For me it is a basic skill in my everyday work. Often I see that people who do not know anything about scales and tonality are really not able to get their samples and sounds tuned so that they make harmonic sense together. I also think that people without any musical knowledge stick more to one style because they don’t have that wide array of possibilities.

How is the relationship like between you and other members of Highgrade crew?

By the time we all became good friends. Unfortunately it is not so easy to see all the guys very often because everybody is travelling a lot.

Any plans for starting your own record label in the future?

In spring we will come up with our own label "Formatic"...

What are the other genres & artists you like to listen to every day? You used to listen to metal/hardcore stuff being younger, still being into it ? Did that have any impact on what you do now?

We both love Johnny Cash and listen to it nearly every time we play poker.
Jakob: I don’t listen to hardcore/metal stuff anymore but the energy of this kind of music is still an influence in my actual productions.

Do you have some other interests besides music? Any other day jobs excluding those music connected?

Actually there’s no time really for any other hobbies right now. We both concentrate on music only.

As I see your schedule is packed with gigs for the next months but lets go back in time. What was the most exciting place you played at so far and why? Where did you like the crowd the most?

Our favorite clubs are the Arena Club and the Panorama Bar in Berlin and the Hive Club in Zürich. The parties there are always amazing!
 

It looks like you're Jägermeister lovers, is that what you usually drink on parties?

Yeessss, without it is really hard to get into the groove for us :)

You do live performances only or also DJ sets? Which do you prefer?

We do both. DJ sets are good to get new inspiration for your own productions.
Playing live is way more flexible, you can take out single tracks out of your tunes, combine them with loops of other tracks on the fly, so the idea of jamming together at the same time is very nice about playing live.

What's the usual setup for a live pa?

We have 2 notebooks with Ableton Live 7, 2 Midi Controllers to control all FX and several Micro Tonics for live percussions. Everything is mixed down in the 4 channels of the Pioneer DJM 800. In the sum we have a limiter to make sure everything is sounding great.

What's your opinion about vinyl vs. mp3 fuss ? Do you still collect 12" records?

Actually we buy most of the new stuff at beatport. But when DJing we play both: mp3s and vinyl. Of course the sound of a well produced 12" 45rpm vinyl is still a little better in a club situation. But the difference is very small and the aspect of travelling every weekend let us prefer a Traktor Scratch solution.

What can we expect from Format:B in the future?

Hopefully numerous rocking tunes !!! :)

Words: Michał Gasek
Photos: Press releases / Holger Geissler
Correspondence interview