Currently, she is touring Japan and looking forward to getting to Australia for the first time very soon. And likewise, the chick is a self-taught powerhouse in a world of commercial mediocrity. Her approach is one of ensuring diversity – across genres – but ensuring flow and a gently dramatic if not warm, energy.
Particularly well known too for her deeper sets, she describes her style with this: “during my gigs, you will hear a mix of Chicago, dubby techno, Detroit techno but also some old German minimal for example. Having said that, I also want to make the point that I am not into reducing my music to genres. I like to buy and play music that touches me, and mixing it together, depending on my mood, the time and where I’m playing is all part of the fun.”
Indeed, explaining that she discovered techno when she was 19 amongst a particularly healthy house music scene in Zurich, it was the darker, harder sound of techno that she describes blew her away.
“From there, I immediately started to buy records and organise parties,” she explains. “I absorbed all of the information around me like a sponge and soon I started my own radio show at an alternative local radio station.” With that, she gained prominence and credibility – and the rest as they say, is history.
Studio wise, she has been busy following the successes of some of her more recent EPs. “My friend Oscar Schubaq and I try to get together as often as possible in the studio. Sometimes that can be challenging, because he lives in Berlin and I live in Zurich. But still, we are really excited for the next Tardis release and we have got some material from producers that influenced us strongly back in the day. Exactly who that is, is still a secret at this point,” she adds with some amusement.
Things for her too, got a little spicy when she got involved with the mnml ssgs crew. Something most DJs and producers from the genre would happily give a left arm to be a part of, she reflects on how it sort of happened by accident. “Back in the day, Chris from mnml ssgs, found an old mix of mine which he really liked and asked me to contribute a mix for their series. Of course I’m really thankful for his support on his blog as well, which closed down recently unfortunately; but it was fantastic to be a part of something like that.”
And no doubt, it wouldn’t have hurt her profile. “Beyond that,” she says, “we started to be friends and he is a lovely person and I appreciate everything he has done for me.” No less, the girl has over these years resisted the temptation to pack her bags and move to Berlin or somewhere similar. Mainly because Switzerland is home and despite her love of travel – and the ability to play all around the world – she loves getting back there.
“It hasn’t ever been a temptation for me,” she surmises. “I have everything that I love and need here, so I’m pretty happy where I am right now.”
That said, the radio show she ran with Pochatz back in the day become somewhat of an overnight success story. “It was something we did every month from midnight to 7am,” she chimes. “Basically, we prepared the first hour and worked from there. We tried to introduce music that moved us and talk about it a bit. And during the second part of the show, we invited different DJs to play each time as well. So many great memories pop in to my head when I think back. We stopped the show after five years of great fun. Now, when I record a mix at home, I like it to be smooth and not too banging like on a dance floor situation.”
Finally, Verveine is pumped for her trip to Australia – she also adds that it might in fact be the furthest she had ever had to travel as part of her career in music. “Not only it is my first trip to your country, you cannot imagine how excited I am about it. I hope I can share some of my booty shaking beats with you.”
BY RK
