5 questions for... Reboot

"Reboot is the most successful in our small circle of friends", told me Robert Dietz when he was in town last month. "In August alone, he has 17 bookings, which is insane", he added. Indeed, you could say that Frank Heinrich is quite the hard worker. He emerged to the public eye in 2007, with the "Be Tougher / Letters" EP on Cadenza, but we learned that he's been making music for quite some time. Let's chat with a hitmaker.


You've been releasing stuff for about two years now... how did you decide that you wanted to make music of your own ?
Actually I've been producing electronic music for about 17 years now. I started after I heard one of the first techno music radio shows in Frankfurt, featuring Sven Väth (HR3 Clubnight). I was totally fascinated by that special vibe. A friend of mine had a little studio and showed me the first moves. After playing around with Tracker programs on my mom's PC, I bought my first drumcomputer at the age of 14. I never had the intention to have a career as a musician, so it stayed a hobby over all these years. About three years ago, some friends of mine told me that I should send my music to some labels. From there, it all started. So the decision was made quite a long time ago.


You're know for these long, percussive numbers. How does one find his own voice in electronic music ?
For me it just happened. I don't think that there is something like a master plan for finding your own style. It all depends on your influences and the way you feel about music. Personally, I just like these long trips through sounds and impressions. It's nice to develop a certain picture over more than just five minutes. I also love percussive and groovy rhythms. Of course, the workflow and equipment a musician uses is a huge factor, and I always try to optimize my setups. I guess that's why my music sounds like it does.



Any plans of releasing on Cadenza ever again ?
Yes, of course. Cadenza has been a big step for my career, and I really feel home with the people that work there. They are like family to me. Still, I think it was a good decision for me to also release on other labels, especially since I produce a lot of different stuff. I just looked for the right labels for certain tracks. We have plans for another Cadenza EP this year and I also am working on an album for them.



There are lots of unreleased gems that you produced floating around. Are you working too fast to officially release everything you do on a label ?
Yes, there are! And many of them are not supposed to! I do produce a lot, but I don't want to put out three records each month. For some of the tracks, I made the decision that they should just be something like a DJ tool. Tracks that you should only hear in the clubs, played by certain DJs that I like. Something unique for the dancefloor. Other tracks weren't supposed to go public and played that much at all. Actually, this perfectly leads us to the next question.

What's your take on piracy ?
I don't really like it! Especially if people make money with it. For example, by putting unreleased tracks on bootlegs. I am realistic enough to see that illegal downloads are not avoidable at the moment, but I think that if I really respect the work of a musician, I should support him by buying his records. That’s what I do as well. Sampling is another thing. It's more like a tribute to the original artist. I love using samples, but I still always try to clear all the rights. If that is not possible, I at least don't want my name to be pushed by it. Respect other people's work!

Reboot is playing for a BlkMarket Membership party in New York City alongside Hugo on August 1st at a "secret location". Lucky new yorkers! He's also scheduled to appear on a "rooftop party" in Toronto on the 2nd and us at Mirrorballs would LOVE to learn more about it.