Finally reaching the tail end of the working week, we could think of no better time to introduce the chest-pounding dance track, “Higher Dimension” — the titular track of Henri Bergmann’s EP, created alongside Fat Cosmoe and Wennink. While a thunderous beat shakes an electronic soundscape, futuristic vocals slowly creep in — seeking a higher form of human connection. With its all-encompassing intensity, 80s-inspired production and otherworldly percussion, “Higher Dimension” is the ultimate frontrunner for the EP tracklist, which calls upon the likes of Mark Höffen, 19.26 and Jonathan Kaspar to create remixes to suit every mood and occasion.
Speaking of her latest effort, Henri says, “The track was inspired by spending so much more time at home during lockdown. Normally, Oli and I work very separately and have two studios. This all changed during the pandemic, and very organically we started to collaborate on a few ideas, and Higher Dimension came out of that process. Of course, it also doesn’t hurt to have an in-house vocalist on hand!”
Quickly becoming one of the UKs leading artists in the contemporary electronic music sphere, we sat with the artist to discuss the making of the EP, what is was like to collaborate with so many other artists and her plans for the near future.
To access the tracks buy link, click here. T
o stream the track and to read the full interview, scroll below now…
Hey Henri! How are you, how has this past year been for you?
Hi! It’s been good. I popped out another baby last Halloween which has been keeping me busy. Gigs have been dead until recently so it’s worked out well as I could stay home and make lots of music while spending quality time with Wolfie. Now that gigs are picking up he’s old enough for me to leave him at home with family without feeling too guilty.
How did you first get into music, what sparked your interest?
I got into djing while I was living in LA. I was surrounded by musicians and music producers and it felt inevitable. Over Coachella all my English friends were in town so I asked if I could put on a krautrock themed night at this bar in the Hollywood Roosevelt and it went so well they gave me a residency. I also started a psychedelic krautrock band called Thrillionaire where I sang and played bass but that didn’t last very long as no one ever showed up for band practice. I guess the recurring theme here is krautrock. I went through a stage of being obsessed with Kraftwerk and CAN. My ultimate life highlight was being in Chile on tour with Radiohead and sharing a piña colada and robot dance with Ralf Hütter.
Where are you from in the UK, do you think your home town impacted your sound?
I’m from London so I actually think if anything it’s the opposite. There seems to be a real void of melodic house and techno producers here.
And talk us through your new EP “Higher Dimension”, what was your mindset going into the project?
It was a gradual process. Fat Cosmoe and I had been wanting to do a collab for a while. We almost finished about 4 songs and this one was my favourite. It felt like it was missing a hook though so I rearranged it to make space for a vocal which my husband Wennink nailed. It’s exactly what we were looking for.
The EP touches a lot of atmospheric sounds, where do you draw your inspiration?
My favourite sound in the track is a mellotron boys choir sample pitched down. It reminds me of a cross between Popol Vuh and Depeche Mode.
And making the EP, what was the most memorable experience?
It’s the first time I’ve gone back and forth virtually with another producer. Luckily Fat Cosmoe and I both work in Logic and use a lot of the same soft synths which made it a bit easier. Also I’d say lockdown when we made the track was pretty memorable. I won’t be forgetting that in a hurry!
What do you hope people take away from this experience?
First and foremost it’s a dance track so I hope people enjoy listening to it in clubs. But also Wennink’s lyrics are profound. He wrote them after reading Naomi Klein’s book ‘This Changes Everything’ which lifts the veil on quite how bad capitalism is for the planet and the corruption that goes on behind closed doors to conceal it. People have accepted that we’re contributing to global warming but seem to be under the delusion that our scientists are going to come and save us.
What are you most excited about for this year? What is next for you?
Playing with Fideles at E1 next month, a Multinotes showcase b2b with Dodi Palese who is responsible for that remix of “Protection” (if you know, you know), releasing a remix for Hardt Antoine on Labyrinth and my debut EP on Watergate which I’m singing/talking on. It’s a slightly different direction to my other music but lockdown felt like a good time to experiment and not always be stuck in a box. I’m also working on a lot more tracks with my husband Wennink. One of the silver linings of the pandemic and being stuck at home together is that we’ve organically started to make more music magic together.