Thomas Helmich on remixing Boris Brejcha, carving his signature sound & more [Interview]

“I recently catch myself in the studio leaning more towards techno and progressive house elements, less melodic and more driving,” says Thomas Helmich of his signature sound. 

Making a big name for himself within the melodic techno scene in Europe, Thomas Helmich has caught the attention of the likes of Boris Brejcha thanks to his unique sonics. From label owner to producer and live performer, his dynamic set of skills continues to set him apart from the rest. 

Being in an exciting time in his career currently, we spoke to Thomas Helmich about his recent Boris Brejcha remix, plans for the future, and more. 

Firstly, congratulations on your remix for Boris Brejcha’s ‘Flockentanz’. Can you talk us through how this came about, and the creative process of putting your sound together with his?

“Thank you so much. I released on Harthouse my tracks ‘Hoax’ and ‘ShellShocked’ and by the end of last year Boris’ Management approached me, asking if I would like to do a remix for ‘Flockentanz’. For sure I was totally down for it, and very happy and honoured to do a remix for this awesome track. I wanted to do something new, different but as I love the original a lot, pay respect and homage to the melody. It was so much fun in the studio to work on it and I really had a great time.”

Speaking of other releases, you also released an EP recently on Harthouse called ‘Hedonism’. When you create an EP such as this, is there a particular journey you want fans to go on with it, or a message you’re trying to send out?

“I am quite conceptual when it comes to EPs and try to find a mixture where the tracks fit together and compliment each other to make the listener feel a certain mood, get into a particular mind set or go on a journey.”

Do you prefer longer-form releases such as EPs as opposed to singles, and why?

“I like both. On the one hand singles are a chance to gain new listeners. On the other hand with an EP or album you have more artistic freedom and don’t feel the pressure to produce this one track that catches peoples attention.”

What was it that made you want to go into the style of music that you’re creating right now?

“When I started, my sound was more melodic driven. Now I recently catch myself in the studio leaning more towards techno and progressive house elements, less melodic and more driving. This is where my musical heart is and at the end of the day artists create what they love. It was a process to figure that out and find my sonic image and I hope I will not stop doing that, being in search of finding my own sonic ID from a lot of different influences.”

Aside from being a producer, you’re also a label owner with luft&liebe. What are your goals with the label going forward, and what kind of sound are you wanting to push forward with it?

“A lot of people ask what our musical boundaries are with luft&liebe. We’ve released melodic techno, techno, peak time techno and even deep house and afro house, ranging from 120 BPM to 145 BPM. First and foremost we have to like the music, feel that it creates an atmosphere and an emotion. The style of it is secondary for us. Music comes first. We hope to help artists create great music and envision dreams and help them push through.”

In your career, what goals do you currently have?

“I hope to create a lot more great music in the future. That is the most important goal for me. The rest follows.”

What does 2024 have in store for you, and what can fans expect?

“Next is a new release called ‘Spectre’ on my imprint luft&liebe, which is my first release this year on my imprint as we have been busy with other releases. I am also working on new material and putting my live act together, as I decided to step away from DJ Shows and go to play my material live, which is very exciting but the preparation is also quite time consuming. But I can already say it will be a great experience!”

Listen to Thomas Helmich’s official Boris Brejcha remix below, and be sure to check him out on Instagram to stay updated with new projects, live shows and more.