The Micronaut & Polaroit

Das sagt der/die Veranstalter:in:

POLAROIT

Space and time both play a role in pølaroit’s music. A felt connection to Jonas and Marius’ hometowns in Northern Germany, their geography, as well as a sense of pertaining to a specific instant in time, a generation, are both expressed in the duo’s strain of melodic deep house, “We see our music as a snapshot of time and music,” they say. The chosen name for the duo, pølaroit, is a reference to this idea of capturing a moment and it tributes both their northern roots (Polar) as well as the birthplace of techno (Detroit).

Jonas and Marius, both in their mid-twenties, grew up near Hanover – yet it was only in 2018 that they crossed paths for the first time. Prior to that, Jonas had been developing his own work as a pianist, influenced by neo-classical artists such as Nils Frahm and Olafur Arnalds as well as scoring pieces for film and advertisement. Marius on the other hand, who had been playing the drums since a young boy, started his musical path at sixteen deeply influenced by his interest in percussion and the urban electronic music scene of the time.

pølaroit’s debut EP, ‘expedition into’ (out via Stil vor Talent) defined the duo’s moody sound somewhere in between melancholic downtempo and uplifting melodies, and captivated audiences around Germany and beyond.Key milestones in their career are marked by collaborations with labels like Deutsche Grammophon, Stil vor Talent and Ki Records, as well as projects with Cercle—including the breathtaking video filmed in India for „Backwaters“. pølaroit’s collaboration with the innovative project Techno Marching Band MEUTE resulted in the track „Verden,“ showcasing their penchant for breaking boundaries through innovative projects.

MICRONAUT

German multi-instrumentalist and producer, The Micronaut has made a name for himself through his richly textured and enthusiastic compositions. His 2016 album, “Forms” has been described as a true melting pot of sounds and it caught the attention of the electronic music scene with its very playful and original amalgamation of rhythms and samples. This summer, The Micronaut releases Olympia (Summer Games) – an album which continues to draw on his elaborate production style as well as on the values of camaraderie and solidarity of the Olympic Games, despite this year’s postponement of the event.

Summer Games’ tracks are named after Olympic sports - pole vault, archery and swimming are just some examples of the 12 modalities chosen by the artist. “For this album I chose Olympia as theme, because apart from competition, it's also about a movement of peace, where the focus is on people, no matter what nation. The Summer Games are coming now, the Winter Games will follow,” says the producer. In the spirit of games, the music is generally high-spirited and upbeat, with many tracks being perfectly fitted for the dance floor. The compositions move from broken bass rhythms to catchy melodies to vocal samples and guitars in just a few bars, making the overall listening experience seem like a fantastic rollercoaster ride, “I would always describe my music as very lively, expressive, dramatic, sometimes calm, sometimes powerful,” says The Micronaut, “I think it is music that fires the imagination.”

The ride is eclectic, but far from chaotic; transitions are fluid, the momentum uninterrupted and the direction cohesive. Behind the music’s energetic flow are sophisticated arrangements and quasi- scientific constructions which crush stylistic boundaries and give birth to a new collage-based genre of music. The music is all the more impressive considering that every sound contained therein is crafted by The Micronaut himself, who has been called a one-man-orchestra for exactly that reason. At times, Summer Games veers towards electro-pop, at other times it is inspired by old-school hip-hop, and at other times still, it climaxes and explodes in IDM, but through all the commotion what is clear is that The Micronaut is an avid music lover, collecting ideas and inspirations far and wide, and translating them through his own prism of emotions, “Music must always be a journey, with ups and downs, with fears and with happiness. Making music is always an expression and somehow also a processing of experiences.” 

Die Dynamik der Arrangements spiegelt sich auch auf der Bühne wider. „The Micronaut“‘s Live-Performance ist ergreifend, ehrlich und energiegeladen.

Jeder Auftritt ist einzigartig, jede Show faszinierend. Das selbsternannte Ein-Mann-Orchester The Micronaut alias Stefan Streck fühlte sich in der Vergangenheit eher in der Hardcore und Grindcore-Szene verwurzelt, bis er glücklicherweise unter anderem über die Vertonung von Filmprojekten zu neuen Klängen kam. Der Mix aus Electronica, Samples und Live-Gitarre machen den Sound von The Micronaut zu etwas ganz Besonderem. Er sucht dabei nach einem Sound, in dem jedes Instrument seinen Platz, seinen eigenen Raum hat: „Ich möchte immer flexibel bleiben, immer überraschen.“ Sein musikalisches Augenmerk liegt in der Kombination aus orchestralen Sounds und verspielten Beats. Live besticht The Micronaut durch energiegeladene, enthusiastische und immer ehrliche Sets, die ein musikalisch dynamisches Zusammenspiel erzeugen.