Michael Mayer - Like Yin and Yang

Michael Mayer listened to music all his childhood. Sometimes borrowed from his parents' record collection, sometimes listened to on the radio, sometimes carefully extracted from the family piano. He first heard a DJ set during the early disco era and was simply struck, after which he immediately began collecting his own record collection, which included copies of Italian disco, Pet Shop Boys, remixes of hits from that time, and classic funk. At the age of 20, Michael moved to Cologne, to the warmest part of Germany both in climate and geography. With the help of Wolfgang and Reinhardt Voigt, already beloved musicians in the city, Michael quickly began his rapid career, equally wild and serene.

Michael's activities are divided into three directions: music writing (his debut album will soon be released), performing as a DJ (a tour of Japan and the USA took place at the end of 2003), and managing the distribution of many European underground labels. He works at Kompakt, a label with an exceptional release list, which is directly reflected in its name, studios, distribution centers, and a huge music store, all in the very center of Cologne. Every Friday, Michael dines with his best friends and colleagues, Kompakt artists Tobias Thomas and Axel Bartsch before heading to the party at Total Confusion, a nightclub at Studio 672.

Michael about himself: "For me, this is the perfect balance – if I wasn't in a club every weekend and didn't listen to all those records we distribute throughout the week, I'm sure I'd be questioning why I do all this. At the same time, as a DJ traveling the world, I would miss the anchor. I need office work to keep myself in rhythm; it guarantees that I won't lose my head.

I like doing routine things during the week and going all out on the weekends – it's like Yin and Yang. I can tell in advance that I will play about a quarter of my set. The rest is a matter of chance. I don't mix instrumental music for hours; there should be vocal waves too. I love structured music; it should have a beginning, climax, and resolution. The same goes for any party. I love to blow up the dance floor, ignite and captivate people, and at the end play songs or something that can be whistled on the way home."

On September 28, at 24:00, Dj-café Mio presents: Michael Mayer (Kompakt / dj-set), as well as: DJs Paris, Sanches, Krasnov and VJ Addams.