Finding A Balance

eep techno auteur Funk D'Void (aka Lars Sandberg) may live with his family in Barcelona, the city rocked by protests against austerity measures and for Catalonian independence, but he's staying put. “The Spanish are really quite vibrant when it comes to protesting,” Sandberg says laconically. “They're always doing these kinda things.”

Nevertheless, one rally outside the DJ/producer's house was “crazy” with bins set on fire. “The austerity cuts in Spain aren't going down too well, that's for sure.”

Sandberg, celebrated for 2001's classic Diabla, is a true multinational. His Australian pianist mother left Warrnambool for London when young and met Sandberg's Swedish dad. Lars then grew up in Glasgow. Here, he launched his own music career as a hip hop turntablist. Sandberg subsequently discovered Chicago house and Detroit techno, introducing his George Clinton-inspired monicker Funk D'Void with Jack Me Off on Slam's Soma in 1995. He's since aired three 'artist' albums and developed another handle in Francois Dubois. He also worked in a record store for a decade. Barcelona has been Sandberg's home for 15 years. “I love Barcelona,” he rhapsodises. “It's probably my favourite city in the world… The only bad thing I could say really is the club scene is not consistently good,” he notes.The city's promoters favour “trend-based” music. Only during Sónar Festival do the clubs embrace the underground. “We're ahead of the curve for one week of the year.” 

Still, young Spaniards, of whom more than 50% are now unemployed, reportedly can't afford bars or clubs and so drink in public areas. Yet Sandberg attributes this to a Mediterranean culture, not the GFC. He lives next to Barcelona's biggest gay club – and on weekends the “madness” starts at 5am. People party in front of his pad. “I've actually had to throw eggs at people on one occasion.” Sandberg has to consider his kids. “Maybe ten years ago I would have been joining them!” he laughs.

Sandberg's latest project is Balance 022, encompassing Psycatron's remix of Diabla. The DJ did “investigate” past volumes of the cred brand but worried about being overly influenced by them. “I just wanted to go in with a clean slate and offer something that was 100% genuinely me.” Sandberg cares little for fashions. He's all about “honesty”. And, for this reason, he believes that his two previous comps have had longevity. Nor is Sandberg complacent. “I always question myself and my talent and everything – as an artist, I think you have to do that all the time.” Sandberg is doing music “for the right reasons… for the love”. Indeed, he prefers to play “sweaty” small clubs to big festivals.

Sandberg has a wealth of new product coming from his Outpost Recordings, established in 2010. But he's a selective A&R. Many of the demos he's received recently haven't had “the right sound”. “I'm still keeping on that mantra of underground club music that you hear at five in the morning – and slightly weird, hypnotic and surprising.” Sandberg has signed an Australian, the mysterious Child, whose interplanetary jazz bears that “goosebump factor”. He'll be remixing it himself. 

If Sandberg has a gripe with contemporary electronica, it's that young producers rush out their efforts. He hears an abundance of “mediocre” or “throwaway” material. Again, he'd value more “honesty”. “People are so fast and trying to get to the top too quickly. There's so much noise out there, it's really hard to get heard – I understand that completely. But I think in the long term it's best if you wait for the really, really, really jawdropping stuff if you're a producer.”

Sandberg is returning to Australia to promote Balance 022. He hopes to indulge a passion other than techno. “I'm currently completely nuts about table tennis – ping pong. I have been since I was nine years old. But I'll be looking for some local players… I'll be doing some ping pong shows as well before the actual gig.”