dig dis!cover with Rich vom Dorf

Nice to meet you and thank you for taking the time for the interview. Your label "Tächno" has been around for over ten years now and the spelling with an "Ä" is special. Is there a story behind it?
Yes, it comes from my mom. In the '90s, when techno music was still brand new, she sent me a message and wrote “Tächno” — the way she pronounced it with her East German accent. I thought it was funny and decided to keep it. At first, I wrote the name on a T-shirt with a felt-tip pen. Later, it became a series of events, and eventually, the name of the label.

How did it come about that you started releasing music?
It was a natural development. First came the events, then a podcast series where the DJs who played with us could upload their sets. At some point, we started releasing tracks from artists who regularly performed at our venue.

Was there another reason for founding the label?
Yes, absolutely! One of the biggest advantages of having your own techno label is that you're not dependent on others when it comes to release timing. With other labels, it can easily take three months or more before a track is released. Running your own label gives you the freedom to work more flexibly and independently of external schedules — I still see that as a huge benefit today. You also avoid the endless process of sending out demos and dealing with rejection. You can release your music exactly the way and when you want.

What has changed the most for you in the music industry?
The biggest shift definitely came with streaming platforms. Our first release was on vinyl, and it completely sold out back then. Today, it would be difficult to rely on vinyl alone for my music.
Many people criticize platforms like Spotify, but honestly, streaming has brought me more income than physical distribution ever did. On top of that, the reach of streaming services has become massive, which is a huge advantage for independent artists.

How did you come to dig dis! and how have we been able to support you so far?
That was quite a while ago. I think I saw an ad in FAZE Mag ten or twelve years ago, and at the same time, some colleagues recommended you. Your support has always been great — even when I wasn’t making big sales, you still took my releases seriously. I find that remarkable. You also notice this when talking to other artists: dig dis! has a really strong reputation in the scene.

What advice would you give to new artists?
Stick with it! Consistency is the most important thing. A lot of people give up after two years because they don’t see quick success. But you need to stay true to yourself and not just follow trends. Things only started working for me once I stopped trying to fit in with what was trending or expected — and just focused on making music that felt right to me.

Thank you for the great interview! It was super exciting to learn more about your journey and the creation of Tächno. We'll keep our fingers crossed for everything that's to come – and look forward to the next tracks!
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