“Truth, synthesizers, family, and a cold or warm beer.” This is the mantra of REWORK, the duo of Michael Kuebler and Daniel Varga, whose musical journey has taken them from the techno clubs of Frankfurt to the cultural artist hubs of Stuttgart. With their latest album “Never Again,” they invite us into a soundscape that is both minimal and experimental, perfectly suited for lovers of cooler, more avant-garde beats.
REWORK has always been about pushing boundaries and exploring new territories in sound. Known for their distinctive blend of icy minimal structures and catchy Euro-girl vocals, their music carries a unique signature of new wave house. Their hits like “Love Love Love Yeah” and “You’re So Just Just” became instant classics in the club scene, released under the renowned Playhouse label. Over the years, their tracks have been reimagined by notable artists such as Trentemøller, Magda, and Andrew Weatherall.
In “Never Again,” REWORK delivers a collection of tracks that resonate with emotional depth and innovative sound design. From the indie dance groove of “Without You” to the melancholic yet uplifting vibes of “Slow,” inspired by Daniel’s son’s eclectic music tastes, this album is a journey through the diverse influences that shape their music. In our interview, we talk about their creative process, the inspirations behind their tracks, and their vision for the future of their music and label.
photography by Press
Can you share the creative process behind your new album “Never Again”? How did it evolve from conception to the final tracks?
We love to collect and capture ideas and inspirations on our travels. Michel has lived in Lisbon, Budapest, Berlin, and Stuttgart over the last few years. At our homebase in Stuttgart, we record at our “Technique Studios,” which is part of a cultural artist area “Kunstverein Wagenhalle.” We also enjoy working with our 70s/80s analog synths daily. Part of it involves bouncing riffs and tracks between us two until the song takes shape, or working on some ideas in the studio together.
What inspired you to include a cover version of KRAFTWERK’s “Telephone Call”?
We already did a cover by Chris & Cosey, “October Love Song,” on our first album; this time, we thought we would like to cover a Kraftwerk song. There are many covers of “The Model,” so we decided to cover “Telephone Call.” The idea also came after playing the original Kraftwerk “Telefonanruf” track at a DJ gig. It’s so much fun as big Kraftwerk fans to learn from the original and to create something new out of it.
I noticed that the word ‘love’ recurs in many track titles across the album. What’s your favorite way to show love in your personal life?
Yeah, too many times. (smiles) We tried to cut some love from the album, but it is still there. Maybe the next album will be a futuristic, cold, anti-love piece of work. In personal life, when times are not too depressing, definitely our family and the crowd while DJing.
“We prefer to collaborate with amateur singers; we don’t want to sound too professional and a bit naive, innocent, and natural on the vocal recordings.”
Your track “Slow” resonates with me a lot for its mood. Love it! Can you delve into the story or feelings behind this piece?
“Slow” is inspired by Daniel’s son listening to “Cry” by “Cigarettes After Sex.” It happens quite often that he walks into the kitchen with the boombox in his hand, listening to some music that he likes and I have never heard of. “What’s that?” is my question when the music hits me, and we have a nice little talk about the song, the artist, what we think about it, and what it reminds us of.
What’s your personally favorite track on “Never Again” and why?
The Kraftwerk cover and the new “Without You.” The album was already finished, but we wanted to record one more new track with “Elisa,” who was already on a previous album with “Take Me Out.” We like the vibe and the indie dance groove of “Without You.”
You describe your music as “new wave house.” Can you explain what this genre means to you and how you cultivate its distinct sound?
We always like to combine a new wave feeling with club vibes and a four-to-the-floor kick that can be played in the clubs. Part of it is also the “Jane Birkin” type European girl cold new wave vocals.
“We love to collect and capture ideas and inspirations on our travels. Michel has lived in Lisbon, Budapest, Berlin, and Stuttgart over the last few years.”
Could you tell us more about the role of guest vocalists in your projects? How do you choose these collaborators?
We prefer to collaborate with amateur singers; we don’t want to sound too professional and a bit naive, innocent, and natural on the vocal recordings. On the album, we recorded with Sira and Elisa. We also included the singer from our exlove records band “She Lies,” Ann-Kristin, on several tracks on the album.
With tracks remixed by big names like Trentemøller and Andrew Weatherall, how do these reinterpretations impact your perspective on your own music?
It’s so cool to listen to the ideas of other artists in a remix collab. It’s always a surprise, and you can’t wait to listen to the finished remix. I think the impact on our own music is not that strong because we always love to work out our own style in our music.
Looking back over your career, are there any decisions you might regret?
The decision of our first singer Laetitia to leave the project. The cancellation of our invitation to Primavera Festival by our booking agent. They canceled Primavera because of a confirmed gig at Moog Club in Barcelona one week before. We wanted to quit after the Benicassim Festival in 2006. It can’t get any better than this. But we didn’t, so we are still around, and I think we don’t regret it.
With your label, exlove records, what are your aspirations for fostering new talent?
Up to now, we did not receive any demos from bands/projects. At the moment, we are really busy producing and developing all of our own band projects on exlove records: She Lies, Sugartin, Rework, and A Youth. All the artists are close friends, ourselves, or members of our families.
The most important thing in life?
Truth, synthesizers, family, and a cold or warm beer.
Thank you so much for this interview!
www.wanna-rework.de
www.exloverec.com
www.instagram.com/wannarework
