If you love electronic music, chances are you’ve already crossed paths with Jan Blomqvist. Maybe it was on a quiet night drive, the road stretching endlessly ahead, his melodies dissolving into the silence between the stars. Or in the early hours of the morning, when a city bathed in golden light felt like a place of infinite possibility. Or perhaps on a dance floor, lost in a sea of bodies, where the weight of reality momentarily disappeared, and only the music remained.
For me, his songs have long been the soundtrack to my own journeys—both the literal ones and the ones that unfold within. The Space In Between (Ben Böhmer Remix), for example, has held a place in my heart for what feels like eternity, a track that never fades, never loses its deep beauty.
Now, Jan Blomqvist has released his new album, MUTE, a work that explores the shifting nature of connection in a hyper-connected world—a paradox that resonates deeply in our time. “This album comes from a different place,” he reflects. “It was shaped by change, by questioning the familiar, and by finding new perspectives.”
Born into a world of contrasts, Blomqvist’s musical upbringing was shaped by the raw energy of grunge and the hypnotic pull of Berlin’s electronic scene. He has spent years creating a sound that exists between these worlds—somewhere between introspection and movement, melancholy and euphoria.
We had the chance to sit down with him midway through his tour to talk about MUTE, the stories behind his music, and the ever-shifting nature of connection.
photography: press
Jan, we’re happy to have you for an interview. How are you?
Thank you for having me! I’m good. In the middle of the tour for my new album Mute. We’re about to head from Europe to the Americas.
Your music has always blended electronic beats with emotive vocals. How has your sound evolved in MUTE compared to your previous albums?
For me the most striking evolution is in the tone of the album. It feels much more adult to me, much more round. The tracks form a bigger picture that is the album. This is mostly due to the fact that we have grown a lot on the production side since Disconnected.
I love the inspiration behind the album. MUTE explores themes of disconnection in a hyper-connected world. It makes me think about how we are becoming less and less of a we, even on smaller scales—within f.e. neighborhoods, cities, and communities. What do you think could change that?
I don’t think, it is this easy. There’s more nuance to it. It’s not just a less of a we but also a more. You’re right and not right at the same time. The new ways of connecting to people also create a new feeling of community, while at the same time changing the one we have known for a long time now. People might not meet up irl that often anymore and when they do, they sometimes are still scrolling their phones instead of looking at each other. But over social media, you can now find people that share the same niche in life that you do and this might even create a bigger we than ever possible before. So it’s both, good and bad, new and old. And everything is changing by itself already. I don’t think the need to feel seen by others, the desire to belong, and the longing to connect will ever die. And I also do not think that meeting fellow humans in the wild will completely subside.
We can not change the social impact and political power of the big social media companies at the moment, but we can teach our children how to deal with it, how to avoid being manipulated on the internet or by the media in general. It should be taught in school how to use the internet properly, how to assess where information is coming from and to evaluate the intent of it, so that you can form your own opinion actively and with the least amount of influence from whatever side.
“I don’t think the need to feel seen by others, the desire to belong, and the longing to connect will ever die.”
You’ve recorded in diverse locations like Iceland, Berlin, and New York for past projects. Did the creation of MUTE involve any unique environments or processes that influenced its sound?
This time around, I did not intentionally look for places of inspiration. But they found me nonetheless. Life took me to them. First of all, there was the completely unknown place of Corona lockdown. It was a place where the clocks ran slower and the everyday normal was questioned. It was also the time, I decided that I needed to move away from my long time home Berlin. After this decision, every place I went could possibly be a new home. These two in between places were a major influence because they changed my perspectives on many things and formed the questions that found their answers in Mute.
“Midnight Sun,” featuring Natascha Polké, is one of my favorites on the album. Can you tell us more about it?
I understand, it’s an amazing track. As is my collab partner Natascha, an upcoming artist from Switzerland. It was very fullfilling to work with her in the studios. The outcome is wonderfully melancholic and has a lot of strength.
I feel like this album has a slightly calmer tone. Am I sensing that correctly?
Yes, you’re right. Not every track is calmer though. But the slowest song, I’ve ever made can be found on Mute. It’s called Algorithm and it’s so much fun to play live because at the beginning, the audience is always a bit irritated as they don’t know what to make of it. (smiles) … and then they love it. That’s great to see.
“We can’t change the social impact and political power of the big social media companies at the moment, but we can teach our children how to deal with it…”
Your live shows are known for their immersive experiences. How do you plan to translate the essence of MUTE into your tour performances?
It’s already done! The result can be seen on my tour. My visual team did a great job again in doing exactly what you described. The visuals and the light concept enhance the tracks and are making their essence visible to the eye.
You’ve collaborated with artists like Ben Böhmer and Oliver Koletzki. How do you choose your collaborators?
It’s not as intentional as I would love to. We have a long list of people that I would love to collaborate with. But as my colleagues and me are very busy, like almost all the time, it’s not often easy to find a slot where we have the time to actually work together. I would have loved to work with Ben again for a long time, for example. But it did not happen yet. So, I’m waiting and hoping that I will be free when the time comes.
“I don’t need to motivate myself. The motivation is there, within me, always. The songs need out, I can’t help it.”
What keeps you motivated to produce and sing?
I don’t need to motivate myself. The motivation is there, within me, always. The songs need out, I can’t help it.
What’s the best compliment you’ve received about your music so far?
We often receive messages from people, who thank me because my music has helped them through a difficult time of their life. All these different stories are the biggest compliment.
The most important thing in life is?
Little moments of joy, laughter and connection are the most important things I feel I live for. It’s also the love for my 2 children and the wonderful woman at my side.
Follow Jan Blomqvist for more:
www.instagram.com/janblomqvist_official
www.facebook.com/blomqvist.music
Give MUTE a listen.” Stream now
Tour dates: linktr.ee/Mute_Album_Tour
