Blitz

Munich has a new label for Techno & electronic (dance) music: roots.audio. 

Formed by Kareem El Morr, Vassili aka VSSL and Tom aka Reduks, three passionate profiles featuring residents and staff of Munich’s Rote Sonne & Blitz Club, it’s all about electronic (dance) music.

roots.audio’s inaugural release, Ground Floor EP, saw the light on Friday 16th of May and we took the opportunity for a conversation with the trio to find out more about the label, it’s mission, it’s inspiration and future – and more than a few insights and perspectives on Munich’s scene right now. Read the transcript of our live conversation below.

Make sure to follow them on the internet and socials but above all: tune in while you dig into the grooves.

Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Instagram

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Blitz
Let’s start from the very beginning—etymologically speaking: why roots.audio?

Tom
Who wants to go?

Vassili
So, “roots” – and “audio,” of course – mainly because of the connection, I’d say, with the scene. You could say: we come from music and club culture, we fell in love with it, and now we’re trying, in quotation marks, to carry that forward—to pass on a bit of what we once received on the dancefloor. So: this deep-rooted connection.

Karim
Yeah, and the platform is essentially the root from which the music springs. This is our foundation now. And growth begins with roots, more or less—the label is our root, our platform from which we—or music in general—can grow.

Blitz
That’s very metaphorical.

Karim
Yes, very metaphorical. But that’s how it is with names: you toss around ideas forever and eventually find something you like—and then you often start to interpret your own meaning into it. It definitely took a long time to settle on the name—three months, in fact. And then something clicks, and you’ve got it—and it only begins to make sense after that. It wasn’t like: “Hey, here’s the name and everything’s clear.” It had to develop, and once we embraced the name, we realized: “Okay, this actually makes total sense.” And that’s how it was with roots.

Blitz
What can we take from that, upon reflection? Does everything start with sound, which you then work on? Or do the roots represent an idea at the core of everything?

The naturalistic metaphor is quite compelling in the context of (mostly) functional dance music. But how do you see the functionality of dance music? Where—let’s say—is the music headed?

Karim
We actually founded the label to free ourselves from limitations and restrictions. But over the past year and a half or so, a direction and a vision have started to emerge. We want to release a broad range of electronic music—not just super-functional techno, but a broader spectrum. It doesn’t all have to be tailored for the dancefloor.

Tom
There is definitely a tendency toward dancefloor music, but we’re not locking ourselves into that. This is our own imprint. We don’t have to send out demos or wait for someone else to decide whether to release something. Removing those limitations—having our own platform where we can release anything we think is cool or meaningful—that’s the idea. It doesn’t even have to be dance music. It’s simply our platform for music in general.

Vassili
Especially with people who share our values and vision—so it becomes this gathering of music lovers who connect, who share the same passion, and who just want to make music and enjoy it. That’s what Tom meant with removing limitations.

Karim
It’s not about a fixed musical vision. The common thread is that we share similar expectations and standards for electronic music. That organically creates a direction we all feel comfortable with. But we didn’t want to restrict ourselves—if someone wants to do ambient music, we’re absolutely open to releasing it. This is a platform where we can express ourselves fully.

Blitz
So it’s DIY in the best sense: we have a personal connection, we connect with people who share our ethos. An open understanding of electronic (dance) music—where it goes will reveal itself?

Tom
Exactly.

Blitz
Alright! Let’s talk about the people behind roots.audio: What brings you three together? What is the “core ethos” that Vassili mentioned? You’ve been working on this idea for a while. I gathered it began about a year and a half ago—now things are starting to bear fruit. Tell me a bit about how it all came together—and what’s next?

Vassili
I think we all met through partying, right? I still remember meeting Tom—and Karim too. It all started on the dancefloor, as things often do.
What connects the three of us the most is our shared passion—and the sense that we see the scene and its subcultures through the same lens. We share the same opinions and vision.

At some point, we created a WhatsApp group—along with a few others—and said: “Hey, let’s exchange ideas and tracks, give each other feedback.” And I think that’s how it slowly developed into a label. We decided: “Let’s give this a proper go and really build something.”

Karim
Yeah.

Tom
It feels like the first evening was that resident meeting at Rote Sonne.

Karim
I always thought it would be a good idea to build a label around club residents. I brought it up back then: “Hey, why don’t we start a club label?”
But in hindsight, tying a label to a club wasn’t the best idea. Tom and Vassili were still interested, though—and that got the ball rolling.

Tom
We were definitely on board right away!

Karim
The idea grew slowly. First the WhatsApp group, which turned into regular meetings and calls. Over time, it took shape. We never forced it—it all happened very organically, without pressure.
Tom even had his first EP ready before we finalised the label idea. He was the one who really had ants in his pants. But we still took our time and developed everything with care—it’s been a beautiful and steady process.

Vassili
No pressure. Just do it when you have the time and passion—and above all, enjoy it. That’s the highest priority for all of us: to love what we do. We’re not focused on making money. It’s about contributing something to the culture—for the music lovers out there.

Karim
And also to fill a gap in Munich. Techno labels that are built on the scene’s foundations are pretty rare here.

Blitz
We’re intrigued by the Munich angle—especially since this interview is for the Blitz Magazine. It’s interesting that roots.audio originated from a resident meeting at Rote Sonne.
What’s your stance on Munich—and where do you see yourselves within it? What about other local imprints?

Who’s out there? Who do you want to shout out? Who inspired you? Or: why does Munich need a new techno label?

Tom
Generally speaking, I think we all agree: Ilian Tape must be mentioned.

Vassili
Definitely, yeah.

Karim
It’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Munich techno labels.

Tom
There’s also Further:Sessions—not exactly Munich, but still close. But overall, there isn’t much coming out of here. Loads of event series, but when it comes to production output, there’s not enough coming from Munich.

Vassili
There are many young collectives throwing parties, but without labels attached to them.

Karim
Not yet. But I feel like something’s starting to take shape. There’s definitely more happening now in terms of producers than there was five or ten years ago.

Tom
A strong young generation is definitely coming up. I do a kind of primary research on the dancefloor every week—chatting with people. (laughs)

Karim
“Dancefloor research,” you call it? (laughs)

Blitz
Music ethnologists would call it ethnographic fieldwork.

Tom
Every few weeks, I’m in one of those moments where I think: “Wow.”
People I saw listening to completely different stuff three years ago have really matured. They’re now into more abstract, intelligent music. That kind of progress is amazing.

Or I meet someone new and think: “Wow, you’ve really got taste—you’re 19 and into genuinely good music.”
That makes me really hopeful.

Blitz
That’s fascinating. Karim, Vassili—how has the scene and people’s attitude toward it changed over the years? Are younger people more likely to form collectives and throw parties rather than start labels? Has something shifted?

What’s interesting in your case is that you met on the dancefloor, but you chose not to take the dancefloor route—no parties, but a label instead. How do you see this in terms of generational change and perhaps a new sociocultural ethos?

Karim
I think it also comes down to the fact that all three of us know how damn hard it is to put on successful events in Munich. Speaking for myself: I’m just not good at that.

I used to organise events—but without my business partner at the time, who took care of all the logistical stuff, it would’ve been a disaster. I’m just not built for that—I want to create music. And doing that together is almost as fulfilling as throwing a great party.

When you’re in the studio and build a track together in a single day—it’s such a rewarding experience. So I don’t want to say that a label is more serious than an event collective, but it does play a role. There’s a more—let’s say—mature way of forming a group when it’s based on a label rather than parties.

Tom
I also think it’s a more long-lasting structure. When you release music through a label, it’s out there—it can continue to grow in its own way. Every party has a curfew, you know? A release doesn’t expire.

Karim
I can totally see myself still running a label at 45 or 50—but not throwing parties at that age.

Blitz
So, in a way: After the Sturm und Drang phase, people start a label?

Karim
Maybe. Or maybe even right in the middle of the Sturm und Drang—just to create something lasting. A label can truly be a lifelong project.

We’re only a few weeks old now—but it’d be beautiful to still be doing this in 20 years.

Blitz
Looking at the history of labels in Munich—was there a driving inspiration for you? A defining institution that made you want to start something yourselves? Or was the impulse more about filling a gap—or even the gap?

Vassili
Definitely the latter, I’d say. There have always been cool labels based in Munich, but really, it’s mostly just Ilian Tape. So for me personally, yes—it was about contributing something and enriching the scene a little.

Tom
There was a very small influence—but a very big need to expand what’s coming out of Munich. Sure, Ilian Tape does great things, but that alone isn’t enough.

Karim
And Ilian Tape has carved out a specific niche—but there’s still so much space for other shades of techno.

Vassili
You can’t forget: We know so many talented producers in and around Munich who make great music, but haven’t had visibility with their releases yet. And that’s another part of what drives us: to push these people, because we see what they’re doing and think, “Hey, this music is amazing.”

I’ve got two or three close friends I also do events with—they’re making brilliant music. As a community in Munich, we just want to support each other and stick together. That’s always been really important to me.

Karim
It’s about highlighting the things we ourselves value. “Hey, this is what we stand for—and there are plenty of others around us doing the same.” So we’re putting our name to that now. “Look—this is part of the scene too.”

I always wished there were more platforms in Munich that support local artists. I mean, Ilian Tape did that. Richie from Rote Sonne also did it with his RFR project—the first, I don’t know, 20 releases were only with Munich-based or at least Bavarian artists. I thought that was cool—because you didn’t need to look to the wider world.

There’s so much talent right on your doorstep. And as an artist, it’s just so nice to be seen. When a label from your own city comes to you and says: “Hey, I don’t care if you have 500 followers—your music is fire, and we want to release it,” that’s just incredibly motivating. That’s kind of the spirit behind it.

Blitz
So what’s next—what releases are coming up, and in what format?

Tom
We’re all involved in the first release. After that, three solo EPs—one from each of us. I’ll go first, then Karim, then another project – an LP by Vergil – and then Vassili’s EP.

Karim
Okay. And after that? Shall we talk more? I’m checking with the other two… Yeah, let’s go.

Vassili
We’ve got a few things in the pipeline.

Karim
It’s basically confirmed, right?

Vassili
Yeah, definitely.

Karim
Right. The fourth record, an LP, will be from Vergil.

He’s a good friend of Vassili and Tom—I only know him vaguely. I once heard him play a warm-up—and I was honestly blown away. It totally matched my idea of what a good warm-up should be. I approached him afterwards and said: “Hey, that was a really good warm-up—you held back and left space for the rest of the night.” He was super happy, genuinely grateful, and said: “Hey, you got it—that’s exactly what I was aiming for.”

Then the guys talked with him more, and he already sent us an LP—we’re really excited to release it. So that’ll be the fourth record. What comes after that is still open.

Blitz
So now would be a good time to send in demos?

Karim
Exactly. (laughs)

Blitz
In what format are the releases coming out?

Karim
In our first year, everything will be digital only. We’re not ruling out vinyl for the future—but for now, we want to build some credibility, show people what our music is about, and what we stand for. Then we’ll see. We just don’t want the first records to gather dust on the shelves.

Vassili
Once we know how everything is being received and so on.

Blitz
That leads us to another question: How does a young Munich-based label that doesn’t just want to throw parties navigate the internet? How do you approach social media—and how does that influence your visual identity and your social values?

These days, it feels as if you can’t avoid the question: How do you handle social media—and how do you approach distribution?

Vassili
We’ve definitely got a clear stance on that. We have a few basic principles when it comes to social media strategies, and we’re all pretty aligned on them. For example, we don’t want to make TikTok content. Of course we need to use social media to generate some output and visibility—but we want to do it in a natural way, where the music or whatever we post speaks for itself. Not like how it is with most people these days, where they throw everything at social media and focus all their energy there just to reach as many people as possible.

For us, it’s important that the visual aspect also aligns with our vision—and that we stay true to ourselves by letting the music and the art behind it speak for themselves.

Blitz
What does that look like visually?

Vassili
We work a lot with natural imagery—photos from nature, for example. The first three reels featured images of plants that we distorted and abstracted visually. But you could still tell they were plant-based. It worked really well visually—and we found it aesthetically cohesive.

Blitz
So we’re back to the nature metaphor from the beginning: Where are the roots? Does that carry into your sound design—or other aspects? Do you have a production policy, like “hardware only”?

Karim
Not at all. It’s more about the sound itself. I’ve heard more of our music than what’s been released so far—and it all sounds very organic. “Organic” is the best word for it. And I think that’s reflected in the artwork too.

It’s not super bold or flashy—there are noise textures, a lot of life in it. So, for me, there is definitely a connection between artwork and sound—but not in terms of “hardware only” or “software only.”

Some tracks were created entirely digitally, others heavily with hardware. We’re not dogmatic about it.

One more thing about our social media strategy: All three of us are rather reserved when it comes to social media. We don’t like being front and centre—so we’re trying to build a strategy where the music is the focus. At the same time, we want to be visually appealing on Instagram. We’ve come up with a small concept—but you’ll see it when the time comes.

Blitz
We’ve got about a minute and a half left. Last question: If you had to describe roots.audio in three words, what would they be?

Karim
Oof.

Tom
Three buzzwords?

Vassili
Each three—or three total?

Blitz
Each of you, three words.

Vassili
Okay. I’d say: music, community, passion. That’s what roots reflects to me—all three elements overlap.
I’m passionate about music. I believe music should be celebrated together. Everyone should know what matters on the dancefloor, and appreciate how lucky we are to be able to live out this music, wherever and whenever we want.

So yeah: music, community, and passion.

Karim
For me, it’s: stripped down to its essence. That’s three words, right?

Vassili
Four.

Blitz
Alright, Tom, go.

Tom
Organic, minimal, no boundaries. Or maybe: free. What’s a cool way to say that?