Electro superstar Zombie Nation is a true veteran of the studio, having been generating gritty analog hits since his career-defining stadium anthem, “Kernkraft 400.” Next week, Florian Senfter will be releasing his fifth studio album, RGB, on Montreal’s legendary Turbo imprint. To mark the release, ZN stars in the first edition of Turbo’s new Studio Sessions video series, which shows Senfter hanging with studio pro Spaceman as he works the vintage Roland System 700 analog synth. Things get groovy once the track that gets going and the in-studio disco lights come on. Watch the video and read Zombie Nation’s breakdown of his own home studio set-up after the jump.

ZOMBIE NATION HOME STUDIO BREAK-DOWN

Teenage Engineering OP-1 synthesizer

Don´t hate on this toy! This little synth is to music production what the iPhone was to cellphones. While it´s difficult to make a whole song with it, I use it a lot to collect ideas on the road. I have used it on as many as five songs on my new album.

My favorite feature is the internal FM radio receivcer, where you can grab samples and they are instantly laid out over the keyboard in bite size pieces.  The other day I sampled radio stations while I was on a plane!  Be fast, each station will only appear for about 8 seconds.  

Roland System 100m modular synthesizer 

This early ’80s modular synth is less complicated than it looks. I used it quite a lot with Tiga on our ZZT project, with Tiga on the right block and me on the left — we we are ready to jam. This leads you to unique places and into situations that you can´t get in the virtual world. Enjoying the process is very importand the the final result. 

Vertigosound VSC-2 Quad Discrete Compressor

This compressor represents the outboard section in my studio. I have a bunch more stuff but this is my favorite, not only because of it´s blue metallic shine. I use it all the time because it is so subtile and glues the mix together with a bit of a magic. It´s a pro machine and the pricetag is very high, but it´s arguably the best modern compressor around. My tip: there is a plugin by Brainworx which is 90% as good as the real thing at 5% of the price. 

AKAI MPC 1000 Sampler/sequencer

I am a decided MPC addict since 1997 – when I bought my first electronic instrument  — a MPC 2000. It´s my tool of choice to work out patterns and beats. I have made almost all my music on MPCs. Recently I am working more on the road and there is no usable battery powered version (yet). I have even dragged the 4000 around for live shows for five years, every weekend. That beast weighs 14 kilos! The main advantage of an MPC: you dance while you work on it. 

Quested V3110 speakers

Speakers are the most important part of a studio setup, followed by good studio acoustics. Whatever instrument you use, if you can´t hear how it sits in the mix you are taking the risk that only you will hear what it’s about. And it gives you a sense of purpose if you can listen to your stuff loud! 

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Turbo Recordings is offering a second set of remixes of Tiga/Zombie Nation’s Work, the most recent single from their Partys Over Earth LP. Check out the mindtrip of a video above for Torontonian’s Gingy & Bordello’s take on the track, due out February 21^st along with remixes by The Advent & Spiriakos and Norman Nodge.

There’s few things more satisfying to a lifelong electronic music fan than hearing various eras come together so fluidly. “Frozen Flower” is the new release by Scottish producer Sei A. The cut weaves together the skittish highs and dusty lows of contemporary post-dubstep, which the vocals evoke the soul of vintage UK trip-hop. The tune comes out on Tiga’s Turbo Recordings, and features remixes by Midland and Youandewan.

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Frozen Flower by Turbo Recordings ']

You can also hear the Midland remix here.

Turbo will be hosting a video contest for the tune, with more details to come on the label’s Facebook and Twitter next week. So start thinking about your entries.

They made a special URB mix for the interview piece, and with their own words; ‘This is the sound of critical house’

URB: Do you see music in architecture, or is all music architectural?

Renaissance Man: Well not so much. In the beginning we worked on our productions in a rather similar fashion as we had used to work on architecture at the office where we met, but now they exist in their own spheres for us. Yet music exists always in space and for our music that space seems mostly to be framed or contained within architecture.

How does the Finnish mentality and culture color your music?

Finnish culture is less about big movements but rather finding you own thing, the odder or more unique the better. Which is both a vice and virtue.

What kind of impact has Berlin made on your music?

It’s of course an exciting city for all the music it has to offer. Luckily it’s diversifying more and more beyond house and techno.

Has your production style naturally progressed and developed, or have you made conscious decisions?

We try to never stay put in one ‘sound’. Since we started our style of production has been evolving and of course you constantly learn new ways of working. We are not afraid of mistakes; they keep things interesting for us, but presumably also for our audience.

Have you kept your day jobs?

Well work on music happens mostly during day time, but we do other stuff as well.

Is there any irony or humor in your productions, or do you take it all very serious?

It’s dead serious.

What’s the worst labeling of your music that you’ve heard?

Lately it was Pitchfork calling us the “Finnish electro wreckers”.

What’s the best compliment you’ve received?

A good one came from Tiga, after he first heard the album and said that while listening to it for the first time not even for one moment did he know where would it go next. It’s great if you can still surprise someone like him.

How do you prepare for live shows?

We are now building a live show, it’s quite a lot of work since we try to build something that is truly live and in the moment but is grounded in our production work. In terms of visuals we work together with our graphic designers Åbäke. The idea is to deconstruct our back catalog and then reconstruct it every time live on stage.

Are you influenced by label mates on Turbo?

Naturally Jori Hulkkonen being one of the biggest figures, a giant, in the Finnish house and techno scene has been a huge influence. We’re still listening to Helsinki Mix Sessions on repeat.

Perhaps that’s why this new video from ZZT, the collaborations between Tiga and Zombie Nation, gets me so excited. Particularly the quick fame at 1:31. Or maybe it’s the squelching melodic acid lines that get my blood pumping. “Partys Over Los Angeles” is the first video from ZZT’s debut album, Partys Over Earth, which is due out Nov. 7 on Tiga’s Turbo Recordings.

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This one time a kid was describing what being on ex is like, from his description everything becomes hypersensitive. From your eyelashes flapping to the plucking of your bones. Now I may not be living that kind of lifestyle up here in my ranch in Montecito but I can only imagine that’s kinda what Crowdpleaser was going for in their new album Nenekri which is coming out June 6th via Turbo Recordings. Their description read world music but I hear it and it’s like I hear every single instrument and finger strokes and for a moment in time I guess I can understand what’s it like to be that hyperaware of the construction of “world” sounds.

Turbo CD 030 – Crowdpleaser – Spinelli by Turbo Recordings