Detroit native Shaun Reeves makes slow, seductive house with a woozy bent, finding a natural home on the Wolf + Lamb and Crosstown Rebels imprints. Ahead of his fly-by Australian tour, the man tells inthemix about the dramatic impetus behind his move to Berlin and how the European way has rubbed off on him.

What was the final straw that led you to making the decision to move to Berlin?
To put it bluntly, getting robbed at gunpoint in Detroit was the last straw. We put on an event one New Years Eve and after the party these four thugs followed me home. The following day we were still cracking on with friends when there was a knock at the door. I answered it only to be thrown to the floor with a loaded gun stuck in my face. Luckily the next-door neighbours’ kid had called the police. The cops saved our lives. They kicked down the front door and came bursting in with shotguns.

Even though they’d been caught red-handed, in court the thieves tried to argue that we were a bunch of unreliable rave-junkies. For me the final insult was having to stand up in court and explain to a bunch of up-tight conservative legal types exactly what DJing and throwing techno parties was all about. After that I’d had enough and decided to leave town and head to Berlin. Three years later my best friends Ryan [Crosson], Lee [Curtiss] and Seth [Troxler] decided to follow suit. It’s funny to think now that had it not been for a bunch of thugs now serving 30 years to life in US Federal Pen, we might all still be living in Detroit.

What has moving there done for you and your music?
Moving to Berlin opened my eyes – well, ears actually – to a lot of different things musically. Most importantly, I learned about context by getting to listen to and enjoy some of these super-long sets from DJs like Ricardo [Villalobos] and Zip. In America, DJs generally play shorter sets and try to show everything that they’ve got in that time instead of playing what’s right for the crowd and mood at that moment. The right time/place gives the music so much more power.

Even though you have moved to Europe you have kept your ties to home. What has it been like collaborating with Seth Troxler and other big names?
I’ve been fortunate enough to have been collaborating with Seth, Ryan and Lee since well before they were ‘big names’. It’s been a good experience over the years to have like-minded friends to evolve with; in fact, it helps immensely. Now we are all working on projects together as Vision Quest and on a label with the same name which will launch very soon. I’m also involved in some side-projects with my close friend Guti from Argentina, who’s one of Loco Dice’s new wingmen, which I’m really excited about.

Considering you want to push the boundaries of all dance music, how would you describe your sound?
I try to keep as wide of a spectrum as possible, ranging from sexy/trippy deep house to pretty upbeat techno if it’s necessary.

At the same time you seem to not stray too far from house. Would you agree?
It totally depends on the situation, my mood, and the season. Right now I’m playing pretty housey, as it’s summer in Europe but I can see myself digging out in some darker techno type jams in the upcoming months and the weather gets more intense (especially in Berlin!). I consider my music an extension of my personality. There isn’t really a concentrated effort to connect it to anything besides that, it just seems to happen naturally.

Explain your mind-set when searching for and creating new sounds.
I just try to be as patient and selective as possible. It’s all about finding the right music or sound to compliment the mood in a room…whether it be studio or club.

What is the most unexpected place you have found yourself performing?
A cave in Italy and also recently in a 600-year-old church in Milan, which was amazing.

Any fairly unknown destinations you might recommend to ITMers to explore for dance music?
Romania has a very exciting scene right now, one of the best in Europe. It’s worth checking out, for sure.

ITM is stoked to have you perform at the inthemix50 party in Sydney. What can Australia expect to see?
I see that I’m playing a four hour set, which is very cool for me. This allows me to tell a kind of story instead of just cramming as many bombs as possible into two hours.

Any last words for Australia?
Yeah, ‘Annuit Coeptis’. This will become clearer when our label launches later in the year.

Shaun Reeves tour dates:

Friday 27 August – La Di Da, Melbourne
Saturday 28 August – Plantation, Sydney