What’s better than one German techno powerhouse? Two German techno powerhouses, obviously! That’s exactly what fans got earlier this year as twin powers of the European club scene Marc Romboy and Stephan Bodzin united for the release of Luna, a marathon of dark, thick beats spread across three discs.

Speaking about the Luna project to inthemix two months after its release, Romboy was still buzzing about his experience working so closely with friend and former label prodigy Bodzin, at the time mid-way through a North American live tour. Read on for ITM’s full interview with Romboy to get some insights into the Luna partnership and how the two create their tightly-wound techno live.

How long have you and Stephan Bodzin known each other? Where did the friendship start?

“I have co-founded and run with Klaus Derichs one of the first German techno labels ever, called Le Petit Prince, with releases by artists like Emmanuel Top, Microwave Prince and Phuture for example. In 1994 we received a demo tape by two guys named Oliver Huntemann and Stephan Bodzin and the project was called Caunos. After a couple of years the label artist relationship became a friendship and in 2005 we started to produce and release music together and our first track was Luna!”

After coming up with Luna was this three-disc album project something you’ve been considering for a long time?

“The matter of fact that all our tracks are called after moons is a perfect circumstance to direct an album one day. Due to the fact that we were busy with our solo projects it has taken a little more time but we are very happy that we have now finally released the album with all its remixes.”

Why do you think you work so well as a team in the studio?

It´s that certain something you cannot really explain. When we sit together in the studio we are simply on the same frequency. Both of us want to create emotional music which also works in the clubs. It´s our passion to do this and maybe something which connects us!”

Is there a particular collaboration on Luna that holds special significance for you?

“All remixes are essential and fantastic but I have to lie when I say that the Moritz von Oswald remix is a usual thing to me. There is no one else who fascinated me more in the ‘90s than him, with all his records under the name Basic Channel. For all who don´t know this check it out!”

I see you’re currently in North America on the ‘Luna Live’ tour. What can you tell us about that live set-up?

“The live set up we use has never been used by someone else. We have four iPads on stage with different apps like Touch OSC, Griid and customized programs in order to control effects and modulations. We also use three laptops and different analogue machines from Manfred Fricke Berlin, a drum computer and a synthesizer called Nanozwerg. Besdis this we control our own visuals which have been produced by Fubbi Karlsson and Bobby Good from Berlin. They have also made productions for Booka Shade and Peaches. But, yeah, the entire setup is pretty complex and complicated but it´s really live, every show is different.”