In this episode of The Music Folder, we speak with Moritz von Oswald, widely recognized as one of the originators of dub techno. Trained in orchestral percussion, in the 80’s he was the drummer for the Neue Deutsche Welle band Palais Schaumburg, then began composing electronic music as he relocated to Berlin and worked sa producer for the record label Tresor. In the early ’90s, Von Oswald teamed up with Thomas Fehlmann under the aliases 2MB and 3MB, before co‑founding (in 1993) Basic Channel with Mark Ernestus, launching a duo and label whose minimalist, delay‑soaked sound would define dub techno as a music genre.

Over a wide-ranging conversation, art critic Francesco Tenaglia invites Moritz von Oswald to reflect on his evolving approach to composition, improvisation, and sound design. He discusses his score for Dr. Mabuse, The Gambler II, commissioned by the UFA Film Nights Festival, emphasizing his avoidance of conventional cinematic cues in favor of sparse, beatless atmospheres that allow the visuals and emotions to emerge organically. Von Oswald speaks candidly about embracing sonic “imperfections” - noises, room tone, unstable synths - as integral artistic material and a hallmark of his production style across decades. He also recounts how improvisation, particularly with the Moritz von Oswald Trio and collaborators like Juan Atkins, remains central to his evolving sonic language.

Interview by Francesco Tenaglia, 20/09/2023.

The Music Folder is a talk-series, curated by Archivio Storico Ricordi, which investigates the intersection of music, memory and arts.