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spherical disrupted coldhearted2024 by KarolinaKratochwil2Interview with

Mirko Hentrich (music) from Spherical Disrupted & Audiophob Label

SPHERICAL DISRUPTED has been carving its niche in the electronic and experimental music scene for decades. With its deep, atmospheric soundscapes and hypnotic rhythms, the project, helmed by Mirko, continues to push boundaries while staying true to its core. As a co-founder of the Audiophob label, he has also played a pivotal role in creating a platform for artists exploring Ambient, Dark Electronic, and Experimental sounds. On January 18th, 2025, SPHERICAL DISRUPTED will celebrate its 100th live show at a highly anticipated event in Dresden, marking a milestone in a journey defined by innovation and dedication. Here, Mirko reflects on his creative process, the evolution of Audiophob, and his vision for the future.

Reflections of Darkness [RoD]: Your 100th show in Dresden is just around the corner - a remarkable milestone. How do you perceive live performances, and what significance do they hold for you as an artist?
Mirko:Playing live is, of course, always very special. It already begins when a booker decides that you can perform at an event. You often travel several hours back and forth to spend 45 minutes on stage. So yes, there is something very honourable about being able to present your self-created music to an audience on a big sound system. In the best-case scenario, you receive acknowledgment from many and have a great time at the event with those people. The 100th show with SPHERICAL DISRUPTED makes me reflect on the past decades and the variety of shows, with all their ups and downs: starting at very small events and progressing to huge gigs at Maschinenfest and Wroclaw, supporting legends like IN THE NURSERY, ABSOLUTE BODY CONTROL, and HAUJOBB, performing in Moscow during more peaceful times in Europe, the Baltic tour, and the show in Madrid when SPHERICAL DISRUPTED “suddenly” became a small band with guest vocalists TC75 and DARKRAD. And of course, there’s the joy of organizing our own label festivals with Audiophob.

RoD: Your music has a poetic, dreamy quality, but it’s also intense and harsh at times. Does this duality reflect your personal moods or experiences?
Mirko:To create my music, it always starts with the intention of expressing my current mood, which is often very dark, shaped by life experiences. I try to transform this darkness into a track, but it can sometimes lead to a more hypnotic state triggered by the repetitive nature of my music. It’s a kind of escape from the dark mood into a unique emotional space, depending on the track. During the creative process - such as finding new sounds - it’s always a form of interaction with my music. The sounds themselves inspire me, guiding the track in one direction or another. Then I select the next fitting sound, and so on. The tracks slowly grow into structures shaped by these interactions between me and the sounds.



RoD: What first drew you to music? Was there a specific moment or influence that shaped your artistic path?
Mirko:Music has always been an extremely significant influence in my life. I’ve been listening to and enjoying music for as long as I can remember. The technical devices for creating, recording, and playing back music have always fascinated me as well - starting with my parents’ record player and tape machine when I was a child. Creating my own music came much later, during my teenage years, in a very unusual way. I started by producing tape collages of existing songs combined with radio host voices, excerpts from audio plays, and computer game sounds. Gradually, I added my own sounds from my home computer and cheap portable keyboards. Over time, I replaced the borrowed sounds with original ones as I acquired better equipment, like my first proper synthesizer.

RoD: Can you tell me more about AUDIOPHOB? How did the label start, and how do its activities, including organizing gigs, align with your creative vision?
Mirko:The idea to found a label with Carsten Stiller of ALARMEN came about during Maschinenfest 2003. At the time, we had both produced several DIY releases on tape and CD-R. We tried to get signed by existing labels, but we faced rejection. Still, we believed in our music and thought it deserved proper releases. So, we joined forces and founded Audiophob in 2004. Initially, the label focused on ambient and quiet music, hence the name Audiophob - which, of course, wasn’t meant to be entirely serious but sounded good. Twenty years later, our musical direction has become much broader, covering a wider spectrum of styles, including experimental works on our sublabel Krater Recordings. Playing live is an integral part of introducing new projects to audiences. Our self-organized gigs and label festivals serve as celebrations for the Audiophob / Krater family, providing opportunities to try new things and showcase fresh music.

RoD: Why did you choose music as your primary form of expression? What is it about music that allows you to explore and articulate your ideas?
Mirko:Music combines so many things - it’s a form of communication, but a uniquely fascinating one. You can discover and create new sounds, especially in electronic music, where you can transform a sound in countless ways. Music can be loud or quiet, aggressive or melancholic, with or without words. It can be an internal dialogue or a statement to the world.

RoD: Where do you find inspiration for creating new music? Are there particular themes or experiences that spark your creativity?
Mirko:Alongside personal experiences, astronomy, astrophysics, and space travel have always been major sources of inspiration. These themes are perfect for conveying strange and dark moods while also providing an escape from reality. They influence not just the music but also the titles, cover art, and background visuals, allowing me to conceal inner darkness behind a futuristic, technical, and beautiful universe.



RoD: What direction do you see your music and label heading in the future? Do you have specific goals or visions you’re working toward?
Mirko:My main goal is always to improve my music and produce great releases on our labels. The music business is tough, especially when you release music from a personal, non-commercial perspective and ignore conventional market rules. But since Carsten and I don’t rely on the label for our livelihood, we can afford to follow our own vision. For SPHERICAL DISRUPTED, I hope to play more gigs outside of Germany. Combining live performances with travel to new cities and countries is always a great experience. There are already plans to perform in some places I’ve never been, which would be fantastic if it works out.

RoD: Your music is primarily instrumental - have you ever considered incorporating lyrics, or do you feel that the music speaks entirely for itself?
Mirko:My music hasn’t always been entirely instrumental. In earlier releases, I included spoken lyrics, but these were experiments. I’m not a singer, nor do I consider myself a great lyricist, so I abandoned that approach before releasing my first album on Audiophob, ‘Null’ (‘Zero’), which marked a new beginning for me. That said, my last album, ‘25’, featured guest vocal contributions from TC75 and DARKRAD, which was a special and new experience for me. I also enjoy remixing vocal tracks for other artists, like RIOTMILOO and FREQÜEN-C & TC75. While I primarily express myself through instrumental music, I’m not entirely opposed to vocals.

RoD: Who are some of the artists you admire most, and how have they influenced your work?
Mirko:I listen to a lot of music across various styles, so this is a tough question. My musical foundation was shaped in the 1980s, with major influences like DEPECHE MODE, NEW ORDER, KRAFTWERK, and FRONT 242. Later, I discovered electronic music from the 1970s, such as TANGERINE DREAM, KLAUS SCHULZE, and BRIAN ENO. In the 1990s, I delved into IDM from Warp Records (AUTECHRE, APHEX TWIN, LFO) and explored Dark Ambient, EBM, and Industrial. The list could go on, but these are some of the key influences.

RoD: If you could collaborate with any artist, living or deceased, who would it be, and what kind of project would you envision?
Mirko:Anyone I mentioned in the previous question! Any collaboration with those artists would be amazing.

RoD: And the traditional closing question - what are your future plans? What’s next for your music, your label, and upcoming projects?
Mirko:We’re working on releasing the CD version of our 20th-anniversary Audiophob album, which has been delayed due to issues with the pressing plant. It’s a split release featuring SPHERICAL DISRUPTED and ALARMEN, remixed by current Audiophob artists. There are also plans for a new regular album for SPHERICAL DISRUPTED, as well as a release for my side project CAPSULAR, both of which are in progress. Additionally, we’ve been invited to curate this year’s noise stage at the WGT EBM Warm-Up in Leipzig, where RENDERED, MORTAJA, and other Audiophob / Krater acts will perform live. It’s an event not to be missed!

All Pictures by Karo Kratochwil