In the male-dominated pantheon of world-class DJs, there’s no doubt that Magda Chojnacka is a serious force to be reckoned with. Coming up under the tutelage of minimal don, Richie Hawtin, Magda has more than proven herself to be a thoroughly passionate DJ and producer, celebrated for her ability to tie an ever-widening range of dance music together with clinical precision.

Migrating from Poland as a child and coming of age amidst the industrial dinge of Motor City, Magda discovered a deep affinity for techno music while attending warehouse parties both in Detroit and neighboring Canada. It was within this sacred axis in techno that her enthusiasm caught the attention of Hawtin, and she became involved with the M_nus family at an early stage, working at their office as well as living with fellow M_nus producer Marc Houle. After cutting her teeth at local parties, she began to develop her signature style and quickly rose to prominence in the international scene, with many fans dubbing her “The Queen of Techno.”

Now residing in Berlin, Magda spends most of her time managing a frenzied touring schedule, all while working on her own productions, both as a solo artist and in collaboration with her talented labelmates. Big Shot got a chance to chat with Magda just before the release of her latest mix compilation, a delicately crafted labor of love for the time honored Fabric mix series, where she manages to effortlessly combine horror-film soundtracks and new-wave gems into the modern minimal palette.

This is your second official mix CD, correct? I noticed there are a ton of tracks on it, just like on She’s a Dancing Machine. Your licensing fees must be ridiculous!  Do you always gravitate towards including as much as possible? Do you approach DJing live the same way?

Magda: Actually, this mix has a different concept than She’s a Dancing Machine. I wanted it to be based around basslines and a smooth groove. The layering is different. Although there are 30 tracks, I asked some of the artists to make stripped-down versions of the tracks so the layers could come together in a nicer way. For example, Gaiser’s track is only the kick, bass, and snare and it continues for a long time in the mix, but because it’s so simple, it works very well with other sounds from different songs. For me, doing a DJ mix is a studio project where you explore different possibilities and make it something unique and personal. It’s a chance to really be as creative as you want and it’s very exciting. When you are in a club, you adapt to the surroundings at the spur of the moment. I definitely don’t think it’s my job to do things as complicated as possible. I think the point is to make something interesting by experimenting with different possibilities. It doesn’t need to be overdone, but it should have some kind of concept.

You spent a good deal of last year on the Contakt tour with many of your labelmates. How was that experience in comparison to your normal gigs? Can you even compare the two experiences?

It was a tough thing. Aside from having to play in an entirely different way, you had to find a balance of playing together to present something as a whole. It sometimes worked and sometimes did not. You really had to be aware of giving enough space to the live acts, as well as selecting the right tracks to DJ which somehow fit into what was going on.

You’ve produced some big hits and remixes, but your production credits still seem relatively sparse compared to some of your contemporaries. Is it a matter of time and availability? Do you enjoy DJing more than producing? Are you very particular about what gets released?

I feel I need lots of time to listen and relisten and change things. It’s an ongoing process, but I do see a light at the end of the tunnel. I used three tracks in the Fabric mix, and I plan to have much more output next year.

You are resurrecting your Run Stop Restore project with Marc Houle and Troy Pierce. Why the hiatus? What prompted the renewed collaboration?

We just thought it would be fun to collaborate with Clickbox as RSR. We don’t have any particular future plans, but there are plans for many more collaborations within M_nus in general next year.

In 2009, you remixed Depeche Mode’s “Wrong.” Did you feel you had to approach reworking their track differently than a normal remix?

It was a big surprise for me. I love their early work and I was very honored they asked me to do a remix. It was difficult because I had to do it on the road very quickly because the deadline was very tight, but it was a great, fun challenge to remix a song like that. I wanted to keep it fairly clubby and catchy, but if I had more time I would have loved to have done different versions.

What does your live set-up consist of at the moment?

It’s not so complicated. I don’t want to over do it, so I am incorporating different elements slowly. I use Traktor Pro, an eventide time factor, and a looper (for emergency situations and equipment failure). It’s important to me to build a good groove and not play too loop-based. We started a new project with Heartthrob as Marv n’ J, based on the Contakt idea, and in that case I use machine, effects, and no decks.

Any shifts you’ve noticed in the clubbing scene over the past year or so?

There are shifts in music every two years or so, and I have noticed a huge shift toward tribal and house in Europe. People like change and too much of the same gets boring. I don’t play that sound, but that’s okay. As long as I am still finding tracks that inspire me, then it doesn’t matter which genre is popular at the moment. There is always something for everyone.

What’s on the horizon for your label, Items & Things?

We are very excited for the label next year. We have redesigned the concept and are planning to have much more output. The idea is to keep the label simple and let the music speak for itself. We want it to be special and don’t want to focus on heavy marketing or promotion. The next release is due around Christmas. It’s an EP by an Italian artist, Madato, and we are can’t wait to get it out.

What types of music or bands do you enjoy outside of the sphere of techno, house, or things you would normally spin?

Lots of things. I love Tones On Tail, Chris and Cosey, Thom Yorke, Stereolab, The Smiths, Sakamoto, Sonic Youth, Ikeyard, and Circlesquare to name a few. I saw Prince last year for my birthday in London and that was pretty amazing.

Words: Zack Kerns

as featured in Issue 30