Jakob Mäder’s (@jakobmaeder) About The Vibe EP lands as a return to the deep house language that first pulled him in around 2010, when records from artists like Moomin, Lawrence, and Iron Curtis helped shape his ear.
The Stuttgart-based DJ, producer, and live performer moves across ambient, disco, house, acid, and the occasional techno-leaning cut, but this release narrows the focus back toward laid-back grooves and the emotional middle ground between melancholy and hope. It is music built for that moment on the dancefloor when the night starts softening and the sun begins to come up.
That feeling also explains the production choices.
The EP was made simply, using a Juno, field recordings captured without much planning, a sample or two, and straightforward drums. Mäder is clear that he is not chasing some perfect mix or technical ideal here. The title says the point plainly enough: it is about the vibe, the party, and the people.
In the interview below, Mäder talks about self-promotion, visibility, and how staying connected to house music helped clarify the way he presents himself publicly. His answers are refreshingly low-pressure in a culture that often turns identity into a content strategy.
For him, the music comes first, connection matters more than appearance, and the best parties are usually the ones where the DJ is not the center of attention and the culture is more than any singular thing.
Interview With Jakob Mäder
How do you approach self-promotion in a way that reflects your real identity?
I actually try not to overthink that too much.
For me, music always comes first. All that social media thing is nice to connect with people around the world, but to be honest, I just post whatever feels good in that moment. Maybe, with that in mind, it is real.
Have there been moments where refining your public presence led to personal clarity?
It definitely helped shape my musical identity.
I noticed more and more hard, loud, fast music, which I personally do not enjoy so much, and therefore saw the need to point out that what I do is house.
In turn, that led to a more confident and reasoned position in letting people know, and being safe with myself, that this is the musical direction I want to go in and become known for.
What principles guide how you present yourself online or in press materials?
I want to be seen as an authentic and humble person.
I do not want to be recognized for my style, outfit, or any kind of appearance, but for the music and maybe for creating connection.
The best parties are when there is no focus on the DJ. As the title of my recent EP on SATYA says, it is about the vibe, the party, and the people.
How has your relationship to visibility evolved over time?
I am repeating myself, but years ago, I really liked the idea of reaching people around the world with music, social media posts, and visibility.
Nowadays, I find it crazy that a lot of people have more focus on their appearance on social media than on producing, selecting, digging, and music.
All the careers are built on music in the end. We should come back to the essence every now and then, I guess.
What helps you distinguish between genuine connection and strategic presentation?
As I am not that much into strategic things, I just naturally do what feels right and maybe experiment every now and then.
But again, not too much thinking, or let’s say planning, is what leads to the most genuine and real appearance in my opinion.
What perspective would you offer to younger DJs navigating authenticity and exposure?
In general, do what you love and work with people you feel a real connection with.
Do it for your own reasons, not for any kind of external confirmation.
If you love music, present music. If you love performing on stage or social media, do that. But do not feel forced to do any of this. It should always come from your own motivation to do it.
And of course, do not go too crazy. Prioritize your own mental health, always.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
