Berlin-based deep house artist Christian Klippenstein, also known as Sames, started playing drums and bass during his childhood, which later proved to be skills he could transfer into computer production. Sames then went through years of developing his sound while experimenting with a wide range of genres, such as boom-bap and tech-house.

With over 7 years of experience with producing, mixing and mastering, his sound lays beyond contemporary house music, as his single ‘Cold’ hit over 200K streams on Spotify. Having performed in places like Diskothek Melancholie 2 (Berlin), Stadl Neugersdorf, Cassiopeia (Berlin) and Kesselhaus Kulturbrauerei (Berlin), there is no doubt Sames will continue to push boundaries within dance music.

Tell us about your earliest musical memory?

I used to always listen to hip-hop and rap songs and jam to them on the drums, that was before I got into production and inspired me to experiment with drum recording when I was about 13.

At what point in your life did you have that moment where you said to yourself “This is it. This is the type of music I want to create?”

I have probably tried to produce every genre in dance music, so about 1 year ago I started to feel like a have found a sound that lays somewhere between contemporary deep house and RnB and Hip-Hop that I want to make.

Please list some of the most influential albums on your creative outlook and output:

Mac Miller – Watching Movies With the Sound Off
Asher Roth – Pabst & Jazz
Bill Evans – Undercurrent
Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid Maad City

What key pieces of gear/software are you using to define your sound?

I use Logic Pro and pretty much work in the box using most of the UAD plugins for mixing, but I think the define elements are live instruments and many Hip-Hop and RnB samples.

What inspires you outside of music? What do you turn to when the creative well runs a little low?

When I spend too much time in the studio I like to go out in nature and just chill or go skateboarding. Going to museums and things like that is good to get my mind off music while still feeling inspired by it.

What is your opinion on the ever-spreading sub-genre vine? Are there too many? Do you think there’ s perhaps a sub-genre that doesn’t get the attention it deserves?

I think genres are just words used to put music into categories, but I wouldn’t but my own music in one defining category just like most other music that I enjoy. But I understand the need for them, when I check Beatport for new tunes I get overwhelmed with the genres in which they list their music. So it will take forever for me to find something that inspires me.

Studio work and music creation or performing and interacting with a live audience, what do you prefer?

I love both, and I feel like I have yet to figure out what I would like to make my income depended on, but I am trying my best to find a balance. I am definitely a studio person and engineer, but there is no better rush than seeing people going wild to your music.

As a music artist, it becomes apparent that there is a huge difference between the art and the business. Is there anything about the music scene that you would personally change?

I think it’s built like every other industry – the big guys get paid too much and smaller artists can’t make a living. I think it would be fair for streaming services to divide their income to the artist depending on what every single customer listens too. So if I only listen to two artists on Spotify, my money should go to only those two artists, instead of putting everything in one big pot and dividing it. This system would be very difficult to build but I am positive that people are working on this.

Any new or upcoming artists on your radar? Who shouldn’t the world sleep on?

Tom Flynn is my favourite artist right now, I don’t get why he hasn’t blown up, definitely slept on.

What can we expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or gigs in the pipeline that you would like to tell us about?

I am celebrating the release of my album here in Berlin on the 28th at Radio Label Bar, along with some of my friends that are supporting me through the night. I will also be playing at Suicide Club Berlin on the 4th of April, can absolutely not wait.

Famous last words?

all ‘bout love.