Hannes Gottwald x Green Production Music

Electric Green is the first album from our local label Berlin Production Music that was created under completely sustainable conditions - and is therefore part of our Green Production Music initiative.

When we approached our composer Hannes Gottwald with this idea, he was immediately on fire. The result is ten tracks that sound organic and futuristic and thus represent sustainability in its entirety. Hannes tells us in an interview what it was like for him to work on such an album.

What appealed to you about the idea of making a “green” album? Is sustainability an important topic for you?

Sustainability is very important in my life - not acting sustainably is not an option for me. This also has an impact on my music production: My studio is at my home, where I live with my wife and our children. As we have a geothermal heat pump and also use a green electricity provider, my production is completely CO₂-neutral. What's more, green issues have now clearly entered the mainstream. Guitar manufacturers, for example, are increasingly focusing on sustainability. I'm delighted to be able to play my part in the sustainable media landscape with this album.

How did you approach this topic musically? What does sustainability sound like to you?

Sustainability sounds positive to me, even if it sometimes involves sacrifice and effort. It sounds smart, clean and modern, because sustainability is often linked to modern technologies. Ultimately, however, it also sounds organic, as it is about preserving nature. It was a challenge for me to find out how the mixture between these organic and futuristic-technological sound elements could work harmoniously.

Did you already have specific images in mind when composing that helped you to reconcile these different elements?

I often thought of the plant and animal world from the movie Avatar. Bioluminescent plants look futuristic and yet organic. For me, that fits in well with the sound concept of the album.

Is there a track that has grown particularly close to your heart?

I really like the track Pulse of Energy because it takes the listener on a journey into the unknown, but with confidence and lightness. It suits life in general, but also the climate crisis if you look at it from an optimistic perspective.

What would be a dream placement for a track on the album? 

I can think of many cool placements for the songs and I'm very excited to see where they will end up. A placement in an electric car commercial would definitely be very cool - or in a documentary about green innovations, I think that would be great.