RB Exclusive Interview: Get ‘Weird and Wonderful’ with Liquid Stranger

Martin Stääf, better known by Liquid Stranger, is no stranger to the industry. He’s been one of the most innovative minds in the scene since the 90’s, but he’s stayed true to the underground vibe he loves so much. Stääf has a talent for genre blending, mixing everything from reggae, to psychedelic, to dubstep. He definitely keeps it interesting. Between a new label and new music it’s been a busy couple of years. It was a pleasure to be able to get some insight from Liquid Stranger before his tour comes to Phoenix this weekend:

What inspires you as a musician? Where do you draw influence for your own music?

Music is an emotional language. Inspiration stems from life experiences, not seldom the challenging ones.

How would you describe your sound?

Fluid and ever-changing

It’s been just over a year since you started your record label Wakaan. What has this past year looked like, and where is it heading in the future?

I’ve been working with a select group of aspiring artists to create a sustainable platform for our art. We did a national tour with Space Jesus and Au5 in the beginning of the year, played a ton of festivals during the summer, and now I’m out touring again with Bleep Bloop, Perkulat0r, and Shlump.

We will continue to curate meaningful experiences for the crowds, and putting out next level, free form music.

You’ve put some serious time into the industry. What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen within the scene?

It went from being totally underground and shunned by media and society, to becoming part of the mainstream culture. Considering that it was forbidden by law (in Europe) to play our music in the beginning of the 90s, we’ve come a long way toward legitimizing the art. It makes me happy because I think there is something very special with our culture – it’s for everyone!

When you began your career you wanted to remain anonymous. We’ve seen that trend come back recently. What’s your take on the idea of the “anonymous producer”?

With electronic music becoming bigger and more popular, it brings other interests into our culture. In the beginning we were just nerds who were passionate about the music, but now our scene is filled with models and business people. There is also a bigger focus on the artist nowadays, and less focus on the music. I’d like to be a healthy alternative to that.

You released “Shatter” in July, can fans expect more new music soon?

Yeah we just did a 17 track compilation on Wakaan featuring a new collab between me and Space Jesus.

Im also working on an album titled ‘Weird & Wonderful’ that I will release later this fall / winter.

You’re schedule surely keeps you busy, but I’m sure it’ll be a blast touring with your boys Bleep Bloop, Perkulator, and Shlump. What do you do for fun on the road?

We are a tight knit team who really enjoys the company of each other. A lot of the day is filled up by driving, setting up, and doing the show. We don’t have that much free time when we are playing a show almost every single day. We make sure we set aside some time to go sightseeing every time we have a day off.

What weird and wonderful things can fans expect at your Phoenix show?

I’m extremely happy with the lineup! We are ALL headliners and bringing a super strong, forward thinking musical experience to the desert. For me personally it’s special, since I live in AZ myself and it’s our first ever Wakaan show.

Again, we want to thank Liquid Stranger for taking to time to chat with us! The Weird and Wonderful Tour comes to Phoenix this Saturday, September 24th! Get tickets here.

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