LABEL SPOTLIGHT: Predawn Records
Predawn Records and Delayed have been intercontinental friends for years, but last April, that relationship reached new heights. It began with a four-day music masterclass in Barcelona, gifted to us by Mostra. From the old textile factory, Fàbrica de Creació Fabra i Coats, to the Vall d'Hebron Olympic Pavilion, to each day's Estrella debrief, to beachside bravas in Poblenou. It felt like the start of something special.
Within the communities of sounds and styles of music we push at Delayed, you can feel unfathomably close to individuals and collectives without ever spending a second together in person. Through Soundcloud, Bandcamp, and Instagram, you get a glimpse into their character; however, it’s the shared moments on the dancefloor or during the festival “afterglow" where you naturally delve deeper. It’s there that you strengthen bonds, laugh hysterically, and unravel the creative processes behind the music that brings us together. Stories and moments that live on forever.
Later that year, I visited Nils Edte in Stuttgart, the birthplace of Predawn. He hosted my partner, Dominique, and me for three days of cosy winter fun filled with scenic rambles, Spätzle, too much Glühwein, and, of course, techno. During the trip, he told me about the massive five-year milestone approaching. We sat down and got stuck into the pre-masters for his first double LP, Cogitat (out April 25th), and leaked some of the artists gracing the first-ever Predawn Festival this May, which now means I’m going back to Stuttgart sooner than I would have imagined.
Without a second of hesitation, I said we need to shout about all of this in an interview, and that is what we have for you today. Just two friends and a bit of back-and-forth, providing an insight into a staple of the deep community for the followers of Delayed. With three warm souls in Nils Edte, Laima Adelaide, and TAMA, 13 releases, and countless parties, Predawn is a label that cares deeply for both those who contribute and those who listen. For those who know them, you already know that. For those who feel close to them but have never met them, we hope this brings you even closer. A journey that has been so fulfilling to document, from its conceptual roots to where it stands today. Predawn für immer. Thank you.
Dan: Well, Mr. Nils.
Nils: Mr. Dan!
Dan: Here we are, we did it. A sunny, crisp Friday afternoon in your flat in Stuttgart. When me and Domi came to stay with you, we were preparing for your FLINTA event with Cio D’or, Sean H, Laima and co. in December, listening to the incredible Katatonic Silentio MNMT mix, when you mentioned to me the double LP, Five Years of Predawn, and sneaked me a couple of artists for a festival in May you’d just told me about. A trifecta milestone moment for Predawn that only led to one thing, and that was curating a big piece on Delayed to share the journey. We’ve premiered your music at every opportunity, but let’s dive deeper into it, shall we?
Nils: Thank you. Really nice of you wanting to take the time here to shout about Predawn. Can’t quite believe it’s 5 years, but yeah, let’s go for it.
Dan: The first time we connected was through Above Below. Jake booked you to play the Sunday b2b with Laima at the Beacon to share your sound, that isn’t highly pushed in the UK, particularly on the festival circuit. You were the first ones on the paper, first flights booked, first set locked in. A shared love for Deep Techno and your first set in the UK. We’re admirers of Predawn since the earlier days, but it feels incredible to be chatting to you now to get the Predawn journey on paper.
Nils: Yes, it was our first set in the UK. We couldn’t quite believe it and it was a "wow" moment to see a collective pushing our sound, from Stuttgart, in the countryside of the UK. And to share our works there, in that setting, was just perfect.
Dan: We’ll get more onto our blossoming friendship later, but for now, let’s talk about the label: the conception, the minds, the 13th release to mark the 5th year, the festival, so on, to wherever we end up. From the beginning?
Nils: Yes, yes. A funny story. I’d been shaping my sound within this realm for a while, searching for inspiration on Soundcloud with new podcasts, and then saw a name, Laima Adelaide, and next to her name it said Stuttgart and I was like, “What the f***!” I thought I’m the only one in Stuttgart producing and digging this sound. We texted, we went for a beer, and of course, we talked about music. She mentioned a label, we started experimenting in the studio together and playing. She then mentioned a friend of hers she met studying composition at university called Marco, whose artist name is TAMA, and said, "Hey, shall we kickstart this as a trio?" Laima had the name already, which I’m glad of, as if it was me choosing, we still wouldn’t have a name after 5 years…
Dan: It was meant to be. Everything looks, sounds, and feels like it makes sense from a brand perspective. Did Laima say how she came up with the name? That “ahhhh, surely it’s Predawn?” moment?
Nils: Ahhhh, it just feels perfect for this aesthetic and path we have taken and the alignment of the deepness portrayed in our releases and output. She told me the story, and it’s pretty nice. Laima was thinking about the name for some time; she also has problems getting stuck with that block, whether for projects, track names, album names, and such. She was sitting calmly with her brother, and then as the sun was rising, but that brief moment just before it’s happened, and the sun was up. Pre... Dawn. That sweet moment of peace before the day. The transition of night into day and vice versa. That’s super nice, let’s do that! And that’s how Predawn arrived.
Dan: Some things are meant to be. They just make sense. Now anyone reading will think of you, Laima, and Marco when they capture that moment this coming spring! A lot of your catalog features you three as the core, but the list of incredible talent releasing on Predawn is growing. Can you talk us through this new chapter for the label?
Nils: Ah yes. Firstly, as we started out, it made sense to kick start things with our projects as a way to platform our creativity and art, and we still do that. But the more we put out, the more we started to resonate and connect with people in the scene; more remixes, more VAs came from these connections.
Dan: It’s a really nice story. It’s a fluid project, from the releases to events, facilitating panel conversations, championing diversity, merch, the festival. I can feel it’s come from a deeply beautiful place; everything is so well considered. And the million Predawn stickers that you gave me at Mostra to make the label known on my travels—they keep on popping up! My favourite, though, is the irony in the “Die Musik ist scheiße” sticker you gave me! Stuttgart is lucky to have you so present in the scene. And thank you, Laima, for saying Stuttgart and not Berlin on your Soundcloud!
Dan: So, your new album. Double LP. How do you pronounce the name of it?
Nils: Co-gi-tat (Cogitat). 10 tracks.
Dan: You showed me the pre-masters in December. Then you mentioned that both the opening track and closing track contained sounds that were present throughout the rest. An introductory opening to the concept. Can you tell me more about the name and the album arrangement?
Nils: Okay. Yes. So, Cogitat is an old German phrase referring to an idea, one that might find you in a deep ponder, meditation, or reflection period. I chose the name because I like the direction of every track being built on an idea; each track provides something deeper that was heard in the track before. It started ambient and then it evolved in its complexity. These main textures were recycled; it carried a theme, with the main synth elements, deep bass, all stemming from this first track somehow. They also all end up in the closing track. I put every sound on one channel and play it with one note, which made sense to me at the time and at the end.
Dan: Like a menu of sounds.
Nils: Yes exactly, a reference. I really like how it came about because it all felt very organic and natural. Taking everything you’ve done, then applying that to a new composition. Not in the same way, but recycled, resampled. Some being more focused on the ambience, some more drive and hypno. The main part in the first track can also be heard in 8 and 9, Immersion & Demersion.
Dan: Is this a process you’ve followed before? What makes this unique? It feels special in the sense it’s your first full album, but how is it different to how you’ve brought to life EPs? This being a longer release, maybe needing to keep it a coherent journey?
Nils: In the past, I’ve worked on one track at a time. Sometimes reigniting old started projects from a hard drive. I feel it will never be random; it has to make sense for me. But this is my first concept album, so there was a new level of thought about the flow from track 1 to 10. It was exciting. It’s been a trip. Not just the journey from the first spark of an idea to the finished product, but a trip for the listener from start to finish, too. It was not linear. Sometimes I was like, "ahhhh I hate this, silly idea," you know? It’s part of the process.
Dan: How long did this album take to create from inception to where you are now? Everything you produce for Predawn and on other labels, although it’s work, it’s fun, you also make productions through other mediums in different styles for work. Less personal and more driven by output. With that in mind, how long from when you stumbled across Cogitat until it felt ready for mastering?
Nils: In total, I’d say just over a year. I’m very slow with things. It can get stored away and returned to, a process similar to other producers. But I tell you, what re-inspired me into this particular project was my time in Japan and then Norway and Monument. After these trips came to an end, I gave myself a loose target of 2 months to get things done. Time pressure can help, you know. But… it took 5 more months haha, but that’s okay. With some ears from Marko, Laima, and Joachim Spieth, they made me feel comfortable, and you know, I must credit them where it’s due. Their presence and help influenced me in such a positive way. I feel very comfortable sharing my ideas with them. More so than I would have done with my music a few years ago.
Dan: And the artwork for the LP. Each release has such a unique visual style. Coherent, but not holding on to a rigid level of consistency and repetition. Who was the artist here? It’s really beautiful.
Nils: That’s really nice to hear. I’m a big fan as well of this one. We have this special deal at Predawn when we are doing a release that we can do whateverrrr we want. No barriers. No blockers to each idea. That’s why you’ll see them all different. It isolates every release as a multifaceted piece of art. A new collaboration with its own personality. It means I can work with people I have met over the years, or discovered, and utilise a new medium of art. For this project, I found an artist and painter called Nico Schützinger from Stuttgart. He is part of the musical group called Cindy Gravity, a German psychedelic pop-rock trio experimenting with synths, vocal harmonies, and drum machines. I know him from France, and I asked him because I’ve always loved his paintings, feeling a little bit unsure initially because of the different vibe in our music, but I gave him the tracks. He did some sketches and one of the first ones I was super, super happy with. He showed me how he did it using an analog approach and it was really nice, we rolled with this.
Dan: I know that all of the Predawn crew have a classical music influence, interest, and draw. One of the many things I love about the label is seeing the classical elements and arrangements shine through. Can you touch on this side of your music and how it’s shaped your style?
Nils: We all learned a classical instrument, yes. Me, I learned the classical guitar, Laima and Marko the piano, and we all have roots in classical stories. For instance, I was an audio engineer for an orchestra and public radio station here. Laima was composing a lot of avant-garde pieces, and we just delve into this every time we are hanging around. We speak about what we are hearing now, textures and rhythms and dissecting that from compositions. U-Music. Have you heard of this? In Germany, it’s orchestra, big band jazz, delivering complex rhythms that I always try and embed into my techno. A dynamic and human rhythm, like the classical, to the floor, off-beat.
Dan: Well Nils, I feel privileged to have listened to the pre-masters back in December but can’t wait for it to be released on April 24th. It’s been a long time coming.
We’ve talked about the LP, we’ve talked a bit about the crew and your productions; can you share some background on what it’s like to promote music in Stuttgart? My time here in December, I met some incredible people, you took me to some beautiful viewpoints, restaurants, etc., and it feels like a peaceful but present community. How is it changing and shaping?
Nils: Ooooo big question! Well yes, it’s certainly changed a lot. I came to Stuttgart 10 years ago, and even when we started conceptualising Predawn there was a lot more of a downtempo touch, a slow edge to electronic music. A very niche scene, but things have changed generally. There is a lot of very fast stuff nowadays; hard techno is the trend and a completely different side to our shadow of techno. People can often go for the hedonistic, movement element, rather than the deep listening, which is each to their own and all has their place, but we want to go more introspective. All of our shows have a live ambient/experimental side, all encouraging the listeners to tune in to the music and where it takes them. Understanding the artist's personality, their style, and ultimately the feeling it leaves you with.
For a while we had to bring people into Stuttgart, but now due to clubs like Lehmann broadening their sound and Kultur Bunker building a community, faces are becoming more familiar. And you go to these events and you see three people wearing a Predawn t-shirt and ahhh yes, it feels good. It’s taken time but it shows people are resonating over time.
Dan: Do you feel like the government is supporting community-led initiatives? By the sounds of it, from new spaces opening like KU, it feels positive. Do they give you confidence to do things and support more grassroots and diversity-led initiatives?
Nils: We are in deep contact with the government. There are a few institutions who support artistic ventures with a focus on focus, and we are supported well in that sense. We have access to grants that are funnelled back into trying new things and special events. In some places, I’m sure this experimental and avant-garde sound goes under the radar from institutions—it’s very niche and people may think, "Why? Who’s interested?" But it’s not the case here. They are open to us doing what we want as long as we present our rationale.
Dan: I guess in bigger cities, such as London or Berlin, the competition is huge. The endeavours to gain access to financial support are large and challenging. It exists, but you have to face a lot of rejection first before the council approves your for a grant. Kultur Bunker seems like a hub for events that may have this kind of support. What kind of events happen there outside of Predawn parties?
Nils: Exhibitions, music showcases, open days, niche gatherings—all for different generations. Anything from techno to heavy rock. One thing that I quite like is this event surrounding a TV show called Tatort, a police drama series. It’s got a long history and cult following. Maybe for like 20 or 30 years? Before every episode on a Sunday whilst it’s showing, they have a rock concert. People gather early but it finishes by 8 so they can get back home in time for the screening of Tatort haha. It’s important we have places like this who are providing a space of commune for all generations and interests. It feels like it’s getting harder to gain resources now; it still exists, but let’s hope Stuttgart stays supporting in this way and doesn’t cut spending in this department.
Dan: In December, you hosted a showcase dedicated to FLINTA artists by prioritising women, queer, and non-binary talent, featuring Cio D’or, Sean H, and more. That was followed by your Voices 04 release in March with Mary Yuzovskaya, Menou, Laima, and Sarah Wreath. This focus is clearly a cornerstone of your mission; it’s vital across all scenes that people go that extra mile for genuine representation. Can you tell us more about the concepts you’re championing here with Predawn?
Nils: We are all aware that the balance is leaning way more towards males in electronic music. We need to platform artists on our label that can then see women, queer, and non-binary talent getting noticed and landing new releases on different platforms round the world. Isolating the conversation to make people aware and clearly see the incredible talent possible from one release where there are no men involved and all part of other representations and communities. And that was true with Voices 04 that came out on 12 March. When we pitched the idea to the local councils, they supported it, which is great and means we can improve the production and quality of what we are doing from a promotion point of view. We will always strive for balanced lineups; we just need more people coming through the scene that are adopting this sound and believe we can get there. It’s a systematic problem across all scenes so we just need people to talk about it and provide more platforms. We will come to it later I’m sure, but all of these artists mentioned will be playing at our festival soon; they are part of our family in so many ways now.
Dan: The Festival. Looking at the lineup, you are clearly doing here what you do across all shows and that’s removing the male-heavy lineups that are commonly released in the scene. A five-year itch? Venue appearing? Artist alignment? Why now?
Nils: Okay, well, I think there are a few points actually. But yeah, five years. It’s a milestone number and we wanted to do something memorable to mark that. We used this location last year for one night with Innersha and the location was perfect for us and how we want to present and provide an atmosphere to those who come listen to the music. We had the option to do more shows in the space last time as we had availability for the week, but we only had capacity for one Predawn event, which was on the Saturday. This time, we had to double down. Let’s pull together our energies, resources, and community to do something for Friday and Saturday—two days of Predawn. Last time we utilised the Friday, an event with friends; one felt like enough last time for something more casual, but we wanted to test our production capabilities and get more artists playing in the city. It now being two days means people can travel for the occasion, from around Germany, Europe and maybe even beyond? People that have supported us over the years can now come celebrate with us. After the Voices release, we wanted to book all of the artists on it. So that’s exactly what we did.
Dan: Three festivals I’m blessed to have shared with you now in Above Below, Mostra, and Monument, and now I can’t wait for Predawn next month. That extra day facilitates a deeper level of connection. More conversations, shared moments. I love club nights, but they can happen all too quick. So exciting people can look forward to seeing each other for round 2 the following day. Regarding the venue, accommodation, timings etc., what can people expect?
Nils: Yes, so as mentioned, 2 days for this. A more chill day on the Friday from 6 pm till 1 am and then the Saturday is longer, from 6 pm. Leaving the day to rest and enjoy Stuttgart and then the event from 6 pm till officially 5 am, but let’s see…
The location of the venue is excellent, with Airbnbs available in every direction. Finding a place nearby should be a smooth process. We kept the ticket price low for people to factor this into their travel and arrangement plans. We also have an extra affordable option if you message us for 5 euros a night—a studio space, super cosy with showers and water. Just message us to find out more if that feels like it’s for you.
Dan: Logistics covered. Now let’s loop back to the lineup. We’ve listed a few names in this interview so far. Some top, top artists from round the world are playing. Let’s deep dive into it.
Nils: Okay, let’s go alphabetical for the music artists first: Basti Thielburg (DJ), Joachim Spieth (live), Laima Adelaide (live), Me (live), Mary Yuzovskaya (DJ), Menou (DJ), Rambadu (live), Reto Weiche (experimental), Ronny Pinazza (DJ), Sarah Wreath (live), Stoebern (Spoken Word) and TAMA (live).
It’s a mixture of artists we love, have connected with, and thought it’s a nice idea to invite them to our birthday party haha. I mean, remember Mary’s set at Monument? Wow. It had to happen. Rambadu—a huge influence since I started listening to Hypnus and Deep Techno. Sarah, who Laima met at Berghain a while back and is also from South Germany. It was a nice story actually when we realised we went to the same clubs and areas when we were younger at 16. Then there’s Joachim Spieth from Stuttgart, one of my favourite composer’s and DJ. He's a real part of the family too and always lends a hand with the events, acting as our artist liaison this past December. Menou, who I connected with in Barcelona at Mostra and then went to stay and connect with again in Tokyo last year. Ronny, part of the family who never misses a Predawn show. The list goes on. We are very happy with it all. It feels organic and I'm so excited for everyone to show their music and styles.
Dan: A lot of live sets too. It’s great to see in this setting. Particularly many hailing from the local area. On the lineup I also saw workshops and visual art. Can you let us know more about that?
Nils: Yesss of course. It’s super nice. They are planning special installations to bring the whole concept to life. The place is quite raw and industrial—a warehouse feel which gives a lot of creative freedom and angles to experiment. Everything will combine and help deepen that connection to the music. We even have a workshop on Saturday right before the music starts that is about deep listening—getting people tuned into the idea of absorbing the information coming from the speakers and sinking into that feeling. We feel it needed its platform and then the music will follow. It keeps everyone in the same place, rather than making a choice between the workshop and the music.
Dan: I can’t wait, Nils. Counting down the days for the 8th and 9th of May. For anyone reading, if you can make it, you can still get a ticket on RA.
Is there anything else happening this year you’d like to tease or let us know about? I’m sure there is something up your sleeves to follow the festival.
Nils: I’ll tell you something. And it’s something I’m really excited for. I’ve invited two artists to do reinterpretations for my tracks from the album. I decided it would be a nice idea to not have them on the record as a digital bonus, and release them separately and spotlight them in that way. There will be a 10-inch lathe-cut record being released later this year featuring a rework from Doltz on one side and Joachim Spieth on the other. Two artists I admire very much. The artwork will also be switched—an alternative version to the one existing for the LP. No clear date yet, but a bit after summer, we will see. Tracks are finished but some more planning after the festival I think.
Dan: Too good. You sound very happy. Another thing to look forward to.
Thank you Nils, it really has been fantastic to talk to you. You know how much we appreciate your music at Delayed but more importantly, you as a person. You leave a trail of warmth and positivity everywhere you go. It’s been so pivotal in my life to get to know you over the years—our kindling relationship at Mostra, to Monument, to Stuttgart and now Stuttgart round 2! You made me feel at home in Stuttgart, took us out for Spätzle, walks in the vineyards, a beautiful valley, the Glühwein, and meeting some of your family and more. I can’t wait to come back, so soon after the first trip.
Is there anything else you’d like to round off with?
Nils: I think that’s it. Thank you Dan. I’m very glad we had that connection at Mostra and spent those days together with you, Zac, and the Delayed crew. Super thankful for the memories and the musical support too. See you in Stuttgart!