Jan Blomqvist: Being as close to perfection as possible [interview]

In this interview, Jan Blomqvist discusses his upcoming album, the magic of Burning Man, being a one-man band, and the pursuit of perfection. Ahead of his next visit to Poland and the release of his album MUTE, Jan shared insights into the complexity of his creative process and the need to adapt live performances to… smartphone screens. As a warm-up for the Sunday event at Progresja in Warsaw, we invite you to read the interview.
If you ever find yourself in a discussion about music and hear the opinion that electronic creators are difficult to call „artists,” not only in the sense of producers but also as multi-instrumentalists, composers, and arrangers, just mention this name: Jan Blomqvist. Over a career spanning more than two decades, the now 43-year-old German has mastered nearly all aspects of the artistic craft necessary to be a self-sufficient entity on stage and in the studio. Audiences around the world are discovering this as they are captivated by his live performances, both in a one-man show format and with a live band. It is in this latter—and let’s be honest, more intriguing—version that Jan Blomqvist will present himself to the Polish audience this Sunday. However, before the German takes the stage at Progresja in Warsaw, he answered a few questions about himself as an artist, his album set to premiere in February, and his desire to give audiences something more than just music.

Jan Blomqvist – an interview
Hubert Grupa: I’ll start from the end—just a few weeks ago, a recording of your performance at Mayan Warrior during Burning Man 2024 was released online. I watch this video and see the night desert illuminated by the lights of the crowd; then I close my eyes, listen to your music, and let my thoughts drift far away. What is your strongest memory from that amazing performance?
Jan Blomqvist: The atmosphere is always very special at Mayan Warrior. The connection with the audience, the vibe, the location, the Mayan Warrior car and all the people I meet in the desert – I’m immensily grateful to be able to play at this beautifully surrealistic place.
This time I played during the night which made it much different from my previous performances but not in the least less impressive. The most memorable moment was when RyX entered the stage to perform All I have with me which I remixed earlier in 2024.

Is it true that all the equipment there is covered in dust and sand all the time? Doesn’t anyone clean it before the shows?
If many thousand people are dancing in the dust, you cannot help it. Even if you clean, it won’t stay clean for long. What can I say: It’s part of the deal.
Jan Blomqvist (live) – Mayan Warrior – Burning Man 2024
Jan Blomqvist on the new album: More experience, more confidence, fewer doubts, and a lot of fun
We are just moments away from the release of your highly anticipated album, MUTE. I’m curious about how your creative process and thoughts about music have changed since recording your previous studio album. In the announcement for MUTE, it is described as a testament to your evolution as an artist.
Yes, this is how I feel about it and others agree. The process – in comparison to the other albums – felt more grown up this time. How can I describe it: More experience, more certainty, less doubts and a lot of fun.
Jan Blomqvist: Achieving a point that sounds like perfection
I ask this because I’ve recently had many discussions with various artists about the differences in their music creation processes, particularly regarding mistakes. Are you a perfectionist who repeats a sequence a hundred times until it sounds perfect? Or do you allow yourself to make mistakes, as it often leads to something new and unexpected?
I can’t answer this in a black and white mannor.. Sometimes, if something feels not quite right, I will change it until I reach the point that sounds like perfection to me. Or let’s say, as close to perfection as you can get. (laughs) But this only works if I have a very specific goal in my head already. If I don’t have that I have no choice but to have the process guide me somewhere. So, to answer your question: I know both sides of the coin. And maybe everything in between.

Do you recall any unexpected moments during recording that felt like an epiphany? James Holden recently told me that while waving his arms in excitement, he knocked over a glass, but the sound it made when hitting the ground was perfect, so he kept it and later tried to recreate it.
I did not have a lucky punch monent like James in a longer time. But I am always integrating making may own sounds into the production process. It’s a lot of fun. For example, I’m
substituting the snare with a rumpling paper sound or I let something fall to the floor and record it. This is often a trial and error process, but more planned than James’s accidentally knocked over glass.
Visuals adapted for smartphones? Jan Blomqvist: I’m not there yet
Returning to MUTE—in the announcement for the tour dedicated to the album, the phrase “immersive experiences” is clearly emphasized. The presence of a band, visualizations, and at the center of it all—you as the captain of the ship. Do you also feel that music alone is not enough and that today’s audiences expect more, including experiences that engage all their senses, not just hearing?
I think it’s obvious that the constant need to share your life over social media definitely has led to an increased demand for the show aspects of not just concerts but everything else. Events have to look good now. And with that I mean: to look good on a display. This goes as far as the adaption of visuals to the phones. I’m not there yet, though. ☺ And not every show cateres to social media in that extreme way. I mean, light shows have been a part of the concert experience for a very long time. Simply because sound and light are a perfect match. I understand my show as a visual enhancer of my tracks, a way to affirm the feelings evoked by my music. Like an extension of the sound to the eye. I find this very fascinating. This is why I love to work with visual artists like Shan Blume and my light team – The Telekollegen – who know how to make this happen. It’s hard work though and not always a smooth process.

I think very few artists in the electronic scene can be described as being as well-rounded as you are—you sing, write lyrics, produce, compose, and have instrumental experience. Does such versatility help or hinder? I ask this with regard to whether you always want to do everything yourself because that way you can be sure it will be done exactly as you envision.
I do a lot myself, yes. I’m not DJ but a musician and all of the tasks you mentioned are part of my work as a musician. This obviously makes it the process slower. But I don’t feel like this is a hindrance. It is what it is. And in the end, there are still tasks that I delegate to my beautiful team. Most of the people I work with are long time friends and we know each other very well. This helps me enourmously with the delegation of tasks. Because I know they’re in good hands.
Jan Blomqvist: I will never see my show live from the audience’s perspective, so I have to delegate and trust
Following up on my previous question, I discussed this with Röyksopp during their live performances—do you also feel that you need or want control over every element of your show? From the music to the visualizations, down to how your accompanying band is dressed? Or do you have enough trust to delegate certain areas to people who will take care of them?
It depends on the task. It’s very important to me to have the sound be as good as it can. That’s why certain sounds will not be played live, but I will have them mixed in ableton. I’m talking reverse sounds or all the orchestral sounds I simpy cannot do.
Let’s talk light again as another example: I’m in no way a specialist when it comes to the visuals, for example. I thus need to trust my visual team. I can’t be in total control here. You have to consider, that I will never see my show live from the audiences’ perspective, so I have to delegate and trust.

I ask this question to almost everyone; I’ll ask you too—it’s about AI and the future of music. We’ve known for a long time that music production software and tools use AI. However, productions or remixes entirely generated by AI are becoming increasingly common. What frightens me most about this phenomenon is that for most listeners, it doesn’t matter whether a piece was created by a human or AI and to what extent. What can we do to change or halt this trend? Are we even capable of winning this battle?
I don’t think, we can change this development. And I actually don’t even know if I would want to. We can’t foresee what will happen. Maybe we have to learn to live with AI and use it to our advantage..
Is there anything else related to music that you would like to learn? For example, playing a particular instrument? Or perhaps there’s something that poses a particular challenge for you?
No. At the moment, I honestly don’t feel like learning something new. I’d prefer to spend more time with my family and be home and not do a single thing except cook, meet friends and play with the kids. I would love to learn piano with my kids. The older one has to get a little more patient though. My little one is very talented already. Let’s see if this happens one day.

Jan Blomqvist: I love when the audience is a bit confused
You surely have that one track from your new album that you’re most eager to perform live. What is it?
Yes, I do have two tracks, I’m very eager to play on tour. The first one is Algorithm. It’s my first track slower than 120bpm. I’ve already tested it live and I love how the audience is a bit confused at the beginning. But when it starts grooving, they all love it.
The second one is Underwater, simply because it’s my best track yet.
Jan Blomqvist – Algorithm
Jan Blomqvist in Poland – tickets
We would like to remind you that Jan Blomqvist will perform live in Poland this coming Sunday, January 26. The event will take place at Progresja in Warsaw. The concert is part of the tour promoting the artist’s upcoming album titled MUTE, which is set to be released on February 14. The event is organized by Winiary Bookings as part of the ARK series. You can find tickets for the concert on GoOut.net.