Brett Callwood
Cosmic Perel Takes in Desert Air: East German artist Perel, aka Annegret Fiedler, produced her very first track in 2012.
“Around that time I also started DJing in a Berlin club called Wilde Renate — super fun times,” she says. “But it didn’t get really serious until 2017 when I brought out my first album Hermetica on DFA Records which opened a completely new world to me and brought Perel on display internationally.
She describes her sound as a mixture of Kraftwerk, Giorgio Moroder, Patrick Cowley, Nina Hagen, Tangerine Dream and Depeche Mode, “with a touch of cosmic ’90s and 2000s rave elements.”
“But it’s much more than that,” she says. “I created a quite unique sound in the way I produce — you clearly hear it’s Perel whether some tracks are more indie dance and others more techno. The same applies to my DJ sets — very eclectic but yet hypnotizing. It’s not about the genre but the vibe.”
Perel says that the ongoing pandemic has provided her with a wake-up call.
“My pre-COVID life pretty much consisted of touring only,” she says. “Every weekend. It seemed normal to me as my main job was to DJ or play live in clubs, dance events or festivals and I wasn’t aware of how physically and mentally exhausting and unsustainable this business is, not even to mention my personal ecological footprint I’m leaving. Terrible. So the pandemic definitely changed my perspective on things. Are streams a solution? Surely not. We need concerts, festivals, clubs and other events — it’s an integral part of who we are. But I learned to say NO – I don’t need to be on every line-up constantly. It’s nice to have a couple weeks off in between and then start touring akin to bands in a block. That way I’m able to focus more on my music productions and releases that are as much as important as my shows.”
Perel performs at Desert Air in Palm Springs next month.
“I’m very excited to play Desert Ai,” she says. “I think it’s the perfect setting for my music. You can expect a hybrid DJ set which means I will also sing. In fact, hybrid DJ sets are my signature style and I’m pretty proud of it, as it took me a long time to bring it on a level where it feels punk and yet professional at the same time.”
“Finally my second album will hit the light of the world starting with a single in early February, a second April and eventually the full album by May 2022,” she says. “So of course we’re working on special album shows as well as a whole hard ticket selling shows world wide. It’s gonna be a magical year. I already feel it.”
Cosmic Perel Takes in Desert Air: Desert Air takes place on December 10 and 11. Get all of the info at desertairfest.com.
