Blac Kolor interview: ‘Blac Kolor songs are many things, but certainly not ordinary or familiar’
Blac Kolor
When I discovered Blac Kolor’s debut album “Wide Noise” in 2014, I immediately knew that this project, driven by Hendrick Grothe, carried something special. Over the years, this German sound architect has built a reputation within a select circle of Electro enthusiasts in search of innovation and, above all, originality. Blac Kolor has always blended a wide range of influences. Whether you call it IDM, Industrial-Techno, EBM, or even Trance, this artist moves fluidly between styles, reshaping them into something uniquely his own.
At the end of 2025, Ant-Zen released the sixth Blac Kolor studio album – excluding remix albums – “Arca”. Once again, it hits the mark: an intelligent Electro production with a menacing atmosphere, driven by magical analog textures and powerful bass lines. It was the direct inspiration for this interview with someone I consider to be one of the greatest geniuses of his genre and his generation. (Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)
Blac Kolor interview
Q: What was the basis for the new Blac Kolor album “Arca”? Did the music come first, or were you influenced by a specific theme or concept that you then built upon?
Hendrick: “Arca” can be understood more or less as a successor to my penultimate album “Weltenbrand”. For me, the two albums are closely intertwined thematically. “Arca” continues the fundamental critique of human behavior that was already at the heart of “Weltenbrand,” but adds the element of hope.
“Weltenbrand” concludes with the statement that it’s all too late, nothing can be saved, everything has been said… and that’s exactly how I felt back then. However, I didn’t want to simply accept that and wanted to add something positive to the story –the element of hope. Tracks like “Lake Of Sunken Worries” and “Fragile Moments” were already written during the “Weltenbrand” period and then laid the foundation for “Arca.”
Q: Would it be fair to describe “Arca” as a conceptual Blac Kolor album, using the so-called biblical plagues as a metaphor for contemporary society? Can you explain what the album is about in more detail, how this idea came about, and what it reflects about your personal view of the world today?
Hendrick: Absolutely. “Arca” is a concept album through and through. As I mentioned before, I wanted to give the whole thing a hopeful feel. The ark as a symbol of hope and salvation was relatively easy to find, and from the image of an ark, it wasn’t a big leap to the Ten Biblical Plagues, which I’d always wanted to use as a concept container.
Each of the original plagues was intended to serve as a kind of template for a characteristic or a dark side of human existence. Themes like Fear, Violence, Hate, but also Greed and Technology were processed and squeezed into the concept of the Ten Plagues. However, the intro track, “Lake Of Sunken Worries,” deliberately breaks with this idea. The piece symbolically represents hope and is meant to reflect the positive overall tone.
The message is, ‘We may have destroyed everything, but we also have it in our own hands to make sure everything turns out alright in the end’. WE ARE THE ARK.
The blood-red cover artwork (red in reference to the first biblical plague, ‘blood’) is by no means destructive or negative, but rather intended to convey peace and hope, encouraging us to always live self-reflectively and responsibly. All in all, yet another great contradiction in terms. As is so often the case with Blac Kolor.
Q: What triggered or influenced you musically during the making of “Arca”, and how do you feel this Blac Kolor album compares to your previous work?
Hendrick: The goal is clear: each new release should be better than the previous one. Whether that’s the case or not is up to each listener and fan to decide. I think “Arca” is perhaps a bit more mature or grown-up than its predecessors. But the comparison is really, really difficult. I definitely didn’t want to repeat myself, yet still remain true to the typical Blac Kolor sound. Musically speaking, I was clearly guided by the happy accidents I encountered while working with my modular systems. That’s for sure.
The challenge was finding sounds that were unconventional, fresh, and bold on the one hand, and yet still had a certain catchiness on the other. But it’s also a fact that “Arca” is the album with the most EBM of them all. I personally think that the EBM genre never really fit the description of the Blac Kolor world, but there are a suspiciously large number of EBM basslines on it. Not very fresh and not very bold, you might think. But maybe I also wanted to appeal to some extent. To myself, for example.
Q: Looking back, what will you remember most about the composition and production process of “Arca”? What were the most difficult moments or challenges along the way? And eventually the innovations?
Hendrick: The most difficult part of the production was deciding how wild and unhinged certain elements could be. When does a track still work, and when does the perception become jarring because the elements are too wild? Evaluating the aforementioned random results from the modular synths and integrating them sensibly into the production from a mixing perspective was the most complicated part.
Furthermore, this time it was really difficult to decide which tracks would make it onto the album and which wouldn’t. Ten was the conceptual limit, but I had at least three times that many to choose from. Creating a cohesive listening experience and a cohesive sonic journey from that was also very challenging.
But I would never call myself ‘innovative’. If that’s the case, let others do it. I have only one simple rule: if it sounds like something that’s already been done somewhere before, by me or anyone else, then it gets deleted immediately. I think this filtering process works very well because Blac Kolor songs are many things, but certainly not ordinary or familiar.
Q: It’s safe to say you have a strong passion for vintage analog synths and machines. Where did this fascination originate, which machines are your favorites, and are there any others you’re still hoping to add to your collection?
Hendrick:Oh, this topic is very, very tedious. I somehow stepped down the ‘Eurorack rabbit hole’ and I’ll never find my way out. It’s both a blessing and a curse. There’s little rational explanation for it. Modular synthesizers are simply my path. But I try to keep my production methods open to all kinds of sources. I also use quite a lot of software in parallel. But the most fun is always the search for the next crazy sample.
I spend a lot of time in front of the modular system, running all sorts of things through the patch paths and waiting for the unexpected. My favorite machines change very frequently and quite quickly, though. If I were to name-drop something right now, I’d mention the Antilope from Manifold Research Centre or the Steampipe from Erica Synths. Crazy pieces of equipment with a lot of unpredictability.
I’ve stopped putting specific instruments on a wishlist, following the ‘must-have’ pattern. I see gear collecting as a kind of addiction, and desire and addiction satisfaction are two different things. Unfortunately, I think I’ll buy my future favorite in the next few weeks.
Q: Artificial intelligence is increasingly entering the world of music, which—at least on the surface—seems at odds with artists like you who are deeply involved in sound design and hands-on creation. What is your perspective on this development, and how do you see it evolving in the future?
Hendrick:I think we should take a closer look at the intended use of AI before making any distinctions. AI as support software in production processes will definitely prevail, as it saves time and money in achieving the desired result. No one will be able to escape these efficiency tools. And no one will later ask, ‘Did AI mix and master this’? No one will care anymore. For manufacturers, this means that the market is in flux. Customers will expect to benefit from the potential savings and demand more performance for less money. The pressure will increase on those who accept contract work.
From an artistic perspective, I don’t think AI will play a role anytime soon. An artist is so much more than just their musical output. People are interested in people, in stories, and the emotions behind them. Machines will have a very hard time here, even in the future. I find it difficult to imagine us eagerly awaiting the new album from AI XYZ, ordering a signed vinyl, and securing tickets for their upcoming show. And I’m sure you’re not exactly thrilled about conducting an interview with an AI tomorrow.
Generated music will continue to exist and will certainly increase significantly. Sooner or later, marketing platforms will have to take a clear stance on this. Bandcamp has already banned AI-generated content, which can be seen as a clear position. But if there are still enough listeners who are satisfied with generated rubbish, AI profiles will also emerge. However, I can’t take any of this seriously, and it doesn’t worry me. With increasing storage capacity, the amount of data clutter also increases. That has always been the case and will remain so. It’s simply a shame about all the energy wasted on such AI.
Q: How important is live performance within the overall Blac Kolor project? How do you prepare for live shows, and what are the biggest challenges when performing on stage?
Hendrick: Live performances are very, very important. I love watching the audience when they’re watching me. I’d love to play much more often. So, all you promoters out there –get in touch!
I also try to give each show its own unique touch. I always prepare new parts for each show and leave plenty of room for improvisation. That’s the only way I can keep it fun for myself. It’s supposed to be fun, not work;-)
The biggest challenges are always technical. Some piece of equipment is always breaking down, or Ableton Live is acting up. Things like that. The search for the optimal setup is ongoing and not yet complete.
Q: Finally, are you currently working on any new Blac Kolor material, and what are your plans for 2026?
Hendrick: My problem is that I currently have too much new material. Enough for three albums, probably. I’m currently giving it a bit of structure, organizing it, planning releases and finding a home for the material. Everything’s still pretty vague.
But what I can reveal is that there will be at least two more Blac Kolor music videos. I’m really looking forward to that right now. Whether all of this will happen in 2026 or maybe not until 2027, I can’t say yet. I’m definitely not stressing about it. I just let myself drift a bit.
I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
Since you’re here …
… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can - and we refuse to add annoying advertising. So you can see why we need to ask for your help.
Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive.
If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
The donations are safely powered by Paypal.
