Wolfram: Italo Disco, Fashion Parties, And a New Year’s Eve Takeover

by Dara Morgan

Wolfram: Italo Disco, Fashion Parties, And a New Year’s Eve Takeover

21 Dec 2024

Wolfram is one of Austria's most distinctive DJs, known for his eclectic, genre-blending sets that seamlessly mix 80s vibes, disco, house, and electronic music. With a career spanning decades, he has played iconic venues worldwide and collaborated with legends like Haddaway and Pamela Anderson. This New Year's Eve, Wolfram brings his signature energy to Nahaté, where his unexpected musical choices and passion for live connection promise an unforgettable night on the dance floor.

— Tell us about your early music journey. How did it all start for you?

— I grew up listening to my father’s music. In the '80s, most parents listened to rock, like The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Elvis, but my dad was into more futuristic sounds. He built his own speakers and Hi-Fi systems, always focused on making the sound perfect. He would show me how to sit in the exact right spot for the best sound. He loved electronic music, so I was exposed to early Kraftwerk, and all those pioneers of the genre. At the time, I did not think it was that cool—more just something my dad played. But when I hit my teens, I started to appreciate it, realising how enjoyable it was. By 14 or 15, in 1996, I started buying albums like Daft Punk (it was generally CDs then), and I noticed similarities with the electronic music my dad used to play. That was when things really clicked.

—You mentioned your father introducing you to music. Was there a moment in your teenage years when your parents would be like “You listen to some nonsense”?

— I remember buying my first Daft Punk record, not because I had heard it, but because I read a five-star review in a magazine. The music was so different from what my dad played—it felt repetitive, like a loop. His electronic music was more melodic, almost classical. Daft Punk was hypnotic, and my mum hated it. She would complain about how loud it was in the mornings, and my friends thought it was weird at first. But they eventually got into it too, saying, “Wow, this is strange, but it works.” Then, I bought Air’s Moon Safari album, and my mum was like, “Wow, this is beautiful.” That is when I realised there was a difference between my parents’ music and the stuff I was into, but they still gave feedback and supported it.

— So, how did you transition into your professional career?

— I started by playing in my basement and then DJing at a prom party in my village when I turned 18. It was not a big gig, and the crowd was not all into it, but it was fun. After that, I moved to Vienna to study sound engineering, and that is where I started producing music. Around 1999–2000, I got my first Apple computer, which was rare at the time. I started recording mixes at home, burning CDs, and sending them to local radio stations. One station invited me to play a set, and through that, I got more exposure. Eventually, I was invited to play a residency in New York, which really boosted my career. I got to know people in the scene, and when I came back to Vienna, it opened doors, including a booking agency in Berlin. That is when things started taking off.

— It feels like a lot of things have changed since that time. How do you feel about it?

— It is different now, for sure. Back then, electronic music felt futuristic, like it was all about technology and innovation. Now, it is part of the mainstream. If I were young today, I might not be a DJ. It felt very special—playing vinyl and travelling with it was part of the whole experience. Now, you just plug in a USB stick. The technology and the culture around DJing have evolved, and while the music is still great, the magic of it all has changed. I remember meeting Moby back in 2005, when he was a huge star, and it helped boost my career. Having one release back then could get you noticed. Now, it feels like everyone can put out music, and it is harder to stand out.

Also, the way people consume music now is so different. DJs do not carry crates of vinyl anymore; they just plug in their USB stick. The audience is also different. Back then, they were analogue, more connected to the live experience. Now, everyone is on their phones recording everything. It is a different vibe, and sometimes, I wonder if I would even be a DJ if I were starting out now.

— Yeah, now it is if you don’t post, you were not attending. Is it annoying for you, or are you okay with everyone filming?

— Well, I am not so against it, but I can see both sides. I know it is not the same as before, when everyone was just dancing and having the best time when a great track played. Back then, people would even stage dive, but now if someone stage dives, the rest would just record it. That one person is getting filmed, but if you are not a famous DJ, and you manage to get the crowd to go crazy, they might start filming, which means you did something right.

However, once people start filming, the moment starts to lose some of its intensity because they stop dancing. It may not help you that night, but it could the next day if someone posts about it. A promoter might see it and think, "Wow, good party!" It could help younger DJs as well.

I am not against technology. I have always been supportive of it. With streaming music, I do not care how many streams my songs have on Spotify. I do not even know how much you get paid for a million streams. I think I could maybe invite you for dinner, but that is about it. That is all the money you get, but I do not have a problem with it because I am lucky to have gigs. Of course, there are many musicians who only have streams, and they don’t get paid well. But for me, I don’t mind. I use Spotify, and I listen to music I probably would not have discovered otherwise. I also use Uber, even though taxi drivers hate it. It has pros and cons, but I like that technology moves forward.

— As you prepare for your performance at New Year's at Nahaté, what can we expect?

— The thing is, I don’t prepare anymore. When I was younger, I always knew exactly what I would play. It is good and bad at the same time because if you prepare, you become stubborn and stick to your plan, even if it doesn’t suit the crowd. But now, I just see what the DJ before me is playing, how the crowd is responding, and how I can follow up. I focus on the mood and try to adjust it if needed. I am much more flexible now, and I think I am the kind of DJ who brings people into a good mood. I also play unexpected tracks. Some electronic DJs might think, "What the hell are you doing?" but then people start smiling, and they realise it works. Maybe a few years later, other DJs will start playing similar tracks and think, "Actually, that works now." That is the thing with music – it takes time for people to understand it.

— Right, so sometimes it is fine not to be understood in the moment because you know that, after some time, people will understand.

— Yes, exactly. I play music from the 80s until now, and it isn’t so stiff. I want to create a fun mood, enjoy the night, and not take it too seriously. There may be some serious tracks, but the main thing is to have a good time and start the year with a smile.

— You have an impressive history of playing at fashion parties. Tell us about getting there. How are these events different from club gigs?

— It started when I played at the Vivienne Westwood store opening in Paris. They liked me so much that they invited me to play more parties in London and Paris. At one of those early parties, Pamela Anderson was there, and she danced for my entire set — about an hour. I could tell she had a great time. After I finished, she left the dance floor, and I thought, "That was cool, she was dancing," but then a guy came up to me and said, "Hey, I am Pamela's assistant, she wants to talk to you." So we met, and we became friends. Eventually, we even recorded a track together for my last album. In the European version, it just says "featuring Pam," but in the American version, it says "featuring Pamela Anderson." I think it is cool that not everyone knows about it, but I was lucky to have her contribute. This connection helped me, as Vivienne Westwood parties brought a lot of influential people, and then Balenciaga became really popular around 2017–2018. They started booking me for their parties in Paris, including their Christmas party at their headquarters.

I have been lucky that I was in the right place at the right time, and a lot of fashionable people started dancing to my music. It is not the typical serious electronic music you hear at places like Berghain, but the fashion crowd loves it. Back when I was younger, playing fashion parties was not as exciting. The sound systems were usually terrible, and people were more interested in talking about fashion than dancing. But now, thanks to brands like Vivienne Westwood and Balenciaga, the fashion world really invests in good sound systems and throws great parties, which makes them more fun. I think that has changed for the better over the years.

— Talking about fashion, your own fashion choices are quite unique. What influences your personal style?

— In the 90s, I was heavily influenced by Helmut Lang. I first got to know him because he was Austrian, and I thought it was amazing that an Austrian designer was showing at the same time as brands like Versace. He moved to New York and was instrumental in starting New York Fashion Week, which is now a big deal. Before him, designers had to go to Paris, but he realised it was costly, so he started showing in New York instead. I liked that he was challenging the system. He also showed models in casual wear, like jeans, which was unheard of at the time. I remember wearing a pair of his jeans to school, and my friends would laugh at me because they looked like they had been through a football match, but I loved them. Helmut Lang's approach really influenced me, especially his mix of military and casual wear. Now, I have my own style, and I have worn things like racing jackets or vintage Ferrari gear, which are much more common now, but back then, they were hard to find. I do not wear that anymore, though, because it is everywhere. At the moment, I am not sure what my style is, but I like to wear whatever feels right for the situation.

— Have you thought through your look for New Year's yet?

— No, but it is easier because I have lots of suits. I have some old Helmut Lang suits and Armani suits, so it is not a problem. I even have a Gucci suit from when Tom Ford was designing for Gucci in the late 90s. That could be good for New Year's.

— Sounds great! So, my next question may sound a bit cheesy, but do you perceive yourself as a visionary?

— I think calling yourself a visionary isn’t quite right. I believe other people should say that about you over time. I mean, if you look at my Facebook — which I have not used in ten years — you will see that I was wearing stuff like Ferrari racing jackets long before they became trendy. People might look back now and think I was ahead of my time, but I do not call myself a visionary. I have been around for a long time, and I am happy when others notice what I have done. For example, last Halloween, I played in Vienna, and two guys came up to me and said they had dressed as me, wearing racing outfits and curly hair. They said it was a typical Wolfram outfit. That was funny, and it made me realise that some people notice and appreciate what I do. But I think to be a visionary, you need to make bigger, more impactful changes. However, it is nice to know some people acknowledge what I have done, like when I played Italo disco before it became popular. I remember in 2003, no one was playing Italo, and now it is everywhere. It is cool to see how things have changed.

— Do you have any upcoming plans for 2025 that you would like to share?

— Well, yesterday, my agent, André, had a call with my club in New York about me and Haddaway performing live for Valentine's Day. That could be a fun one. I have worked with Haddaway on my last two albums, and we we played together this year at Art Basel, and it was really well received. We performed our own tracks; we have made about five tracks together, and we played those five tracks, and people liked them a lot. After that, we played a new version of "What Is Love," and people went crazy. It was incredible. And I am really excited to play this for Valentine's Day because what is better than a love song as big as "What Is Love" for Valentine's Day? I think that is a great way to start the year, especially in February. January is always a bit quiet, the first two weeks, but I think that New York with Haddaway for Valentine's Day will be a really fun gig.

by Dara Morgan