Picture this: a DJ rushing straight from the airport to the club after an airline lost his records, with no time to even catch his breath. That actually happened to Matthias Tanzmann during an early gig at Ibiza’s famed DC10, he was whisked from the tarmac to the turntables and had to start playing immediately. It’s a fitting anecdote for an artist whose career has been defined by passion, spontaneity, and the thrill of the underground. Tanzmann may not chase pop-star spotlights, but in the global house and techno community, he’s revered as a genuine icon. For over two decades, this German DJ/producer has been steadily setting dancefloors alight with hypnotic beats, all while staying true to an independent ethos.
Matthias Tanzmann hails from Leipzig in former East Germany, where he came of age just as the Berlin Wall fell, a moment that unleashed a wave of creative freedom across the country. As a teenager in the mid-90s, Tanzmann found himself drawn into a blossoming underground rave scene. With police presence in flux and countless abandoned warehouses suddenly available, he recalls how there were “so many illegal parties” in which basic sound systems and DIY bars would pop up in deserted factories. This anything-goes environment of newfound freedom is what ignited his love for electronic music.
Before long, he was spinning records at local bars and earned a residency at Leipzig’s renowned Distillery club, at the time a legendary hotspot for techno and house. By the late ’90s, Tanzmann was not only DJing but also trying his hand at production. His first releases came via a project called Gamat 3000 (a collaboration with Daniel Scholz), which landed on respected deep-house labels like Dessous and Freude am Tanzen.
These early deep grooves set the stage for what would come next: in 2000, alongside friends from the Leipzig scene, Tanzmann launched his own label, Moon Harbour Recordings. There was “no business plan”, just a desire to put out the music they loved. Little did they know, Moon Harbour would still be going strong 25 years later, a respected hub for quality tech-house and deep house releases.
Tanzmann’s sound is best described as a smooth blend of house groove and techy energy. He’s known for winding, hypnotic rhythms and infectious basslines that keep dancers glued to the floor.
In the early days, his style was rooted in the deeper end of house music (think warm chords and laid-back swing), influenced by the 1990s deep-house wave. As the 2000s progressed, he embraced a more minimal and percussive tech-house vibe (still groovy, but with a lean, modern edge built for late-night club floors). This evolution is evident in his discography.
After years of releasing club singles and EPs, Tanzmann took a creative leap in 2016 with Momentum, his first full-length artist album. Momentum allowed him to break out of the strictly “functional” club-track formula and explore more emotive, listening-friendly sides of house and techno, delivering a narrative flow that could captivate even off the dancefloor.
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He followed it in 2019 with another album, Round and Round, released track-by-track on Moon Harbour. This record was almost autobiographical, a retrospective of his journey, featuring collaborations with old friends like Steve Bug and Mathias Kaden, and newer talents like Black Circle.
Listening to Round and Round today offers a panoramic view of Tanzmann’s range, from deep, dubby house to rhythmic peak-time heaters. And yet, no matter how his sound shifts, a certain vibe remains constant: a sleek, hypnotic groove that’s unmistakably Tanzmann.
Tanzmann’s journey from local DJ to international headliner is marked by steady, authentic growth rather than overnight hype. A major chapter of his story is Moon Harbour Recordings, the label he co-founded in 2000. Over the years, Moon Harbour became synonymous with top-tier underground house, breaking artists like Luna City Express and showcasing Tanzmann’s own productions and those of his close-knit crew. He even started a sister label in 2006, Cargo Edition, to broaden the spectrum and support more experimental sounds.
Of course, no Tanzmann story is complete without Ibiza. In 2007, after that trial-by-fire gig on New Year’s Day, Matthias secured a coveted residency at Circoloco, the infamous Monday party at DC10. For nearly 15 years since, he’s been a staple of Circoloco’s summer lineup, delivering marathon Monday sessions of cutting-edge house to a packed terrace at DC10.
Beyond DC10, Tanzmann became a familiar face at other Ibiza institutions too: you could catch him playing back-to-back sets with his pal Davide Squillace, rocking the open-air ANTS parties at Ushuaïa, or appearing at Marco Carola’s Music On nights and Elrow events. Essentially, if it’s an Ibiza party devoted to real, no-nonsense house vibes, chances are Matthias Tanzmann has commanded the decks there.
Back on the global stage, Tanzmann’s influence extends to festival crowds and clubbers on every continent. He’s performed at renowned festivals like BPM in Mexico, mega-raves like Ultra Miami, and even the iconic Tomorrowland.In 2012, he was tapped to mix Fabric 65, part of London’s prestigious mix CD series, further cementing his status as a tastemaker DJ. And while live crowds are his forte, his studio output has earned respect in its own right. Tanzmann’s remixing skills have been sought by legends. He’s reworked tracks for the likes of Moby and Josh Wink, among others.
Another highlight worth noting is Tanzmann’s role in the trio Better Lost Than Stupid, alongside fellow house heavyweights Martin Buttrich and Davide Squillace. This “DJ supergroup” started as a live back-to-back concept and evolved into a full studio project.
In 2019 they finally dropped their debut album, Wild Slide, a collection of melodic techno and house that let each member’s style shine. Releasing Wild Slide was a reminder that even after decades in the game, Tanzmann is still up for new adventures and collaborations.
The story doesn’t slow down in the 2020s for Matthias Tanzmann. If anything, he’s as prolific and busy as ever. In the past year or two, he’s been churning out new music across various labels, often teaming up with friends from the scene.
In 2023 he linked up with Swiss producer Black Circle for groovy tracks like “Wheels Up” and “Mezcalita”, melding deep tribal beats with slick production. He’s also found great chemistry with Chilean DJ Francisco Allendes. The pair dropped the bouncy tech-house single “Break a Sweat” on Moon Harbour in 2024, and followed it with a tougher cut called “Wildcats” on the BANDIDOS label in early 2025. Not to mention, Tanzmann has shown up on respected imprints like Hot Since 82’s Knee Deep in Sound (where he collaborated again with longtime friend Steve Bug) and even tried his hand at some high-profile remixes.
He’s recently remixed tracks for former NBA-star-turned-DJ Rony Seikaly and yes, a P. Diddy track, proving that his touch can cross into unexpected territory. And right as Moon Harbour hits its 25-year milestone, Tanzmann is marking the occasion with fresh releases: for example, in mid-2025 he and Italian duo The Deepshakerz put out a chunky house anthem called “Lift Me Up” on Moon Harbour.
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On the live front, Tanzmann continues to do what he loves most: touring and connecting with crowds. Post-pandemic, he’s been back to a globe-trotting schedule, splitting time between studio and stage. His calendar in 2024 included Ibiza club gigs (he’s been spotted at Pacha for Music On and of course DC10 for Circoloco) as well as jaunts to South America . He often praises the passionate crowds in Argentina, Peru, and Chile as some of his favorites.
Looking ahead, fans can catch him on lineups across Europe and beyond. In summer 2025, for instance, he’s slated to play Spain’s Play4Life Festival as well as an all-day party at London’s Studio 338, just two of the many stops on his itinerary.
No matter the venue, be it an intimate 300-capacity club or a 10,000-strong festival stage, Tanzmann has a knack for reading the crowd and delivering the right vibe.
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