Talking Tech with Obergman

Swedish artist and producer Obergman talks us through his favourite studio items

Hailing from Stockholm, Obergman (Ola Bergman) has carved out a distinct space for himself within the world of electronic music over the past two decades. His sound has become synonymous with a smooth blend of Acid, Electro and Proto-techno which he meticulously crafts using analogue equipment – having released on a range of well respected labels. 

He started his journey in the late 90s with his debut EP landing on the iconic Skam Records in 2001, home of Electronic pioneers Gescom. His early work laid the foundation for a string of further releases on Stilleben Records, Abstract Forms, Brokntoys, Börft Records, Furthur Electronix and Pariter.

The evolution of his music reflects a clear shift towards a more refined approach: honing his preference for finely-tuned melodies, intricate drum programming and a distinctive use of vintage synthesizers that really showcase his versatility. 

His most recent LP ‘Mirror Counterpart” in 2022 was a tour de force (read our review): delivered over 8 shimmering slices of hypnotic groove that ooze pure class, in what might be his most ear pleasing output to date. A powerful concoction of 808-driven fusion that would be fitting of Claro Intellecto, Convextion or Soylent Green’s interstellar explorations with more than a nod to Acid House’s roots.

His most recent ‘Pentaquark’ EP is out now on Craigie Knowes has certainly been well received across the board, with 2025 promising to be another strong year for this talented music maker.

Tell us more about your obsession with playing, creating and making music – where did it all start?

I believe it all started with the iconic graffiti documentary ‘Style Wars’ on national television in 1984. That was my first encounter with Electronic music that wasn’t pop on the radio. The soundtrack was a mix of Funk, Electro, and early Hip Hop, with a distinct presence of Kraftwerk. That changed my life! 

I was really involved in the graffiti scene for the latter half of the 80’s, and Electronic music was always tightly interwoven with the whole subculture. So, tapping into the futuristic electronics that reached Stockholm around 1987–1989 felt very natural. I used to make tapes from the local pirate radio station—those people had great taste and played underground black music in the evenings and late nights. That was my education – Juan Atkins, Frankie Knuckles, Pierre, Larry Heard, Lil’ Louis, and other pioneers of the hypnotic groove.

Then the whole raving scene rose in the early 90’s. Many graffiti writers were early adopters, and some of them were really good DJs. It was a merging of subcultures, and it became a natural habitat for me and my close friends. We were really into UR, R&S, etc.—a typical blend of Detroit and European techno, which was evident at Stockholm raves at the time, I suppose. Eventually, we came across the early works of Aphex Twin and Autechre through circulating mixtapes that we used to swap. They sounded very different and had this inspiring DIY approach that really struck a chord. Then, at some point, one of my best friends popped up with a Kurzweil K2000 high-end sampler, declaring that he was going to start making music. It may sound far-fetched, but those events planted one or two seeds in my mind that made me think I could start making music. Maybe it wasn’t so unachievable after all. On the contrary, I felt there was a direct link with the approach I had experienced within the graffiti culture.

We tried to get our heads around the K2000, but then it occurred to me that most of the music I really liked was made primarily with old analogue synths. They weren’t really that expensive at the time, since those advanced samplers were the cutting edge and the most desirable thing. So, I tracked down a Roland Juno-106 and started to play around with it, which turned out to be a great way to learn basic subtractive synthesis. Initially, I made ambient sounds, bleeps, drones, and tones on the Juno-106, much inspired by ‘SAW II’ and the Autechre EP ‘Garbage’. As I only had the Juno, my palette was, to say the least, a bit limited.

Who were your biggest influences when you started out?

When I started out, I was still obsessed with Polygon Window’s ‘Surfing on Sine Waves’, Autechre’s ‘Tri Reptae’, LFO’s ‘Frequencies’, and pretty much everything by Kraftwerk – things I had played at home for years, mixed with a lot of other stuff that came out on associated labels like Skam, Rephlex, and Warp during that period.

When Elecktroid’s ‘Kilohertz’ and ‘Elektroworld’ were released, it was spot on for me and really pricked up my ears to related acts like Drexciya, Dopplereffekt, The Other People Place, etc, in the late 90s and early 2000s. That had an immense impact on how I wanted to shape the sounds and make music. I also had this early Stilleben release by Eargoggle & Rutherford called ‘Wimbledon Court Stalkers’ that I fell madly in love with. In several ways, these influences reflected back to ‘Style Wars’ and my formative radio nights in 1987–1989. I really felt at home in that universe. It was something of a closed circle. I suppose it made me start bending more towards Electro in my early releases, even though my initial influences were still quite present.

Where do you see yourself fitting in terms of other Swedish artists?

Stilleben and Börft feel pretty much like my family labels here in Sweden. I love the uncompromising approach they both have in different ways. Stilleben is fundamentalist Electro, and Börft is sort of eclectic, but with that unmistakable Börft fingerprint on every release. Besides that, I feel rather cosmopolitan. I love and respect lots of great Swedish artists and DJs, but now you can find and connect with like-minded people all over the world. You don’t depend on the local context as much these days, and I’m not particularly patriotic. That said, I’m really glad to see how things have evolved here in Sweden—the people populating the scene today are really sweet and devoted.

How would you describe your approach to making and playing music?

In general, making music is really integrated into my life. It would be impossible to separate myself from it. I mean, those choices were made a long time ago. I am really grateful for this life, however, even though it comes at a high price in some aspects.

In a practical sense, I always have several parallel projects cooking. It’s an ongoing process where I can always pick something up and start where I left off, or juggle between different tracks so I never get stuck or bored. I just move on to something else or put things away to ferment for a while if I feel restless. I rarely work on just one track rigidly from start to finish—although sometimes it’s a bit of a love story. Each track starts like a little playful romance, very intuitive and spontaneous. Then it becomes more complicated after a while; I get sort of obsessed until the track is finished, getting into every detail with a lot of effort. All in all, it’s a bit of a pendulum motion between playfulness and perfectionism.

Magic vs Accident – where does one start and the other end?

I think a lot of that happens in the early stages, when inspiration is kicking in and you let go of the analytical side of music making. After that, you become more critical and might not allow any accidents, but if the track starts to grow too stiff, I usually put it to rest for a couple of days. Then, there’s usually room for coincidental magic in the following process again. You get less sentimental and make better decisions after a few days in the moth bag.

Tell us about your first studio set up: what equipment did you get started with?

Initially, it was the Roland Juno-106, and when I realised that I needed something more to build a proper track, I bought a really nice EMU sampler. I was running Cubase on an Atari and recorded everything in one take through a Soundcraft mixer that had a decent EQ. After a couple of years, I got the Clavia NordRack 1, which was a great addition because it was 4-part multitimbral and polyphonic, with two oscillators and envelopes, different filter modes, etc., so I could achieve more interesting sounds. The Juno was still unbeatable for pads and warm analogue sounds, though. The NordRack was rather thin and crisp—in a nice way—so they made a really good pair. At some point, someone left a broken Roland Chorus-Echo, RE-301 in my apartment that he had given up on, so I fixed it and used it in nearly every track. It really added some space and depth. That was my first setup that I really felt inspired by. I made most of my early tracks with that gear.

And how has it evolved since?

Most importantly, I gained access to a complex of studios here in Stockholm called EMS, which is a state-funded association for electro-acoustic and other forms of non-commercial electronic music. This is where I do nearly all my work, since around 2007. It’s been a real game-changer for me, also in a social context, as some really good friends have worked there over the years. It’s a very stimulating environment and crucial for executing my tracks. When it comes to gear, I’ve traded and collected instruments over the years. What I’m using now is pretty much a distillation of all the things that have passed through the studio. I have these reliable colleagues who always deliver.

Synthesizers in the studio (SH-101, Juno 106, Arp Odyssey, TR-808).

Do you have a “go to” piece of equipment that you find yourself using?

The SH-101 or MC-202 running basslines over the TR-808 is usually a very rewarding way to start. On an acid day, the TB-303 would be the obvious choice. From there, I usually carry on with chords, atmospheric sounds, or melodic figures … anything that breathes life into the track, mostly with the Oberheim Xpander and Juno-106 in tandem.

Are there any new toys you want to acquire at the moment?

I recently made a track on an old Yamaha FM synth, the TX81Z, which really doesn’t look very appealing at first glance – like a digital clock radio on steroids. But the project came out really well, and it was surprisingly enjoyable to work with. It even has a fairly accessible function for microtuning. So now I’m keeping an eye out for that ugly little duckling to keep for myself.

Besides that, I’m constantly developing my live setup in different configurations that will allow me to try out new gear. I’m considering a couple of modules that could work for the purpose. But I don’t really want to go all in on Eurorack; I’m afraid it would become a counterproductive pseudo-occupation for me, and I’d get caught up endlessly calculating different solutions. There are just too many options. I really admire those who can sort out a handy rack of modules without getting lost.

In terms of modular, I have access to some rather unique Buchla systems and an old British V.C.S.3 in its original shape, at the studios where I work (away from home, unfortunately). So you might be hearing more of them in future releases!

What item do you regret selling the most?

I hated myself for selling my first Juno-106. I realised it was a foolish thing to do, and the prices went up exponentially. I thought I could never get it back. But then I found a cheap one quite recently that just needed a little love and soldering, so the old workhorse is back. Otherwise, things tend to come and go without sentimental feelings. Sometimes, I’ve sold stuff far too cheaply in today’s perspective, but I’ve made my fair share of bargains, so it all evens out.

With all of that in mind, talk us through your 5 current favourite studio items:

TR-808 

The TR-808 is used on nearly every track I’ve made for the last 15 years or so; there is simply nothing else like it. I use it to layer it with other percussive, synthesized sounds and noises to alter the character a bit for each track and make the drum patterns more varied. The pure and straightforward TR-808 is always so beautiful though—timeless.

Oberheim Xpander

The Oberheim Xpander is a magical and mysterious beast that I tend to use in almost every track. It has such a unique character that’s hard to replace if you like that sort of sound. Some people complain that it’s not “fat enough”—well, that’s the whole point. It’s not a Mini Moog; it’s a Major Tom. The multiple filters and powerful modulation options were designed for a different purpose. It sounds rich and alive. I’m quite sure there’s a little person living inside it, and we’ve become very good friends over the years. Speaking of that, my alias Obergman is a homage to the Oberheim synths. Tom Oberheim is such a gentleman, by the way. I’ve written to him several times with lots of questions regarding his designs, and he’s replied very politely every time.

MC-202

The MC-202 has really stepped out of the closet with the Tubbutec 2oh2 mod. It’s one of my absolute favourites. It has that perfect hybrid-acid sound—between an SH-101 and a TB-303, obviously—but I think the sequencer treats the notes, slides and accents, in a rather unique way, making it very different from its siblings in several aspects. It’s very capable in a wide sense. The MC-202 plays most of the basslines in the ‘Pentaquark’ EP on Craigie Knowes, for instance (except the title track, which is a TB-303).

TB-303

Which naturally leads us directly to the TB-303. It has the original CPU, which I really appreciate for its somewhat unpredictable behaviours, leading to a certain dialogue with the instrument. It takes a little more time than with modern sequencers, and I can’t always predict the outcome because of its oddities—which is mostly a good thing. Every acid track I’ve released so far has been made with the good old TB. I’ve also used it for lots of patterns in more electro-orientated tracks, by using the 303 sequencer to control other synths. The “ambient percussion” patterns in ’Synchronicity’ [Brokntoys], for instance, were made with the TB sequencing the Obie.

Roland TB-303

The DSI Evolver – Dave Smith

The DSI Evolver—Dave Smith [RIP] made his comeback with this weird little synth in 2002 or thereabouts, so I guess it’s almost vintage by now after all. The interface was extremely ugly, and I found it very hard to read the modulation matrix, so I had to redesign the front panel. After that, it was all crystal clear. I find it extremely versatile and powerful. It’s a unique little pocket-sized (semi) modular with both analogue and wavetable oscillators, 4 sequencers (!) and lots of modulation routes. It’s capable of wonderfully gritty sounds, from nasty basslines to percussive, modulating noise patterns, spaced-out ambient or drone sounds … and whatnot. I wish I had at least one more, to form a little duo called The Smiths.

What are working on next?

I’m very much in a constant process of just making tracks. I have several releases lined up, both finished and some in the making for different imprints. On the more experimental side, I have a rather ambitious ambient project that is almost finished, with several different tracks. That has been an inspiring process, with a slightly different approach from how I usually work. Let’s see how that evolves. Some interesting new collaborations are also likely to happen this year, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how that will unfold.