A Raw, Distortion-Driven Techno Cut Out Now on Ex Communicado
German-born producer DENIAL, the artist project of Daniel Weinand, released his new single “RAILS” on March 13. The track blends heavy distortion, acid textures, and a stripped-back spoken vocal into something that feels equally rooted in warehouse techno and underground punk energy.
Weinand’s path into electronic music was not linear. Classically trained as a pianist from a young age, he originally set out to become a film composer. After high school, he applied to study composition at Berlin’s Hochschule der Künste and was rejected following an intensive entrance process. He went on to study computer science while continuing music theory on the side, keeping composition close even as his life moved in other directions.
Under the name DENIAL, he has moved from classical structure into darker electronic territory, drawing from techno, acid, industrial, and metal influences while maintaining a strong instinct for melody and unusual harmonies.
“RAILS” came together quickly.
“Everything just fell into place,” says Weinand. “When I spoke with Sean Bravo, we agreed the track needed something filthy to match the heavy distortions. Underworld was an obvious reference point. Sean wrote the lyrics in one go and recorded everything in the first session. It was important to keep it raw. To me, this is as much a punk record as it is a techno track.”
The influence is clear without leaning on nostalgia. The vocal sits forward in the mix, direct and unpolished, riding over distorted low-end pressure and driving percussion. Rather than smoothing the edges, DENIAL leaned into saturation and texture, letting the grit define the track.
His connection to electronic music goes back decades. As a teenager in Germany, he was obsessed with what he and his friends called Tekkno, listening to tracks like “Das Boot” on repeat and sneaking into clubs at sixteen to hear “The First Rebirth” on a full system. Later, attending Mayday in Dortmund left a lasting impression. Growing up in the demo-scene era, working within tight technical limits forced creativity and efficiency, a mindset that still informs how he builds tracks today.
With “RAILS,” DENIAL delivers a track built for dark rooms and serious sound systems, where texture and tension matter more than polish.
“RAILS” is out now on Ex Communicado.
For more information about DENIAL, go to:
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I write and produce music and play poker
There’s a certain energy you feel when an artist hits a new stride. It’s not just about a release. It’s about momentum, vision, and the sense that something bigger is unfolding in real time. That’s exactly where things stand right now.
Fresh off an exciting new release, the spotlight is firmly on his latest single, a track that not only captures his evolving sound but also signals what’s next. From the first listen, it’s clear this isn’t just another release. It’s a statement. The production, the intention, and the direction all point toward an artist who is not only refining his craft but pushing it forward.
What makes this moment even more compelling is the work happening behind the scenes. The consistency, the collaborations, and the forward-thinking approach to what comes next. This is an artist building something with purpose, and the momentum surrounding this release feels like just the beginning.
I was eager to jump into this conversation. We explore the new single and what lies ahead as he continues to shape his sound and broaden his reach. It’s my pleasure to introduce you to DENIAL.
“RAILS” is out now on Ex Communicado. What does this track represent to you at this moment in your career?
The artist project DENIAL is still very young and in a formative state. After a handful of releases and getting feedback when playing my original IDs at sets I am getting tons of feedback on what works and what doesn’t, and more importantly what I enjoy playing and which records I can’t mix out fast enough. Rails feels like a keystone to me. I made this not to please anyone but myself and by the end of it ended with a record that is such a blast to play live. So it’s a huge confidence boost to listen to my own musical instincts and where I want to take the sound of DENIAL in the future.
“RAILS” feels raw and unapologetic. When you sat down to create it, what was the initial idea or emotion you were chasing?
Unapologetic is the right way to put it. It’s what I would describe the process. I start every song differently, sometimes I figure out an interesting rhythm and more often I will play something on the piano. A melody or an intriguing harmonic development. Funnily enough, the very first bits of Rails were those synth pads that you can hear throughout the record. Those were setting a vibe for something that I found hauntingly beautiful but also slightly upsetting.
The spoken vocal really stands out on this track. How did the collaboration with Sean Bravo come together, and what did he bring to the record?
I sent over a demo to Sean and he wrote the lyrics within like 24 hours. It would have never been what it is without Sean. I loved it. So much that I don’t think we even changed a single thing from the first draft. Then he recorded it and we mostly used like the first take with just a few doubles here and there.
You’ve referenced Underworld as an influence here. What specifically about their work inspired you during the process?
I mean “Born Slippy” is the track that I can think of that comes close to this vibe. So sometimes it’s easier to tell people, “Hey, do you know Underworld?” than trying to describe the genre or sound. But as far as inspirations go, the saturated vocals dropping into a huge voluminous kick is something I love about “Born Slippy” and was certainly a reference.
You’ve said this is as much a punk record as it is a techno track. What does “punk energy” mean to you in the context of electronic music?
Saying it’s a techno record wouldn’t do it justice. I always disliked putting a genre tag to something unless it’s super obvious. Anyway, so I felt punk was the next closest thing for this because this record is raw and does not give a f*ck.
The track leans into saturation and texture rather than polish. Was that a deliberate production choice from the beginning, or did it evolve naturally?
As soon as I heard the first take, it was instantly obvious where we’d have to take this. So yes, there is tons of saturation and distortion going on, which is pretty common for most of my production. That said, there still is a lot of polish going on behind the scenes when it comes to properly mixing, doing subtle automations and then of course Mark Maitland is doing his magic on the mastering side of things.
You were classically trained as a pianist from a young age. How does that foundation still show up in your productions today?
So playing the piano doesn’t necessarily translate into producing. I did study music theory in university and I’d say all that knowledge helps with understanding harmonies, counterpoints and such. And of course it’s nice being able to quickly play in some midi notes as opposed to drawing them in. Production itself is a whole different beast. There are many different ways to get to a similar goal and once you understand the basics, the possibilities are seemingly endless.
You originally set out to become a film composer. Do you still think cinematically when you’re building a track like “RAILS”?
Yes and no. In a way, a record like Rails is like a 5 minute story and the arrangement needs to reflect the story arc. That also means, thematically I decide on a main chord progression, melody or rhythmic pattern and in this case making sure that when vocals are in focus, there is enough space in that frequency band where the vocals sit so it can have the best impact. Is there going to be a surprise? What is my main moment? But then when I think about it, it feels like all those things are best practices when building any track.
Not getting into the Hochschule der Künste is a pivotal moment in your story. Looking back, how did that rejection shape your path forward?
Every rejection is important. This one stung particularly hard because of how much went into applying, traveling 7 hours to Berlin, feeling super confident, taking the multi-day exam with an impossible approval rate: I believe out of 70 applicants only 2 or 3 were selected that year for this particular program. At the time I did not know that you would have to apply at least twice to have a chance of getting accepted. It was a heavy reality check and taught me early on that any feeling of entitlement is self-sabotage.
You studied computer science while continuing music on the side. How has that technical background influenced your workflow or sound design?
I mean I am sure I have an easier time understanding the technical craft behind production because of my background. And while I am not the best sound designer, I understand how a synthesizer works. I am not sure if it’s a computer science thing or if it’s my nature but I need to understand the fundamentals of anything I am learning so if you go out of your way to learn about different types of compression you’ll eventually become much better than if you were to copy say some recommended settings from a YouTube video.
You’ve built something massive outside of music as a cofounder of Shopify, helping reshape how entrepreneurs operate globally. I’m curious, how has that experience influenced the way you approach music, whether that’s creatively, strategically, or even how you think about building a project like DENIAL?
Anything art is a cumulation of all life experiences. Naturally, this past has shaped me. It’s a complicated past that helps me cut through the noise. I understand that I am fortunate by ways of being able to open doors that my teenager self many years ago couldn’t have. And there are shortcuts that no matter how tempting they may appear I will not want to take because I want any success in music to stand on its own legs. At the end of the day, the EDM space and everything that comes with it – playing shows and such – is still new to me because I only got serious about electronic music production last year.
Since the inception of DENIAL, this journey has been crazy interesting and I am learning a lot about myself here. I know what I don’t want it to become and I am much better at saying no these days.
Growing up in the demo-scene era meant working within limitations. How does that mindset still influence how you approach production today?
Oh man. The limitations were crazy. Usually, your samples would all have to fit under about 100 kilobytes. One time, we tried to do the impossible: an Assemblr 3D engine with music in 4 KB. For that to work, I had to negotiate how many notes I was allowed to have. It’s a blessing and a curse being able to do an 80-track record nowadays. But then I think back and remember you can do a lot with four channels tricking the ear.
You’ve drawn from techno, acid, industrial, and metal influences. How do you balance those genres while still maintaining a cohesive identity?
It’s a really really good question and something I am asking myself often. Because my process is to just draw from whatever inspires me and not worry about cohesion for now. I believe cohesion will follow eventually.
Your early experiences sneaking into clubs and hearing tracks like “The First Rebirth” sound formative. What do you remember most about those moments?
The smell and taste of the dry ice machines. Club sound at a volume I’ve never heard before with a bass that would give you goosebumps.
How would you describe the evolution of your sound from your earliest productions to “RAILS”?
My production today would take my earliest productions to a dark back alley, chop off a few inches starting with the heads and threaten what’s left with a rusty sledge hammer.
The name DENIAL is bold and memorable. Where did it come from, and what does it represent to you?
Thank you! It’s an anagram of my first name Daniel. Back at work a long time ago, we hired another guy named Daniel. Naturally, I was the first and he was the second but he didn’t like that so he tried to convince everyone else to call me Denial instead. It didn’t stick as a nickname back then but when searching for artist project names, DENIAL was the one that ticked all the boxes.
Looking ahead, what are your plans for the summer, and what can fans expect next from you?
I hope to finish building out my (new) studio. I have several collabs brewing and I am trying to work any free minute on expanding my catalog of original IDs, edits and remixes. I am sure I can fit some interesting shows in between all of this.
Thanks for doing this, man. That was fun! In all of the interviews I do, I always give the artist the last word. Go.
What I would love other artists to do more is to be daring and take a chance. I can’t tell you how excited I get when I go crate digging and find a super unique record.
