Maniac – frohfroh – electronic music from leipzig

The Maniac parties have been bringing a contemporary-grooving techno sound to the Leipzig club culture for around three years. In February the party crew now founded a label. We present it closer.

In November 2022, Maniac launched as a party for the first time-at that time as part of the Between series from the Elipamanoke. Very quickly followed trips to other clubs such as the new wave, cultural lounge and the Mjut. Obviously, the “Fast Rolling and Groovy Sound” from Maniac quickly hit a nerve with the Leipzig club goers: inside. Fast and driving, but not too hard either. A perfect sound apparently to combine old and young rave generations.

The founding crew included Jonathan (alias Håstad), Lisa (alias Azil) and Momo – after the premiere in Eli, Elmar and Hanna (alias Schuma Christ) were also added. The latest member is Linus (alias Wemory), since the end of 2024. Maniac has a lot plans and likes to exploit various formats and cooperation. In addition to classic club events, there has also been an open air and a listing bar. And since February 1, 2025, Maniac has also been a label. Correctly with vinyl release and an extremely successful start-we have presented the first compilation in our new New-in edition.

The way to the label

The idea for a maniac has been going through the head for a long time, at the latest when the two-year anniversary came closer: “We worked through our events with so many talented artists: inside and producer: Inside that we would also like to give them this type of platform,” says the crew in the cheerful background. In addition, Jonathan was working on the Leipzig record press work Rand Muzik. Logically that a Maniac label starts directly with vinyl.

Catalog number 1 is a well-curated 4-track compilation. In addition to Maniac resident Elmar, there is a listening with the long-established Carlotta Jacobi and our Leipzig new discovery Iglo. With Egotot there is also some Wiener Techno sound on the “Vol. 1”. All four acts deliver very gripping tracks – Jed: R with their own twist. While Carlotta Jacobi explores the tension between Detroit and Dub, Egotot works more with a rolling groove, Iglo continues to research on the daring embedding of classic vocal voices and Elmar moves in a rather cold, industrial-shaped, diffuse pulsating sound aesthetics. No track that weakens here – an extremely successful premiere, says New in Feb 2025.

After this convincing first release, the crew understandably wants more. However, she also emphasizes that this is a constant learning process for her and that there is still no concrete future plans for the label. Because: “Sing up a release is associated with a high financial and physical effort. And since we are all full of our parties in your studies, training and / or in wage work, it usually takes a little more time.” But one way or another, the focus should first be on crew internal output before external demos are also released.

Next Level – Maniac: Shift

On March 28, 2025, the next experiment in the new wave-Maniac: Shift follows. A new party line with local and international line-up, which is not published in advance. Not a completely new concept, the Elipamanoke drives a similar concept with the “Made2fade” series. But it is still a risk for the Maniac crew. But one that can work-after all, the series has earned a fan base that also wants to go to “your Maniac” independently of the line-up.

“We have recently had more and more mechanisms and existing structures such as astronomical fees for headliners, social media presence and their effects, club death etc. of the 'TechnoS scene' and now want to go back to the underground and the community with Maniac: Shift,” says the crew. Good approach, good vibe, all the best for you maniacs.