In the six years since the release of Ellen Allien’s last LP, AurAA, the world went through a pandemic, beloved Berlin clubs closed and the global political system went to shit. Allien focused on her DJ career, leading to her longest gap between album releases. Getting back into the production mindset required the head of legendary label BPitch Control to do things differently. As a result, New Life is a protest record. It’s about defying leadership and strengthening community – something she’s always advocated for. It’s also a testament to Allien’s love of new-school and emotional rave, the sound that’s come to define her We Are Not Alone events at RSO.Berlin. Catching up with the DJ producer, we found out more about the album’s origins and what it means to be an artist in 2026.
Why did you decide to make a new record after six years?
It was just a matter of feelings. So many things happened during that time after Covid. We all came back to a new way of living, and it took a while to get back into the rhythm of things. I did some music here and there but didn’t really like what I was making. Then there was one point when my mom was in the hospital; we spent a lot of time together, and then I started making music again. I went to the studio with Pablo Mateo, with just a little bit of equipment, and started writing songs. I then went to Spain, to a studio in a little finca. It was like just being on holiday, writing music in a finca with dogs and animals. It was just so beautiful, and we did this album. I’m still working on it, making new tracks, edits. It’s not a closed project; I want to keep it open and keep adding music. Maybe for the next half year, maybe forever. Maybe it’s a never-ending album. Who knows? I was thinking, ‘Why do I always have to finish one LP? Who is it that’s telling me to do this?’
So you had to be in a really comfortable place to make music?
Yeah, I don’t want to make music just because I have to. For me, as an artist, I can’t go into a studio when I have to make music. This is not a material thing; this is luxury time. When I create, I need to wake up and not think about business stuff, or what I’m going to DJ on the weekend… I don’t want to be running all the time. It takes my focus away from music.
What are the main themes on the record?
I see a future where we don’t need leaders. Leaders want society to be controlled.
First, it’s about using my vocals. I’m using them in a minimalistic way to make it a little bit more human. When I use my vocals, it opens up my musical approach. And there’s more experimenting with sounds and synthesisers.
There’s one track, ‘Be Your Own Leader’, that’s about this understanding last year. The way I’m living my life, I see a future where we don’t need leaders. Leaders want society to be controlled.
The way I work at the label, I’m not the boss, but people are calling me the ‘mom’ of these things. I said, “I don’t want to be your mom. We are not in a family here.” This is a cultural place. We are artists. We are not creating family; we are creating art. It’s up to you how you create in the moment, and this will always change.
With family, you’re always stuck in the same place forever. In this case, you don’t get to decide who’s your mom. Luckily, you can decide with DJs, or which artists we go and see, or which record we buy. Leadership is bullshit, and I wanted to create some tracks about this.
‘Steh Auf’ is where you get up every morning, going about your life. You need a lot of courage to do this. Sometimes you have to work on this, and it can be challenging. So it’s about motivation and that you’re not alone. So many people lost their jobs after Covid, and it’s not because they’re losers; it’s about society. But there is hope.
Where did the album title come from?
I wanted to call the record ‘Be Your Own Leader’, but I was thinking that everyone is thinking of shit leaders. So the record is called New Life and everyone can have one.
How would you describe the sound of the record?
Some sounds are techno, but then there’ll be an instrument or something alien. It’s a very Berlin soundtrack. It sounds like I’m standing in a club. It’s rough, raw, melodic. Every time I’m at my party, We Are Not Alone, I’m always thinking about how my tracks will sound there. I’m always testing things that I make in the club.
There are so many good producers in this world. I have to be better all the time, and it’s not easy. That’s why we have so much fun playing all these tracks as DJs, but when I hear my tracks at RSO, I think, ‘Fuck, this sounds like shit’. It’s a long journey of producing.
How would you compare your sound now to your first album, Stadtkind?
I was thinking, why do I have to finish one LP? Who is it that’s telling me to do this?
I think Stadtkind is a masterpiece, but it was a long process to make because we used a lot of sounds, which kept crashing the computer. It was very programmed and very electronic. The new record is more about letting go. Stadtkind was also the beginning of my musical journey and about respecting myself more as an artist. The scene was changing at the time, and sometimes in the clubs, I felt so depressed. As a DJ or an electronic artist back then, you were never respected. But this album made me stronger as an artist; we are the culture and we will be here forever. This year, I played at the Berliner Philharmonie and have been asked to DJ at the Hamburger Bahnhof. Things are changing, thanks to young people. There are so many stories to tell with music, and it takes work to show this.
How has the state of clubbing for you changed over time?
People are opening up and starting to speak out more. If someone raises money for something, then everyone helps out. This has gotten bigger since Covid. Whether it’s with discrimination or someone who needs a lawyer, people are stepping up. There are also so many new producers creating their own world. It’s beautiful, and the club scene is booming. I also love day parties because we can see the people, and you can just sit and talk. Even with Palestine, it’s forbidden to speak a word about it, but we can go on the street or work on a music project for Palestine. Art has a voice, which is why they’re trying to cut art, because they know it has the biggest impact on political discourse. Music is going back to politics. That’s why we don’t need leaders. Everything we’re doing is teamwork. I don’t see myself as a boss. We are a team.
New Life was released on BPitch Control on July 9. Follow Ellen Allien on IG.
