Moritz Hofbauer – Beyond the Deck

Some artists build their sound from trends. Others build it from something deeper.

For Moritz Hofbauer, that foundation starts with classical training — and a clear focus on emotion. Now performing globally across major stages, his approach remains grounded in feeling, structure and connection.

Ahead of his set with Flow Music, we spoke with Moritz about discipline, live performance, and what it actually feels like when everything clicks on the dancefloor.

You come from a classical background in cello and piano. How has that shaped your approach to music?

For me, the most essential thing in music is emotion. My classical background influenced this a lot. It taught me how powerful melodies and harmonies can be, and also a lot about music theory and how everything comes together. The basic principles in music are always the same, no matter the genre.

You build your sets almost entirely from your own productions. What does that level of ownership mean to you?

I actually play only my own productions. It feels very personal, but also very rewarding when you see people’s reactions to tracks you’ve spent hours working on in the studio. It’s the best feeling.

There’s a strong sense of storytelling in your music. Is that intentional?

I just follow my feeling and do what feels right in the moment. At some point, everything starts to flow and one idea leads to the next.

Your sound moves between melodic techno and indie dance. Do you think in genres at all?

Not really. Genres are useful when releasing music so people can find it, but I think the borders between them are very fluid.

You’ve spent a lot of time refining your catalogue. What does discipline look like for you?

Routines help me stay focused and finish songs, but breaking them can also bring fresh creativity. I’m still working on my discipline — I tend to get tracks to about 90% and then get bored because I’ve heard them so much, and move on. I’m working on that.

You’ve played some of the world’s biggest stages. Does that change your connection to the music?

Big stages can feel overwhelming, but I try to focus on the music and the moment. The connection to the crowd is always the most important, no matter how many people are there.

You’ve moved between live and DJ sets. What have you learned from both?

I’ve learned that it’s important that I enjoy the performance myself. If I have fun, it’s much easier to share that energy with the crowd. Both formats are just different ways to present my music.

When everything aligns on a dancefloor, what does that moment feel like?

I forget everything else and just live in the moment. It’s one of the best feelings, because most of the time people are thinking about the past or the future — not really the present.