HDSN

German electronic producer Michael Bihler, performing under the alias HDSN, draws on numerous styles to channel his creativity while maintaining a consistent soulful thread throughout his output. Although deep house and disco defined his initial releases, the 2018 album To Create Is to Destroy shifted emphasis toward downtempo and trip-hop textures.

Raised in Halbech within Germany’s Bavarian countryside, Bihler nevertheless gravitated toward Detroit’s musical output, absorbing the work of Moodymann, Omar-S, Theo Parrish, and Andres. While beginning to experiment with production, he relocated first to Munich and then, soon afterward, to Manchester in the U.K. It was there, in the north of England, that he issued his first singles—“Naked Naked,” “Cashmere Cat,” and “Can You Dig It.” After failing to attract interest from established imprints, he launched his own NBAST (Nothin’ But a Soul Thing). The next year brought his debut EP, Money, Sex & Cadillacs, which appeared in 2016 shortly before Bihler returned to Germany and began splitting his time between Berlin and Munich. For To Create Is to Destroy he deliberately moved away from strictly club-oriented material, allowing greater space for downtempo and trip-hop references.