Maike Depas has never treated music as a numbers game. Yes, Back To You has already found its way onto big charts and playlists, but what really matters to him is that people connect with the story inside it. Written out of loss and self-rediscovery, the track feels like an emotional purge disguised as a club anthem: something that hits hard but also carries a quiet honesty underneath.
When we caught up with him a few days ago, he spoke about how vulnerability can live inside a wall of sound, and how handing the track over to Bonnie Strange for her 160 BPM remix was like letting go of control completely. The result is a collision between introspection and pure rave chaos, a duality Maike says reflects both sides of his own identity as an artist.
From his conservatory days in Milan to building dystopian, cyberpunk-driven live shows, Maike talked about music as architecture, about discipline and experimentation, and about the responsibility that comes with treating music as a gift. Back To You might mark a new high point in his career, but it’s also just another piece in a much bigger vision that’s still unfolding.
First of all, congratulations. A few hours ago, you shared on Instagram that Back To You has already crossed fifty thousand streams in less than a week and reached number one on the Beatport Hype MainStage Chart, your first time ever. How does it feel to reach that milestone so quickly?
It feels incredibly special. Back To You was born from a very strong emotion, from the pain of losing someone important in my life. To see that story resonate so deeply and so quickly with people is more than just numbers to me; it’s a personal victory. The purity and vulnerability within this track, even though it’s written for clubs and festivals, come through in a very direct way. I think that honesty is what allowed it to connect instantly, and perhaps that’s why it became something powerful from the very first hours of its release.
How has the reaction to the track been so far, both from fans and fellow artists?
The response has been incredible. Fans are connecting with the emotion behind it, and fellow artists I respect have also shown their support. It feels like the track is resonating on both a personal and professional level, which is all I could hope for.
You’ve described writing Back To You as part of a personal journey of self-rediscovery. Now that it’s out, does it feel like a new beginning or more like closing a chapter?
For me, Back To You is not about changing my identity as an artist; Maike Depas is already a solid project with its own vision. What this track represents is a new way of communicating that vision, a tool that allows me to reach many more people while staying true to what I stand for: purity, intensity, and emotion. It’s about taking the raw and powerful energy that has always defined my sound and expressing it in a form that can resonate on a larger scale. In that sense, it feels like a step forward in how I share my world with the audience.
“I want my music to carry emotion but also the raw power of the dance floor, and that duality is a big part of my vision. It’s something I’ll keep exploring.”
The original version blends psy-trance, emotive vocals and hypnotic build-ups, while Bonnie Strange’s remix races at 160 BPM with pure rave energy. How did it feel to hear your work transformed in such a wild way?
It was an amazing feeling. When you create something so personal, you never really know how it will sound once someone else reshapes it. Bonnie took Back To You and turned it into pure rave energy at 160 BPM, and I love that contrast.
The original version is about emotion and loss; her remix explodes with adrenaline and raw power. Hearing that transformation reminded me how versatile music can be, and how a single idea can live multiple lives. For me, that’s the beauty of collaboration: you let go of control and discover new sides of your own work.
The original version is about emotion and loss; her remix explodes with adrenaline and raw power. Hearing that transformation reminded me how versatile music can be, and how a single idea can live multiple lives. For me, that’s the beauty of collaboration: you let go of control and discover new sides of your own work.
Since this was Bonnie’s first official release under her new alias, did the weight of that moment influence how you experienced the remix?
Absolutely. Knowing that this was Bonnie’s first release under her new alias made the remix even more special to me. There’s always a unique energy when you start a new chapter, and you can really feel that freshness in her version of Back To You. I’m proud that my track could be the foundation for such a meaningful step in her artistic journey. As someone who also runs a label, The Innovation Studio Records, I deeply value these moments, supporting artists when they take risks, explore new directions, and give shape to their ideas.
Hearing both versions side by side, they almost feel like opposites: one deeply introspective and the other completely explosive. Is that kind of contrast something you enjoy around your music?
Yes, absolutely. I love the contrast between introspection and explosive energy; it reflects both sides of me. I want my music to carry emotion but also the raw power of the dance floor, and that duality is a big part of my vision. It’s something I’ll keep exploring in my upcoming releases too.
In another interview, you said you approach every track like a piece of architecture, with tension, release and depth, even when it’s hard and driving. How does that mindset play into the way you built a track like Back To You?
For me, having a solid structure is always the foundation, almost like the blueprint of a building. What’s interesting with Back To You is that the core of the track, the melody and much of the arrangement, actually came from a single take I recorded in August 2024, in a very spontaneous way. Even without overthinking, the elements already had their natural place: harmonically rich but balanced.
From there, I focused a lot on the layers of vocals, which became the heart of the track. When I exported the stems, I had more than fifty, organised into micro-groups, each carefully automated to give that sense of space and movement. That spatiality is what creates tension and release, and it’s the same architectural approach I apply to even my hardest and most driving productions.
From there, I focused a lot on the layers of vocals, which became the heart of the track. When I exported the stems, I had more than fifty, organised into micro-groups, each carefully automated to give that sense of space and movement. That spatiality is what creates tension and release, and it’s the same architectural approach I apply to even my hardest and most driving productions.
You studied piano and composition at the Milan Conservatory, a very different path from hard techno. How much of that classical discipline still shapes the way you write today?
My years at the Conservatory still shape everything I do. Studying piano and composition taught me discipline, patience, and the importance of structure — all things that are essential when you build electronic music. But more importantly, having studied different styles and forms of music, and understanding how music itself has evolved over time, gave me a 360° vision of what music really is and where it comes from. That perspective made me realise something fundamental that is often overlooked: music is not a game, it’s a gift. And if you are able to master it, you also have the responsibility to respect it.
Do you sometimes begin at the piano and let melodies guide you, or does everything usually start straight from machines and rhythm?
I usually start by choosing a scale or mood, then build the melodic base. Since I love synths, I dive into sound design very early, looking for new palettes of colours. Sometimes I use the piano, sometimes I go straight to machines; it’s all about finding the emotion first.
“Music is not a game, it’s a gift. And if you are able to master it, you also have the responsibility to respect it.”
Looking back at releases like Tokyo Nights, Circle of Life and Sexy Devil Horse, how does Back To You continue, or maybe disrupt, the evolution of your sound?
For me, Back To You is a further development of the Maike Depas project rather than a break from it. My earlier tracks built my foundation on intensity, underground grooves and dystopian atmospheres. Back To You grows directly out of that DNA; you can hear it in the psy-trance-inspired bass groove that drives the track, but it also opens new spaces through the vocal, which brings a more emotional and mainstream dimension. It’s not about leaving one world for another; it’s about showing how both can coexist within my music. That balance is what makes this track feel like the natural next step in my journey.
Visually, you’ve leaned into a cyberpunk, dystopian aesthetic, from your Teufelsberg performance to working with Demobaza. What role do visuals play in your creative universe?
Visuals are an essential part of my creative universe. I’ve always seen music and imagery as two sides of the same language: one feeds the other, and together they create a complete experience. My cyberpunk and dystopian aesthetic reflects not only the atmosphere of my tracks but also the way I imagine the future: raw, emotional, and pervaded by a voluptuous surrender.
Now I’m working with a Tokyo-based designer, Miq Han, on some incredible one-of-one pieces that will completely transform my character during live performances. Kyronex is the code name for the first sculpture. For me, Kyronex is not just a stage crown; it’s a symbol of transformation, a way to embody the energy and the narrative behind my music.
Very soon, the audience will see the first full realisation of this vision with The Sphere 001, my upcoming DJ live set where Kyronex will appear for the first time. It’s a project designed in every detail, from graphics to lights, to outfit and storytelling, and I’ll perform many of my unreleased tracks for 2025. It will be the clearest glimpse yet of where the Maike Depas project is heading.
Now I’m working with a Tokyo-based designer, Miq Han, on some incredible one-of-one pieces that will completely transform my character during live performances. Kyronex is the code name for the first sculpture. For me, Kyronex is not just a stage crown; it’s a symbol of transformation, a way to embody the energy and the narrative behind my music.
Very soon, the audience will see the first full realisation of this vision with The Sphere 001, my upcoming DJ live set where Kyronex will appear for the first time. It’s a project designed in every detail, from graphics to lights, to outfit and storytelling, and I’ll perform many of my unreleased tracks for 2025. It will be the clearest glimpse yet of where the Maike Depas project is heading.
Would you like to explore that vision even further through editorial or fashion-driven projects that blur the line between sound and image?
Yes, absolutely. I’m always looking for professionals from different fields to collaborate with, because those connections push my project to the next level. For me, it’s extremely stimulating to build human relationships across different artistic environments – fashion, visual art, and design – and then translate that energy into my music and performances.
Right now, I feel especially influenced by Japanese fashion and music, which to me carry a unique sense of futurism. Exploring projects that blur the line between sound and image is not just something I’d like to do; it feels like a natural extension of my vision.
Right now, I feel especially influenced by Japanese fashion and music, which to me carry a unique sense of futurism. Exploring projects that blur the line between sound and image is not just something I’d like to do; it feels like a natural extension of my vision.
Your label, The Innovation Studio Records, has become a home for both your own releases and fresh talent. How do you balance pushing your personal vision while nurturing others?
Balancing my vision with nurturing others feels natural because the artists on The Innovation Studio Records know they are part of something important, something that can last over time. When I release my own music, I push forward my sound; when I bring in new talent, I strengthen the community and the legacy of the label. Our next VA in December is proof of that shared spirit.
You’ve collaborated with Luca Agnelli, Oguz, Michael Katana, and now Bonnie Strange. What makes you say yes to a collaboration?
For me, saying yes to a collaboration is never about strategy; it’s about energy and honesty. I have to feel a real connection with the person, both musically and on a human level. When I worked with artists like Luca Agnelli, Oguz, Michael Katana, or now Bonnie Strange, what convinced me was that we shared a common vision, even if we come from different backgrounds.
I love it when a collaboration brings out something unexpected, when two worlds merge and create a new language. At the end of the day, I say yes if I feel that the project will add depth to my journey and that together we can create something that truly resonates.
I love it when a collaboration brings out something unexpected, when two worlds merge and create a new language. At the end of the day, I say yes if I feel that the project will add depth to my journey and that together we can create something that truly resonates.
This year you also released Caribbean Rave and a VIP remix with David Temessi. What did you enjoy the most about these experiences?
Caribbean Rave was fun and experimental, while the VIP remix with David Temessi pushed my sound to an even harder level. What I enjoyed most was how both projects expanded my perspective in different ways: one by opening new colours, the other by sharpening the edges of my sound.
What can you tell us about your projects for the next few months?
The next few months are going to be very intense. I have a series of releases lined up that will really showcase the harder side of my sound – pure bombs for everyone who follows my hard techno vein. Each EP is designed to push the energy to the limit while still carrying that emotional depth and futuristic aesthetic that defines me.
And what message would you like to send to the world?
The message I’d like to send is simple: never forget that music is a gift. It’s not just entertainment, it’s a force that can connect people, heal wounds, and inspire transformation. I want my music to remind people that even in the darkest or hardest moments, there’s always beauty, energy and emotion to hold on to. If I can create even a small moment of truth and connection through my music, then I feel I’m doing my part in this world.
