Jeff Mills discusses his silent film scores and his upcoming Cinemix performance in Potsdam.
In an interview with Groove, Jeff Mills spoke about his musical scores for silent cinema and his performance concept titled Cinemix. On November 8, 2026, he will perform his tenth soundtrack live at Nikolaisaal in Potsdam. The proximity to Babelsberg Studios, where Fritz Lang's Metropolis was filmed, holds a special significance for him.
Soundtrack Evolution
Mills first scored Metropolis in 2000 for Tresor and approached the film again in 2023 with Metropolis Metropolis. While the 2000 release was recorded almost in real time without post-production, the 2023 version incorporates symphonic sounds, effects, and unsynchronized synthesizer patterns. This second interpretation was also shaped by the global pandemic.
The Cinemix Concept
Mills describes the live performance as a flexible format that goes beyond the albums:
- Individual tracks are produced for each section of the film, allowing real-time adjustments of tempo, pitch, and transitions.
- Extra audio tracks are added spontaneously, making every performance unique.
- Recurring musical themes support the imagery without overshadowing the film itself.
Mills also highlighted how growing up in Detroit, influenced by industrial labor, Motown, and science fiction publications, shaped his perspective. Beyond Metropolis, his silent film scores include Sergei Eisenstein's Октябрь, Buster Keaton's Three Ages, and Georges Méliès' Le Voyage dans la Lune.
Source: Groove
