Mikkel Metal, the alias of Mikkel Meldgaard (born 1973), is a Danish electronic music producer, guitarist, and lecturer based in Copenhagen. With an academic foundation in philosophy—earning his degree from the University of Copenhagen in 2001—Meldgaard balances his musical pursuits with teaching at the Copenhagen School of Design and Technology. Over the past five years, he has increasingly focused on the intersection of creativity and generative AI, exploring this both in a teaching context and, more recently, in his musical workflows.

Meldgaard’s musical journey began in the early 1990s as a guitarist, drawing inspiration from the introspective sounds of British shoegaze and the lo-fi aesthetic of American slacker bands. By the mid-1990s, his interests shifted toward electronic music, with the purchase of a hardware sampler opening up a new world of sound and experimentation.

His sound gradually evolved into a distinctive fusion of dub, techno, and click aesthetics while still retaining subtle elements of his indie rock roots. This unique sonic signature launched his career as Mikkel Metal in 2000, beginning with the release of a 7-inch on the Hal9000 label, which topped the influential German magazine de:bug’s monthly chart (issue 42).

Following this success, Mikkel Metal appeared on the netlabel Datamusik before beginning a significant series of 12” releases on the respected Danish label Echocord. These releases helped establish him as a notable figure in the Copenhagen electronic music scene and beyond. As his sound evolved, Meldgaard also released work on the prestigious German label Kompakt, producing three 12” records that showcased a slightly different direction.

These works maintained his characteristic click-aesthetic and dub influences while exploring shuffle techno and slow, melodic 4/4-based compositions. Since around 2020, his artistic focus has shifted back toward ambient compositions, introducing a new dimension through the integration of hand-played elements, creating a more organic texture within his electronic soundscapes.

In recent years, a new synergy has emerged between his work as a lecturer/researcher and his practice as a composer. His research and teaching interests in creativity theory, generative AI, and technology adoption have fostered an interest in a more conceptual approach to music composition.

Discography:
Please see: https://www.discogs.com/artist/61152-Mikkel-Metal

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