How Digital Riot Turned Exhaustion Into Artistic Fireplace for New Album, ‘Burning Out’

There’s a certain point in many artists’ careers when momentum begins to blur into exhaustion, and where the very engine that drives success starts to overheat. For Christian Brunn, the electronic music luminary known as Virtual Riot, that moment arrived mid-tour, inside a schedule mapped out months in advance, with no immediate off-ramp in sight.

EDM.com caught up with Brunn in the green room before his headlining performance at Denver’s Reelworks, one of the final stops on his ‘Burning Out,’ tour, which takes its name from his new album. Before our conversation began and again immediately after it ended, he was locked into his laptop, fine-tuning elements of his set despite being deep into an already dialed-in tour. It’s a small but telling detail: even in a setting defined by fatigue, the instinct to refine, adjust and improve had not dulled.

Sitting alongside is was Carmen Aguirre, better known as VJ Neurite. She is Virtual Riot’s visual director, manager and close friend. Their dynamic is easy and familiar, the result of years spent building something together that extends far beyond the music itself.

Burning Out takes its name from a feeling Brunn does not try to romanticize. “It’s (a reference to) the physical burnout of touring,” he explains. “I’m planning to play fewer shows and be a little more selective about it.”

The realization that his energy was faltering did not come with an immediate change in pace. The nature of touring means commitments are set in stone in long before an artist has time to reassess.

“In this industry, you accept and plan your shows up through a year in advance,” he says. “So if you’re like, ‘I want to play fewer shows,’ it’s like, ‘Oh, but we’re going to get through all this stuff that we’ve (booked) so far.’”

Rather than resisting that reality, Brunn chose to translate it. His album became a direct extension of his current state, both conceptually and sonically.

“That’s how I feel right now so I want to feed the album and the artwork and the title around that,” he says.

The result is a project that fully embraces intensity. Stopping at nothing to convey the album’s spirit, Brunn brought the Burning Out metaphor to life through a professionally coordinated fire stunt that yielded its stunning cover photo.

Brunn describes Burning Out as “pretty loud and intense” with only brief moments of melodic reprieve. That approach reflects a deeper connection between his internal state and his output.

“The current mood you’re in will always affect what you’re writing,” he explains. “Sometimes that will come out in a cathartic, really loud and aggressive song.”

For a virtuosic artist long celebrated for his technical precision and sound design, Burning Out marks a meaningful evolution. The focus remains on craft, but the intent feels less about proving what he can do and more about expressing where he is today.

That mindset carries into how he approaches finishing music in the studio. Despite the pressures that come with maintaining relevance in a fast-moving scene, Brunn insists that obligation rarely plays a role.

“I don’t end up finishing anything unless there’s something in the song that I’m really excited about,” he says. “Nothing that’s released ever feels like ‘I have to do this.’”

While Burning Out encapsulates a prevailing moment of friction, it also hints at what comes next. Brunn views the album as a turning point rather than an endgame.

“It gives the chance for the renewal phase to be the next thing,” he says. “My next album can be something from the ashes (of this burnout). That gives me the freedom to try something new and do whatever I want, so that’s nice.”

Credit: Brian Rapaport for EDM.com

That sense of transition extends far beyond the studio. Virtual Riot has evolved from a solo act into a compelling collaborative on-stage partnership with Aguirre. Their chemistry has become a defining part of the live experience, with synchronized visuals, lighting, lasers and even some rehearsed dance moves forming a cohesive narrative alongside the music.

For Aguirre, the collaboration represents something larger than performance. It is about recognition for the broader production teams behind each show.

“My favorite compliment is when fans come up to me and say, ‘I didn’t even know what a VJ was (before seeing Virtual Riot perform), but now I go to a show and I find out who did the visuals,’” Aguirre says. “That’s way cooler than someone saying, ‘I love your visuals,’ because that means other people in the industry are being recognized for their work.”

That ethos is evident in how Brunn carries himself. Despite his status as one of the most influential producers in bass music, there is little sense of complacency. His attention remains fixed on the details, whether that’s effusively shouting out his production team for recognition in fan videos or tweaking a set minutes before taking the stage.

Looking ahead, the idea of slowing down is less about stepping away and more about redistributing energy. From developing audio plugins to expanding his presence on YouTube to experimenting with more live musical elements in his sets, Brunn speaks with enthusiasm about exploring new creative avenues.

“There’s a certain type of sound I’m still aiming for,” he says without a hint of irony. “A code I want to crack, stuff I want to experiment with.”

In that sense, Burning Out functions as both a release and a reset. It captures the weight of a demanding chapter while opening the door to a more intentional and sustainable phase of Brunn’s career.

Back in the green room, the laptop never stays closed for long. There’s always another adjustment to make, another idea to test. For Virtual Riot, even at the edge of exhaustion, the drive to create remains constant.

You can listen to Burning Out below and find the new album on streaming platforms here.