Let’s transport you to Berlin for a while – with three of us who share interests in techno and experimental electronic music, drawn from broader music and technological background.
I’m fortunate to get to join Jessica Kert, Lana Lain, and SDX tonight at Berlin’s Suicide Club. I’ve been a fan of Jessica’s music ever since first giving it a deep listening on her Detroit Underground outing. And as Jessica is deep into technology, it’s also worth noting that Lana Lain’s backround in techno is drawn from classical education. I think the days when there was a line drawn between such things are over. (That also means, in turn, erasing the attitude toward dance music as being a lesser form of expression, which speaking as an American to me suggests some fairly racist overtones.)
But let’s skip directly to the music. I’ve also got a new mix out this week, revealing some of the heavier sounds I’ve been into.
Jessica Kert (pictured at work, top) is a familiar face as one of the experts staffing Schneidersladen, but you should know her music as well – both solo and as half of the duo ZV_K.
Her outing on Detroit Underground DW is a modular magnum opus and one of my favorite DU releases of late:
But she’s also an adept live performance improviser – which will be on showcase tonight.
Check out her mix, too:
She’ll be joined on live visuals by defasten, who has been up to some superb alien eye candy, produced with software (modular, of sorts) Notch:
Lana Lain was born in Russian Karelia, but established herself in Stockholm before recently moving to Berlin. She’s been hyperactive in the music scene, including building her ФОМО party series (and accompanying radio show on the UK’s Fnoob Techno Radio. That has carved a space in Sweden for international art friendly to gay, queer, and fetish culture. I hope to talk to her more about that network soon, but in the meantime, here’s the terrific techno mix she did recently for Fast Forward:
I’ll also share a new mix of my own, channeling some harder, driving sets and favorites – and digging through this, I’m encouraged by how the darker, weirder sides of electronic music have gotten some real popularity in techno. These artists aren’t fringe any more, at least getting a growing following around the rich networks of fans in parties in Europe and abroad.
ˈYO͞ONƏˌSEKS is the new podcast and party series from ANRI, the Yokohama-born, prolific producer, DJ, and party organizer. Her work got her deep into Tokyo’s underground, before bringing that sensibility to Berlin, where she’s served as a bridge between the techno communities in Japan and Germany. So it’s a pleasure to reflect a bit of what I’ve gotten to experience from her circle into my own response:
Track listing – go find those folks and labels on Bandcamp or your favorite store (like Rotterdam’s Mord, who I didn’t repeat her intentionally, but whose Bandcamp page is well worth a splurge):
- Pris – Ad Infinitum [Avian]
- Donato Dozzy – Parola featuring Anna Caragnano (Rework) [Spazio Disponibile]
- Judas – ID 14 [Arts]
- Th;en – Modular (Mike Vath & Robin Hirte Remix) [Tabula Recordings]
- Sawlin – Oblique [Arts]
- Ansome – Bearded Lady (JoeFarr Remix) [Them Recordings]
- Blawan – 993 [Nutrition]
- Oscar Mulero – Texture (Cassegrain Remix) [Warm Up Recordings]
- Rebekah – Code Black (Slam Remix) [Soma Records]
- Ethan Fawkes – Barricades Did Not Burn [Corresponding Positions]
- Fjaak – Drugs [Seilscheibenpfeiler Schallplatten Berlin]
- Dave Tarrida – Bound To You [Mona Records]
- Albert Van Abbe – In Rotterdam [Mord]
- Uun – Destruction of Heaven and Earth [Mord]
- YYYY – Repent [Weekend Circuit]
- Scalameriya – Crucible [Perc Trax]
- Thomas P. Heckmann – Bodywrap [Monnom Black]
- Paula Temple, Fever Ray – This Country (Paula Temple’s INSTRUMENTAL Version) [Rabid Records / Co-op]
- La Fraicheur – Eaux troubles (VTSS Remix) [InFine]
- Hiro Ikezawa – Spiral Arm [Murasame Industrial Records]
- Ket Robinson – The Fear (Mab Remix) [Taro Records]
- A001 – Cyprido [Mord]
- Nicolas Bougaïeff – Cognitive Resonance [novamute]
- Air Liquide – Semwave [Blue]
- Sleeparchive – Wood [Tresor Records]
Enjoy!
And if you’re in Berlin and want to stop by and say hi, that’ll be here, by Warschauer Str S-Bahn:
https://www.residentadvisor.net/events/1299870
https://web.facebook.com/events/2411618512416477/
More on music and visual artists from – well, this week, even, as Atonal is also on – very soon. Now excuse me; I may squeeze in a disco nap.