EarPIPE

Ben Klock – Berghain 04 | Album Review

Sunday, July 11th, 2010 | Album Review | No Comments

People say Berlin and for many walls and sausages spring to mind. However for a growing number of people Berlin means techno and Berghain. The hedonistic club has become synonymous with European clubbing, which has seen people travelling from far and wide to be turned away at the door by its mysterious and sporadic door policy. This adds to the mystic and allure of the place where cameras are forbidden and various urban myths have perpetuated their way through clubbing knitting circles. One thing that isn’t a mystery is the Berghain sound, devised by its two residents Marcel Dettmann and Ben Klock. The dark and subtly punishing sounds of Berghain have become legendary through the magical club but also further afield via the record label Ostgut Ton. It’s on this label where the Berghain mix series has been running for the last five years. The critically acclaimed Berghain 02 was mixed by the club’s first son Dettmann, which really brought the sound to the masses. Two years on and the fourth instalment falls to the club’s second son – Klock. But in a world where the Berghain sound is admired, adored and imitated, how much of an impact can Klock’s mix make? › Continue reading

Tags: Ben Klock, Berghain, Berlin, DVS1, James Ruskin, Junior Boys, Kevin Gorman, Marcel Dettmann, Mikhail Breen, Ostgut Ton, Rolando, STL, Tyree

dOP – Watergate 06 | Album Review

Monday, June 7th, 2010 | Album Review | 2 Comments

It’s a natural progression for successful clubs to sell mix CDs based around their brand. Ministry started it, fabric made it cutting edge and now them there Berlin folk are having a stab too. Both Berghain and Panorama have their own CD series, whilst this month Watergate releases their sixth mix. Lying at the heart of mix number six are three Parisians in the form of dOP. Far from being DJs they’ve tried to capture the river side LED sparkle of the infamous Berlin club with their own unique live element which has been exciting the plaudits over the last year. Rather than mix other people’s music they’ve compiled a psuedo jam session come live set of their own creations and collaborations with their friends like Noze, Seuil and Catz and Dogz. It’s supposed to give an insight into how they make music, when they’re on their own or hanging out with friends as well as giving the CD some uniqueness and spontaneity that you get from jam sessions. › Continue reading

Tags: Berghain, Berlin, Catz and Dogz, Daniele Papini, DOP, Mathias Kaden, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Noze, Panoramabar, Selianka, Seuil, Tiefschwarz, Wareika, Watergate

Full Day’s Shift at Fabric On & On & On…, Dinner Break at Secretsundaze – Full Time Rave Review!

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 | Event Reviews | 1 Comment

Photos by Nik Torrens for RA

After the success of the Fabric 10th Birthday it showed that marathon Berghain style party sessions could work in London, so it made sense for fabric to give it another stab, this time under the “just for fun” circumstances. So the first weekend in March saw fabric host another 30 hour marathon session from Saturday night through till Monday morning, with a line up equally as mammoth to suit. Everything was pointing to a party as fun and wild as the 10^th birthday, but ultimately that was its main draw back.

Like a younger sibling “On and On…” inadvertently followed in the footsteps of its older sibling “the 10th Birthday”, where every detail was compared to the other every step of the way. First comparison to be made was the crowd and atmosphere. Arriving on Sunday morning, Troxler is in full affect with Craig Richards. Room 1 is a comfortable busy, similar to the 10th Birthday and perfect for throwing shapes; except the main difference was a lacking edge in the atmosphere. › Continue reading

Tags: Berghain, Centre Point, Chez Damier, Craig Richards, Dave Clarke, Dinky, Ellen Allien, Fabric, Keith Worthy, Paramount, Radioslave, Red Bull Music Academy, Secretsundaze, Seth Troxler, Soundstream, Todd Terje, Trus'me, Wolf and Lamb

All This Summer Dancing Meant I Forgot to Tell You About These Albums

Sunday, July 12th, 2009 | Album Review | No Comments

June to July has been a particularly lost couple of months. Mainly due to being found on various dancefloors in the UK and abroad. But as I stumble between the parties with that crazed ‘I Need Crack’ look I have been listening to a few good albums that came my way. The moment may have passed for most, but I’m still going to tell you anyway.

Robert Hood – Minimal Nation

When I said the moment might have passed I wasn’t talking about the one back in 1994 when this seminal classic was released. Instead I’m talking about Robert Hood and Planet M’s decision to re-release Minimal Nation to another generation of techno lovers and re-school the kids on where manipulating a minimal set of elements comes from. › Continue reading

Tags: Berghain, Black Pearl, Bloody Mary, BPitch Control, Butane, Contexterrior, Crosstown Rebels, Ellen Allien, Endless Forms, Jay Haze, Marcel Dettmann, Minimal Nation, Mutation, Planet M, Robert Hood