As a DJ the vinyl-favouring, Berlin-based Berghain resident is revered for his sets of jacking yet tunnelistic techno, and as a producer too he’s built a formidable reputation: two 12?s on Marcel Dettmann’s MDR imprint announced his arrival back in 2007-8, and were followed by a split release with Samuli Kemppi on Ostgut Ton (a sampler taken from Dettmann’s Berghain 02 mix) as well as an ever-increasing number of remixes for the likes of Peter Van Hoesen, Resoe and Function (Sandwell District). His latest original production is ‘Start Up’, the final track on Ostgut’s recently released Fünf compilation, a sense-battering 7×12? set that also includes new tracks by Shed, Prosumer, Fiedel (MMM), Steffi and Ben Klock, all employing field recordings made at Berghain by Emika.

Nodge’s FACT mix is a high-octane affair, showcasing his uncommon ability to balance industrial textures with percussive funk. The tracklist is forthcoming, so for now just go ahead and download safe in the assurance that techno really doesn’t get much better. Come on, look at the guy. He means business.

The timing is good, with Dettmann having just released his eponymous debut solo album, cementing his position at the very heart of the contemporary techno landscape. It’s a stark and uncompromising record, some would even say purist, and it also happens to be a roaring artistic success. Whereas most DJs and dance music producers feel obliged to diversify – and thus invariably dilute – their sound when making an album, Dettmann has gone the opposite way, producing a record as focussed and mercilessly linear as a laser-beam. As FACT’s Andrew Ryce rhapsodised in his review of the album, “in [Dettmann's] world there’s no more microhouse, no more ‘mnml’, no more ‘boring tech-house for elevators’, there’s only techno.”

Though understandably best known for his culture-shaping role as resident DJ at the iconic Berghain club in Berlin, Dettmann is an increasingly illustrious producer. Dettmann might be his debut solo LP, but the Pössneck-born 31-year-old has been making superlative dance music since 2006, beginning with the Klock collaboration ‘Dawning’/’Dead Man Watches The Clock’ that then gave rise to an exceptional mini-album, Scenario. Solo Dettmann 12″s have come not only via the Ostgut-Ton label but also Beatstreet and most notably MDR, Dettmann’s own bespoke white-label imprint. That sequence of no-frills releases, together with the mix CD Berghain 02, are arguably Dettmann’s most significant releases to date; Berghain 02 in particular has proved to be highly influential, helping introduce the wider world to the demure-yet-brutalist Berghain sound and the work of a new generation of underground luminaries like Norman Nodge and Shed. As a remixer too Dettmann has shown himself to be a deadly and versatile operator, taking on the likes of Sandwell District, Scuba and Martyn, and creating a wobbly modern dancefloor classic in his version of Deetron’s ‘Let Get Over It’.

For his FACT mix, freed from the need to formally represent Berghain and anyhow very well attuned to the diverse, discerning tastes of our readers, Dettmann digs deep into his collection and exhibits a number of little-known but time-honoured tracks alongside up-to-the-minute dancefloor detonators. Using two turntables, two CDJs and a sampler, he moulds this formidable selection into a spellbinding narrative – in FACT’s humble opinion one far more subtle and gripping than we’ve heard on any of his previous recorded mixes – beginning with the brittle, low-frequency electronica of Arpanet’s ‘Heisenberg Compensation’, a divine 2005 production by Drexciya/Dopplereffekt’s Gerald Donald.

Throughout the mix we’re taken back to the future, so to speak, bombarded with edu-taining classic cuts like Cristian Vogel’s ‘Artists In Charge of Expert Systems’ (1995), Hecate & Kareem’s ‘The Payback’ (1996) and CTI’s ‘Conquest’ – a head-spinningly advanced 1984 transmission from TG’s Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni Tutti. Other vintage productions from Herwig Maurer, Stefan Robbers and others abound, but there’s plenty of space for the new as well, with recent and some as-yet-unreleased productions from Norman Nodge, Tangula and Redshape. We finish up with Richard D. James’ classic Polygon Window cut ‘UT1 Dot’, a fitting conclusion to a mix that isn’t just about Dettmann’s fine ear and DJing nous. FACT mix 150 is, more than anything, about affirming and celebrating the techno continuum – that desire, be it in 1984, 1995 or 2010, to plough on forward, and to make the future happen now.

Interview

What were you aiming to achieve with the Dettmann LP? Are you happy with how it turned out?

“It’s a closed artwork, out of a year of Marcel Dettmann…and and I’m really happy about the positive feedback I get.”

It’s been said by a lot of people that the Dettmann LP prevents a very “pure” vision of techno – is that something you agree with?

“I do agree on this and I’m very pleased that the album is getting recognised as such.”

How would you say your approach to production has changed since ‘Blank Scenario’?

“It’s been three years by now…You’re permanently caught in a crossfire of influences, so I think that it’s always a constant development personally in terms of my production.”

Tell us about the mix you’ve recorded for FACT….

“I recorded it it in my studio with two turntables, two CD players and a sampler. The tracks I choosed are a mix of new stuff and some of the good old records which have accompanied me for years…”

Any new producers whose stuff you’ve been enjoying recently?

“At the moment I really like the productions of the Berlin label Do Not Resist The Beat and Sweden’s Skudge.”

Any other plans for 2010 that you can tell us about?

“I’ll be going on an album tour to the USA, Australia, South America, Asia and Europe. 
Besides that I’ll release some new tracks from different artists on my
 label MDR and I’m working on remixes for Commix, Sigha and others…”

The set was recorded last month at Berghain, just one of the clubs that Dehnert razes to the ground on a regular basis. With a sleek but muscular sound, bass-rooted and with unbelievable flex and skip to its rhythms, there’s something wonderfully urgent and essential about Dehnert’s tracks – not a single note or drum-hit is wasted. Though the lurching syncopations might at times make you think of dubstep and garage, fundamentally we never deviate from the main business of industrial-burnished and tunnelistic techno. It’s serious stuff, for sure, but it’s totally ecstatic to boot.

Berlin-based Dehnert has been releasing music under his own name since 2007, chiefly via his own Fachwerk imprint. Fachwerk has become one of the most trusted techno labels there is, always delivering the club-coshing goods, and acting primarily as a showcase for Dehnert’s productions but also thosae of Sascha Rydell and Roman Lindau. Dehnert has also recently been enjoying an association with Rotterdam’s Clone Records, releasing the ‘Umlaut 2′ 12″ last year on Clone Basement Series (b/w Levon Vincent’s remix, one of 2009’s biggest club tracks), and with another coming imminently. Oh, and then there’s MD2, his ultra-limited white label (or, more accurately, red label) series, the first instalment of which dropped earlier this year, and the second of which is due out this month. As if that there’s not enough, further 12″s in the next couple of months are promised on Echochord and Fachwerk, and a 2×12″ Fachwerk album is planned for a little later in the year. 2010 is going to a be a big one for this industrious and humble hero of the underground.

Taken from a genuine live set (as opposed to the kind of chancer’s “live” set that’s so common these days), performed with on-the-fly modulation and arrangement and with noticeable breaks between tracks, this 30-minute cut is a perfect introduction to Dehnert’s power and prowess, and a pleasing affirmation for those who already know it well. Listen loud and listen well.

Powerful, sexy and knowing in the right sense. One could also say he knows his edutainment. Since 1999 Marcel is and has been a steady fixture at both the old OstGut and the new Berghain.

The classic sounds of Chicago and Detroit have had a huge influence on him, but Marcel also says that „the music and the sets have to work, should have a soul and be ignorant of boundaries. I re-invent my dj philosophy for every new set, location and night. Generally, it is very important to me to play as varied as possible sets fusing classic tracks with the contemporary ones.“

Besides his dj activities, Marcel also works at Berlin’s highly influential record store Hard Wax.

The store’s excellent musical portfolio provides Dettmann with a constant inspiration for his upcoming projects. „Dawning/Dead Man Watches The Clock” on our label OstGut Ton is his first ever released record a collaboration with his DJ colleague Ben Klock. It has gotten an excellent feedback and managed to chart Groove Magazine’s Top50 at number 2.

„Music always works in a certain context at a certain time, or it doesn’t. There still are a lot of interesting, very varied artists and labels releasing loads of good stuff, be it classic or experimental.

While in Minneapolis Ben not only was able to see what the Midwest was about, Ben even took home a little piece of Minneapolis by signing our very own DVS1 for KlockWorks005. While here he interviewed for Tanya Norman from IPR and recently with us at Jack The Box for a followup. What Follows is the followup interview and below is the original interview from Tanya and Ben Klock from April.

To top it all off we were also able to get hold of a recording of that night for JackCast002 Ben Klock Live@BLACK…

You recently visited  Minneapolis, What were your impressions of the American Techno scene before coming and what are your impressions now? Specifically  Minneapolis …
Well I have to say before I had the impression that it’s a very small scene there and this was approved. But in the end it’s more about quality than quantity. And there were some people who were really into it – especially in Minneapolis. And it was great fun playing there, because people seemed to really appreciate.

Your latest release on Klockworks (klockworks 005) is from one of our own locals and is very exciting for us.  Is klockworks005 the first release from artists other than you?
Yes it’s the first release from someone else. So it’s something special for me too. I was really impressed by Zak (DVS1). He is minimalistic in it’s original sense. And very energetic. I loved his short but intense performance he did at that party in Minneapolis. And I’m glad I didn’t go straight home after my set and had the chance to meet this guy. I will bring him over to play at Berghain in February.

Do you plan on bringing more artists into the Klockworks roster?
Always depends on the music. If I find something that really fits into the concept that I have in mind for Klockworks then maybe there will be other artists. In fact I’m just planning something with a new artist but it’s to early to tell more.

Do you plan on visiting the  US  in 2010?
I’m not sure about that yet. We’ll see.

You are known for playing a very wide range of records. I remember hearing a number of classics in your set from your visit.  What is your favorite dance floor track, the one you almost never leave home without?
Yes I like mixing old and new stuff. But it always changes. I can’t tell you the one favorite classic. There are too many great records. But if you ask me which one never left the bag since I bought it in 1995 it’s Tyree on Dance Mania: Nuthin Wrong.

Are you currently working on any new music projects that we should keep an eye out for?
I’ve only been doing remixes since my album came out in February this year. Brand new in the stores is a remix for Function on Sandwell District.
And then there will be a record on Deeply Rooted House, distributed by PlanetE with two older tracks of mine coming out before the end of this year.

One of the things we love to talk about on this Blog is gear. Some people are gear enthusiasts and some are minimalists.  What is your current preferred DJ and music production set up?
I’m sorry to disappoint you if you expect a large analog production park. For my productions I’m using Logic Pro on a Mac and lot’s of digital plug Ins. That’s all I need at the moment. For me it’s more about music than loving machines. My DJ set up is two turntables and two Pioneer CDJs 1000 and a Soundbite loop player.

Thank you Ben!  Interview by Aaron Bliss for Jack the Box.

Below is the interview by Tanya Norman the night Ben Klock Played in Minneapolis.

Particle People Bring Ben Klock To First Ave VIP Room by Tanya Norman

On April 4, 2009 local promoters Particle People welcomed Ben Klock to the First Ave VIP Room. Coming to the USA all the way from Berghain Club in Berlin, this respected producer and deejay was here to promote his new album One and EP Before One out now on BeatPort and where vinyl is sold. Ben was kind enough to grant Tanya Norman an interview opportunity, allowing a glimpse inside his world of Berlin techno and sharing insight into why sometimes less is more…

TN: Who inspires you?  Mentors in music?

BK: I don’t know where to begin.  I’ve been making music all my life.  I listened to all kinds of music.  In the 80’s I loved Prince.  In the beginning of the 90’s I was beginning to look for new sounds.  There are some heroes: old US guys, Jeff Mills, Carl Craig, Robert Hood.  Basically, that’s where it comes from.

TN: What kind of technology and tools do you use?  Describe your studio.

BK:  It’s not that interesting. [laughs] I changed to complete digital. I really like total recall recording.  When I worked on my album I worked on different tracks at the same time.  I don’t want to have to reconnect cables…..with digital you can really do a lot of things.  I use Logic, a little Ableton… usually a Logic user.  And some plug-ins.

TN: Your current record label, Ostgut Ton, how long have you been with them?

BK: Since I’ve been a resident DJ at Berghain, about 3 years. Ostgut Ton is the label of Berghain. The venue they had before the Berghain was called Ostgut, that is why the label is called Ostgut Ton.

TN: You’ve been deejaying for over 10 years now?

BK: For a little over 10 years.  The international bookings started about 4 years ago, coinciding with the beginning of my residency at Berghain.

TN: Did you play any instruments as a child?

BK: When I was a kid I played piano. Before I became a DJ I also played in a band and did some songwriting, playing guitar and singing…

TN:  Did you find those experiences helpful with your current productions?

BK: Yes and no.  Sometimes it is not helpful when you are too educated in music and you want to make a good techno track…you don’t want it cluttered with too many solo parts, well, iIdon’t want it… [laughs]
See the full Interview at…
http://www.ipr.edu/blog/2009/04/particle-people-bring-ben-klock-to-first-ave-vip-room/

Be sure to see Tanya’s post for video and pictures from the night as well as visit Particle People on RA for more pictures here : http://www.residentadvisor.net/photo-gallery.aspx?set=6248 and on http://www.myspace.com/particlepeoplempls