Podcast 302: Marcel Dettmann At this point, Berlin and techno are inextricably connected, and though the city’s techno history […]

At this point, Berlin and techno are inextricably connected, and though the city’s techno history contains all sorts of important figures, few would question that Marcel Dettmann has played a key role in the music’s growth and development. Best known for his long-running residency at Berghain, Dettmann actually started DJing in the mid ’90s; still, it’s within Berghain’s walls that he’s been able to spend the better part of a decade fine-tuning his sleek brand of propulsive hard techno. At the same time, though he’s an essential component of the Berghain/Ostgut Ton stable and will likely always be tied to its legacy, Dettmann’s reach isn’t limited to a single corner of the electronic landscape. (He does run a label of his own, the simply titled Marcel Dettmann Records, and has also dropped records in recent years on the 50Weapons imprint.) It’s no exaggeration to say that Dettmann is one of today’s techno giants, which is why we were thrilled when he accepted our invitation to put together a mix for the XLR8R podcast series. As one might expect, his podcast is rather direct; Dettmann isn’t one to bother with a lot of bells and whistles, and here, he’s assembled a compellingly effective tapestry of house and techno cuts unified by a single purpose—moving the dancefloor. It all sounds quite simple, but it’s not meant as a sleight—Dettmann is the kind of artist who’s capable of making a virtue out of mere functionality.

This ability helps explain why Dettmann is one of techno’s most in-demand DJs, and is frequently beckoned to spin around the globe. Even the sun-soaked isle of Ibiza is clamoring for his services, as he’ll be paying a visit to the island’s Cocoon party on July 15 and September 9. (Just FYI, other Cocoon Ibiza guests this summer include Carl Craig, Ben Klock, Ricardo Villalobos, Dixon, Seth Troxler, Ame, Planetary Assault Systems, and Kink, to name a few—check the complete line-up here.) That said, for those of us who can’t make it to Ibiza, we’re confident that this mix will go a long way toward satisfying the need to hear Dettmann at work.

01 Black Deer “Chief Big Thumb” (No ‘Label’)

02 Floorplan “Let’s Ride” (M-Plant)

03 I “Percussion Overdose” (Pod Communication)

04 Unknown “A Side (from TFE XX 01)” (TFE XX)

05 DJ Qu “Liquid Beats” (Strength Music)

06 XDB “Frocks” (Sistrum)

07 Baby Ford “Normal (Is It Normal? Club Mix)” (Rephlex)

08 Container “Application (MD Edit)” (Spectrum Spools)

09 Vedomir “Music Suprematism (Marcel Dettmann Remix)” (Dekmantel)

10 Alex Cortex “Aitiai Part 1” (Source)

11 Marvin Dash “B2 (from the Uncut EP)” (Force Inc. US)

12 Anthony Parasole “Off the Grid” (Marcel Dettmann)

13 Other Lives “Tamer Animals (Atoms for Peace Remix)” (50Weapons)

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