Please introduce yourself… Who are you, where are you and what are you?
My name is Finn Johannsen. I live in Berlin. I am a DJ, writer, co- run the label Macro Recordings and I am a booker for the Berlin clubs Paloma and Monarch.
What does your music sound like? Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us (an image from the old internet is acceptable)?
I get bored quite easily, so I have no defined sound as such. But imagine an image of happy, nocturnal chaos. Take this example from a gig in Paris some years ago:
Where was the mix recorded?
In my studio/home office.
What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?
Late at night, heading somewhere. Or early in the morning, returning from somewhere.
What should we be wearing?
Whatever makes you feel good.
What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?
I love any setting that leads to a recorded set in which you can hear the people scream on the floor. But I also like to record a mix at home. In any case my way of playing records differs quite a lot between a live or studio context.
Which track in the mix is your current favourite?
All of them.
What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?
Klaus Stockhausen live at Front Club, Hamburg, March 11th 1987.
If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?
It would be some great club in the 70s, where new ideas and great people fell into place. I am so old that I was out clubbing in all the following decades, but I was too young for that.
What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?
2x Technics SL-1200 MKII and an Ecler Smac first mixer. Mixer finally died last year and I replaced it with an Ecler Nuo. No, I am not an audiophile.
What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?
Both are equally important.
What were the first and last records you bought?
First: Blondie – Heart Of Glass. Last: Al Kent – Loving You
If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?
Fish & Chips at North Sea, Bloomsbury, London. Eaten in good company.
If it was an animal what would it be?
A night owl.
One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?
None. All you have to do is to find another record that fits.
Upcoming in the world of…
Spending some beautiful time with my loved ones and good friends. And spending some beautiful nights wherever my professional activities will lead me.
Anything else we need to discuss?
What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.
I am in this business for so long that I know what you have to do right now to get gigs. I am really fully aware of it, and I do not condemn it either. I am part of it myself, unfortunately. But of course all these reels, selfies and footage of crowded floors and beautiful sites do not tell the whole truth. Every DJ once had quiet, or weird gigs. And there really is no harm in that at all. If you learn the hard way, you will probably even have more lasting effects. I am happy that this category of gigs is an exception in my years as a DJ, and I would not tell you if it was otherwise, but let me list some gigs I played that were not turning out as I expected.
1996 Tanzdiele, Kiel
My then weekly residency at Tanzdiele Club in my hometown. The Saturday before was rammed, the one before as well, and so on. I entered the club ready to top it all, and then there were about 20 people the whole night. At some point I was told that there was a huge private party in some flat by some people notorious for huge private parties. We closed the club at 2 am and went there too, but we couldn’t get in because it was so crowded that not even the police there to shut down the party could get in. Told my ego one or two valuable things, and also about taking things for granted.
2006 Aston Villa Stadium, Birmingham
Me and Lars Bulnheim were very excited about the invitation to play some Modern Soul tunes at an allnighter in the stadium. We took selfies on the terraces, admired the trophies and the main floor looked like a cruise ship ballroom. It was wonderful. But when we came to our floor there were some seasoned soul DJs playing mediocre Garage House from CDs, and nearly nobody danced. There was a sizeable bunch of old soulies at the bar, and they were cheering and applauding our records. But we waved them over to dance, and they just laughed.
2007 103 Club, Berlin
Booked to play one of our then quite cherished disco b2b sets with Hunee. Hunee had suddenly decided that digital DJing was the future and so I was playing vinyl and he was playing with Traktor, or whatever. The difference in sound quality was really awkward, as Hunee’s files sounded really bad on the club’s PA. So even the 15 people who showed up left quite soon. Now his files sound better on most PAs than my records, but hey.
2011 Cabaret, Zürich
I entered the club and I was delighted by the sleazy and plush interior. Unfortunately that floor was reserved for a Hessle Audio night with all three of them. I said hi and then was directed to my floor, which turned out to be very small, and also served as the smokers lounge. You could say the smoking and according interaction mattered more than my set, let alone dancing.
2011 Tape, Berlin
Traxx celebrated his 40th birthday party on several floors. It was a great party, apart from the floor Trevor Jackson and I played. Which was the separate room upstairs where people went to have a chat, snog or take drugs, or to just have a quiet moment at last. And I was playing a rather advanced set of post punk favourites.
2013 Gipsy, Moscow
The club by the river looked like as if a spaceship had clashed into an ancient vessel and was half open air. One separate floor had walls of empty bottles. The Russian government had just introduced harsh anti gay laws and the crowd consisted mainly of rich kids more interested in showing off their wealth than in any of the music played, and handsome boys on the edge of the floor pretending to be just friends. I still feel dirty and ashamed when I think of that weekend.
2013, Berghain, Berlin
Me and Anstam were the support DJs for the showing of Murnau’s Nosferatu, soundtracked live by Shed. Anstam was great with setting the mood before, the film itself and Shed’s score was impressive too. When that was over, everybody left very quickly and I played maybe half an hour to the almost empty main room. But I ended with „Bela Lugosi’s Dead“, and the staff packing up and me agreed that it was quite a moment.
2014, Komm, Nürnberg
I had played the same club for the annual soul weekender many times, so I thought it would be a great idea ot play a garage house set. But none of the local soulies showed up, the few people on the floor were not that much into vocals, there was heavy bass feedback on the decks, and there was a huge sold out punk concert in the main room upstairs, and when that ended a bunch of charged up and quite aggressive punks entered the floor and if looks could kill. But I was stubborn, and ready to fight, and surprisingly enough they warmed up to the music very soon. I never had a floor with equally wasted and loved up punks pogoing to Ce Ce Rogers again, unfortunately.
2014 Plastic People, London
Mark Ernestus was telling me that the club had probably the best sound system he ever heard, the reputation of the place was astonishing anyway. What I did not know about the booking was that I was the only remaining member of a Hard Wax package, and that the gig was announced as such. It was also announced that I would be the only one playing of the former lineup, a day before. So I played a frenetic cut up disco set to a few dub techno fans. The club closed soon after.
2015 Humboldthain, Berlin
I played an amazing set, but it was a daytime open air party on the hottest day of the year, and the few people who came by were paralyzed. I also quickly realized that playing in a wooden shack without ventilation was even worse than lying around in front of it. And I played for four hours.
2015 Wax Treatment, Kiekebusch
A wonderful party actually, but all DJs got carried away and played way longer than scheduled. When Shed and me finally started it was already dawning and a lot people had already gone back to the city, and the remaining crowd was too wasted or tired to dance. It did not help that I brought a bag of my favourite Proto Jungle anthems.
2016 Acido, Salon zur Wilden Renate, Berlin
The new techno floor had just opened and I thought it was a great idea to play a set with my favourite acid house records. Unfortunately the other DJs had played a rather leftfield set that did not work, and by the time I arrived the floor was already dead. About five people were merciful enough to dance on, but they were gone pretty soon, and they did not leave to tell other people what was going on. They just left.
2018 Bewegungsfreiheit, About Blank, Berlin
When I arrived at the club I noticed that the lobby floor was sticky and drenched in sweat, but half empty. It was not brave Cinthie’s fault, who played before me, the reason was that the whole ventilation went bust right after the party started. In June. I played my set, but nearly everybody had escaped to the garden. And every drink I had to fight my frustration seemed to dissolve instantly in the heat.
2020 Colour, Melbourne
I had a marvellous time in Australia two years before, playing at the wonderful Inner Varnika festival and some accompanying gigs. When I returned in 2020, however, the pandemic had accelerated from being a distant rumour to undeniable realness very quickly, and while I was travelling down under Europe was locked down and upon arrival I had tons of messages and phone calls by panicking DJs, and I realized that the life I was happily living for over 30 years was basically falling apart in realtime. My first gig in Melbourne was a disaster, as people obviously decided to be reasonable and stay in, and apart from a few friends there hardly was anybody there. The gig in Sydney two days later was the total opposite, playing b2b in a sold out warehouse with DJ Sprinkles, but it had the vibe of the last night out possible, and it actually was. I managed to get one of the last flights back to Europe before most airports were shut down, and dear me I was confused.
I am fine, thank you. My daughter will be home from school soon, and she had a test today, for a cycling license. She was very excited about it and I hope it all went well. Else I am pondering what we will have for lunch today, and I am thinking about fresh ideas to save Paloma, the club I am booking here in Berlin. Later my wife will be back from work and we will have some time together before I will meet a good friend, and I am thankful that such simple things are possible again. But right now I am listening to music and reading the news.
Can you tell us a little bit about the mix? What were you feeling when you made it?
I was actually playing two gigs in Melbourne and Sydney in March when the virus basically took my whole life apart back home on the other end of the world, which was very surreal and confusing.
Finn at Sydney Harbour in March, following his last gig in Australia with DJ Sprinkles.
I always loved playing this kind of sound, but a main reason to fully indulge in it again was my closing set at Inner Varnika two years ago where I ended the festival on this tip, and the result was a beautiful and lasting memory for me, and apparently many others. So there was a connection that came to my mind when you asked me. That, plus I feel too uncomfortable at the moment playing a club set like nothing happened.
What I felt while actually mixing it? Gratitude for all the good times I had, the good music I found on the way, and the fine people I could share it with. I was feeling a bit hopeful too.
Where did you record the mix?
At home, on a bright morning last Monday.
What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?
I really had none particular in mind. I am honestly not sure how the situation affects the way people listen to music, or if that has even changed. Ideally, it stills works in various settings, and it may succeed in making them more enjoyable.
Are there any tracks you’ve used in the mix that are special or significant to you?
Rather expectedly I love all the tracks I used, but being a bit older I always loved Paul Rutherford, and I realised I never had the opportunity to include this record of him crooning about the moon. So thank you!
What’s on the cards for 2020?
I was at the movies in 1992, watching “Sneakers”, and when every member of the team was asked to make a request in return for the decryption chip, Whistler said, “I want peace on earth and goodwill toward men.” That’s all I ask, too.
Pablo Gad – Hard Times Dub Achterbahn D’Amour – Königsstr. (SW. Remix) Willis Anne – Untitled Lena Willikens – Mari Ori Reckonwrong – Hansie C.C. Not – Untitled Lohhof – Midway Moodswings (Terekke Remix) X – Untitled The Maghreban – Green Apple Florian Kupfer – Discotags Kai Alcé – Rockin K-Tel Orson + Skratch – Untitled Leigh Dickson – Praise (Baby Ford Mix) Perbec – Chaser Translate – City Slicker Marquis Hawkes – The Way Isanlar – Kime Ne (Ricardo Villalobos Version 1) Hashman Deejay – Samba DJ Sprinkles & Mark Fell – Insights Ken Gill – Love Moon DJ Sotofett – Nimbus Mix Simone White – Flowers In May (Kassem Mosse Version) Stump Valley – Caruso Plaza – Night Lines (Moon B Extra Nocturnal Mix) Aphex Twin – diskhat1 Patrick Cowley & Jorge Socarras – She Had Her Nerve
Stefan Goldmann – Peak Phosphorus Ajukaja & Andrevski – Rare Birds Death Comet Crew – Galacticoast (Gifted & Blessed Remix) Francis Harris – You Can Always Leave (Curtains) (Remix By DJ Sprinkles) Mari Kvien Brunvoll – Everywhere You Go (Villalobos Amnesia Rehabilitation Dub) AM Version Feat. Alona – For Our Love (Monty Luke’s Westcoastluvmix) Terre’s Neu Wuss Fusion – A Crippled Left Wing Soars With The Right (Steal This Record Remix) Theo Parrish – 71st & Exchange Used To Be… Denaji – Dharma Drama Omar S. Detroit – Who’s In Key Omar S Presents Colonel Abrams – Who Wrote The Rules Of Love Rick Wilhite – My Life Is A Minimal Circle Jovonn – Welcome, Dance Terrence Parker Feat. Reno Ka – Finally (Backroom Mix) Pollyn – Sometimes You Know (Moodymann Remix) DJ Skull – Promise Of Peace Kouji Nagahashi – 2 (Last Dance Over Me) Lorna Dune – Miamisphere (Terekke Remix) Hakim Murphy – Chicago Head (Skyway Remix) Joe – Punters Step Out Heatsick – Speculative Moodymann – No Charles Manier – Sift Through Art Collecting People
Mix and interview for Sound of Thought podcast, now defunct.
KWC 92 – Night Drive
D-Ribeiro – Down You Will Get (AM Mix By DJ Sotofett)
Corbie – Arktika (Sprinkles’ Deeperama)
Deetroit – Feeels
Ozka – MTRX
L’estasi Dell’oro – Reverse & Repair
MGUN – Mask
Joey Anderson – Sky’s Blessings
Jeff Mills – Human Dream Collectors
The Abstract Eye – Reflexes
Divvorce – Wander 7
Plastic Soul – I Got It
SSOL – SSOL 001
FaltyDL – Umi Says
The Fantasy – Glass Traps
Vaib-R – About Freedom
Ttam Renat – Merging (Hut Mix)
Roy Davis Jr. & Sean Smith – The Revival
Webster Wraight Ensemble – The Ruins Of Britain (Pépé Bradock’s ‘Robin’s Hot Barbershop’ Remix)
L’estasi Dell’oro – Iscariotic Lips
Kassem Mosse – Workshop 019
? – Aspect Music 6
Ob Ignitt – Celestial Salacious
Damon Bell – What
The Trash Company – Manchester Stomp
For our final podcast of 2013 – vinyl devotee, Hard Wax curator, part-time journalist, Macro co-boss, family man and a damn near impeccable selector, Finn Johannsen steps up.
Having been one of a select few at the helm of the Hard Wax institution since 2010, it comes as little surprise that they would turn to somebody such as the likes of Finn for the coveted position. Casting his net wide, Finn’s general philosophy when it comes to music echoes the sentiments – if you are no longer being stimulated by what you are hearing, then “look elsewhere, or look harder”. Though in his eyes a decidedly necessary standpoint for somebody that has been frequenting clubs since the 80s, Finn’s ability to keep his finger ahead of the pulse demonstrates a breadth of knowledge that shines through heavily both in his selections and writings.
A unique and highly refreshing figure, Finn turns in over two hours of fresh wax for us – with an extreme wealth of wisdom to back it up, take time with both facets of this episode, as there is much to take in.
So we come to you as 2013 draws to a close – as somebody that is so involved with new releases from far and wide through your position at Hard Wax, do you feel 2013 has been a good year for electronic music? Has your wide-ranging palette been mostly satisfied?
There was only one period where I was really bored with House and Techno, that was the mid 90’s. The wild creativity made way for bigger clubs and the according income boost possibilities, and innovations seemed to trickle in comparison to the years before. But then there were other styles emerging, especially in the UK, and as I dug deeper, I also found enough interesting music to keep me hooked. Which since then I had established as a rule for myself. If there is not enough happening in what you are used to, look elsewhere, or look harder. Since then I did not find any year in electronic music disappointing. I took home a lot of good new releases week in week out, year in year out. Discovering a lot of new names, new labels and lost or overlooked obscurities in the process. For me personally, there is still too much music released that tries to recreate something that has already been done, especially when you consider the fact that both the landmark originals and the according copycat records from the same period of time are easily accessible via second hand. But if I were 20 and just becoming aware of certain sounds, it would probably thrill me in the same way. And of course the overall interest in vintage blueprints brought a lot of interesting reissues as well, some of which I did not know before. But generally the amount of previously unreleased or longtime deleted material is not a particularly healthy sign for such a fast evolving culture like club music. And I could not help noticing that the producers and DJs moaning the most about retroesque phenomena were often a bit more seasoned, and also often the ones seemingly failing to deliver the same spark they felt was now lacking. If you have the feeling that things are developing for the worse, take a close look first at what you can do or actually do about it. In any case, what interests me most is what happens next.
In the Critic’s Round Table edition of RA’s Exchange in August, you state that personally, “surprises” when going out or listening to music are fewer and further between. Though you also state that this is to be the natural state of things when you have been engaged in both activities for as long as you have and those pioneering years have well and truly past.
We’re interested to know what some of these more recent surprises have been and what it takes to grab your attention when you have been steeped in this history and culture for such a significant period of time. And do these increasing lapses between ever cause you to lose some of your vigour for the scene?
I started collecting records in the mid 70’s, 6 years old, and sneaked my way into clubs in the early 80’s. And I still buy records and go out. So a certain degree of recurrences is just natural. Hype tends to move in circles. There are shoes I still like to wear that have been in and out of fashion so many times that I simply do not care anymore if they are fashionable or not, and the same applies to music or club nights. Music production is so standardized by software today that it is unlikely that someone comes up with a sound unheard of before, and using analogue gear does not guarantee an individual signature sound either. For some time now, a lot of interesting innovations in electronic music happen in the realm of recontextualization, deconstruction and interpretation of certain traditions. And if it is done with enough fresh ideas to add a new perspective, I do not mind that at all. I look out for artists who have their own sound. And I must add that in that aspect it does not matter if a producer able to do that is just surfacing or has been around for a longer time. I do not make a big difference between artists refining their own sound, or artists just establishing it. The main difficulty is trying to remain relevant, and I salute everybody trying and succeeding. Thus for example, I had the same pleasure with artists like Mark Pritchard, Soundstream, Pépé Bradock, Terrence Dixon, Kode9 or Terre Thaemlitz still doing their thing as it should be done, as with newer artists like Tapes, Call Super, DJ Richard, Gorgon Sound, Moon B, Aquarian Foundation or MGUN, who are just in the process of developing their own creative persona. There are many more fine examples for both camps, of course. For inconsiderate omissions, please consult what I charted and mixed in 2013. Read the rest of this entry »
A charity night at Berghain, raising money against the anti-gay laws in Russia. The place was sold out and I played as aprt of a Hard Wax staff contingent. Of course recordings are not allowed there, but I decided to play a set of gay music and it went down a storm. I am particularly happy that I could make Being Boring work on the Berghain floor. So I re-recorded it the next day exactly how I played it.
Auto-Repeat – Auto Disco Sylvester – You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) Banji Boys – Love Thang Rageous Projecting Franklin Fuentes – Tyler Moore Mary Junior Vasquez – Get Your Hands Off My Man Junior Rafael – 4 All Da Men In My Life Jamie Principle – Cold World Ryuichi Sakamoto – Love And Hate The Children – Freedom Aaron-Carl – Hateful Long Fellow – This Is Penis 2 Body’s – French Kiss Jimmy Somerville – Comment Te Dire Adieu I.M.T. – The Devil Made Me Buy… DJ Sprinkles – Glorimar’s Whore House Outrage – Tall ‘N’ Handsome Pet Shop Boys – Being Boring Hercules And Love Affair – Blind The Ones – Flawless Carl Bean – I Was Born This Way Patrick Cowley & Jorge Socarras – Burn Brighter Flame
(photo by Tom Lawton, very early morning @ Summer Sound System, Glasgow, 2005)
These days the Discogs Marketplace seems to outweigh the website’s initial purpose of building a research database and there is a lot of talk about the value of certain releases, and less talk about what said releases actually sound like. So I decided to compile this playlist by organizing my collection at Discogs for the highest median prices fetched at the Discogs Marketplace, and then selected items from the first pages that in my opinion justify demand by classic status. If this is what is wanted by so many Discogs users, you can thus have an impression of how the records sound in action, and decide for yourself if they are worth the effort. Items sought after due to recent hype and speculation efforts by producers, labels and sellers of any kind were decidedly neglected.
Dedicated to all the people who created the monster, and to those who do not abuse it. I salute you.
Andthoney & M. Kinchen – The Feeling (Prescription) Dream 2 Science – My Love Turns To Liquid (Deep Water Mix) (Power Move) Vil-N-X- What Cha Gonna Do (Vil-N-X Stra Mental Mix) (Island Noyze) DJ Sprinkles – Bassline.89.1 (Comatonse) Nature Boy – Unda Me (Ruff Disco Records) Unknown Artist – Untitled (Magnet Sounds) Jovonn – Back 2 The House (Goldtone) Shake – 5% Solution (KMS) Unknown Artist – Untitled (Chicago Underground) Kikrokos – Life’s A Jungle (Ron’s Edits) K. Alexi Shelby – My Medusa (Transmat) The Prince And The Wizard – The Music Is Kickin’ (City Limits) Gherkin Jerks – Parameters (Alleviated) Ace & The Sandman – Let Your Body Talk (Saber) Schatrax – Restless Nights (Schatrax) The System – You’re In My System (Atmospheric Dub) (Ibadan) Unknown Artist – Untitled (Other Side) Boo Williams – Make Some Noise (Relief) Circulation – Emotions Unknown (++Force Mix) (Balance) Freaks – 2 Please U (Surreal Visits Dub) (Playhouse) Moodymann – I Feel Joy (KDJ) MD – Cold Cuts (United States Of Mars) Octave One – Nicolette (430 West) Vincent Floyd – I Dream Of You (Dance Mania) Low Key – Lovemagic (Serious Grooves) John Beltran Feat. Open House – Earth & Nightfall (Sinewave) Claude Young – Dream Of Another Time (Utensil) Fingers Inc. – A Love Of My Own (Extended Club Mix) (Alleviated) B.F.C. – Please Stand By (Retroactive)
Dark Side Rhythm Tracks – Homey’s House Container – Acclimator Young Male – Black Satin Fan DJ Sotofett – There’s Gotta Be A Way (Vision Of Love Club Mix) Marcellis – Workshop 16 B1 Mzungu – Too Hot Durant – Vigo’s Jones Breach & Dark Sky – The Click Doubleheart – Grasso Terrence Dixon – Horizon Area – Bourbon Skies (St. Petersburg Three-Four Blues Remix By DJ Sprinkles) Sleeparchive – Diagnosis Oh, Yoko – Seashore (Sprinkles’ Ambient Ballroom)
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