Parties, naturally, are at the heart of electronic music culture. So much more than a setting for great music, parties are where friendships blossom, lifelong partnerships are made and a place where the daily grind of life can be temporarily forgotten for a couple of hours each weekend.
In a new series for 6AM, we gather up a bunch of influential DJs and give them an opportunity to wax lyrical about the parties that have influenced them the most. For our inaugural edition, we got in touch with Per Hammar, a Sweden-born, Berlin-based DJ/producer who runs two labels, Dirty Hands and 10YEARS, but also helms the Kiloton party in Malmö, Sweden, a party that has featured international guests such as Bicep and Nina Kraviz as well as local talent such as Genius of Time, Abdulla Rashim and Mr. Tophat & Art Alfie.
With the label celebrating 8 years this weekend (with Hammar playing alongside Noha and longtime Kiloton party affiliate Kajsa Lindström), out timing couldn’t have been more better. We’ll leave it to Per to take it from here, as he talks us through his history with the party and also picks a definitive track for each year of Kiloton.
I moved to Malmö in 2007 and at the same time, I went from playing live with my band (electro pop, computer game music) to DJing. I strolled around town handling out my mix CDs to all bars that had some kind of DJ equipment, and at the same time I harassed the local DJs with my own music.
During this time I used to hang out at this squatted house where I started to throw drum’n’bass and techno parties. It was dirty but super fun. I also started my first bar club night at a restaurant where I could play my music and let my friends come and play too. I was going out every weekend, and one night I heard one of the residents of my favorite club drop one of my tracks. A few months later in 2010, the owner of the venue asked me if wanted to start to play at this club night. I did a few nights, and he asked me if I wanted to take over the night. So instead of taking over, I started my own club night: Kiloton. I wanted to bring the sound of the scene into Malmö and put the city on the map for electronic music.
Malmö has always been quite local-focused. Promoter crews are very loyal to themselves. And it’s common that they book themselves and rarely take in anyone external too! My plan with Kiloton was always to anchor the feeling that you can show up at a Kiloton night and know that you will be served quality music. No matter if it’s your local hero, someone from Stockholm or anywhere else. The first years I booked a lot of Swedish DJs like Genius of Time, Abdulla Rashim, Mr. Tophat & Art Alfie, Skudge and Studio Barnhus, but mixed it up with artists from abroad like Nina Kraviz, Radio Slave, DVS1, Octave One, Levon Vincent and Bicep. A few times a year I invited a local crew for a takeover and do a party together with Kiloton and their residents. Since 2015 I run it together with my good friend Kajsa Lindström, and the venue since 2017 is at Inkonst in Malmö. And in January 2018 we’re celebrating 8 years as club instance. of course it’s remarkable that it’s come so far in this day and age – but it’s also something I’m massively proud of.
Looking back on the last 8 years was quite an exercise, and to look at it back via the tracks that have defined each year has been quite an experience. I don’t quite know where the time has gone, but I’m hoping I’ll be running the party for some time yet. And if you’re ever in Malmö, do be sure to drop in! Here are some of my favourite tracks from the last few years…
First release of Skudge, and it went viral in Sweden at the time. You heard it everywhere, and the guys even won a price on P3, the Swedish national radio. Timeless!
This got some serious plays at the club in the beginning of 2012. Got seduced by that endless DX chord loop, and it takes my right back listening to it today.
Swedens dub meister Andreas Tilliander (TM404) together with Malmö hereos Minilogue. What in that combo is there not love?
Effective dub by Steve Rachmad. Always welcome
As fast as I got a version of this, I started to test it for the Kiloton crowd. I think it fits good to the vibe we’re aiming for at the club.
This is the year after Kajsa joined Kiloton as a resident and promoter, and we hammered this probably every night for 6 months. “Kajsa, drop it! No, you do it, you deserve it”
Stripped straight up gangsta machine music. Still hammering this on the parties now and then.
Hi-hats for the people. Parallax Deep for president!
Keep up with Per Hammar on Facebook, Soundcloud and Resident Advisor
Find more info on Per’s Kiliton night here
