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How an Online Radio Station Kept Berlin Going During Lockdown

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How could a radio station keep Berlin, and the global techno community, going during lockdown? It was during the early months of 2020 that everything went a little crazy. Berlin is a city that revels in the avant-garde, basks in creative freedoms, and is known around the world as a center of hedonism. So what would happen when virtually the entire world would be forced to stay indoors because of a lockdown designed to combat the biggest medical crisis in generations?

As more and more countries announced lockdowns for their populations in a bid to stop the spread of COVID, millions of people got ready to deal with a completely different way of life for, what was at the time, an unknown period. Parents home-schooled their children, there was a whole new demographic learning how to bet on sports for the first time, and the famous – and infamous – clubs and bars of Berlin closed their doors.

Less than a year earlier HÖR was launched by two DJs looking to fill what they saw as a gap in the market. The much-loved Berlin Community Radio had shut down only a year earlier because of a lack of funding and, although there were other online radio stations providing a valuable service, there did seem to be something missing from the Berlin electronic music landscape.

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dutch clubs reopen

Police Won’t Intervene When Dutch Clubs Reopen in Protest of Lockdown Orders

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Dutch clubs will reopen on Saturday, February 12 in protest of current COVID-19 regulations. The Netherland’s police unions have issued a statement that venues may reopen without fear of consequence. The events will not be fined or shut down. The unions are primarily concerned with safety, so they will be on hand at the events to provide emergency services. Read more

Dutch Lockdown

Netherlands Returns To Partial Lockdown, Greatly Impacting Dutch Nightlife

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According to the Bloomberg News, the Netherlands is entering another partial lockdown due to a surge in Covid infections. Starting November 13 bars, restaurants and essential shops must be closed by 8pm while non-essential shops must close by 6pm. This will have a massive effect on the Dutch nightlife especially since they had just been allowed to reopen in late September.

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Sydney Blu Releases Conviction LP

In Interview with Sydney Blu: Producing & Releasing “Conviction” While Locked Down

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Canadian artist Sydney Blu releases her new LP Conviction on March 12th: a meticulously produced, dancefloor-driven collection of electronic music, with the synth-laden, 80s-inspired lead single Monologue transitioning into various shades of deep, tech and melodic house.

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TNTS Phobiq

Premiere: TNTS Contributes “Lockdown” to “Abilities X” on Phobiq

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Sasha Carassi’s Phobiq Recordings welcomes mysterious Belgian artist TNTS as part of the Abilities X compilation, scheduled for October 16th release.

The track entitled ‘Lockdown’ is a standout piece, showcasing the artist’s darker side of melodic techno as unsettling arpeggios and cold industrial synths communicate over a forward marching groove and pulsing bass.

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Paris-Closing-Bars

Paris Closing Bars As COVID-19 Cases Spike

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France is quickly following in the footsteps of Italy and Spain, but not exactly for the right reasons. As Paris sees a rise in COVID-19 cases, the French capital is closing bars again to help curve the spike, especially among a younger demographic. In August, both Italy and Spain faced a similar situation, closing nightclubs due to a wave of COVID-19 outbreaks. While health authorities blamed holidays and those vacationing, COVID-19 continues to confound officials and communities around the world.  The pandemic’s “hotspots” continue to change as well as the age group it affects. “These are braking measures because the epidemic is moving too fast,” police chief Didier Lallement said during a press conference on Monday. “We have to slow it down so that our health system is not overwhelmed.”

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J.Worra

Relentless and Unapologetic, J. Worra Goes Full Speed Ahead

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“I started taking on the perspective of ‘this is my art that I’m sharing’ vs. ‘I hope people like this,'” says J. Worra (real name Jamie Sitter). When it comes to the music industry, it takes a strong mindset. “I remember I was typing out a tweet and it said ‘Can’t wait for this next release. I hope you guys like it,’” she goes onto explain. “In my mind, I was like ‘Why am I saying I hope you guys like my art? I should be saying ‘Enjoy this. It’s a piece of me.” This shift in mindset has allowed J. Worra to give space in her music for creativity to flow and has helped her in viewing life differently during the pandemic.

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Elif

Lessons from Lockdown: How Elif Coped and Made The Best of Uncertain Times

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Elif is an Istanbul-born highly acclaimed selector, DJ and producer. Her style blends modern electronica with beautiful, ethereal soundscapes, taking crowds through a range of emotions that stretch smoothly from profound psychedelia to potent heights. During lockdown she has written new material – her debut EP on A Tribe Called Kotori and the track ‘Entanglement’ soon to drop on Stil Vor Talent’s upcoming VA – and reached her listeners’ hearts with live streams that were both melodic and profound.

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Alan Fitzpatrick I Still Remember

Digging Deeper with Alan Fitzpatrick: “I Still Remember”

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Alan Fitzpatrick has enlisted some of techno’s finest over the years with a release catalogue which includes works from Avision, Skream, Huxley, Eli Brown, CamelPhat and Sasha. For their 50th release titled I Still Remember, Alan Fitzpatrick and We Are The Brave offer us a massive six tracker, with three originals from the boss and some heavy remixes from Brennen Grey, Mark Broom and SAMA.

As his We Are The Brave label approached its 50th release, Alan celebrated with sell-out showcases across the globe, including The Warehouse Project Manchester, Fabric London, SWG3 Glasgow, Shine Belfast and their annual residency in Watergate, Berlin.

6AM digs deeper with Alan Fitzpatrick to discuss the release of I Still Remember and his life in quarantine as a family man, record label owner and DJ/producer.

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