Posts
Part I: Underground Then, Following the White Rabbit
I first heard about the “white rabbit” when I was on a plane to Munich, Germany. The phrase is inspired in part by Jefferson Airplaneâs âWhite Rabbitâ. In Munich, the white rabbit is code for the illegal raves that occur inside and outside the city. The parties are elusive by design. By luck, a connection, or perhaps a mixture of both, you can find the white rabbit. The key is to follow your curiosity. Little did I know that my plane conversation foreshadowed what would come to pass.
Techno Dub & Dark Ambient Don: Allma Skneian
Allma Skneian is the project of DJ, audio designer and producer Djalma, a Brazilian artist increasingly recognized for his far-fetched dark ambient, techno and dub techno sound. The artist has just released his latest hypnotic masterpiece, Obsession EP, which comes with four brand new tracks: “Intro Darkness”, “Dively”, “Obsession” and “La Porte”. Allma Skneian produced all the tracks while living in Berlin and studying Sound Design at HDPK University, an experience that added striking references in his work.
Since his first album debuted in 2013 with Romer-Records, Allma Skneian has had numerous releases and collaborated with fashion designers and photographers for runway shows and editorials. He’s performed at Berlin Fashion Week at Arena Club, and played at many other clubs in the world’s techno capitol. The techno dub and dark ambient don now shares how his unique experiences in Berlin have shaped his latest creative work, Obsession EP.
Sign up to the 6AM Insider bi-weekly newsletter to keep up with the latest industry news, in-depth features & releases
Hey Djalma, weâre looking forward to learning more about you and your work. When did you become interested in electronic music?Â
I became interested in electronic music as a teenager. My brother used to buy tapes and CDs of electronic music to listen to at home. When I saw my sister playing the organ, I always tried to sync the kicks with the sounds.
Brazil to Germany is quite a transition. In what ways have both countries inspired your creative process?
I started a DJ course called Dub music at an academy. Some of the DJs told me that I had a good feeling for music. Later on, I mixed progressive house and minimal house when I arrived in Berlin. Some friends gave the softwares and plugins to begin producing my first tracks full time.
You practiced Sound Design at HDPK in Berlin. If you could choose one technique that you learned, which one has had the most impact on your work?Â
Many subjects were amazing, but the one that I use in my productions is dynamic processing. When a sound engineer uses the term dynamics, he usually does not mean the tonal strength in musical performance practice, but the so-called technical microdynamics of a signal. Even if compression is the best known, it is only one aspect of dynamics processing. In addition, one should always be aware of which tools are available for which tasks. I can make more effective kicks in my tracks nowadays using the compressor.
Read Next: 6 Techno Subgenres You Need to Know About
What is it like to design sounds for fashion editorials and exhibitions?Â
Itâs a hard job, but at the same time I love it because the final result is always amazing. There is the process of talking to the costumer, finding out what is requested and the scenario. There’s also the model transactions and learning the topic of the editorial. After all those materials are in my hands, I produce three samples. Then I show the best of them and make adjustments so that there can be a perfect match.
Can you share more about your project Allma Skneian? What is the background behind this particular name?
Allma was created in the studio by DJs. When I started my DJ course, they connected my real name Djalma, separated ‘Dj’ from ‘alma’ and said: “You have DJ in your own name, letâs do it.” Skneian is a unique family name of a friend from Sweden. I told them I was looking for a unique artist name, so they allowed me to use Skneian.Â
Listen: Allma Skneian Obsession EPÂ
Talk to us about your new Obsession EP. What inspired you to create an album featuring dark ambient, techno and dub techno?Â
When I lived in Berlin I used to be in studio all weekend with Tobias W., a Berlin-based label manager. During the winter I started producing music non-stop at my home. I was obsessed with making music. After that I used to get my bike and visit another friend named Patrick, a sound engineer who would listen and work on specific elements in my tracks.
Berlin is mostly dark in the winter. It’s a great scenario, and where I produced Obsession EP.
Anything else youâd like to share?Â
My years in Berlin were the best experiences and gigs that I had in my life. I could visit all the clubs, especially Berghain and Tresor, and play at Arena Club. I lived the scene to the fullest. I played in clubs and bars every weekend, and I was resident of Bar23 and Zur Fetten Ecke. These were places where people used to drink and listen to music before attending Watergate and other remarkable clubs.
Connect with Allma Skneian: SoundCloud | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Bandcamp | Spotify
Check Out Artist Sketches Depicting The Inside of Berlin Clubbing Institutions
If getting into Berghain remains a mystery to you, or you haven’t yet had the chance to travel to Berlin yet, perhaps you can console yourself with some of these artist sketches of some of the city’s best-known nightclubs courtesy of artist and writer Whitney Wei.
Wei took her sketchbooks to some of the city’s most known venues, getting around the “no photograph” policy most venues strictly enforce by sketching the sights in front of her instead.
#TBT Series: Images of Tresor’s Location Inside Berlin’s Kraftwerk Power Station
Tresor, the iconic East Berlin techno club that opened on March 13th of 1991, is now located in the city’s Kraftwerk Power Station.
Over the past 25 years Tresor has created many historic moments in the musical and party history of the city. From Jeff Millsâ first sets on three turntables, to the grandiose Tresor Park parties, to various chapters of the Loveparade with Sven VĂ€th in the 90s and since then countless generation-spanning parties, that represented for their visitors the highlights of their personal clubbing experiences. The history of the club was always eventful and not without complications: from the temporary closure by the authorities in the early years, to several raids, all the way to the closure and demolition of the old location in 2005, as well as the years of wandering in exile and the resurrection in the new location Kraftwerk Berlin.
The institution has released five images of their new more permanent location within the building. Spread across three floors, the unique location hosts parties with events taking place ever Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Lineups are techno-heavy with extreme focus on guest and resident acts that play high-caliber sets that go deep into the next morning. The pictures contained herein are of the floor in the venue that was used for Tresor’s 25 Year Anniversary weekend and other more one-off events such as Atonal, a space that will be used more often from now on on top of the existing rooms, which include the famous vault in the basement.
While you may recognize the space, as it has been used for sporadic larger scale events in the past as well as art exhibitions, Tresor has announced that it will be used more often as an event space for its techno-heavy lineups.
Check out some amazing previously unreleased images of the venue below and read here for more in-depth history of the club.
Q&A and Global Vibe Radio 068 feat. Synthek Live at KHIDI
Synthek is a Berlin based DJ and producer, owner of Natch Records and STK imprint. Always seeking for new influences, over the past years the style of his sets and productions has faced a constant evolution, focusing on deep rhythmics and powerful, introspective vibes.
Following few successful EPs on Natch Records, he released his debut album Unwise, in collaboration with label partner Audiolouis. Unwise, seen as their last co-produced effort, got consecutively remixed by Polar Inertia, Antigone and Varg among others. Synthek started curating the booking of New Faces Wednesdays at Tresor Berlin in 2014, becoming a respected presence behind the decks of the legendary venue and especially so for his closing sets. The idea of creating STK, a self titled imprint and home of his own productions only, gives him the freedom to experiment new approaches to music production and reshape his signature sound. The initial wave of 3 EPs entitled VERSE, launched in July 2015, brought him to look slightly away from the dance floor, and finally orienting towards mind-twisting and psychedelic compositions. Beside releases on STK, since his last appearance on Attic Music, Synthek has released new material such as his MRI EP on Russian label Wunderblock, a remix alongside Svreca on Spanish imprint Redpoint Alert, and a contribution for a compilation on OVUNQVE.
This year Synthek released Transitions of Life on Natch Records, his first solo LP. The 11-tracker came out on April 18th, the unfolding of a two-year transformational period that saw Synthek cross along rough roads and tribulations to reveal an intimate personal journey of revelation through emotional downshift, spiritual upheaval and cerebral quandary.
Synthetk is this week’s guest on Global Vibe Radio, where he presents the last 3 hours of his 7 hour set at KHIDI in Georgia from earlier in 2017. We also took the chance to chat with him about projects past, present and future. Enjoy the mix and read on for the exclusive interview!
Where To Go WHEN You Get Denied at Berghain/Panorama Bar on New Year’s Day
In Berlin to celebrate New Year’s Eve and excited for Berghain/Panorama Bar’s three-day techno and house extravaganza? You might want to check yourself before expectations get the better of you and you find yourself rejected from the club and looking for where else to party 2017’s arrival with no real ideas in mind.
Everyone knows how complicated, for lack of a better word, getting into Berlin’s most coveted nightclub can get, and with lines bound to be extra long and rejection extra possible, we have compiled a selection of alternatives for you should Sven or one of his doorman give you the “Nein!” when you get to the door:
24 Hours in Berlin: Berghain/Panorama Bar, Club der Visionaere, Lollapalooza and more
How much can someone party in 24 hours? I put that question to the test last weekend whenI decided to do as much as I could in a 24-hour period beginning the moment I was meeting a friend at the Milan Malpensa airport to catch a flight to Berlin. Although we were meant to leave the evening of September 10th, our flight was delayed to the next morning, meaning that we were both only going to get a couple of hours of sleep before beginning our adventure.
