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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.
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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
Biesmans Discusses Top Tips For Busting Creative Blocks
Born and raised in Belgium, Joris Biesmans aka Biesmans is quickly becoming a star in the electronic music scene. Thanks to his impressive synthesizer-heavy productions and work as a sound technician at one of Berlin’s most iconic clubs, Watergate, he’s captured the attention of many. At home, Biesmans can be found amongst his many beloved synthesizers, dedicated to honing his studio craft. Having recently quit his technician job to focus on making music full-time, his inspiration to begin the journey on crafting his debut was born out of the pandemic. With no where to travel, Biesmans cheekily named his debut album Trains, Planes, & Automobiles, available now via Watergate Record.
Afro House Champion Hyenah Delivers Latest Watergate Compilation Series
Shrouded in mystery and a long-standing affiliate of the Berlin institute Watergate, Afro House champion Hyenah is welcomed to the revered Watergate compilation series for its 27th installent, which is out today and available here. On a mission to unite people through music, the mix is abundant in groove-filled, percussion-heavy sounds that Hyenah is famed for.
In Interview with Anja Schneider: Watergate Set to Reopen… Virtually
Berlin’s Watergate is back to hosting club nights again with artists such as Anja Schneider and Pan-Pot performing, but this time itâs virtually!
For the first time since the club was forced to close in March due to the COVID-19 lockdown, the Berlin hot spot is bringing a new type club night, this time to your screens. The doors are closed – but the windows are open!
WhoMadeWho: Watergate and Us
Photo by Sasha Charoensub
Danish trio WhoMadeWho are the latest artists tapped to mix and curate Watergateâs annual compilation, following in the footsteps of Ellen Allien, Solomun and Kerri Chandler.
Jeppe Kjellberg, Tomas Barford and Tomas HĂžffding, better known as WhoMadeWho, have spent the last decade cleverly and expertly traversing an array of genres from rock to rave. Applying elements of pop, indie, techno, disco, punk and funk, the outfit sets themselves apart from other club music yet, all the while they maintain an underground sensibility making WhoMadeWho the perfect candidate to take the driver seat for Watergate 26.
They tell 6AM what it takes to rock a set at the iconic Berlin club, plus share their favorite memories ahead of the launch this Friday:
Q&A with Matthias Meyer: His New Remix, Pacha Ibiza, and Watergate
Born in the quiet small German town of Lueneberg, near Hamburg, Matthias Meyerâs love and dedication for the hi-tech sounds of Detroit and Chicago ultimately drove him to become a prominent seven year resident of the prestigious club and brand Watergate.
This October, Watergate deservedly celebrates its 15th year anniversary with an exclusive compilation where Matthias joins forces with an old friend and producer to contribute a special track.
Best known for his remix of Ryan Davisâ Brun, which was religiously supported by All Day I Dream label master Lee Burridge, Matthias continues to make his mark on the underground by becoming a new resident for Hot Since 82âs Labyrinth series at Pacha Ibiza.
Now, as a world renowned DJ and producer, Matthias talks to us about his forthcoming release, new Pacha residency, and a nomination for the Best Deep House Artist by the DJ Awards.
Your remix of Butchâs âShahrzad’ has been one of the highlights in your sets over the last year. What about the track do you think resonates with crowds?
The flute part in the track is the main hook and that really gets people into the mood. The string parts in my remix are carefully picked from the original and put in new context to create even more euphoria. I added more of a straight beat and amped up the hypnotic groove and the result turned out to work really well. Iâm always happy to see all the smiling faces on the dance floor each time I play it.
Listen to the long anticipated track here:
What did you love about the original and what did you want to bring to your rework?
I loved the break of the original so much, I wanted to create a new track out! For me the strings and flute melody are the magic of the whole track and I wanted to extend this magic throughout the whole track. Thatâs how the whole idea of the remix came about. Iâm happy to now have my own house approach to Butchâs original track.
What elements of remixing someone elseâs productions do you enjoy and what do you find challenging?
Itâs always a challenge to remix music from another musical genre. Working off other peopleâs ideas and sounds and putting them in a totally new context. That is what remixing is about, for me. Thereâs so much good music out there but not all of it is made for the dance floor. I like transforming sounds and melodies that I like into a dance track. Take the Ryan Davis Remix I did for AnjunaDeep, for example – all I had was an orchestra part and a bit of baseline and it became a tune you can really dance to. That was one of the strongest remixes I ever did.
What elements of creating your own productions do you enjoy and what do you find challenging?
I just love creating grooves. I can spend days in the studio trying to get the right groove. When it comes to the melodies, I find it hard sometimes. I am not that much of a composer in terms of finding the right notes for a melody. I often find other ways to get the result Iâm looking for. I.e scale, audio to midi, or sampling.
Youâve been a resident at Watergate for many years now, what is it about Watergate that you feel differentiates itself from the rest of the clubs in Berlin?
I have been connected to the club for a while now as a resident and as part of the agency. The lineups are always quality, the team is very professional, the club provides good sound in one of the best locations in town. The whole vibe of the place is just amazing!
Youâve been touring a lot this summer with Watergate in celebration of the clubâs 15 year anniversary. How have those gigs been going? What has been the best part of being able to tour with Watergate and how has the experience differed from playing at the club?
Thatâs true, I actually just returned from a 2-week adventure through Brazil for the Watergate tour and that was super special. We went on an adventure through the best clubs in Brazil with other DJs including DâEdge, Warung and Beehive just to name a few. All shows were sold out, we had some great crowds and the shows received some amazing feedback. It is a very compressed and intense experience to play 6 shows in 2 weeks with a gang of 3 Watergate Residents – thatâs what makes the tour a different experience to the normal club where you play every other week. It has been a special experience and some of the best shows Iâve played in my career.
Youâre also featuring on the clubâs 15-year anniversary compilation, what can we expect to hear on this?
I have done a track with Ryan Davis called âHopeâ that will be on this compilation. Weâre both big fans of movie soundtracks and âHopeâ is very much inspired by the soundtrack of the movie âLionâ. I am playing it out a lot right now and itâs been receiving good feedback! Look out for the compilation release in October.
Youâve joined HS82âs Labyrinth party this year and are in the midst of playing six dates at Pacha. Any highlights from these parties so far?
The residency at Labyrinth has introduced me to a wider audience and I am thankful for that. Iâve known Daley (HS82) for a while now, the moment he invited me to warm up his new night at Pacha was pure bliss. I have had amazing nights with Pete Tong and Carl Craig and just last Friday was magic again, warming things up b2b with Anja Schneider at Cafe Mambo and finishing off the party b2b with Hot Since 82. The Labyrinth concept and vibe is great and Iâm just really happy to be a part of it.
What does it mean to you to be nominated for Best Deep House Artist in the Ibiza DJ Awards? How will you celebrate if you win?
I didnât expect to be nominated at all. When I found out I was, I was stoked. Itâs amazing to be nominated for an award like this amongst so many other quality artists. Itâs already an honour just to just be nominated for the award, even if I donât win. BUT if I do win, I will book a jet from wherever I am on this planet just to come and accept the award!! ;-)
We hope you win, too! See below for upcoming tour dates:
06.09.2017 – BABY BOA, GENEVA (CH)
07.09.2017 â THURSDATE AT WATERGATE, BERLIN (DE)
15.09.2017 â WATERGATE, BERLIN (DE)
16.09.2017 â 15 YEARS WATERGATE AT CORSICA STUDIOS, LONDON (UK)
17.09.2017 â OASIS FESTIVAL, MARRAKECH (MA)
22.09.2017 â RODNYA, MOSCOW (RU)
29.09.2017 â DO NOT SIT, MIAMI (US)
30.09.2017 â CITYFOX, NEW YORK (US)
06.10.2017 â LABYRINTH AT PACHA, IBIZA (ES)
20.10.2017 â 15 YEARS WATERGATE AT WESTERUNIE, AMSTERDAM (NL)
04.11.2017 â 15 YEARS WATERGATE AT SILODOM, SAARBRUCKEN (DE)
05.11.2017 â KATER BLAU, BERLIN (DE)
All tour dates here
Connect with Matthias Meyer: Facebook | SoundCloud | Instagram
Sasha To Release “Trigonometry” on Watergate Debut
Grammy Award-nominated DJ Sasha is making his debut with Watergate Records. To mark this milestone, he is set to release a hot track off his GameOvr EP â the long-awaited “Trigonometry”.
The EP will also include another original track, the title track “GameOvr’, as well as first class remixes of the track from Cassy and La Fleur. “Trigonometry” has long been a highlight in Sashaâs sets over the last year. For fans who have debated over the track online, pleaded for a Track ID, and/or have asked for the release date, the wait is finally over.
Watergate Berlin Could Close Down As Landlord Doubles Rent
Watergate, one of Berlin’s iconic nightclubs, is at risk of shutting down.
The new landlord has decided to spike up rent by literally doubling it, following the entire building’s recent sale for âŹ6.3 million. This is in some way a result of the club’s own success, falling victim of gentrification after 15 years of extremely successful operation.
Founder Steffen âStoffelâ Hack spoke to Resident Advisor recently on the subject, staying: “In unbridled capitalism, the market regulates the price and there is no protection of business tenants or rental ceilings to counter this, [which] leaves the successful management of Watergate on very fragile terrain. In the end, we will all leave.”
The rent increase is substantial, meaning that the club could decide to shut down if it’s unable to find creative ways to bring in enough revenue to make up for the added costs. Hack has explained how the club has to âexpand conceptually as well as in terms of content.â This includes a forthcoming world tour that will see the venue celebrate its 15th anniversary with stops in Spain, Brazil, Morocco, Switzerland, France and the United States.
Coming up at Watergate in Berlin are acts the likes of Solomun, Soul Clap, Pan-Pot, Adriatique, Coyu, Prosumer, Gui Boratto, Kerry Chandler and many more. Full list of upcoming shows can be found here.
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:
