2008 according to…Marcel Dettmann

2008 according to…Marcel Dettmann

8 December, 2008 | 10.26AM

• Written by: Ryan Keeling
• Filed under: Music News: 2008 roundup, marcel dettmann, ostgut ton

“2008 was a really exciting and important year for me private and business wise,” says Marcel Dettmann in the first of our artist of the year 2008 profiles.

Anyone with even a passing interest in techno in 2008 couldn’t have failed to notice the impact that Dettmann made on the scene.

Not only did he enjoy what will surely be seen as the defining year of his career, Dettmann also had a great 12 months from a personal perspective: “I met the princess of my heart,” he touchingly revealed.

“She gives me the strength and the positive power to challenge myself every day.”

Along with fellow Berghain stalwarts Ben Klock, Shed, Norman Nodge and Marcel Fengler, Dettmann was synonymous with bringing to the fore, a sound that will be forever associated with the famous Berlin venue.

Heavy, stripped-back drums, throbbing low frequency basslines and formidable synths that owed more of a debt to classic techno than the bleeps and squeaks that have characterised the ‘minimal’ movement of the last few years.

As you might expect, this led to a much greater demand for Dettmann’s intense DJ sets, as promoters clambered to get themselves a piece of the action.

“I traveled a lot through the world,” confirms Dettmann. “During my trips I worked with really inspiring artists and played in a number of progressive clubs.”

If productions are now the calling card of the modern DJ, Dettmann networked like no other during 2008. The refreshing thing, however, was that his was the sound of a producer resolutely doing things his own way.

As Dettmann explains, “I just cut my own path and remained true to myself. And I’m very pleased that the people took me and my music exactly the way I am.”

“I did quite a few remixes for different interesting artists like Modeselektor, Scuba, Deetron and a small Berlin label called Vidab, among others. And I’ve also produced new tracks for Beatstreet (another Berlin-based label) and my own label Marcel Dettmann Records.”

This is all without mentioning his appearances on Music Man, Bpitch Control and Brut! and of course Ostgut Ton, with whom he released the seminal ‘Berghain 2’ compilation: a mix which perfectly encapsulated what the sound and the man were all about.

“In the matter of releasing ‘Berghain 2’, it gave me the opportunity to bring my comprehension of music closer to the people,” he says.

So with the year rapidly drawing to a close and remixes for Function and Loco Dice to look forward to, how would Herr Dettmann sum up 2008?

“Putting everything into a nutshell, when I think about 2008, I just feel happy!”

Marcell Dettmann’s top 3 records of 2008

1. Shed ‘Shedding The Past’ (Ostgut Ton)

Berlin techno engineer Shed with his timeless emotional quality techno made one of the finest albums you’ll hear this year. This is a big tip for any techno fans. Killer!

2. Appleblim & Peverelist ‘Circling’ (Skull Disco)

These guys are taking the Bristol dubstep sound to the front of the electronic music scene. In their individual manner both have taken their music to their common love and respect for the Berlin based sound of Basic Channel and that deeper strain of techno in general. ‘Circling’ marries the atmospheric depth perception of the named Berlin techno legends, with a uniquely British rhythmic sensibility. A must have!

3. Ø ‘Oleva’ (Sähkö)

Mika Vainio under the Ø moniker dropped an album of exploratory music at it’s very best. His sound is still quite unlike anything else on the planet - somewhere in between industrial, electronic drones and Pan
Sonic-esque techno that I can’t support enough.

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• Check out Marcel Dettman on Beatport