Ben Klock’s guided tour of ‘Berghain 04’

Ben Klock’s guided tour of ‘Berghain 04’

29 June, 2010 | 6.51AM

• Written by: Beatportal
• Filed under: Music News: ben klock, berghain, ostgut ton

Ben Klock‘s name is virtually synonymous with Berlin’s Berghain club, so it’s no surprise to find him mixing the fourth installment of Berghain’s eponymous mix series, after previous editions from Andre Galluzzi, Marcel Dettmann, and Len Faki.

What is surprising, though, is how sensitive he sounds here. This isn’t the industrial-strength drubbing that we’ve come to expect from the hallowed temple of boom. The mix unfolds slowly and gracefully, tapping the tentative, chiming tones of DVS1, Junior Boys (as remixed by Dettman), Martyn, and STL, before segueing into heavier material from the likes of Levon Vincent, Jonas Kopp, and James Ruskin. It never loses its sense of swing, with jacking house undercurrents sweeping through even the most cavernous dub techno.

‘Berghain 04’ was released yesterday as a single-track, continuous mix, along with Part II of the associated EP series, featuring exclusive cuts from James Ruskin and Kevin Gorman. (Part I, featuring Maryn and Roman Lindau’s exclusive tracks, is also available.)

We asked Klock to tell us about some of his favorite cuts used in the mix. Read on for Klock’s comments on UR’s DJ Rolando, Delsin’s 154 (aka Newworldaquarium, and DVS1, a Minneapolis producer who released his debut record on Klock’s Klockworks label last year.

154, ‘Apricot’ [Delsin]

At first I didn’t want to start my mix CD with an intro. But when I came across this piece by 154, which is a moniker of Newworldaquarium, I changed my mind. Usually, I don’t get blown away by—let’s call it “ambient” or “chillout” music—very easily. Sometimes, for me, it’s just a bunch of mellow sounds put together in a very arbitrary way. But this Apricot track is just beautiful—like a rising morning sun.

DVS1, ‘Pressure’ [mix exclusive]

This was actually the first track that gave me an idea of where I wanted to go with the mix. In other words, it just matched my idea exactly of what I wanted to express with the mix. I only play the track sometimes, in special moments. I remember when I played it upstairs at the Panorama Bar floor at noon with the window blinds opening up, and I could see the goosebumps everywhere around me. These church organ chords give the track an almost sacred feel. For me this is a future classic.

Rolando, ‘Junie’ [mix exclusive]

Another one that is not really a dance track. Seems like I’m in an ambient mood today. This track was lying in the Ostgut office for maybe a year or longer. I always loved to listen to it but never really had the right idea regarding what to do with it. Then, when I collected tracks for the mix compilation I suddenly remembered ‘Junie’ and I was happy to use it as my outro. A very deep and also very personal track, as Rolando told me recently. I love these seagulls flying over the synth pads.

*Photo by Sven Marquardt

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