One thing’s for sure: Maayan Nidam is one of the most daring artists in Berlin’s electronic music scene. Not only has she shaped the German capital’s club landscape as a DJ with an idiosyncratic sound that is inextricably linked to seminal label Perlon and legendary venues like Club der Visionäre and Tresor where she’s a resident since 2018, she is also known for her experimental approach to playing live and her one woman band project THE WAVES.
In her mix for out podcast series, she ruminates on the various influences that made her the artist she is today, connecting different facets of House music and Berlin music folklore, telling her own and the city’s story at the same time.
What did you have in mind when recording this mix?
This time of the year brings back memories of my move to Berlin, right after NYE 2003 with a heavy bag of records and a big coat. In this mix, I’m telling my story dedicated to this city that became my home. Every track is significant and symbolises a person, record label, event or club that are dear to my heart and were meaningful to my experience.
On my first year in the city I befriended my neighbour, Elbee Bad (RIP) aka the prince of darkness, and would make music in his Prenzlauer Berg apartment. He was always talking about the freak inside and encouraged me to express my own freakiness and not to be shy of the dark side. Thanks to him and producers like DJ Rush or Eric D. Clark I’m still inspired to connect to Berlin’s openness to sex and its free expression.
Another artist that left us recently is Watergate and Panorama Bar resident Carsten Klemann. The news about his early departure came to me while writing „Zweifelsohne” which I dedicate to him as the baseline resembles a heart-beat cut off by an attack just to come back later, the same way that life goes on and Carsten’s legacy, the music he played and loved so much, lives on and continues to inspire us.
Another track in the mix is by Mort Garson, from his album Plantasia. Although I never met Mr. Garson, Plantasia is also the name of a series of listening sessions that took place at FluxFM’s balcony, overlooking the water under Oberbaumbrücke on the right and Alexanderplatz to the left. It brought people together, DJs and club goers, Expats and their Berlin born kids; a good mix of Berliners, new and old, that were told to sit down during the pandemic. Events like Plantasia meant making the best out of a situation and symbolise Berlin’s resilience. I also had the international music scene people in mind, thinking about the music that we need in these difficult times of war and crisis. The kind of music that brings us together, uniting and caring for each other. Like the song says: “One nation under a groove”.
Where did you record the mix and which setup did you use?
I recorded it at home in my living room, close to my vinyls. I used two Technics turntables, an E&S rotary mixer and a Pioneer CDJ that I used for unreleased tracks, tools I recorded in the studio and vocal tracks.
What’s the most memorable gig you played so far?
Being notorious for having a terrible memory, I’m gonna have to pick a relatively recent gig and it would be on the hottest day of the year 2020, playing a 3 hours long live-set at my traditional birthday party at Club Der Visionäre after Zip, the man who encouraged me to start playing live and booked me for my first live-show ever at Get Perlonized in the years they hosted every first Friday of the month at Panoramabar.
Can you name a secret weapon that you use frequently?
I use a lot of vocal tracks, beatnik and Sun-Ra poetry as well as abstract tracks I produce myself with a couple of words or one sentence mantras. I layer them on top of long hypnotic tracks.
Three recent releases that caught your attention?
Scott Grooves – Human Voice 2 EP
Horror Inc. – A Soundtrack for Strange Times
Christian AB – The Nu Life LP
What do you have coming up?
As Renate’s club and artist residency is closing, I will have to leave my studio at the end of 2025. This is the main reason I decided to take a break year from touring and to enjoy the studio to the fullest. While writing new music, I will invite aspiring artist friends to come and hopefully get inspired from my way of production that replaces a computer and chairs with movement and a lot of cables.
Track list:
Maayan Nidam – Undermine
Mir. V – Music
Pile – About Evolution & Development
Sun Ra Arkestra – It’s After The End Of The World
Thomas Fehlman – Copacabana
XDB – Moveya
Scott Grooves – She Dances Her Story acapella
Maayan Nidam – Who Knows the Noise
Seth Troxler – Love Never Sleeps (edit)
Omar S & TroiAlexis – I Can’t Explain
Bang The Party – Bang Bang You’re Mine
Maayan Nidam – Perplexday
ESG – I’d Do It For You
THE WAVES – After Laughter
The Schneider TM Experience – Psychedelic Queen
Richard Plasko – Prince Daniel
Mort Garson – Symphony For A Spider Plant
Maayan Nidam – Zweifelsohne
Conrad Schnitzler – Komm Mit Nach Berlin
THE WAVES – Hold On
KonX – …Basic Ground Without Voice (Mehmet Aslan Edit)
Tobias. & Barbie Williams – Pure Jam (Original by YMO)
Djuna Lund & Louis McGuire – You Are Never Alone
Maayan Nidam – Forever Present
Horror Inc. – Going There With Or Without You
Chris Korda – Nothing
Laverne Radix – Laverne’s Day Off
Mr K’ Aleksi Shelby – All For Lisa
Christian AB – Fade Away
Cassy & Pete Moss – I Want To
Kenny Larkin – Without
Patrick Cowley – Thief Of Love
Moodyman – Yesterdays Party What Bout It
Maayan Nidam – That Kick Tho
Tara Middleton – I have Forgotten
Maayan Nidam – La Noche De Ayer
Lawrence – Anamel
Matt John – The Sun & The Brainfall
EinKa – The Archer
Edward – LetsGo2
Nina Kraviz – Tarde (Melchior Productions ltd late mix)
Maayan Nidam – La Petite Mort
