It's been a very busy few weeks and not only for us but also two special guests who flew in to play for us on the beach before they continued onto Noisily festival the following day. We welcomed two awesome guys that have been making waves in Berlin for quite some time and run one of the city's most loved night clubs.
Prismode & Solvane are lovers and creators of Progressive House & Melodic Techno. Kickstarting their residencies at well-known Berlin institution Ritter Butzke back in 2015, both artists quickly realised that they were an ideal fit. Think of Fish & Chips, Burgers and Fries or Beans on Toast, when these two get together it certainly gets tasty. Fast forward to 2023, and the duo have become an important part of the Ritter Butzke family and are heavily ingrained in everything to do with the brand.
Prismode took charge as the Director of the club’s booking, whilst Solvane got on the airwaves with their very own radio show „Radio Butzke“ on Fritz Radio and as label manager of „Ritter Butzke Records“. It doesn’t stop there for the two music wizards, whilst the club brand is keeping them busy, they have also enjoyed releases on Berlin's infamous labels „Katermukke“ and Oliver Koletzki’s „Stil vor Talent“. However, even though they love creating and meddling in the studio, what gets them really excited is to get together in front of a crowd and play, where things can get a tad rowdy.
Famous for the energy they inject into their shows, which showcases their true passion for the music and brings their unique style to the fore, the pair have been globetrotting the big stages from London to Istanbul and Amsterdam to Ibiza. We caught up with them both before their gig with us on the 7 July and our third Ritter Butzke showcase together.
Hi guys, how are you and what have you been up to this week?
SV: I've had a busy few days last weekend with two gigs in Germany, one in Norway and one in Poland, so I've needed a bit of time to recover. After that I had some meetings at Ritter Butzke for our ADE Showcase and I also had a recording day at my station „Fritz Radio“.
PM: We are involved in many projects at the moment around our passion for electronic music. This week we focused on our ADE boat cruise on the 20th of October in Amsterdam and on some modifications for our record label.
How long have you been in Berlin and brought you here?
SV: I moved to Berlin at the end of 2005 because I had a good offer for a job. But after arriving here I realised pretty fast that my passion for electronic music could become a job, which it became in 2008. Since than I'm in the music biz – mainly as a DJ.
PM: I’ve been born and raised in Berlin and still very much in love with my hometown.
You have released on many of our favourite labels such as Stil Vor Talent, Katermukke and many more. Is there a release that has particular special memories for you?
BOTH: Our first release on Stil vor Talent - Sima's Sitar, was definitely a milestone for us. It was our goal for a long time to sign a track there. It was unbelievable when it finally happened.
Also I guess our last two releases on our own Label, Ritter Butzke Records, have been something special because of the massive number of streams they have received on Spotify.
What else can you tell us about future releases, anything exciting in the pipeline?
BOTH: Yes. We've got an original mix coming out on Ritter Butzke Records in December and one more track on an international label before the end of this year. We're also in contact with more labels but nothing yet we can talk about... So keep your eyes and ears open.
You are both involved in running one of Berlin's most loved clubs Ritter Butzke. Tell our readers a bit more about the club i.e. some history, the vibe, the nights you run and what to expect.
BOTH: Ritter Butzke is really a gem inside the heart of Berlin, located directly in Kreuzberg. The club is housed in a former factory and has both outdoor and indoor areas that can be played in a very modular way, which allows us to celebrate wild club nights to small festivals with a variety of floors.
Musically, the club concept moves between house, techno and electronica, with a big focus on melodic sounds. This unique mix as a result makes for some incredible nights. You should come and visit us.
What do you love most about Ritter Butzke and when is your favourite time to play?
BOTH: We love it most when all the areas are open and when we're having a huge party. Then you can feel that crackle in the air right at the entrance and the atmosphere alone makes you completely euphoric. When our residents play, I can't imagine a better club in the world.
Has going out changed in Berlin post-pandemic times?
BOTH: We have noticed that our guests want to come earlier after the pandemic. That's why we now open the club at 10pm instead of midnight.
Where was your first gig and how did it go?
PM: My first public gig was at VCF as warm-up DJ. I was incredibly nervous, even though there were only 2 guests in the club - maximum!
SV: My first gig was in a club-bar in my hometown. I was playing vinyl back in those days and I was nervous like hell.
Where was your first gig in Berlin?
SV: My first gigs in Berlin have been in some fashion outlets in Berlin Mitte. I came from southern Germany to Berlin where I already played every weekend in cities like Stuttgart, Munich or Zürich and came to Berlin and was like: Here I am – let's go. But nobody was waiting for me here... nobody was interested. It took quite a while until I had my first gig in a bar (maybe after 3 months) and in a club (maybe after 6 months). But then everything escalated really quickly when I met the right people and they believed in me and my skills.
PM: VCF is in Berlin. Or was in Berlin, it doesn't exist anymore.
You played for us before COVID when we did a previous Ritter Butzke Showcase at the Green Door Store. I remember we had a lovely day out beforehand, with breakfast at the Lazy Fin and touristy bits and beers on the Pier. What are some of your fond memories of your last time with us?
SV: I was overwhelmed by the beauty of Brighton. The beach, the pier, and all these beautiful houses. It feels like Cote d'Azure. I also remember that the party was really good. So, I was super excited for the next one!
Pictures from when Solvane played for us at the Green Door Store back in 2019 for our second Ritter Butzke showcase along with HRRSN and Matthias Schuell.
Pictures from our last event at the Tempest on Brighton beach. Ritter Butzke showcase number three.
Which other DJs or producers are you liking right now?
SV: Omg. There are sooo many. I really like the ones that I'm working with a lot as a label manager: Einmusik, Super Flu, Digitalism, Hidden Empire, Dominic Eulberg... some of them have even became close friends, so it's super nice to work with great people with massive skills.
What are your go-to labels?
BOTH: Ki Records, Stil vor Talent, Afterlife, Dantze and of course Ritter Butzke Records.
You have compiled our latest Berlin Mixtapes Series Episode 049. Tell us more about the mix.
SV: It became a very colourful mix. We tried to show different musical sides in these 60 minutes. Each one of us brought a bunch of tracks and we compiled a mix out of these tracks in way that made sense to us. We hope you like the set!
Thanks for spending some time with us, is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers?
BOTH: Let's get rowdy in Brighton! We can't wait to party with you!
Exciting stuff! It's been an absolute pleasure talking with you guys. Next up here's the Quickfire Round:
Genre: Melodic House/Techno
Favourite Colour: Seth Schwarz
What do you put on your chips: Fish
First record ever bought: Mozart
Apple or Android: Both
Can you juggle: Sure. But only with one ball.
Weirdest/Coolest item of clothing: Cool socks
Do you sing in the shower? What songs: Mozart. Again and again.
Do you collect anything: Mozart records. And juggling balls.
What is the most useless talent you have: Singing in the shower.
Favourite place to hang out in Berlin: Ritter Butzke
Best club: We don't go to clubs
Favourite Bar/Pub: Ritter Butzke
Favourite place to eat: Butzkes
How do you like your eggs: First juggled, then scrambled.
Weirdest food you have eaten? Sea cucumber in China (no joke)
Coffee or Tea: Hot coffee – Iced tea
Favourite Footy Team: Union Berlin!
Favourite Track right now: Mozart's 5th Symphony Favourite word: Mozart
3 words to describe your mix: Mozartish, juggling and funny.
Tracklist:
Gespona – Magota
Voices Of Valley – Immensity
Super Flu – Gargamel
ID – ID
ID - ID (ID Remix)
Pavel Petrov, Rafael Cerato – Reflections
Maxim Lany – Gravity (Adam Sellouk Remix)
Gaba Kamer – Meeting (Skapi Remix)
Digitalism – Binary
Stevo Atambir, Ahmed Spins – Anchor Point feat
Emanuel Satie & Maga – Flores
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