- The new face of Berghain.
- Imagine growing up near Berlin, getting into dance music, going to Berghain for the first time and getting your mind blown by techno. Then, ten years later, you become a resident DJ at the fabled club. Not many people—any people?—can claim this story, but for Fadi Mohem, what would be so many DJs' dreams became a reality. After getting his 2017 debut 12-inch Reckless in the hands of all the right people in Berlin, Mohem established a bold, bouncy techno sound with releases on Modeselektor's Seilscheibenpfeiler, Ben Klock's Klockworks and FJAAK's SPANDAU20, pretty much the cream of the crop of modern techno.
Now, this year, he's becoming one of Berghain's newest residents, alongside other exciting names like Sedef Adasï and Naty Seres (and Lakuti upstairs at Panorama Bar). As heard on his recent collaborative EP with Ben Klock, Mohem has modern techno down to a science, thanks to a combination of reverence for the old-school and clever rhythmic touches, like the irresistible snare pattern on "Prefix." His RA Podcast sounds like what you might expect from a new generation of Berghain resident: aerodynamic, heavy and, honestly a little midtempo compared to a lot of other young techno DJs. It's the sound the club has made world-famous, with cuts from Reeko, Heiko Laux and Truncate, plus some special moments from aya, DJ Deeon and Petar Dundov. It takes a certain kind of DJ to get to this hallowed place, and Fadi Mohem deserves it.
What are you grateful for these days?
Well these days I'm just grateful to be healthy and to live in a safe environment. Being able to do what I enjoy most on a daily basis is definitely the icing on the cake.
How and where was the mix recorded? And can you tell us the idea behind it?
I recorded the mix on Rødhåd's setup in Berlin with four CDJs, two 1210s and a X:ONE 96 (thanks again!). The idea was to start a little deeper and push the energy throughout the mix with rougher tracks in the middle before opening it up towards the end.
You were recently named a new resident at Berghain. What does the club mean to you, and what does the new position mean for you?
Roughly ten years ago I visited Berghain for the first time. Just about a year before that, I started digging and playing mainly drum & bass without paying too much attention to techno. In a way the whole experience of the club—architecture, sound, light and people—taught me what techno was about, and how all of it worked together. The club sparked my interest and love for this music. Since then I always had the vision to once be able to play there and saw it as an ultimate goal. Being a Berghain resident now is a true honour and a big opportunity to push myself even more soundwise, as I have always kept and intend to keep my focus on the music.
You've talked in the past about your love of classic techno and the people who made it. Who are some of your favorite younger producers in the techno scene, and why?
Younger producers that first come to mind are Kaiser, Max Watts, Stef Mendisidis, Alarico, Sedvs, Fireground and Morten B, for keeping the essence of techno each in their own ways fresh with a modern approach. I also want to name producers like Forest Drive West, Felix K., GiGi FM, Anna Z and J.Manuel for pushing the boundaries of the genre with influences ranging from drum & bass and IDM to dub and techno.
What's one political or social cause you want the world to pay more attention to?
Despite all the shit that's going on in the world right now I would like to point to a less but still important subject and that is the impact of social media on mental health. I think it's dangerously easy to get sucked into the rabbit hole of comparing yourself with other people on social media platforms and lose focus on what really matters to you. Make sure to stay true to yourself, enjoy real life and take care of your loved ones and yourself.
What are you looking forward to in the near future?
I'm looking forward to start my residency at Berghain and play there regularly from now on. After the summer I will launch a record label that will serve as a platform for my own music.
TracklistAya - If [redacted] Thinks He’s Having This As A Remix He Can Frankly Do One Israel Vines - Keeping
Christian Wünsch - White Coats (Function Mix)
Kaiser - Composure
Forum - Backstab
Ben Klock & Fadi Mohem - Prefix
Benales - Morphia
Luap & Iglo - Blurred Fusion
Pascual & Psyk - Descent
Stephen Brown - Byte 2
Heiko Laux - Re-Televised
Alberto Tolo - Before This Shit
Surgeon - Magneze
Diego Amura - Femmena part.4
Deano - The Oldowan V2
Reeko - Behind You
V.C.P. - Area
DJ Deeon - Work this Dick
Sebastian Kramer - Rafting
Juan Sanchez - Double Standards
Vice - Blaze It Up
Truncate - Work this Track
DJ Deeon - Sex
Four Lovers - #1A
Octave One - Daystar Rising
Petar Dundov - Oasis (Substance & Vainqueur Remix)
Jerome - Then & Today