- REEF, one of the German city's best parties for UK club music, bids farewell to Griessmuehle.
- Berlin is a dream city for many electronic music lovers, but its scope can sometimes feel limited. Props, then, to parties like REEF for expanding horizons and offering a brilliant alternative to four-on-the-floor dance music. Founded by Darwin, it has pushed UK-inspired club music on a scale rarely seen in the capital. Last Friday, after three years, the team left Griessmuehle with a bang.
REEF mobilized the biggest UK crowd I've ever seen in Berlin. Fifty shades of British accents surrounded me. As I made my way through the packed main room, Skee Mask had just begun. He made bold, quick transitions from UK garage to grime, from dubstep to Brazilian funk, always hitting that sweet spot of dopamine stimulation. The bass resonated through our dancing bodies. His set easily reached 170 BPM, allowing for only the occasional breather. I was banging my head so fast at some points I was concerned for my brain cells.
The wall of people meant I had no way of seeing who was next on the decks. But as relentless breakbeats became ethereal ambience and pounding kick drums, I realized Courtesy was up. Although her signature techno and trance sound was central to her set, she also deviated and dipped into some bassier UK and US material. "Shake What Your Momma Gave Ya" by DJ Deeon was met with a frenzied response. Someone next to me shouted: "THAT is a fookin' banger!"
I took a break from the main room and switched to Griessmuehle's semi-outdoor space, Wintergarten, for some much-needed fresh air. Then I headed down into Silo, where Smokey, another Copenhagen DJ formerly from Apeiron Crew, was unleashing drum & bass tracks with bouncy energy. It was great to dance to consistent breakbeats at a smaller stage with a less intense soundsystem. Later, the Griessmuehle resident Nadjé closed the room with shadowy techno. That's when my body told me that I'd had enough. As I walked into the sobriety of morning on Sonnenallee, I felt the fuzzy warmth that only a good rave gives.