Reka Zalan is an artist that embodies credibility. Having Hungarian roots, hailing from the Franconian town of Erlangen and cutting her teeth deeper into electronic music in northern German city Bremen, she’s been a staple in the Berlin scene for almost a decade now.
For a long time, she was a part of ://about:blank, where she, among others, co-hosted the techno party series ://elements, became a resident and part of the booking team, she filled out several roles in the club’s ecosystem. Between 2016 and 2019, she has been working for Berlin Music Commission. Since 2019, she stands behind the counter of Hard Wax. And to make the list far from complete, she’s affiliated with Berlin community space Coppi.
With all this work piling up, sometimes Reka can make time to DJ, too, for instance at festivals like Fusion or Good2U or in clubs like Berghain and Tresor where she holds a residency. For our podcast series, she recorded an atmospherically dense mix that’s still danceable – inside and outside your mind.
What did you have in mind when recording this mix?
First of all, I would like to thank you for the invitation, it means a lot to me! Groove Magazine was probably the first electronic music magazine that I bought 14 years ago–back then still in the analogue edition–as reading material for various train journeys. I’m stoked to be able to make my own contribution today. I would also like to thank Ben Reyman, who took the time to master the mix while being on holiday and who managed to upload the recording for me with hardly any internet! Also a big thanks to all the dope producers whose great tracks are being featured.
I wanted to create a soundstream that embodies both deep, trippy, slightly psy-tinged depth and energy, but at the same time drifts into reduced, groovy lightness and even dips into dubby spheres towards the end. I just love merging kinda immersive, hypnotic deepness and swinging, light-footed bounciness, with vocal snippets here and there, weird rattling and grinding sounds and subtle melodic elements in between.
Where did you record it and which setup did you use?
As the studio rehearsal room I share with friends couldn’t be used due to renovation work and other alternatives didn’t work out at short notice, I actually ended up recording at home with my two old 700 XDJs and an Allen & Heath Xone 92 at room volume to not bother my neighbours too much. I accidentally deleted the first take a minute after recording 1,5 hours because I pressed the pause button instead of stop and disconnected the device. Now I’m totally happy that the final recording stayed in the box tho!
What’s the most memorable gig you played so far?
I find this difficult to answer because there are very different gig experiences that are all unique in their own way. But if I look back on the last few months, I would say my Berghain gig on a Sunday night between the years was very special to me. I had the feeling that in these four hours everything made sense and felt smoothly into place and time–there was this full circle moment for me. I was able to let go and enjoy myself, which is not always the case, surrounded by an incredibly loving and supportive crew of friends and a passionate crowd on the floor. The evening resonated with me for many days and weeks and left me feeling very touched, grateful and inspired.
Can you name a secret weapon that you use frequently?
Lask – She’s a good girl on Astraylien EP [LASK005]. Fucking sick psy tinged techno monster dedicated to Lask’s dog! Big up, Alaskaaaaaa!
Three recent releases that caught your attention?
Paul Hauck – Zero EP (PH007)
VA – Origin (Anima 01)
Mathys Lenne – The Door Of Perception EP (Mord 111)
What do you have coming up?
I’m particularly looking forward to two different B2Bs in April with two close friends and DJ fellows: The first one is gonna be a b2b debut with Lowpass’ APRS and the other one a follow up on recent collab appearances with „Rille“ aka Rill, at whose Syntop party I’m also gonna be playing next Saturday at Spartacus in Potsdam and with whom I’ll be having a stream and mini interview for Mitmischen being published this month, too. But this upcoming weekend has double trouble in store anyways as I’ll be joining the lovely QS1 crew back in Berlin on Sunday morning, alongside, among others, homie Red Rooms, whose birthday we’ll be celebrating – swing by! Furthermore, I’m looking forward to the release of an extended interview for Home of Sound and gigs in Barcelona, Porto and Paris in spring and early summer.
Track list:
Loek Frey – Formation
Hypnotic Black Magic – Ishigaki Dragon Flowers (Solarythm remix)
Solma – Rolling Silk
Mathys Lenne – Vol De Nuit
Nørbak – Camarada
Blenk – Outline
UVÄLL & RØDHÅD – KINVA 03 [240209.1]
Burden – Void
Paul Hauck – Voyarn Morph
Arma – Junction Adaption
Sparkling Comet – Landing Spike
Lask – Mindwars
Mahali – Tahya
Conntex – Whisper
CVNSUMED – Jitsuzai VX13 (reality)
BLNDFLD – Pulse
Goran Kan – Sirens
Jack Fresia – Locals First
Slone – Prisoner
Slumjuice – Tunnelvision
Rill – Contour
Eman – KAPARA
Bimol & Jauri – Spes
Lask – She’s a good girl
Justine Perry – Perception
Burden, DLTN – Phi 2.6 (Ness Version)
Decoder – Realm
Nobel Cortex – Tool 29
Sons Of Hidden – Soul Harvest
Fukumachi – Perhaps
Ketch – Black Blood
Mython – Cold To The Touch (Empty Mix)
Gannein – Sonic Spell
Modēm – Horus
Denø – Body Language
Obstructor – Izanami
ogtrues – Worlds Wounds
LKY – Viktor
