Nick Höppner

Culture Box: Sound of Berghain
NICK HÖPPNER (Ostgut Ton/Berghain/DE)
BORIS (Ostgut Ton/Berghain/DE)

Cocktail Box: The Flying Disco Circus
MESTER JAKOBSEN
TOM COLLINS


Sound of Berghain and Sound of Panorama Bar are monthly Ostgut Ton label nights at Culture Box, showcasing the finest Berghain techno and Panorama Bar house DJs.



Currently residing in his home of choice and calling, Berlin, Nick Höppner skillfully balances, explores and contributes to a dramatically wide range of musical professions, proving him to be one of the backbones of today’s house and techno underground.

Be it through his monthly residencies at the inimitable Berghain/Panoramabar and Watergate clubs, his solo releases for Ostgut Ton, his expansive DJ touring, his acclaimed co-production and live performances alongside Lee Jones as MyMy, or indeed his creative involvement and management of the Ostgut label since its inception, Nick stands out as a unique, long-serving and truly dedicated figure in today’s electronic music world. As a producer and DJ, Höppner displays all the characteristics of a life-long music lover. Sensitive to the history, emotions, stories and situations that derive from this music, for Nick the scope and eclecticism available within the 4/4 rhythm allows him great freedom to express his tastes and musical instincts. Throughout his two solo 12’’s on Ostgut Ton, we find lush, uplifting house (‘Violet’), deeply melodic techno dub sessions, spooky percussive workouts (‘Makeover’) and lashings of richly produced musical statements. As a remixer too, Nick’s passion for storytelling comes through with great enthusiasm, as his interpretations of Richard Davis on Was Not Was, Ed Davenport on Liebe*Detail or David Durango on Meerestief have all recently shown.

To immerse one’s self within Nick’s typically extended DJ sets rewards similar multi-faceted discoveries. Always telling a tale, weaving an exciting path across his chosen musical spectrum - whether its a tough, raw and energetic house-party set, a dramatic big-room techno adventure, or anything in between - Nick’s mature, confident approach and depth of character sets him apart from his contemporaries behind the decks.

Attracting attention since their first release in 2005 on the rock that is Playhouse records, to their beautiful debut album ‘Songs For the Gentle’, via showcases on Circus Company, Aus and Cocoon, to recent bombs like ‘Everybody’s Talkin’ (Playhouse) or ‘Southbound’ on Ostgut Ton, the gentleman duo of MyMy have brought their uncany vision of dance music to the worlds most important stages with their energetic Live shows.

Working together with long-time compadre Lee Jones, Nick’s invaluable studio touch, and love for addictive, rump-shaking grooves has helped fuel the pair’s musical endeavours to great public success. Together the duo have held their monthly ‘MyMy & Friends’ residency at Berlin’s Watergate club for over 3 years, and have completed a plethora of stand-out remixes for labels such as Get Physical, Liebe*Detail, Four:Twenty, B-Pitch Control and many more besides.

In the summer of 2010 Lee and Nick have decided to close the MyMy chapter and focus on their respective solo activities.

His open minded love and knowledge of music, along with a professional background working with labels like the delightful Morr Music, his own fledgling ‘Just’ imprint with partner Lee Jones, or as editor for the important Groove magazine, that led to his current position as manager for Berghain/Panoramabar’s in-house label, Ostgut Ton. Since the label’s birth in 2005 Nick has played a defining role in its growing success, spreading the club’s musical message through the productions of its residents, and selflessly working to push the platform forward, nurturing its growth.


DJ Boris is kind of a charismatic, multifunctional weapon in the Berlin club life. His musical roots reach back to the mid 80s, when he lived in New York for four years where he absorbed the unique spirit of the seminal club Paradise Garage weekend after weekend. From the Club’s mentor Larry Levan Boris learned to believe in his musical intuition as well as a broad musical spectrum, which nowadays ranges from Disco, Hi-NRG, Post-Punk and (Kraut-) Rock to House and Techno, all of which Boris loves to throw into one set. „Music was most important for Levan. He was uncompromising and he knew how to convey it. That’s what I’m trying to achieve, too, when I’m djing.“

Many years later, Boris became a resident at Panorama Bar’s first incarnation in Berlin, where he was able to build a loyal following by playing long sets lasting until noon. „The crowd is always a lot more receptive for music at the end than at the beginning. That’s when I rather have the opportunity to present unusual stuff and that’s when I’m able to let my feelings run freely.“

After the old OstGut/Panorama Bar closed, Boris played in almost every club in Berlin, but when the follow up club Berghain opened its doors in 2004, he quickly focused on playing out here again. From 2005 till 2010 he had another musical platform, as he was taking care of the label Careless Records as an A&R. As a DJ, he is not exactly keen on refining a certain genre, but rather to push music with a certain twist.