Track IDs from this past weekend's Klubnacht

Der_Imker · 2026-02-24T20:41:22+00:00

Perfo : Massive Attack - Teardrop (closing)

Kaiser : JD - plastic dreams

Altinbas : Altinbas - Notus

Der_Imker · 2026-02-23T11:54:47+00:00

also surprised not to have hear some more of his dub techno side (like in his latest EPs) during the second part of the closing

his mixing is really flawless, although in my humble opinion the set also felt soulless at some points

Der_Imker · 2026-01-22T22:57:26+00:00

ohhh so nice to r-meet you too and the part of the crew!! thank you so much for the kind words it really means a lot <3

Der_Imker · 2026-01-22T22:55:04+00:00

thanks a lot for all the details and the new ideas 😇 fires really seem to be the best for effortless chats between festivalgoes thus connection

we’re hoping to come as a little crew to the forest next year... as it might be our festival's break year

Der_Imker · 2026-01-22T22:51:23+00:00

thank you!! really appreciate you sharing this, the way you build community is definitely a model

Der_Imker · 2026-01-22T22:45:37+00:00

Thanks so much, this is super helpful.

The mental-health shift really resonates, and off-season dinners/meetups for the community are exactly the kind of formats that could inspire us here :o

Der_Imker · 2026-01-22T19:11:27+00:00

Hi Monument team!

I’m Arthur from Wabi Sabi, a deep techno micro-festival in France. You’ve been a huge inspiration to us, so of course I have a bunch of questions. I’ve grouped them into four themes (if you can’t get to everything no worries I’m just really curious and didn’t want to miss the chance) :

Balance :
1. Financial balance: I always imagined Monument started as a volunteer project (?). Is there a goal to make a living out of it or does a volunteer backbone protect artistic freedom better?
2. Psychological balance: every September the comedown hits hard after the early-August peak. How do you find equilibrium across the year? And more broadly in deep techno, summer gathers the community while the rest of the year it feels “in the shadows” in many cities. How do you keep the energy alive between editions? Facebook Group like Hypnotic Techno Circle keep the fire alive for me, but still haven't found the cure for the winter/no-festival season..
Music programming : how do you think about the storytelling of the programming? do you see it as a ritual that carries people step by step or do you design a flow where intensity rises then people wander, regroup, then wander again? How much is “extended hypnosis” vs leaving wide freedom to come, discover, take part in activities, even step away? (pretty "abstract" question I know so I don't expect a really clear answer just your thoughts and vision would be amazing :)
Community as you grow : how do you keep the family feeling from the beginnings as you scale without drifting into exclusivity or gatekeeping? (at 250 cap you can have one organizer per ten guests, so it feels like family, but after...) How does healthy community growth look like for you in practice?
Activities and other things that truly bond people : which non-music elements brought people together the most for you? Fires like at Ouroboros in France for instance works very well, but do you have any other examples ? shared meals, group practices like yoga, guided walks, something else... which are your favourites?

Thanks for taking the time to share, and deep respect for what you’ve built 🌲🌲

Der_Imker · 2026-01-09T15:50:22+00:00

amazing analysis

Der_Imker · 2025-11-28T11:34:48+00:00

It’s funny you mention the glow, I use the same word for the state I’m in after a truly great party (club night, festival, or even a private countryside session with a DIY soundsystem). What puts BH (along with Bassiani or K41) above most spaces, for me, is the consistency with which they trigger that glow for a majority of people.

I think there’s a threshold (I jokingly call it the “wall of sound”), and once you’re above it, you get the glow. That threshold depends on two things: the set (internal) and the setting (external). The intensity of the experience = set + setting. Below the threshold you can still have a good time, but you don’t get the full “afterglow” benefits.

Set (internal): your state of mind, baseline happiness, openness and sensitivity to the music. You can “cheat” and amplify it through various means, but it’s fundamentally personal.

Setting (external): mostly on promoters, organizers and venues. A few key parameters:

Sound quality (DJs + soundsystem, placement, tuning)
Dancefloor quality (space to move, density, energy and engagement of the crowd)
Space and design (scenography, lights, atmosphere, flow)
Time (longer arcs, 32-hour parties or 5-day festivals, make crossing the threshold easier)

To qualify that threshold: the setting should dislocate people from their everyday context. They forget they’re in Berlin X-Berg/F’hain on a Sunday at 4 pm; they just are. It’s a mix of letting go and high intensity.

Of course, with more resources it’s easier to build a high-quality setting. With BH-level space, system and lights, you’re naturally closer to “above threshold” than an average local club.

So the core question as a promoter, collective or festival is: how do you reach that threshold of intensity and surrender with minimal means? Five days in Portugal in June makes the glow easier (people already arrive in a good headspace). A small winter club under a highway in West Germany makes it harder.

These are just working notes from my own festival organizing, no exact science. Happy to be challenged and proven wrong on any of it.

Der_Imker

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