Spandau20 , an imprint named after the western Berlin district and focused on artists from the area, delivers techno in all its diverse forms – from warehouse and electronic peak-time beats to breaks and IDM, balancing old and new school sounds flawlessly. With a focus on vinyl releases for collectors, Spandau20 has recently also turned its attention to label nights, with showcases at Fabric, Bassiani, and many others.
We are here to premiere a track from ANNA Z a Berlin-based artist from Spandau20 crew whose influence stretches across renowned clubs and events such as Berghain, Fuse, Tresor, Blitz, RSO, Gewölbe, Ohm, and more. Her performances are characterized by inventive sound design experiments that set her apart in the dynamic world of electronic music.
Born beyond the Arctic Circle, ANNA Z’s early visual experiences were shaped by the northern lights, snow, dense forests, and wildlife, laying the foundation for her creative exploration. Her education in mathematics and physics was complemented by a deep immersion in music, where she learned several instruments, particularly the guitar, which sparked her fascination with sound and frequencies.
Can you tell us more about your track and what inspired you?
The phenomenon—when rain falls through a warm air layer, becomes supercooled in a colder layer below, and instantly freezes upon contact with cold surfaces—greatly inspired me. As a child, I called it Icy Liq. The night before, I was creating the bassline and felt something noir and cold. When I began jamming on it the next morning, I thought about this phenomenon—how the sun coming through the ice creates colorful prisms.
Via your online presence, we can see a lot of cables… and you use a lot of hardware. Which of them were crucial for creating the track we can now hear on the Spandau20 V/A?
Yes, I really prefer using mostly hardware, since I already spend a lot of time on computers for graphic design and architectural work.
The drums for Icy Liq were crafted using my modular system, drawing from analog-based sound sources like Ultra-Perc, my first and still favorite module—Mysteron—along with Tyso Daiko, Metaloid Percussion, and layers of sound design from Atlantix. To introduce more unpredictability and organic deformation, I love integrating Juniper and Planar2 into the process.
The bassline is a recorded take from the UDO Super 6, adding depth. The pads—as a metaphor for light prisms—were also created with the Super 6. I incorporated several samples as well, which I manipulated and reshaped using the Octatrack.
The label’s 10th release features 10 tracks that epitomize the musical diversity of Spandau20 and the progressive mindset of its roster, calling on label favorites and Spandau natives to deliver brand-new and exciting music. This special release even features one track that all the artists have worked on together: ‘Come Closer,’ a swarming, slithering intro that opens the VA. Its barely coherent female vocal echoes amidst a cacophony of demon-like effects.
The chilling ambience captured at the outset transitions into the first full-length track by Elli Acula, ‘Floating Eyes,’ a cut characterized by an authoritative, pounding bass with calculated percussive rolls and metallic overtones, making for a face-scrunching opener to this devilish collection of works. FJAAK follow, making the first of two cameo appearances, partnering up with fellow live supremo and hardware aficionado KiNK. On ‘Overbridge,’ the trio delivers a cavernous, rolling number driven by a deep, thrumming bass, in addition to a razor-edged lead synth and pulsating techno patterns.
Dajusch, known for incorporating his years of classical study into his immersive musical style, neatly showcases this with his VA effort. Easing the energy slightly, ‘Move’ escalates from its warm, melodic intro into a rumbling goliath of a beat, comprising a looping slew of gassy harmonics. The momentum of the release shifts considerably with the introduction of the acutely versatile producer, DJ, and sound artist Claus. The artist from Spandau steers his track ‘Bloomscroll’ towards sparse, dubby sonics, intricately tying them together to form a churning, burgeoning soundscape.
FJAAK jolts the proceedings back into the techno groove with their signature blend of arresting sub-bass and reverberating rhythms, coming thick, fast, and heavy on ‘Jackfruit.’ The abstract wonder of Anna Z’s broken-beat stylings is fully explored on ‘Icy Liq.’ It’s outlandish and amorphous in its execution, creating a clattering percussive chaos that’s meticulously pieced together by the modular-extraordinaire.
Nikk stealthily moves into breaks territory with his track ‘Down In The Shadows,’ packing a trap-like snare with an acid-flecked melody and dawn-breaking, dream-like textures. The penultimate track on the VA is ‘Tufted.’ J.Manuel expertly employs a chorus of robot-like sonics that course through a short-circuiting low-end to produce a pacy, inescapable journey via a whirling, merciless beat. He is joined by the legendary producer Tobi Neumann for their menacingly ambient number titled ‘Fennec.’ In parts, a nod to UK dubstep, the duo concocts a fierce admixture of styles, bolstering tribal-like components with industrialized overtones and methodically crafted drum fills.
SPANDAU20 – ‘SPANDAU20 010’
Catalog No: SPND020010
Release Date: 10th April 2025
A1. Spandau20 – ‘Come Closer’ (Intro)
A2. Elli Acula – ‘Floating Eyes’
A3. KiNK, FJAAK – ‘Overbridge’
B1. Dajusch – ‘Move’
B2. Claus – ‘Bloomscroll’
C1. FJAAK – ‘Jackfruit’
C2. Anna Z – ‘Icy Liq’
C3. Nikk – ‘Down In The Shadows’
D1. J.Manuel – ‘Tufted’
D2. Tobi Neumann & J.Manuel – ‘Fennec’
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