Else x EX!

Alinka

Alinka is the kind of DJ other DJ’s will tell you about. She has a unique power on the decks that comes from lifelong passion and time served, with a focused devotion to her first love – house music. Raised on Chicago’s vibrant house sound with toes dipped into Detroit techno, Europe’s more robust approaches to bass music and the myriad of genre’s coming from cities like Berlin, London and Paris. Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, her early childhood included reluctantly learning the piano, her mother is a pianist, while trying to convince her parents to let her play guitar. Her exposure to Western music was limited, living in a communist country where censorship was common practice. Her family eventually immigrated to Chicago as Jewish refugees in the late ‘80s as the USSR crumbled. This was her first experience of pop music and she fell head over heels for the chart sounds of Madonna and Janet Jackson. Then came house music from local radio shows where you could frequently hear tracks by Chicago legends like Cajmere and DJ Funk, and shows like Sonic Boom helped expose underground music to the masses. By the late ‘90s, music had taken over her life. Teenage Alinka immersed herself in the dance music scene spending her summer pulling double shifts at a local pool and moonlighting for rave promoters to build up enough cash to buy decks. After a year of skipping class to relentlessly practice her mixing skills, she began her full-time musical pursuit. Working for various club promoters, doing odd jobs passing out flyers and helping with party logistics - anything just to get into clubs underage to see her favourite DJs - all while spending hours digging for tracks at Chicago’s legendary record shop Gramaphone. In 2001 Justin Long recruited her to be the opening resident for his .Dotbleep party at Smartbar where she honed her skills for the best part of a decade. In 2012, an impromptu meeting with former Hercules and Love Affair vocalist, Shaun J. Wright, changed her life forever. Their evolving friendship resulted in what would be the first of many musical collaborations. The pair launched their Twirl parties and label, continually strived to inspire each other both musically and spiritually, the result has been an impressive catalogue of material for both of them collaboratively and individually on the likes of The Classic Music Company, Jackathon Jams, Crosstown Rebels, Leftroom, and of course Twirl, where as well as their own material the duo have welcomed renowned artists like Spencer Parker, Virginia, LA-4A, Kim Ann Foxman, and Jason Kendig onto the label. Recent years have seen Alinka really hit her stride as a producer with successful releases on world renown labels like Rekids, DGTL Records, Live At Robert Johnson, Permanent Vacation, and Peggy Gou’s Gudu Records. She also turned out a standout collection of remixes for labels Me Me Me, Correspondant, and Get Physical. Now living in Berlin, Alinka has well and truly found her feet and inspiration. Alinka has used this base to throw down at parties across Europe from Berghain/Panorama Bar to Circoloco, with regular visits back to the US to play standout clubs like Smart Bar and Ukraine's famous ∄ club in Kyiv, where she stands as club’s first international resident, playing a minimum of six shows per year including a curated show. Her evolution continues with the recent re-launch of her Twirl imprint, highlighted by the ‘Day Dreamer’, ‘Sorry For Not Trending’ and ‘Edgewater’ EPs that finely balance Alinka’s future-focused ethos, with a unmistakable, proud passion for her Chicago heritage.

Partok

Certified Rave Mom

Christoph Faust

Norman Nodge

Makam

When Guy hasn’t locked himself in the studio, or isn’t tending to one of his labels, he loves engaging with the dance floor during one of his tireless DJ or live sets. Finding a home at Amsterdam institutions like Trouw, and De School (the now closed down) Dekmantel has given him the opportunity and freedom to connect with fellow travellers, and continue on his fascinating musical journey. Makam first made his mark with releases like the New York House inspired album ‘How Long Is Now?’ (2010) on Sushitech and the ravey house jam ‘What Ya Doing’ (2012) on Dekmantel. But it was his second album ‘Than Sadet’ (2016), which would truly unveil his ambidexterity as a producer. Mostly a departure from the dance floor, it added an entirely new dimension to Makam’s musical landscape. Though this hasn’t kept him from delivering bombs like This Deep on his own imprint Amulett. After taking a break to recalibrate Makam, he will return in 2025 with new exciting releases.

Talismann

For Guy Blanken, music is a matter of the heart, and a boundless playing field for sonic explorations. His compulsive curiosity has led him to unusual corners of the electronic music realm – spawning a multifaceted, yet distinctive discography. As Makam, he has investigated anything from exhilarating club anthems to contemplative downtempo moods. And as Talismann, he is probing ever deeper into the abyss of sinister soundscapes and industrial drum patterns. When Guy hasn’t locked himself in the studio, or isn’t tending to one of his labels, he loves engaging with the dance floor during one of his tireless DJ or live sets. Finding a home at Amsterdam institutions like Trouw, and De School (the now closed down) Dekmantel has given him the opportunity and freedom to connect with fellow travellers, and continue on his fascinating musical journey. Talismann is Guy’s darker incarnation. From the moment he delivered tracks like ‘Mars Wars’ and ‘Zula’ (2012), his take-no-prisoner approach has been indisputable. Talismann Records has cemented its position as the home of intense, inky techno and ambient. Moreover, Slagmann, his collaboration with Slagwerk Den Haag, has resulted in one of the most experimental, and arguably most intriguing albums in his oeuvre ‘Krysalis’. Following the release of his illustrious 3-part album ‘PERCUSSION’, Talismann boldly articulates his distinctive vision of techno. Embarking on the esteemed KLINIEK series, a nine-part EP collection, he delves into uncharted territories and boundaries to redefine the essence of late-night destress. Guy meticulously refines his unparalleled vision forged from over two decades of club expertise through the exclusive KLINIEK events, The story continues.

Mara Menace

She approaches art through the belief that balance can only emerge from opposition — harmony is born through dynamics. A dialogue between softness and force, control and surrender — a dance of tension and release. Guided by psychoacoustic intuition, she sculpts textures that blur the edge of consciousness. The low end anchors, the highs cut, the mids breathe. Rolling drums create a constant motion — a rhythmic ground that nourishes the magnetic midrange elements shaping the narrative. What connects it all is the pursuit of perpetual balance: a continuous loop between pressure and relief, clarity and blur, chaos and control — a living tension that never fully resolves, yet keeps the body in motion and the mind awake.

Marie Lung

MARIE LUNG If Marie is not in the DJ booth spinning records, you most likely find her on the floor. Though highly respected by her fellow jockeys for her mixing style and impeccable skill at that, she’s a fan first and a club kid at heart – which seems to be a major reason for her ability to immediately connect with different kinds of crowds in various settings. As a DJ, Marie is known for her dynamic and engaging sets, which seamlessly blend together different styles of house music. Her performances have taken her to some of the most prestigious festivals, including FUSION, GARBICZ or NACHTIVILLE and Clubs like Frankfurt’s ROBERT JOHNSON, Hamburg’s PUDEL or Berlin’s HEIDEGLÜHEN, to name just a few. Dabbling in beat making and production for quite a while now, Manchester based Record label FOREVER DREAMING signed Marie for her first 12“Vinyl EP entitled IVY BLUES, which will hit record stores in JUNE 2023. Despite her growing success, Marie remains grounded and focused on her art, constantly pushing herself to evolve and experiment with new sounds and techniques. With her unique style and infectious energy, Marie Lung is definitely an artist to watch. YOUTUBE SAYS… “Great set… Showed great skill and knowledge with track selection… some proper old skool acid house, not modern takes of vintage class but the real thing. Verty well done. You will go far Marie Lung!” ACID INTERNET SEO, 2021 “I wish I could like this 37 times. Also, I want all of these records” cornfilms, 2022 “100% - seen her at fusion festival for the first time and admiring her mixing skills ever since <3 Keep it up Marie!!!” MA L, 2022

Obscure Shape

OS

stranger (NL)

Tipped as being one of Rotterdam’s best kept secrets in Techno, dj/producer ‘stranger’ moves in mysterious ways and has quickly proven to be one to watch. His first musical appearance in 2014 was quickly picked up by established names as Dave Clarke, Sven Vath and Marcel Dettmann, giving his career aswell as his own Self Reflektion label a major kick-start. While remaining in the background pushing forward talented artists and working on various projects such as the highly anticipated Paling Trax label, his dj-career is on the rise. His name can be found on the line-ups of some of the biggest clubs and events in techno such as Awakenings, Tresor and many others. This is not your average ‘unknown artist’…