INVITED with Schlepp Geist, Matthias Meyer, Gunnar Stiller, Cosmokat, VABU, DAVIDE, DIESEN

Schlepp Geist

Matthias Meyer

Long time Watergate resident Matthias Meyer embarks on a momentous summer schedule this year propelled by some career defining moments of late. On the music front, he has continued his quality approach with a small number of high impact releases in recent times including the Beatport Deep House number 1 ‘Hope’ alongside Ryan Davis on his beloved Watergate Records and the Pete Tong endorsed remix of Butch - ‘Shahzrad’ (which made his BBC Radio 1 Tunes of the Year list alongside many established luminaries). These releases join a stellar discography which includes fan favourites such as ‘Reichanbach’, ‘Tout Va Bien’, ‘November Rain’ and of course, ‘Infinity’. The past few months on the road have also provided some poignant moments for Meyer with visits to the likes of Tobacco Dock, Liverpool’s Circus, Fabrik - Madrid, Rex Paris, Cityfox in New York and of course the renowned Stereo in Montreal. Another of his highlights on the road was a memorable trip to Brazil, playing D-Edge and Warung to universal acclaim. Alongside this the German also found time for a number of pivotal festival appearances (Strawberry Fields in Australia proving to be a particular highlight) and performances at both the Mixmag Lab and Boiler Room, Berlin. Following on from his well-received residency at Pacha, Ibiza alongside Hot Since 82 last year, Meyer will return to the landmark venue once more this summer as well as venturing further afield to play Ibiza bastions Hï and Heart. With a style that ranges from uplifting and orchestral to deep tribal grooves, the Berlin based selector will continue to showcase his diverse talents globally throughout the rest of 2018, kicking off the summer with a considerable European tour before his long awaited return to the white isle. Meyer looks set to finish this year just as he started it, with an action packed schedule focused around an expansive US tour.

Gunnar Stiller

Whether playing in clubs around the world such as Berghain/Panorama Bar and Watergate or Sisyphos and Ritter Butzke in Berlin, Hive Club Zurich, Baum in Bogotá and Glow Bangkok or producing his own tracks for respected labels like Upon.You Records, Smiley Fingers, Voltage Musique and Ballroom Records, Stiller’s technique is deep in character, an outward-reaching combination of techno and techhouse with his trademark funk-tinged basslines. Born in the sunny seaside town of Rostock, Germany, Gunnar Stiller found a change of scenery when his family moved to Berlin in the early 80s. Moving to such a beautifully chaotic, adventurous city was a key factor in shaping his musical perspective, and with the purchase of his well loved (and now worn out) turntables in the late 90s, he took his first step into a professional artistic career as DJ and producer. In 2003 while working as manager for Berlin-based event agency No Ufos, Gunnar found himself in the heart of a perfect playground to gain insight and develop his own style, which at the time was focused on deep house, breaks and electro. Inspired by those around him such as Steve Bug, Matthias Tanzmann and Martin Landsky, Stiller quickly began to carve out his own sound that impressed not just the dancers filling the floor but also any promoter and organizer who was paying attention. Pushing himself toward further success, he founded the artist alliance Edelmut in 2004 along with a few of his friends, an endeavor which quickly gained them notoriety as they played in the city’s top clubs like Watergate, Bar25 and later the infamous KaterHolzig , the latter of which invited Gunnar to become a resident DJ, a position he gladly accepted. On top of this, he became a regular player at the legendary HomeSweetHome sessions. His frequent and often lengthy sets (sometimes in excess of 10 hours) allowed him to explore the boundaries between (and beyond) techno and techhouse, creating a dramatic musical landscape that sets him apart from countless other DJs. By 2009 Stiller had formed a solid intuition for exactly what moved listeners’ bodies (and spirits) and began his foray into production. His debut release, the Heideberg EP, and its followup the Manaus Madness EP – both on Voltage Musique – landed directly within the Top 5 German club charts, and Marek Hemmann’s remix of “Manaus Madness” was voted the #10 best remix by dance music authority Groove Magazine’s 2010 readers’ poll. It was around this time that Gunnar joined Upon.You Records as part of their label and booking roster, releasing a lot more EPs and contributing to the acclaimed label compilation Upon.You Diary, which was compiled by himself in 2014. These where followed by collaborations and remix projects with artists like Solomun, AndHim, Layo & Bushwacka!, Alex Niggemann, Danny Serrano, Ray Okpara, Nikola Gala, Larry Cadge, Odd People, Samuel Dan, Nakadia, Dj Le Roi or Loko and more released tracks on labels like Clap Your Hands, Smiley Fingers and Time Has Changed. Meanwhile, Gunnar Stiller’s DJ career picked up exponentially as he established a name for himself outside his native Berlin borders. In the last few years, he has been booked to play at top festivals such as Sonar Festival, Amsterdam Dance Event, Melt! Festival, Fusion Festival and Sonnemondsterne, in clubs throughout Eastern and Western Europe as well as South America, Asia, Australia and Africa, sharing the booth with the likes of Richie Hawtin, Ricardo Villalobos, Carl Craig, Laurent Garnier and Luciano. If you want to know where the global electronic dance scene is headed next, keep your eyes and ears on Gunnar Stiller…

Cosmokat

VABU

VABU has been shaping the sound of Hamburg’s Techno scene since 2017, moving from the dance floor to the DJ booth with unmistakable energy and presence. Her musical journey began at Bollwerk in Lübeck, where her first sets quickly led to a deeper involvement in the local scene through the collective 'Harmonie im Bassgewitter'. Her signature style is a dynamic blend of Melodic House & Techno, Tech House, and Indie Dance – layered with deep melodies, driving rhythms, and an emotional edge that resonates on and off the floor. Each set tells a story, combining intensity and atmosphere with an intuitive feel for the crowd. Over the years, VABU has played in clubs across Hamburg and beyond, building a strong reputation on lineups across Germany. She has performed at renowned festivals including Feel Festival, Habitat, Deichbrand, Pangea and MS Dockville and has also taken her sound international, touring Asia twice (April 2019 & February 2020). In 2024, she marked a new milestone in her career as a producer with her track “Space Division”, released on the Perspectives Digital compilation. Just months later, she carried that momentum into 2025 with ‘Anticipation’ on the Berlin-based Label Deep Tales, showcasing her evolving signature sound and artistic vision.

DAVIDE (2)

DIESEN

Bjørn, known under his alias DIESEN, has been a fixture in the Hamburg club scene for many years. From his first residencies to countless nights across the city, he has built a solid reputation with a clear and versatile sound. Releases on 040 Recordings, Amber Red Recordings, and Audio Safari, as well as collaborations with electronic.dance TV, highlight his deep connection to electronic music. His sets are intuitive, energetic, and always in the moment. Bjørn moves seamlessly between deep, groovy House and energetic, driving Techno. Whether in a club, a bar, or under the open sky, his performances create a dense, flowing energy that brings the room to life, engaging the people present, executed with meticulous attention to detail and a strong sense of craft – no big show, just music and dedication. Alongside performing, he focuses on his own productions and occasionally organizes selected events, creating smaller, focused platforms for electronic music.