LAMP Weekly Mix #132 feat. Nils Ohrmann

LAMP Weekly Mix #132 feat. Nils Ohrmann

This week we're excited to welcome Berlin based producer and renowned DJ Nils Ohrmann! Alongside Daniel Steinberg he is the co-founder of one our favorite German labels at the moment, Arms & Legs Records. From the dance floor to the studio Ohrmann's work traverses and blurs the lines of house genres, carving out his own unique style and sound. Never one to disappoint, Nils Ohrmann is known for throwing in something unexpected during his sets and has an incredible penchant for utilizing rare samples in his work. MR PUZL got the chance to ask this humble and light-hearted label boss some questions about his early beginnings and how things operate over at Arms & Legs.MR PUZL: Welcome Nils, thanks for joining our Guest Mix series! You're the second Arms & Legs artist we've been fortunate to have on our series this year, and maybe if we're lucky we can continue to add to that list, haha! What have you brought for our audience to listen to this week with your mix?Nils Ohrmann: I tried to mix the stuff that I´m playing actually like it would be a whole evening. Don´t stress to much warming up, keep the groove & step it up a notch, have a sense of humor & say goodbye with a smile.MP: From the outside Arms & Legs appears like a very tight knit group of artists, with new faces appearing on releases from time to time. What originally brought you together and how did you come up with name? Who are the people that help make it run smoothly?NO: Daniel and I first met around 2005 in a record shop where Olli (Oliver Dollar) was working. We loved the same music and became friends. And we both had different groups of friends... which then also became friends. Essentially that's what we are, a bunch of friends, where everybody is doing what they can do best.MP: In our interview with Kristin earlier this year she mentioned everyone sort of just chips in to help at the label. How do you and Daniel instill this sense of community within your collective?NO: From time to time we lock them all in one room & let them out the next morning. Works perfect :)MP: You've released under a few other monikers and one in particular I've come across has appeared on Arms & Legs a few times called Le Hot Club. One of my favorite tracks from the Motion's Twelve compilation is 'Discobowle' because it features some incredible vocal samples overtop of a delightful funky disco groove. Where did you come across the material? Do you approach making music under that moniker vs your Ohrmann project differently? NO: "Le Hot Club" is a mysterious collaboration. It's so mysterious that I almost forgot I was a part of it, but yes, you are right. But I really forgot how we did that song. I even forgot who the other guy was. I can only remember that he was red-haired. If I meet him one day - could be that there will be another track. That´s a different approach, isn´t it ?!MP: The remix package for 'Le Funk Fatale' just came out recently, congrats! You first released the original on Hula Hoop back in 2009. What inspired the re-release? How did you go about curating the remixers for it?NO: The Track was inspired by one of my favourite clubs in Berlin, the Golden Gate located under a bridge near Alexanderplatz in Mitte. A small, but incredible energetic place, where you - as you may hear in the song - commonly stay a bit longer than you wanted. Some months ago I was playing in Djakarta together with Who:bee, a good friend of mine & co-owner of the Golden Gate, and when we were talking about the track & it´s story again the idea came up to re-release it. I spoke to Daniel and he also loved the idea.I wanted a "Prompt" remix because I´m a huge fan of his productions. Recently I saw Matthew K. playing live and was deeply impressed (once again) so I asked him to do a remix. I was also working on a remix for Rimini Sunset so the idea came to ask the to do a remix because their Style rounded up the release. Finally Daniel came around with the thought to ask Jan (Driver).MP: I caught that 'Baby Can You Reach' track in the mix! It's one of those gems from Todd Terry's endless discography of quality house. What was one of the first house tunes you remember purchasing?NO: I fell in love with the house they played in the Mid-Nineties, when I also started DJing. The first records I can remember purchasing are State of Grace - "Hello /George Morell Mixes", Planet Soul´s "Set U Free" on Strictly Rhythm and The Track Stars - "Hardcore Traxx" on Dance Mania.MP: As someone who has grown up and come through the ranks of Berlin's club scene, how have you seen it evolve? What are some of your fondest memories of first playing at clubs like Schnabelbar?NO: The Schnabelbar was one of those leftovers of the wild 80’s in Kreuzberg. Punks, Freaks, Ravers, Hippies. A gig lasts like 10 Hours and you were Djing the whole evening. The mixture of people and the energy were special. Clubs come and go, but all in all this mixture & colourfullness can still be found in certain clubs here.MP: I've seen your past and present event schedule place you all over Europe and even India. Have you played in the US before?NO: Not yet, but I´d love to. Olli (Dollar) is deeply connected to some different scenes in the US, mainly Detroit, and he´s telling such nice & interesting stories about parties & people all the time.MP: Many of us here at LAMP find the music and artists emanating from Berlin to be inspiring and infectious with the level of quality and variety keeping us on our toes! What do you think contributes to such a melting pot of creativity?NO: The City and its whole story. The special role West-Berlin played for creative and different thinking people, the special situation we had when the wall came down, the melting pot for creative people from East and West. The space that emerged... A mix of all of that. Berlin is still special.MP: Operating a label while also maintaining your own creative output must be an interesting balance. Do you find yourself able to get quality time in the studio? What kind of setup do you have there? Do you produce on the road?NO: Good Point- I would love to have more time in the studio. I´m working with Ableton Live and some digital & analog gear. I love the stuff SugarBytes & Xfer and of course my Moog - Little Phatty or the TR-8.MP: If you could impart some wisdom to our readers who might want to visit Berlin. What would you suggest the do first as soon as they arrive?NO: I would suggest to open a beer and then check if the "Golden Gate" is still open.

Tracklist

1. Dani Siciliano - I´m The Question / Ben Vedren Acapella022. Benedict - AAPTOBG / Pezzner Remix Dub3. Dario D´Attis - The Good Old Days4. Gui Boratto, Maurice Aymard - Home / Jay Shepheard Remix5. Lime Life - Baby Can You Reach6. Kano - It´s A War / Serge Santiago UK Edit7. Honey Dijon, Seven Davis Jr., Deetron - Houze / Deetron Extended Remix8. Tomas Cerutti - Little Helpers 230.69. Tapesh, Maximiljan - Virtues10. Paul C., Luca Morris - We Are11. 2020Soundsystem - Broken / Makam Remix12. The Deepshakers - Need A Beat13. Simon Baker - Hideout / ThermalBear Remix14. Corvino Traxx - Pulp Fusion / Tribal Mix15. Nils Ohrmann - Le Funk Fatale / Jan Driver Remix16. Outro: Raja Ram, Lucas O´Brien - IntroCheck out more music from Nils below:Enjoy,LAMP