DJ Spit
DJ | Producer
DJ Spit is the word thrust personified. You don’t know what exactly you’re gonna get from a DJ Spit set but it’s likely to be fast, sweaty and one million miles an hour. Known to play shirtless as well as owning an outrageous collection of primal techno, bouncy trance, chunky breaks and acid, DJ Spit delves into every forgotten and current nook of dance music.
Based in Berlin, Paul has spent the last few years evolving as an artist and adding bookings at Griessmuehle (RIP), Tresor, Berghain’s Säule, Corsica Studios, PAL, Rote Sonne and many more to his diary. The combination of bookings and guest mixes for SLAM, Lobster Theremin, Voitax and more have helped to get his name on the European map but no matter how prolific or small-scale the gig, Paul’s attitude remains the same. He throws himself into each set, bringing with him a wealth of tunes from the crustiest corners of Discogs and beyond while going 90 behind the decks.
Like a lot of other artists at the moment, this year was deemed to be a hectic one for Paul. Most events with DJ Spit on the bill have been cancelled or postponed until further notice however Paul hasn’t let this get him down too much. He has continued to share his spirit on HÖR Radio, Club Quarantäne and over on POSSESSION’s podcast series amongst others. A DJ that leaves a dense impression on the dancefloor no matter what the audience's taste, Paul’s mixes are a guaranteed source of bop as the bleakness of winter during a pandemic begins to set in.
The below memory comes from earlier this year which Paul describes further, and also shares how he is feeling about the future, what is keeping him mentally in check and more….
Photo: Paul Krause
Where was this photo taken and why did you choose it?
I took this picture at my private birthday party in May this year. We had the opportunity to get the keys to club in Berlin for 10 people and could literally blast music there for 12 hours. At that time we had been in proper lockdown for two months and hadn’t been able to listen to loud music since then. It felt like such a relief and was the best possible present my friends could have given me (and yes, everyone made a test before we met).
How have you been over the last few months and what's life currently like in Berlin?
I am doing quite well but also going through phases like everyone.
It’s been really interesting to see how people can adapt to this lifestyle. Like everybody, I can imagine, I have experienced a rollercoaster of emotions, primarily because a lot of my year didn’t turn out as planned: many amazing gigs got cancelled, including the announcement of my residency in CPH and the cherry on top, was we were forced to delay our record label launch.
It feels that everything is on hold for the moment but as soon as the right moment presents itself and things are slightly back to normal, a lot of people are gonna explode in a positive way. People are not lazy and especially in the scene, my brothers and sisters are working their asses off to make this time worthy. Berlin is a strange place in these times, it felt unreal to not see any tourists on the streets for months and if a party was going on somewhere, you only saw the OGs.
It also made me really happy to see how most of the people reacted to the BLM movement. I don't think the impact on which it had on the scene would have been possible if everyone was touring regularly.
Your sound can be quite fast and fierce and should probably come with a warning sign for those who are faint of heart. Has your taste in music and bangers in general wavered at all since the pandemic started?
My sound seems to change every half a year in one way or another. I discover weekly new cross genres and producers which provide sounds that are beyond everything I have heard before. The progression of the sound I like to play has definitely evolved from having a more techno base to a more future club sounds base.
If you ever find yourself in a creative slump or feeling unmotivated, what do you do to pull yourself out of that cloud?
It might sound a bit odd, but I never ever get bored with music. If I am bored with a certain genre I just dig deeper into other ones or just browse through youtube and Soundcloud for hours. There is always something which interests me.
At this moment in time, how do you feel about the future?
50% of me says the world is basically fucked, but the other 50% is hopeful and extremely grateful that we can do what we do. I reckon that from summer next year things are gonna get back to normal again, at least in one way or another. I just really hope that everyone comes out of this time stronger than before. But I am also thinking fuck it, let’s make the best out of it and go on.
What has been a constant source of comfort for you throughout the year so far?
I am concerning myself very lucky to be in a really stable relationship with my partner and I got amazing and inspiring people around me. So there is not really a chance to loose track. ☺️
Listen to DJ Spit’s latest mix for Standard Deviation here and follow him below: