OCD
DJ | Producer
OCD is a DJ and producer who was known to hammer out pummelling techno at Gegen parties most weekends at KitKat. As clubs reamin on a Covid-hiatus however, OCD is still a resident DJ with the label and event series, and has channelled her energy into streams on HÖR and recording mixes for BÂILLON, The Forgetten and Gegen. She has also been going full force with her music production and releases over the last year.
Born in Italy and now based in Berlin for the foreseeable future, living in the German capital has played a huge part in shaping the sound of OCD and connecting her with like-minded artists, most notably the Gegen crew. Her bio states ‘OCD will bring you into an oneiric state where everything is out of control and too fast — a metaphor of our ages’. Quite fitting with the current times we’re living in but listening to her mixes, it’s clear that OCD’s sound brings a sense of escapism too. You imagine yourself back in a packed room in a quintessentially dark, Berlin-standard-of-intensity atmosphere with pounding rhythms and relentless techno, the kind that’s sonically aligned with the aesthetic of OCD down to the last kickdrum.
2021 marked 10 years of Gegen and while the imprint couldn’t curate an event to celebrate, Alienata, Philipp Strobel, MAR/US and OCD contributed scintillating mixes to keep the spirit of Gegen alive until Berlin-based clubs eventually open again; date and time still TBC of course. But it will come.
In the meantime, OCD shares a photo from an aufnahme + wiedergabe party and why this particular night remains etched into her memory. She also talks about what she has learnt about herself from a creative point of view, who she’s surrounding herself with at the moment and more…
Pre-Berliner Luft shots 🖤 Photo: Magda
Where was this photo taken and why did you choose it?
This photo represents a very important stage in my career. It marked the beginning of my relationship with Phillip Strobel and his label.
This was the first time I was part of an aufnahme + wiedergabe party, I can't hide that I was pretty nervous and excited when Magda, one of my best friends, took it. Since then Philipp and other crews like Gegen and Interzone have been a fundamental part of my journey. That night will remain in my memories forever: the happiness I felt, the energy of my friends, the people who danced with me late through the night and, last but not least, the shots of Berliner Luft before going home.
How have you been over the last while and what is life currently like in Berlin?
The pandemic kind of forced me to focus on the production, I could feel that it would definitely last more than a few months, so I decided to roll up my sleeves and try to work on myself, even though I have to admit that there were times when I didn't have the force to do so.
On a personal level it gave me a lot more time to reflect on myself (sometimes too much) and to look inside me. And it was something new learning not to confuse my personality with the image I show on social media. Comparing our dark moments with ‘avatars’ of ourselves, especially in a delicate moment like this, is very dangerous. We are much more fragile and insecure but we must not forget that a career in the arts brings its own difficulties, criticism and stigma (including that towards women), but the satisfactions of doing what I love are much stronger than anything else.
You played your first stream of 2021 with the Gegen family in January, do you have plans to do more? Also, are you now quite comfortable with streaming in general at this point in the pandemic?
Playing streaming in general always makes me very nervous, because unlike a party, you are there alone without direct contact with the audience. However, I'm very happy that our community found this temporary compromise, playing in empty clubs is very exciting and having immediate feedback through follower comments helps a lot.
At the moment I have one streaming planned but I personally prefer to work on podcasts and productions.
'Voices From Beyond [VFB003]' came out in October, it's a banging EP! Are you working on any other productions at the moment?
Thank you very much! I'm very pleased with that EP too. I produced it at the beginning of the pandemic, during a pretty obscure time for me. It helped me through those tough times and marked the beginning of my friendship with Lucinee. Concerning my future, I'm very excited because soon I will be releasing my first vinyl EP on aufnahme + wiedergabe and I will contribute with two tracks to the newborn label Gegen Records. I'm currently working on some VA releases, one will be released in the next days!
As an artist, how are you feeling about the future?
I try to stay focused on the present as much as possible in order to be prepared when the clubs will reopen. Working on the present without losing hope for the future is a good way to cope with this particular period we are living in. The simple advice I would give to anyone reading this is to focus on the present, be patient and cultivate human relationships.
Back to the present moment. Tell us how the photo below is something that brings you happiness or comfort in your day-to-day life right now?
It is very complicated to describe our relationship in terms. Anna is a great support not only during the pandemic but has been since I met her. When I am happy with a goal she is the first to know and when I am frustrated and unmotivated she is there to help me. She is the person who has radically changed my life and the way I perceive the world and for that I am grateful.
Anna & OCD 💜