The Mix
Where and how was the mix recorded?
Tassilo: "It was recorded at our gig at Amnesia on Friday 2nd August for a party with Music On. The club recorded it in good quality and gave the set to us."
Thomas: "But, I also bought this recording device that I use from time to time which is great to also record the atmosphere."
How was the party at Amnesia?
Thomas: "Absolutely amazing! It was the first time that we played for Music On and Marco Carola and we loved it. The vibe, the people and the club, everything is just a perfect fit and seems to be made for Ibiza and its spirit. Exactly how it should be!"
What are your musical influences that have allowed you to arrive at this mix?
Tassilo: "Our influences in general reach from Hip-Hop to Rock to Techno but our influences as DJs clearly come from minimal Techno and also some Tech-House."
The Plug
What is keeping you guys busy at the moment?
Thomas: "We just finished a remix and a new EP, which will be release on Mobilee this fall."
Tassilo: "And now we are working on a new remix again - quite busy times! :)"
You're touring a huge amount at the moment, how are things on the road?
Tassilo: "Actually we have taken it a bit slower this August to have more studio time, but we love being on the road!"
Thomas: "DJing and interacting with people is a big fun part of our job, at least most of the time..."
Are you finding much time to get anything else done, apart from playing at parties? Studio time for example, like you mentioned.
Thomas: "Yes studio time right now is very essential and important for us. And Tassilo also spent a lot of time building his new studio!"
Tassilo: "We really missed the studio in the last few months, so it really feels good to be back and getting creative."
Where else might we catch you this season then? any highlights so far?
Tassilo: "Very honestly two of our highlights this year were Music On at Amnesia and at Space with Carl Cox. Good times on Ibiza so far."
Thomas: "We will start a little tour this fall to present our new tracks, some USA dates coming up in September, which we always are looking forward to and our own night at Watergate in Berlin on September 21 next month."
You have been involved with Mobilee since you put on the second release on the label back in 2005 I think. 8 years, both the imprint and you yourselves as artists are going strong. That must be a pretty good feeling?
Thomas: "Yes we are very fortunate how things have turned out so far and we plan to keep on doing what we do best."
Tassilo: "...and that is making music and DJ-ing. :)"
Finally you have a weekend off. What do you do? Where do you go?
Tassilo: "Family time is always very important to us. So when we have some time off we try to spend it with them and our loved ones."
Thomas: "Or go to clubs with our friends. Seriously, it still does not get boring! :-)"
Biography
A pan-pot is a simple, workday knob, given to side-to-side flip-flopping and not much else. Pan-Pot, on the other hand, are a brilliant multi-dimensional Berlin duo currently twisting house and techno fans into rapturous fits. In just a few short years, Pan-Pot—comprised of Tassilo Ippenberger and Thomas Benedix—have developed a dominate presence amongst the top tier of electronic dance music, with an ascension paralleling the rise of their native label, mobilee records.
After booking Anja Schneider for an infamously ill-fated party in 2005, the duo established a connection with Schneider's then recently formed imprint and within weeks had released the Popy and Caste EP on mobilee—their first release and the label's second. Graduates of Berlin's SAE, their initial musical efforts placed a primacy on integrating electronic experimentation with minimal stylings while simultaneously establishing the ominous, murky sounds that have since become synonymous with their name. The next few years saw the release of a steady stream of original tracks and remixes on both mobilee and Einmaleins, each demonstrating the duo's commitment to precise, undulating and kinetic grooves accompanied by a steady expansion of their sonic palate.
The defining moment of their career, however, was the release of their debut artist album, Pan-O-Rama. The first artist album to be released on mobilee, the aptly named Pan-O-Rama provided a stunning 360-degree tour of techno at its most twisted, balancing somber atmospherics with an impeccable lightness of touch. Serving as a playground for their experimental leanings, the album was a definitive statement of Pan-Pot's past, present, and future: an affirmation of the possibility of a wider sonic spectrum that suggested a move towards stripped-down techno while simultaneously hinting towards a newly developed sense of melody.
When not in the studio writing original material or putting their unique spin on tracks by a myriad of artists, the bad-boys of impassioned, pitch-black techno can be found on the road touring at a near ceaseless level. Their dance floor oriented DJ sets see them playing back to back and are unconstrained by boundaries as they effortlessly transition between techno, house and everything in between, demonstrating an immaculate understanding of the audience's wants and needs.
Their willingness to expand the components of their productions while staying firmly rooted in what they do best—colossal, haunting techno tracks overflowing with noise and static, throbbing bass lines, and epic builds that manage to be both tasteful and restrained—is only part of what differentiates Pan-Pot from the hordes of other techno producers currently flooding the airwaves. They may name themselves after a piece of gear, but Pan-Pot's music is ultimately about moving bodies, not knobs, all the while giving way to an unprecedented degree of dynamism on dance floors around the world.
pan-pot.net
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facebook.com/PanPotOfficial
soundcloud.com/pan-pot
