Monday, September 28, 2015

Author of "Lost and Sound" on the Birth of the Techno Scene in Berlin


For Berlin, the destruction of the wall was a bit like the big bang: a single explosive event that had immeasurable influence on everything that came after. In its wake, an utterly unique scenario took shape—desolate streets, warehouse parties, squatters and the feeling that the city and everyone in it was working with a clean slate. "The atmosphere was burning," as Dimitri Hegemann of Tresor said in RA's recent film, Real Scenes: Berlin. Most of the city's unique personality today, not least its techno scene, was born in this moment of upheaval. 

Tobias Rapp was among the many young Germans who moved to Berlin just after the Wall came down, and who moved directly into a squat. He grew up in tandem with the city, from his early days raving in its virtually lawless clubs, to his eventual post as Der Spiegel's pop culture editor, and he saw how the techno scene changed with it. It's a story he tells in his book, Lost and Sound: Berlin, Techno and the EasyJetset, and one he recounted on the back deck of RA's Berlin office earlier this summer. In this personal and analytical account, Rapp recalls the unchecked freedom of early '90s Berlin, and sheds light on how this atmosphere gave birth to what is now the city's "folk music." ....read more

Practice, Practice, Practice!

No matter what, making an effort to engage in speaking and learning some German language will greatly improve your relations and enrich your experiences with people in Berlin. There are many helpful sites and apps you should make use of:

  1. The most popular of mobile language apps – Duolingo – is a great way to familiarize yourself with the sound and basics of language learning (available for iOSAndroid, and Windows devices)
  2. Mango Languages is a much more robust app and is available through Avila’s Library
  3. The BBC has Talk German and Basics lessons