A recording of my set at Sisyphos on June 26th. We set off with 30-some-odd DJs from Thuishaven in Amsterdam for an epic weekender (Fri-Sat-Sun) at Sisyphos, one of Berlin's greatest clubs. 

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A heatwave had struck the city, with highs of 35 °C and upwards. The midday sun was blazing as I took to the decks at the Strand outdoor stage. The only thing cooling us off was the fog coming from the sprinklers. 

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The dance floor was on fire. I felt the freedom to explore a variety of sounds, textures, moods and styles, and play some of my favorite tracks of all time. To feel this open-mindedness and dedication from a dance floor is really the best gift you can receive as a DJ. 

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Thank you everyone at Sisyphos – backstage and frontstage – for creating this amazing vibe, and to the crew from Thuishaven for organizing this extraordinary weekender. I hope some of the magic that afternoon is captured in this recording.

Aron Friedman @ Sisyphos Berlin | Strand | 26-06-2022

A dj-set played at my favorite clubnight in my favorite Amsterdam club. Trouw Op Zondag is for the die hard music freaks, who like to come out on a Sunday afternoon and hear their favorite artists play some of their deeper sets. This makes for one extroardinary atmosphere each time I get to play.

On this particular night, I was celebrating my belated birthday, lined up with Omar S (FHXE Detroit) and Serge (Clone Rotterdam), and playing the warm-up set from the afternoon till the early evening. I took the liberty of digging deep into my record collection and playing some of my favorite warm-up gems.

The mix starts off with the blue whales of the Pacific ;-), mixed with some dubby sounds by Suedmilch and Shinedoe. Picking up pace after John F. Kennedy's liberty speech with dark deephouse by Prosumer and Nina Kraviz. And moving into more melodic house by the likes of Tony Lionni, TJ Kong &amp; Nuno dos Santos and Gui Borratto.

Topping it off with Storm Queens epic 'Look Right Through' and Claro Intelecto's stomping 'Back In The Day'. A very happy birthday indeed!

Aron Friedman @ Trouw Op Zondag | 27-3-2011

This set marks an important turning point for me and my career. It was the first time after deciding to focus more on my solo sets, that I felt I had reconnected with myself again – both soundwise and vibewise. 

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After DJ'ing for as long as I have, and putting all my energy in my Spaceandtime project and our Capsule for years, I had lost track of my own musical identity. When the pandemic was almost at an end, I was ready to completely let go of my DJ'ing ambitions. It was like a grieving process, and it felt very painful to let go of something so meaningful.

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But the funny thing is, by letting go of the idea that my DJ career had to become something, I finally opened up to realize what my DJ career already was and is. I had forgotten why I have dedicated more than half my life to DJ'ing: to express myself and to connect with myself and others - on a personal, musical, and spiritual level.  

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After a magnificent summer with many highlights and lots of new and exciting connections in Holland and abroad, I feel invigorated and ready for an even better fall. I am still very much invested in Spaceandtime, and in Capsule, but I am also Aron Friedman, the DJ, again. And that feels wonderful. Looking back, this DJ set at the Main Stage of Thuishaven was the moment everything started making sense again. 

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As a resident, I have witnessed the growth and evolution of Thuishaven from the start. I am very grateful to be part of this lovely team, and to be given the weekly space to grow and evolve as a DJ. I hope you will enjoy listening to the set as much as I did playing it.

Aron Friedman @ Thuishaven 9 Year Anniversary | 08-05-2022

Last year was the first time I DJ’ed at Garbicz. I instantly fell in love with the place, the people, the forest, the magnificent vibe. What a festival! You can imagine how thrilled I was to play there again this year – on my favorite floor of the festival, with a beautiful time slot.  

On Saturday morning at 8AM, I opened Buk Corner’s infamous cocktail bar. You could see the sun rise over the lake. Soon enough, people came pouring in from all corners of the festival. It was heartwarming to see many of my Dutch and German friends supporting me from the start. Some had partied all night, others had set their alarm clock to hear my set. Ain’t that dedication? 

As a DJ, I like to take people through different sounds and styles. Thanks to the open-mindedness and party-mindedness of Garbicz’s seasoned ravers, I was able to take the dance floor along on this journey. I hope the vibe of this most magical morning is captured in the recording. Enjoy.

Aron Friedman @ Garbicz 2023 |  Buk Corner

My return to Sisyphos on September 24th was as lovely as I expected. Just like last year, I played at Strand, the outdoor stage. This was one of the last sunny weekends before Berlin’s long and cold winter, so people were up for a final open-air dance. 

Sisyphos is one of those places where you feel the freedom to take the music anywhere it needs to go. Not only is the club run by people who make you feel at home. The crowd also has a very open mind, and the right party attitude. Appreciation for artists runs deep in Berlin. The people truly take the time to listen to your music. 

I also had the privilege of listening to many of my friends from Amsterdam, who came along for the Thuishaven showcase. I had such a great time getting inspired by all the great music, and connecting with friends old and new. I hope the excitement of this mesmerizing weekend is captured in the recording.

Aron Friedman @ Sisyphos | Strand | 24-09-2023

This was my third consecutive year at Garbicz and the second time I played the magnificent Cocktail Bar at Buk Corner. I love the density and intensity of this floor. Overlooking the lake, the DJ stands slightly below the crowd, bringing them in closer contact with the dance floor.  

As in previous years, I was overwhelmed by the love and dedication of the people at Garbicz. I was deeply moved by my Dutch homies, who set their alarm clocks to shower me with their uplifting energy at 8 AM. And also by my Berlin friends who showed up in loving support. 

Appreciation runs deep at Garbicz. People listen carefully and truly hear what you're doing. There's a moment in each DJ-set, when you’ve locked in for the first time. Just when I felt this (while mixing in Fly Life) a guy walked into the booth and said: ‘Jetzt bist du da!’ 

Thanks to everyone who contributed to Garbicz 2024, and to the magic of that sunny morning. Special thanks to Fritz Windish for inviting me back, Dennis and Veri Schwarz for post-mixing my mix, and all those on the dance floor for allowing me to connect through music.

Aron Friedman @ Garbicz 2024 | Buk Corner

An opening set at Amsterdam's hottest new night - or should I say afternoon? 

The atmosphere at Trouw Op Zondag is extraordinarily special compared to most Dutch clubnights. This particular afternoon I was warming up for some of Berlin's leading techno artists, Ostgut Ton's Marcel Dettmann and Steffi. The sound was dark and uncompromising - Sunday at its raunchiest. 

Starting at 1800 in the afternoon, I warmed things up with some IDM by Tom Middleton and Aqua Bassino, moving into some deep midtempo house by Roman Flügel and Space Dimension Controller. As the crowd came in I sped things up with some melodic techno and house by the likes of Donacha Costello and Boo Williams. 

Towards the middle, the set warmed up with Cobblestone Jazz, picking up intensity with Kirk DeGiorgio and Peter van Hoesen, then moving into Quince's and Benny Rodrigues' smashing new electro-release and amazing dubstep by Scuba. The warm up was complete, when a David Moraes classic was followed by Melon and St. Propres interpretation of Disco To: Disco. 

The slaughter took place at the end with Nous Sommes MMM, proving that hard house has never left the building ;-) Quite a far cry from the dreamy start, but somehow it sounds quite logical when you listen to the set from beginning to end. Enjoy!

Aron Friedman @ Trouw Op Zondag | Ostgut Special | 9-5-2010

A warm up set played out at Trouw in 2009. The restaurant was still serving food when I started playing, so I had the opportunity to put on stuff you don't normally hear in clubs. 

The set builds up from soothing soul and electronica by Bohannan, Photek and Nightmares on Wax to slow burners by the likes of Trickski, Roman Flügel and Voom Voom. An eclectic collection of old gems and favorites from different genres. 

Ps. The night was called Vinyl People, so for all you 12"-nazi's out there: everything was played on that beloved format. You'll probably hear it in the crackling here and there ;-) 

Aron Friedman @ Trouw | Amsterdam | 21-5-2009

A track by Aron Friedman and Sven Prinsen, featuring Aron's grandfather of 89 years old, speaking of his teenage years.

Aron Friedman & Sven Prinsen - Teenage Years feat. Grandpa Nat

A set recorded at Westerunie in Amsterdam. 

Mono has been around since 2002, and has played an influential role in breaking new school techno, tech house and house in Amsterdam. The last years we've been mainly focusing on our stage at Free Your Mind Festival. With this party we returned to the clubs for the first time in years.

It turned out to be a great night, where all artists played exquisitely. NTFO from Romania's Sintope Records played an amazing live set, Lauhaus absolutely killed it afterwards with a powerful dj-sets and Shlomi Aber Closed off with banging techno. 

I had a great time providing the opening slot, starting off with tracks like Missing Love, The More I Want, picking up pace with Maya Jane Coles and Argenis Britto, and topping things off with Kris Wadsworth's It's Time and even Gat Decor's evergreen Passion. 

I hope something of the great vibe that evening is reflected in this recording. Enjoy!

Aron Friedman @ Rockit Invites Mono | Amsterdam | 31-3-2012

A podcast made for DJBroadcast, my former employer. I still write for them, but as a freelancer, rather than sitting in the office ;-) 

This podcast was one of the first in the series, which now exceeds a hundred. Listening to it today, I was pleasantly surprised about the way all the tracks are glued together, considering it was mixed in the 'old-fashioned' way: on vinyl, in one take. So no autopitching, autocueing or other fancy features that make a deejay's life so much easier.

The mix starts off with some very deep and slow house by the likes of Sadé and Karizma, moving some moddy tracks by Voom Voom, Justus Köhnke and Tom Middleton. The mix also features some oldies like Circulation Red and Bobby R. Part II, topping it off with Kahn feat. Julee Cruise's epic Say Goodbye. Enjoy!

Aron Friedman | DJBroadcast Podcast | January 2008

Beach Club Beach is one of Hungary's best kept raving secrets. Organized once a year by three Hungarian homeboys with an exquisite taste for quality house music, it's frequented by their extended group of friends - some of the finest folk you will meet. 

Held in the villa originally built for Fidel Castro's vacation back in the seventies, it has housed a top list of world famous comrades, including Soviet president Brezhnev and good old Chairman Mao. But since the nineties, neglegance has made the entire complex fall into decline. So to one side you have this run down villa, to the other Europe's largest freshwater body. It makes for an amazing atmosphere. 

I had the pleasure of headlining this remarkable event. I started off with some banging and melodic house by the likes of Bronx, Bax and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, spacing out later on with Matt Tolfrey's Space Jam and Dual Shaman's Ocean Breeze. Then going into eclectic mayhem with remixes from Human League to Depeche Mode and Radiohead, and topping it off with - what else?! - Bicep & Ejaca's contemporary evergreen You. 

This was absolutely one of the highlights of the summer for me and my friends Matthijs and Jeroen, who luckily were there to join the fun. Big up to the other Dutchies that made it and the guys and gals at Girls & Mathematics for inviting me and being the perfect hosts. <3

Aron Friedman @ Beach Club Beach | Balatonvilágos | Hungary | 4-8-2012

The Confession Booth

The Confession Booth is all about special records and the stories that go along with them. Aron Friedman gets up close and personal with international guests, asking questions like: ‘Which record will your kids need to hear when growing up?’, ‘What’s your favorite break-glass-in-case-of-emergency record when dj-ing?’ and ‘Which song has ever made you cry?’ Musical confessions guaranteed!

Aron Friedman

House has always been a feeling for Aron Friedman, who has been playing an active role in Dutch dance music as a dj, producer, promoter and music journalist since the late nineties. Both behind the decks and in the confession booth, Aron likes to dig deeper – uncovering some of the most enchanting gems and remarkable stories. 

San Proper

"Anyone who has frequented Amsterdam's nightlife over the last decade has likely stumbled upon San Proper at some point. And anyone who has met this colorful character agrees: San is driven by a fiery passion for music and an innate predisposition for eccentricity. 

He's the type of person you'll find playing a marathon set at a hazy after hours, where all that's left of the soundsystem is one working record player and two crackling speakers. Putting on one dusty gem after another without mixing, he'll be grasping your arm repeatedly, pointing at the ramshackle stereo system: "This is my favorite record of all time!" 

And even though he'll probably claim the same about every other piece of vinyl that he spins, you know he's completely sincere about it each and every time." 

(Aron Friedman, RA, 2009)

The Confession Booth feat. San Proper | Hosted by Aron Friedman | 8-6-2012

The Confession Booth feat. Het Collectief Deruyter | Hosted by Aron Friedman | 12-10-2012

The Confession Booth

The Confession Booth is all about special records and the stories that go along with them. Aron Friedman gets up close and personal with international guests, asking questions like: ‘Which record will your kids need to hear when growing up?’, ‘What’s your favorite break-glass-in-case-of-emergency record when dj-ing?’ and ‘Which song has ever made you cry?’ Musical confessions guaranteed!


The Confession Booth feat. Gert van Veen | Hosted by Aron Friedman | 12-5-2012

A set played in 2007 at the legendary Gashouder in Amsterdam - my first and foremost temple of techno, which I frequented since the beginning of Awakenings in 1997. So opening on the Detroit special night for none other than icons Stacey Pullen, Kenny Larkin, Derrick May, Scan 7 and Steve Rachmad, I was awakened alright! 

Starting off with one of my all-time favorite Carl Craig tracks - the beatless A Wonderful Life - moving from atmospheric deephouse from Villalobos, Cassy and more abstract stuff from Orlando Voorn and Motor City Soul, into powerful grooves by the likes of Redshape, Dave Ellesmere - ending with a remix of my favorite Garnier track  Communications From The Lab. 

In the end, the hall filled up with five-thousand ravers ready to go. Not sure if they actually digged the sounds I was playing, since it was a far cry from the industrial techno that's usually played at Awakenings. But when Lou from UR's Scan 7 came up to me at the end of the night to tell my white ass: 'That was some funky shit man... I was shocked!' I knew my mission was accomplished.  

Aron Friedman @ Awakenings Detroit Special | Gashouder Amsterdam | 28-9-2007

Aron Friedman Biography

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House has always been a feeling for Aron Friedman, who has played an active role in the Dutch electronic music scene for the last 25 years – as an artist, promoter, journalist, and copywriter. He has performed at many renowned clubs and festivals in the Netherlands and abroad, has released a string of EPs and remixes under different monikers, has written for leading music publications like VICE, ResidentAdvisor and DJMag, and has assisted many organizations and artists as a copywriter.

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Both as an artist and as a journalist, Aron Friedman likes to dig deeper, uncovering some of the most enchanting gems and remarkable stories. Behind the decks, Aron aims to move you physically, mentally, and spiritually. Instead of limiting himself to one specific genre, each DJ-set is a journey through a lifetime of crate digging and dance floor dedication. As a promoter, Aron loves curating the crowd as much as the music: “To me, rave culture has always been more about community than about industry.”  In recent years, he was involved in notable events like Schemer, Confetteria, and De Druppel.

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For bookings, please contact: 
aronfriedman@gmail.com

Aron Friedman

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