DJ/producer of electronic club music; resident DJ at Berghain; releases on Ostgut Ton, Fiedelone, Fiedeltwo, Seelen., KIAS; half of MMM (Errorsmith & Fiedel); booking:
booking@fiedelone.de
photo credit: Danny Croucher, logo by Maison CC

Massimiliano Pagliara was born in Tricase (Lecce) in the deep south of Italy. Already as a child he listened to diverse types of music: rap, classical, reggae, dub and 60s rock'n'roll. Coming from this small village, he and his friends created a small musical world for themselves, spending a lot of time every day playing records in his basement and at private parties.
Upon moving to Milan in 1997, Massi embarked on an academic career and eventually earned his diploma in theatre, dance and choreography at the Civica Scuola di Teatro Paolo Grassi in 2001. While discovering the fashionable and alternative club scene of the city, his imagination was captured by experimental electronic music such as Aphex Twin, Boards Of Canada, Autechre and Mira Calix. Naturally these avant-garde sounds eventually found their way into Massi's original body of work.
After finishing school he ventured to Europes underground capital Berlin, where he continued his studies in contemporary dance, but also dived into the city's explosive techno nightlife, particularly the renowned OstGut club. Massi's interest in electronic music found its peak in 2003 when he finally began to pursue DJing with a passion. Ever since he's been spinning records across the world as well as some of the most popular underground venues in Germany – among them Tape Club, SchwuZ, Tresor, ://about blank, Robert Johnson, and of course Berghain / Panorama Bar, where he holds a residency.
Massi describes his style as an eclectic mix of house, disco, electro and techno – one may call it current-yet-classic. DJing has since led to productio. These days Massi lets his obsession with analog synths run wild – usually he's holed up in his apartment studio, working on his latest productions. 2011 saw the release of his debut album Focus For Infinity (on Live At Robert Johnson), followed by his sophomore LP With One Another in 2014. February 2017 saw his debut release on Ostgut Ton with the EP Time And Again. Since then, Massi has worked on various EPs, remixes, single track, all culminating in the late 2018 release of his third full-length solo album, titled Feel Live. February 2020 saw his debut on Munich's label Permanent Vacation with his new EP Nothing Stays In One Place For Long, in 2021 he's added the third part of his Uncanny Valley label trilogy with the EP Connection Lost Pt. 3. His latest album See You In Paradise releases in October 2022, once again with Permanent Vacation.
But he’s not always alone: Massi has been collaborating with luminaries around town such as gui.tar, Snax, Daniel Wang, Lemercier & The Lala By, Discodromo as well international artists. This lead to several side projects over the last decade, such as [sic!] with the two members of gui.tar, The Rimshooters with the Brazilian DJ and producer Rotciv, Egyptian Nipples with the multi-instrumentalist Jules Etienne, Banana Moon with Luigi Di Venere, Couple Looking with Chris Cruse to name just a few.
There's an ongoing lust for dialogue when it comes to Massimiliano Pagliara – be it through his collaborations and solo productions, during his DJ sets, with his own music label Funnuvojere Records or on a personal level. The world of dance, movement and communication is deeply rooted in Massi's life – when you know how to move yourself, you easily know how to move others.

A Colourful Storm, NTS

NTS radio shows: https://www.nts.live/shows/true-as-few

Berghain and Khidi resident
@bitelabel head
Ostgut Ton | BITE | Jealous God
Booking: chris@elitemm.co.uk

Emerging as Phase Fatale in 2014, Berlin-based DJ, producer and label owner, Hayden Payne is rewriting the discourse of Techno with his cross-pollination of gnarly basslines, sensual narratives and mind-control mechanics. Demonstrating his vision through an authentic, highly curated sonic-lens of techno, the New York native’s rhythmic excursions draw on his roots in the underground scenes of his respective cities as well as his reputable experience performing to dancefloors globally. Exemplified by long-standing tenures as a resident for esteemed institutions such as Berlin’s Berghain as well as KHIDI in Georgia's capital Tbilisi, Payne demonstrates a resolute understanding of harnessing club synergy across his productions and DJ sets.

With three full length albums under his belt, including the 2020 sophomore release ‘Scanning Backwards’ on Berghain’s imprint Ostgut Ton, Payne’s sonic signature pushes the boundaries of techno sensibilities and reflects the zeitgeist whilst staying true to his own vision. Wasting no time since his solo project’s inception to showcase his expert sonic ability, Payne has toured throughout Europe performing at renowned clubs and festivals worldwide, releasing numerous records on labels including Jealous God, Ostgut Ton, and his own label BITE.

Payne launched the BITE imprint in 2018 as a means to platform cutting-edge sound production across a diverse roster of international artists. Along with fellow Soft Crash protagonist Pablo Bozzi pioneering ‘Italo Body Music’, BITE’s seminal synthesis of curated techno solidifies the label as a tour de force taste-maker within electronic music with showcases worldwide including Berghain and their 5 year anniversary compilation ‘Shedding Skin’ in 2023.

Hailing from post-punk roots, Payne draws on his depth of musical knowledge and multitude of influences. His merging of nuanced references and high concept narratives remain geared towards the dancefloor at its core, subtleties of his multifarious sonic palette act as the foundations for his layered wall of sound.

DOM Robert Berlin is following