TIME WARP | Mannheim Germany, April 1, 2023

Time Warp 2023 was spectacular, too commercial, too crowded, too histrionic, and proof that the underground sound of Techno is way better and stronger than so called “Business Techno” (external link) and that being a great DJ takes experience.

This is what we did

22:00-00:00 KOBOSIL – FLOOR 1
We started here KOBOSIL was fine but not very memorable so we looked in on ANN CLUE and that was quite interesting and psychedelic, it was more interesting than KOBOSIL who sounded to us like “Business Techno” Boom – Boom – Boom
We stayed to hear the transition to NINA KRAVIZ
00:00 – 02:00 NINA KRAVIZ – FLOOR 1 her sound was much more compelling and complex than KOBOSIL but we had to leave for RØDHÅD and we are glad we did – but kudos to NINA KRAVIZ she definitely is making an effort to separate herself from the generic “Business Techno” sound

00:00-02:00 RØDHÅD – FLOOR 5
RØDHÅD was really a great set one of the best of the night, pumping techno with a very dreamy effect that had the dance floor shaking and smiling it made me think of Jimi Hendrix. his quality and skill had an organic feel (I know that is weird way to explain electronic music) and he had a huge ovation when he finished – we missed GERD JANSON would like to have seen him, but there were too many great DJs (see the video at the end of this post)

02:00-03:30 DAX J – FLOOR 5
Next we stayed for DAX J was good but it simply was not as good as RØDHÅD slightly faster and more commercial

01:00-04:00 SVEN VÄTH – FLOOR 2 this was another really great set very experimental, dexterous, different sounding, and very danceable – at times he slowed down and got a little too epic but then came back stronger with the beats in a blend that really made the slower points more valid.

We stopped by CHARLOTTE DE WITTE – FLOOR 1 it was packed and proof that Instagram followers don’t make you better DJ and experience matters. It was fine, but lacked the artistry we experienced with the others DJs. Her set defined generic insignificant “Business Techno” sound, not bad, but not memorable or distinctive

it was hard to walk away from SVEN VÄTH because we wanted to see PAULA TEMPLE but we have seen, and will see SVEN VÄTH again soon

03:30 -05:00 PAULA TEMPLE – FLOOR 5
PAULA TEMPLE’s set was incredible, cathartic, very heavy, very dark, rough and tough, sophisticated, danceable, psychedelic techno she really was one of the highlights of the event

we stayed for the start of I HATE MODELS found it was a little lacking in real finesse, nuance and subtlety, but it was satisfactory 

At this point we wanted to save energy for RICHIE HAWTIN so we took a break from the marathon

we stopped by
KLANGKUENSTLER energetic but lacked refinement and polish
RICARDO VILLALOBOS we liked the refreshing introduction of rap samples in the Villalobos set, a nice change from a night dominated by very high BPM techno
DIXON was cool, slower BPMs but still techno
KiNK (Live) was strange and a bit all over the place
KÖLSCH B2B KAROTTE was soupy melodic under the dome where LAURENT GARNIER (canceled) was supposed to play for 5 hrs, it was a really cool scene spoiled by the overdramatic melodrama of KÖLSCH but still fun in spite of the music
THE BLESSED MADONNA we stayed for 5-10 minutes the vocals where unbearable – she seemed to be the only one enjoying it

REINIER ZONNEVELD LIVE was vocally and anaemic, uninspiring (see the video below) in spite of his popularity
as was the end of ADAM BEYER he seemed to storm off at the end of his set because no one was cheering – it just wasn’t very good

Then came the final 4 hrs 10:00-14:00 RICHIE HAWTIN who produced a very minimal stripped down set with no gimmicks, breaks or drops it was a rebellious and a fitting end to the pomposity of the EDM influence on techno (here is a recent article that explains his attitude https://www.billboard.com/music/features/richie-hawtin-interview-from-our-minds-tour-techno-1235295224/ ). Hawtin reaches the limits of non-commercial techno. The only dj who can have the ravers dance for 4 hours to the same rhythm (that changed a bit in the last hour). Ali M. Demirel https://www.ali-m.de/ the great VJ is to techno what Terrence Malick is to cinema (The Thin Red Line) but better. The bass was the best we have ever heard.

We danced till the end 2pm

FLOOR 1
19:30-22:00 LUIGI MADONNA
22:00-00:00 KOBOSIL
00:00 – 02:00 NINA KRAVIZ
02:00-04:00 CHARLOTTE DE WITTE
04:00 06:00 AMELIE LENS
06:00-08:00 PAN-POT
08:00-10:00 REINIER ZONNEVELD LIVE
10:00-12:00 JOSEPH CAPRIATI

FLOOR 2
21:30-23:00 ANN CLUE
23:00 – 01:00 ADRIATIQUE
01:00-04:00 SVEN VÄTH
04:00-06:00 MACEO PLEX
06:00-08:00 BORIS BREJCHA
08:00-10:00 ADAM BEYER
10:00-14:00 RICHIE HAWTIN

FLOOR 3
00:00 – 02:00 ANDREA OLIVA
02:00-04:00 SETH TROXLER
04:00-06:00 LOCO DICE
06:00-08:00 JAMIE JONES
08:00-10:00 THE MARTINEZ BROTHERS
10:00-14:00 MARCO CAROLA

FLOOR 4
22:00-23:00 SEEBASE
23:00 – 01:00 SONJA MOONEAR
01:00-03:00 KÖLSCH
03:00-05:00 KAROTTE
05:00 – 10:00 LAURENT GARNIER (canceled)
now KÖLSCH B2B KAROTTE

FLOOR 5
23:00 – 00:00 STEFFEN BAUMANN
00:00-02:00 RØDHÅD
02:00-03:30 DAX J
03:30 -05:00 PAULA TEMPLE
05:00 06:30 I HATE MODELS
06:30-08:00 KLANGKUENSTLER

FLOOR 6
21:00-23:00 REZNIK
23:00 – 00:00 MATHEW JONSON LIVE
00:00 – 02:00 GERD JANSON
02:00-04:00 DJ KOZE
04:00-06:00 RICARDO VILLALOBOS
06:00-08:00 DIXON
08:00-09:00 KiNK LIVE
09:00-11:00 THE BLESSED MADONNA

01 APR 2023 | MAIMARKTHALLE
MANNHEIM