Our final mix release for 2021 comes care of Patterns of Perception resident Andreas Maan. Hailing from Melbourne and based in Berlin, Andreas' makeup as a DJ has evolved in parallel with our own. Known for his deep and driving closing sets, his repertoire in recent years has branched further afield into noise, ambient and left-of-centre electronica, all of which feature in this wide-ranging set. As though drifting in and out of a sometimes placid, sometimes fitful sleep, Patterns of Perception 91 snakes delicately through jagged layers of disorientation and delirium to create an edgy, densely textured, yet rhythmically restrained soundscape interspersed, elusively, with echoes of beauty. Andreas' Links: SoundCloud Facebook Instagram Resident Advisor

DYL is a Romanian DJ and producer whose interpretation of contemporary dnb is both sophisticated and highly effective. Touching a range of tempos and energies, his music finds form amongst smooth, delicate and powerful shades - often all at once. The past years have seen DYL maintain a steady production schedule, with highly regarded releases on imprints such as Translation Recordings, Diffuse Reality, Alpha Cut and Relation Reset; along with key collaborations with DB1, Synkro and Tammo Hesselink. For DYL, Patterns of Perception 94 represents a moment for reflection; a chance to embrace the presence and momentum of his own recent works - both solo and collaborative. And as these propulsive rhythms simmer and blur, moments of true emotion take flight. Introspection glows in the depths, urging us on toward lucidity. DYL's links: Instagram Facebook Bandcamp Resident Advisor

Amsterdam-based Jasmín is a DJ and radio host renowned for her eclectic, percussion-rich sound. Immersed in a vivid spectrum of bass, breaks, dubstep, acid and techno, she also readily embraces the weird, with a knack for uncovering the most compelling of unexpected oddities. As both a hard-working and in-demand selector, Jasmín has taken the stage at an array of much loved venues and events across the world, including the likes of the Dekmantel, Dekmantel Selectors and Rewire Festivals, De School, Garage Noord, Tresor, Griessmuehle, and New York’s Bossa Nova Civic Club. In recent times, she’s spent time honing her skills in the studio, with her first two track releases being featured on VAs from Dekmantel and Martyn’s 3024 imprint. Jasmín's Patterns of Perception 93 feels simultaneously free-spirited and precise, with its energy and emotion combining to perfectly capture her distinctive sound. Buoyant, expressive rhythms find cathartic release amongst flashes of luminescent energy. Warm, playful atmospheres are actually intensified by pensive, reflective interludes. Past inspirations find reinvigoration alongside feelings and reflections from today. Jasmín's Links: SoundCloud Instagram Facebook Resident Advisor echobox.radio/shows/petting-dogs/

As one of the forces behind Ute Rec and one half of Accelerationism, Oslo based DJ, promoter and label head Marius Bø’s singular, trance-infused sound feels both fresh and profoundly nostalgic. Starting in 2017 with highly curated open air raves in his native Norway as part of the Uteklubb collective, both Marius and the group have continued to evolve, with the inception of their Ute Rec imprint in 2019 representing the fruition of the group's distinctive sound aesthetic. A string of influential releases from Oprofessionell, The Dosadi Experiments and Mikkel Rev, alongside the high-profile Accelerationism CDs that have seen them collaborate with the likes of Alpha Tracks, S.O.N.S. and Sunju Hargun, plus a VA fundraiser alongside Amniote Editions have helped Marius and Ute Rec to quickly garner a global audience, giving them a platform to share their unique vision of psychedelic contemporary trance. Hitting like a deep, rejuvenating breath in the open air, Marius' Patterns of Perception 92 is a pulsating, private moment for emotions and reflections to cascade and flow. Evoking the serene, iridescent embrace of the chill-out room, this mix floats weightlessly in the aether between psychedelic downtempo and ambient trance - a shimmering assembly of textures and inspirations, both new and old. It is a space for closed eyes, kaleidoscopic perception and slow heart rates - a tonic for the mind, body and soul. Marius Bø's Links: SoundCloud Instagram Ute Rec - SoundCloud Instagram - Ute Rec

Ultra Low Velocity is a new project formed by French DJs and producers Antoine and A Strange Wedding. Revelling in slow-burning and intensely psychedelic rhythms and atmospheres, the duo’s distinctive, shamanistic sound evokes the sensation of time being warped, whilst embracing sudden changes of sounds and feelings, from dynamic to vapourous. As individual artists, the two have made their impact on both the French and European stage thanks to creative output on labels such as Worst Recordings and Krakzh, as well as their involvement in Saint Etienne’s Positive Education Festival. Kicking off their Ultra Low Velocity project in early 2021 with an EP release on Krakzh, the duo have since had a busy post-lockdown period, taking the stage at festivals and parties across France, including at the Visions and Atom Festivals, a Krakzh label night in Rennes, and soon, the upcoming fifth edition of the Positive Education Festival. For Patterns of Perception 87, Ultra Low Velocity have shared a snapshot of their arresting current hybrid set. Although each of their performances is unique, this recording is a perfect summation of the carefully sculpted, uniquely energetic and kaleidoscopic nature of their sound. Building from a trippy, experimental-leaning start, this set moves confidently through genres, moods and time signatures, reaching its crescendo with free-wheeling, euphoric abandon. Ultra Low Velocity's Links: SoundCloud Facebook Antoine - SoundCloud Antoine - Instagram A Strange Wedding - SoundCloud A Strange Wedding - Instagram Worst Recordings - SoundCloud Worst Recordings - Instagram

Shaped at the intersection of genres, feelings, spaces and even eras, Spekki Webu’s distinctive vision is an entrancing and truly innovative presence within the contemporary electronic music landscape. Years in the gabber scene and as a junglist in and around his hometown of Delft have pushed his sound in mind-bending, raw, and infinitely inventive directions, deftly dancing between mesmerising slow motion and breakneck 90s rave velocity. In recent years, his shamanistic sound has expanded the minds of partygoers across Europe, with appearances at festivals and clubs including Dekmantel, Zeezout, Solstice and Crave to De School, The Pickle Factory, Het Magazijn, Elysia and Corsica Studios. Meanwhile, his own imprint Mirror Zone was founded in 2017, providing a platform for his deep musical introspections and inspirations to come to fruition. Spekki’s indelible Patterns of Perception 86 is a deep, intricately crafted and truly mental trip, moving with fleet-footed assuredness between textures and emotions both lucid and obscure. Throughout its 100+ minutes, this set takes us on an odyssey into another dimension where introspective, experimental textures unfold, giving way to urgent, yet profoundly psychedelic rhythms. Stemming from a period of intense experimentation, collaboration and inspiration in the studio, this mix strikes a deeply personal note, embodying a spiritual journey of passion and emotion. Spekki Webu's Links: SoundCloud Instagram Facebook Resident Advisor Mirror Zone's Links: Bandcamp SoundCloud Instagram Facebook

The Patterns of Perception record label most likely wouldn’t have come into being if it weren’t for our friendship with Nali. Based in Melbourne/Naarm, Nali is an extremely talented producer who has previously released on Australian labels including Steeplejack and Pure Space. Although the distance has meant it’s often been a long time between drinks, Nali has become a close friend of our collective over the years, making our collaboration on the first Patterns of Perception release a natural one. Touching on the friendship that brought this release to life, his motivations for making music and how he’s honed his craft, this special edition of our interview series is a conversation between Nali and two of the Patterns of Perception crew members behind the record label project, Steve Duncan and Kim Bergstrand. Nali’s Chance Encounters EP is out now on vinyl and digitally. Grab your copy here. Zilka: How did you all meet? Take me back. Nali: You guys can tell me if I’ve romanticised any of this story, it was actually quite a long time ago now (in 2014). The gist of it is, I was 20 years old and I had spent most of that year saving up money to go to Europe for a holiday with a few friends of mine from Melbourne who I had met through music. The story starts in Melbourne, because the week before we were going to fly to Berlin I was DJing at a venue called New Guernica with those same friends, and I was the last to play. I was doing the closing set and I was pretty tired. As I stepped up, my intention was to keep the energy of the night going in a nice positive way. As my first track, I went to play a song off Tin Man’s LP Ode called Vertigo. The reason the story is funny is that Vertigo is quite a bright, upbeat, deep acid tune. However, due to lack of concentration I actually played the title track which is a really dark, brooding, ominous song. I remember it just not being right for the moment at all, at least in my mind. I was a bit embarrassed. Still this moment is a strong memory for me. A week or so later we had arrived in Berlin. It was a Friday night and I was eager to go out. My friend who had been working in town for a while had heard about your party Thai and Techno. It sounded a bit unusual and everybody’s mood was a bit low, but I was desperate to go out, so we headed down. I remember going up the elevator to the gig, and the elevator opening, and someone was DJing and playing the song I had accidentally played … but at 8.30pm on a Friday night. I thought, who the hell would play such a dark track while people are seated and eating Thai food? And it was Kim! Later I saw Kim picking up bottles so I went to say hi and to chat about his set. Once we start speaking we quickly realised there was this very personal Melbourne connection, even going so far as having lived in the same suburb. It was very surreal. And the rest is history. Kim: Very quickly after that we caught up, we had dinner with everyone and then we had quite a few good nights out during that time. I think from the beginning you told me you were releasing music and the first vinyl that you did with Steeplejack was about to come out. Already at that point, you started to share some of your music with us and we were playing some of your very early and unreleased music. Already then there was an idea that we should do something together at some point. It just maybe took a bit longer than anticipated. Nali: I think it took the perfect amount of time. Good things take time. Zilka: What is it about all of your approaches to music that aligns so well? Is it purely taste or is it something more? Steve: I think there are two things that draw me to both Kim and to Nic’s musical approaches. One is curiosity. Every time I mix or share music with either of you, it’s always a surprise. I always feel like I’m going to hear music that I have never heard before or music presented in a surprising new context which always impresses me. When I have these really fulfilling sessions with both of you, it gives me energy and motivation to go and keep digging myself. And in terms of the feeling of the music that you both play and connect with, I feel like there is a warm quality to it. Even though there was that dark Tin Man track that you both played - and there’s elements of darkness to what we all play sometimes - when I think about your sounds I think of positivity and warmth. Nic: 100 percent. It’s also very communal. I don’t listen to as much club music on my own these days but in the context of being with friends it makes perfect sense. One reason I am spurred to make this music is because it’s so profound when you experience it with other people – it creates such a strong memory. We’ve had so many good times together and that’s part of the inspiration to do it. Kim: That’s also what I love about your music Nic, that it is kind of curious and there’s always a little cheeky vibe to it. There’s always a surprising element. And the sound is influenced a lot by first getting exposed to it in Australia, where the setting is often festivals and stuff like that. Still when I listen to your tracks, I can really imagine them being played at these outdoor events. It has this Aussie festival vibe to it and I think that’s maybe one reason for us connecting so much. Zilka: How did this particular release come about? Steve: From my side, the thing that got me really excited about this idea was the live set you did for us at OHM back in December 2018 Nic, and enjoying your music on that kind of sound system. I still remember clearly the contrasting delicacy and punch of Nic’s set. It felt very detailed and emotional, yet with proper groove and rhythm. I think that Nic has managed to bring these qualities over to the release perfectly, and it was fun to go back together to relive and dissect that live set to try to understand and extract those special elements. Nali: Yeah that live set was sort of the culmination of a lot of practice over three or so years of doing live sets and trying to really do something that I thought was good, to just play well and provide a show for people that was of quality. The reason I’m happy it took so long is because at least two of the songs were probably started before we met, one of them just after. If we had decided to do the record maybe two years after meeting, I don’t think I would have been ready. I think I needed to work on my craft a bit longer. Kim: I think that is one of the best sets I have heard at one of our parties. When we heard this set and found out that it was pretty much all unreleased music, it was almost hard to decide what we wanted to release from there because there was just so much good material. It was also a process of us being able to narrow it down. There were enough tracks to make multiple releases. Nali: There is sort of a theme to the relationship, and it is definitely time, waiting, being patient and distance. Distance being the reason why we had to be patient because a friendship at the end of the day relies on interaction and being able to see each other. For example, the live set might have happened three years earlier if I had lived in Berlin. And then conversely, the performance itself was the culmination of 20 different live sets that I had done over these years. It was almost like the optimum time for me to play that show. Steve: And it made such an impact. It gave us the energy to start thinking about the label. Kim: You gave us the confidence that we were sitting on something pretty cool and special, and someone needs to release this. I’m already excited about planning another one. Zilka: Nic, do you agree with the characterisation of the music as Australian in sound? Nali: Probably when I met you guys I was going to a lot of outdoor events in Australia and was very much inspired by the landscape. Those formative years leave a pretty strong influence on your musical character so even if it’s maybe not something I am conscious of, it is probably there. And it makes me happy to think that it evokes that feeling for people. That can only be a good thing. Steve: You said you haven’t been going to so many outdoor events at the moment because of COVID and you also said that you’re sort of sitting on some new music now, do you feel like your sound has changed now because of that? Nali: Yeah I think my sound has changed or what I am making has changed. My biggest source of inspiration is actually a friend’s basement, a communal space we have in Melbourne where people hang out and play records. A big part of the sound there is probably housier styles but still quite deep. That’s been the biggest influence for me recently. So the next stuff I send to you might have that influence, but still in a Patterns of Perception way. It still comes back to the people fundamentally. Zilka: It sounds like this communal element is a big part of what motivates you to make music. Nali: What’s so amazing about the music that we do is that you make these 5 minute, 8 minute tracks and for almost everyone who hears it played out, they most likely haven’t heard it before. They hear it once. They might hear it again, if they go out another time and it is played. But realistically they will only hear it once in their lives. And if they’re having a good time, the specialness of that moment, you can’t really compare it to much else in life. That brings me a lot of joy: to play a small part in that one little moment in a set. All the work and all the time that goes into it, all the relationships, the effort, and then it’s just this one moment. That’s why you do it, I think. Steve: It is so unquantifiable, the effect music has on people and the way it triggers these emotions. When I think about playing a DJ set and setting the kind of environment, hopefully, to bring people joy, it’s great, and it can be profound, but as an artist it can only take you so far. But if you’re playing your own music that you have developed over time and have crafted yourself and put your own blood, sweat and tears into, it must be such a satisfying feeling. To imagine it being played at festivals or parties and seeing everyone getting so much enjoyment from something you created must be kind of mind-melting. Kim: You also can’t deny that somewhere like Labyrinth has had an inspiration both for Nic and for us. I can hear it in this release. And if I could listen to it someplace, it would be somewhere in the mountains on a sick soundsystem. That’s where it is best played. Nali: Yeah even the way it has been made, certain stylistic choices have been made to make it sound like you’re in front of a giant set of speakers. That’s not necessarily consciously done but because that is my happy place. If I was ever going to be in a situation where that music was put on me, that’s the way I would want it to sound. Steve: I can’t wait til we get a chance to play it in the garden at ://about blank or play it at an outdoor festival. That’s the perfect place for it. Zilka: Your approach for working together on the record has been very collaborative – can you tell me a bit more about that? Kim: Actually it wasn’t like we had a super-strong vision that this is exactly the type of label we want to create. I think it’s been quite organic, and it’s a reflection of the friendships and the connections we’ve made over the years through parties and the mix series. We already have a very well-defined sound through the mix series and the bookings so of course that gives the label a specific direction, but otherwise it has been quite an organic process. We also had in mind that we want to find talent that isn’t necessarily fully exposed yet, and Nic is perfect for that. Nali: In my mind, even though this is my second release, I still feel like I’m a newcomer. Kim: And I think that was the level of collaboration and the kind of process we want. And it’s a similar process that we follow now with the upcoming releases. I don’t know if this is always going to be the case but it is kind of nice to have this type of exchange where you have an artist who is really excited about releasing with us and who is willing to do these exchanges with us to make sure that we are both 100 percent happy with the product in the end. And with Nic, it was easy because we knew each other for a long time so it was very natural for us. Steve, do you agree that this is a little bit the ethos of the label, that we want to make it very collaborative? Steve: It’s actually the way that we work as a collective, and why we use the word ‘collective’ to describe us as a group of friends working together. We share everything, we make decisions together and we have some heated discussions but in the end it is very important that we all stay aligned and are all happy with the direction that our different projects take. The label is the natural continuation of that. It flowed on very naturally from how we have done the events, the mix series and the zine. Everyone’s input is valued. That’s why it’s been so special to work with Nic for the first release, he’s been so open and so up for collaborating and sharing thoughts and hearing our thoughts. This collaborative approach has really worked well for us. Zilka: How was this on your side Nic? Nali: Definitely, I have my job and with what’s happened in the world with the pandemic and isolation, my focus has been elsewhere. So with the creation of the music, I don’t make a song on the weekend and go and share it with 10 people and say, what do you think? This is why the structure of deadlines and others to hold you accountable is a positive for me. It means not only do I get it done but I also share it, and there’s feedback on it, and the ball keeps moving. The way I like working is to think about the people who run or are behind the label. That’s not just Kim and Steve, it’s you and everybody else in Patterns of Perception. And then I workshopped the music towards the sound of what I perceive Patterns of Perception to be from a long way away but also quite intimately too. Physically I’m a long way away but emotionally quite close. Kim: Do you have any ideas what you want to do with music going forward? Do you have a specific direction in mind already for stuff you want to do or will you just let it come naturally? Nali: I think if someone asks me to do something I will try. When I do have time for music these days, it makes it special. It is really nice to have a Saturday morning to just sit down with my gear and make music. Zilka: For the Patterns of Perception label, what are the next steps? Steve: Our goal is to find artists like Nic to work with, who are open, who we have a good connection with and who have a very unique and personal sound. We already have the next two or three releases in different stages of development, and we are learning more all the time working with each artist and challenging our sound. The label puts a totally different challenge in front of us in terms of defining and redefining our sound. Zilka: How do you feel listening back to the release now? Nali: There were times when it seemed like the tracks would never get finished or there were creative roadblocks. When it came to finalising the music for the record, I had finally arrived at a nice place of contentment about the songs. The title track ‘Chance Encounters’ is maybe the 50th version of the first electronic song I ever made on my laptop as an 18-year-old. I’m glad that I took my time with them and that they found their way onto Patterns of Perception. It was a true collaboration and I feel grateful to have been able to have worked on this with all of you. Head over to Bandcamp to grab your copy of Nali's Chance Encounters EP.

When it comes to electronic music, Georgia has no shortage of emerging talent – and Patterns of Perception mix series contributor Nicole is no exception. A famed Boiler Room set following the Bassiani club raids in 2018, as well as a first solo EP on Marco Shuttle’s record label Eerie, have helped put her name on the map. We recently sat down with Nicole to get some insight into both her own path to electronic music and the thriving Georgian scene that supported her rise. How have the last two years been for you, both personally and in terms of your music career? Of course, the past two years have been hard for me, especially as an artist. As is the case for many artists, I chose this career for my love of music, and for sharing emotions and vibes with a crowd. When the pandemic hit, I was in complete shock because the clubs were the first to shut down before anything else. I spent a lot of time at home focused on making music, but after some time I realised the clubs were not going to open again soon, and I had to pay the bills. It’s safe to say I had a lot more music equipment before the pandemic started than now. Personally, the pandemic was good for me in a lot of ways though. I grew in understanding myself and had time to reflect on what I honestly wanted in life. Before I was in clubs every weekend gigging, and sometimes it felt like a loop with no time to stop and have time for myself. I understand you recently moved to Kyiv. What prompted the move? Honestly, I felt that I need to develop myself both as a DJ and person and, with all my love to Georgia, I think I took everything that Georgian people and atmosphere could give to me at this point in my life. For the last few years, I’ve been planning to move to Berlin because I’ve thought that this city would fit me. However, I have a lot of wonderful friends in Kyiv and, looking at the rapidly developing and powerful scene here, I said to myself: “Why not try living here?”. For me, it was weird since I’ve never been here before, but looking at people on the street and feeling the city’s vibe now I’m sure that this decision was more than right. The reason is very simple: I love people here since they’re incredibly open, warm and always ready to help, which is very similar to my own attitude to life. Tbilisi’s club scene faced a severe crackdown from police in 2018. You yourself played the Boiler Room celebration of the re-opening of Bassiani following the police raids in 2018. How did it feel to be a part of that pivotal moment? I will never forget this moment in my life, as I was inside Bassiani when the police raid happened. I was 19 years old and had a feeling I had finally found something in my life I understood I wanted to do, but at the same time, I witnessed something wanting to come and take this away. I realized in that moment something I loved might not ever become a reality, which made me extremely nervous. When the protests happened and we danced in front of the Parliament building, I had a sense of unity and the feeling that we were all together fighting for one common thing, which was an amazing realization. When I got the phone call from the promoter asking me if I wanted to play on the Bassiani Boiler Room, I was so shocked and said yes immediately, without actually thinking about what it meant. Then I soon realized how important this was; playing next to DJs I grew up listening to and whose sets I was studying when I was learning to play. I was only a DJ for 6 months at the time when I played this set, and I realise that I was really lucky to play on such an important moment with these people I looked up to. People often emphasise your age and the fact you released your first record aged 20, but Georgia’s electronic scene is equally young. What do you think it is about the Georgian underground scene that has allowed it to thrive and gain such international recognition in such a short span of time? I think the Georgian scene grew so quickly because the previous generation did not have such a culture with nightclubs and freedom of expression like this in the Soviet Union times. Of course, Georgian ravers are so emotional and the artists who come to play in these clubs experience an entirely different vibe and feeling from the dancefloor. The party never stops here, and I think this was a big attraction for so many artists coming from countries where clubs closed at 5am to clubs where you could play 20-hour sets. In the beginning, there was KHIDI, Bassiani, Cafe Gallery, and Mtkvarze. These four clubs worked so hard to create a standard, inviting really great artists to play here. What kind of music were you making and listening to back when you first got started? And how has your taste and sound developed since then? When I was younger, I was listening to all different sorts of music like Boards of Canada, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Sade, Zemfira, Depeche Mode, Radiohead and Massive Attack. I was also singing opera and listening to classical music too. When I was 17, my ex and I created an electronic music project together; singing and making music on Ableton. This was my first step into electronic music. I think I’m not on the end of my road yet, and every day something is changing with my music style. I always want to add something new into my music and I can’t tell you how my style Is now compared to before. I just love music without any limits on genre. I can play tech house or minimal or hard old school techno, even trance. And maybe even some songs which you remember from childhood for a closing track. I don’t want to make it definitive. I like freedom in music. How would you describe the sound coming out of Georgia at the moment? What styles of music or sounds are exciting you the most right now? Definitely techno. This has a lot to do with the fact we have KHIDI and Bassiani here, which is a big influence. Many people here in this society want to be a DJ, so they produce and play only techno. From one perspective you could say it's problematic because you have only a few DJs who can play a really good opening set or closing set. Everyone wants to play on peak time straight into techno. However, there is a very small artist community here who is more into the house sounds. What inspired you to start producing music yourself? I wanted to start producing music myself because I want to share only my emotions, not someone else’s. When I started to make my music alone, I feel more like myself. Your debut EP came out on Marco Shuttle’s label Eerie Records in 2020. How did this record, and the association with Marco, come about? And is there a follow-up on the horizon? I was working as a promoter in the club Cafe Gallery some time ago, and I booked him for a set there. We had great communication. I played the opening set before him, and after he asked me if I make music. I sent him some of my music and he released it. At this moment, I’m really working to enhance my sound and quality and I don’t want to release anything because I’m a work in progress. Tell us a bit about your mix for Patterns of Perception earlier this year: how and where was it recorded? Is there a concept behind it? I recorded this set in my hometown of Batumi at my friend’s studio. I was thinking about what to record a lot, because I haven't recorded a podcast for more than one year. I really did not know what I wanted to share now with people and my listeners. But when I started, I felt really calm and I was thinking I needed to record something that I would listen to and feel calm with no pressure. I tried to include tracks in the mix that reminded me of the soundtrack for a movie. Some ambient and classic music. I really wanted to make it feel like a fantasy. Was there a particular movie you were thinking of when making the mix? Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. This is one of my favorite films and at that time of recording I had recently watched it again and had this inspiration from it. Before we wrap up, do you have any suggestions for other artists from the Georgian scene we should keep an eye out for? For me, I can name a few. One important figure from the Georgian electronic music scene is Bassiani resident and Georgian pioneer, Kancheli. Kancheli is one of my favorite artists, whose sets I grew up on and whose productions I love. Another Bassiani resident I really enjoy is HVL, who is producing just amazing music. HVL’s tracks have been played by Aphex Twin. He also has incredible live sets. From the tech house and house music sounds, I love Bekuchi. His sets are for intelligent listening and they are always interesting to me. He is also starting his own label, Satz records, with an upcoming VA release to look out for. There is also a KHIDI resident named Yanamaste, who is a very young and talented artist with a bright future ahead of him. His sets are so energetic. He produces only with modular synths, and he did a live set video recording from KHIDI club which you can check out, it’s so good. As for non-Georgians based in Tbilisi, I really like McKenzie. She is a talented DJ, with a really different side. She feels the dance floor like me and has very close contact with the crowd, like she is trying to be there with the dance floor. She has big energy and she’s also a very interesting artist for me from the music scene in Georgia.

Back in December, 2018, we had the pleasure of hosting a special live set from Australian producer Nali at a party at OHM, Berlin. Nic is not only a supremely talented producer, but also a close friend of our collective, and someone who has been a part of our journey from the very start. His performance was a true highlight of the night and its careful pacing, delicate melodies and understated power have stayed clear in our memories ever since. Indeed, over time this live set has grown to become an important reference point for us, as it naturally formed the basis of our first EP release with Nic. Together, we have dived into these memorable 90 minutes time and time again, drawing direct inspiration for the tracks on the release from the music and ideas presented within. As we prepare to release our first record - Nali's Chance Encounters EP - we’re happy to share a recording of the live set that brought this release into being. We hope you can feel (or relive) the energy and electricity that inspired us to embark on this journey together. Links: Nali - Soundcloud patternsofperception.bandcamp.com/ Nali - Chance Encounters EP (PTN01) - Previews Patterns of Perception - Introducing our Record Label

You only have to look at Eric Cloutier’s gig roster from the past month to get a sense of his versatility as a DJ. Whether he’s making the crowd dance in the pouring rain during Labyrinth festival, playing to a packed dance floor at a Ukraine club, or opening one of his own nights at Paloma Bar in Berlin, Cloutier has steadily proven himself to be a master selector. Ahead of this Friday’s b2b with Jane Fitz for Patterns of Perception, we caught up with Eric to reflect on a career that’s taken him from his hometown of Detroit to the techno clubs of Berlin, all while skating the line between house and techno. I thought we could start by going back a little bit. Could you tell me about what first inspired you to get into electronic music? I grew up in Detroit so you kinda are surrounded by techno and electronic music by default. There’s not really any way to escape it. It’s on the television, it’s on a car commercial, it’s just everywhere. It piqued my interest early because … I don’t know if you guys are familiar with the New Dance Show? It was like a version of Soul Train, with techno and electro and people dancing at this club. So techno and electro were just everywhere, it was the normal. If you’re in New Orleans, you hear jazz all the time. If you’re in Detroit, you hear techno and electro constantly. So that was an initial kicking off point but then I got taken to a rave for my birthday (in around 1996) and that flipped the switch in my brain because I was so fascinated by it. I was really into the hardcore punk and metal scene so to do something the exact opposite of that really caught my attention. I guess it kinda happened by accident – but it was a good accident. What was it that you liked about the electronic scene when you discovered it? Well the hardcore punk scene was so closed-minded whereas the electronic scene was so free. They didn’t give a shit about anything other than, are you having fun? It was and always has been about forgetting about your problems. The rave was just about being free and shutting off your reality for a bit. The four walls and the sound system were just there to be your therapist. (In) a lot of other music scenes, they focus so much on status. Especially when I was into hardcore and punk, they were so focused on whether you were straight-edged or vegan or if you had a particular political slant. At raves, they don’t give a fuck. Are you here to have fun? Do we like the same DJ? Cool! It’s quite a different experience to how most people come to electronic music, to have been surrounded by it growing up the way you were. The thing was I didn’t recognise it. As a kid, I’m just watching television and it’s on a car commercial or just some random thing. You just take it for granted that car commercials play Drexciya. Now in hindsight, thinking about it I was basically surrounded by it all the time. Still, to this day, on one of the radio stations Hot 97, at noon they do the High Noon Hot Mix, where it’s 30 minutes of booty and electro and ghetto. Just while you’re having lunch. It’s 170 beats per minute, a proper dance mix. This is a hip hop station that broke Eminem and played 50 Cent and stuff like this. It’s a gangster rap music station that wanted to respect what this city created. And they still do it. I love going home and I intentionally will be like, ‘Mom do you need anything from the grocery store?’ and get in the car at 11.45. How do you think growing up in this environment influenced your sound today? People use Detroit as an adjective when it comes to music because it is such a unique and specific sound, which in and of itself is a small burden to carry. Growing up in Detroit and having that as my pedigree, people expect you to be good. It automatically elevates me somehow to a different standard. But the thing about Detroit is that it’s always blurred the lines between house and techno. It’s groovy but it’s not full-on disco-y dramatic. It’s techno in the loopy, functional sense but it’s not mindless and too cyclical and industrial, which is what a lot of music is now. There is no swing, no soul, no bassline to it. Every time I play Berghain, I intentionally go in there with a purpose of playing something more loose and funky, which is my style definitely. That’s what the Detroit style is. It’s not supposed to be so rigid and mechanical. It’s meant to have a swing and a sexiness to it. I can imagine that coming from Detroit creates a bit of pressure in a way. It’s funny because growing up there, for the most part, if your last name wasn’t Saunderson, Atkins or May – if you weren’t one of the main people – you were just a random person in Detroit. This is why almost everyone who is from Detroit, leaves Detroit. Because if you stay, you will never get higher than Moodymann or Carl Craig or Blake Baxter. You will be knocked down unless you can escape and prove yourself. Did it help your career to leave Detroit then? I was in New York for eight, nine years after Detroit. That was good because being close enough, there is still that mutual respect (between the two cities). Then coming here, if you’re from Detroit, you are held to a different standard. But if you can back it up, it works wonders, especially because Berlin and Detroit have such a close relationship with each other. I felt more comfortable being here and DJing because I just want to do what I like to do and not be held to some bizarre standard or requirement. It’s interesting because I think many people would find being in Berlin very difficult because there are so many DJs here. If I was just a newer, more unknown DJ, Berlin would probably be the last place I would want to go because the competition is just absolutely absurd. I moved here having a reputation and a history so I moved into a different bracket. But this city is not welcoming to just another DJ. Do you think your sound has changed since coming to Berlin then? I’ve found myself coming back full circle. Growing up in Detroit we had Richie Hawtin pretty much every week and he was the reason that I started DJing. I got into this very groovy, tribally techno sound. Then that fell out of being popular and minimal came around. Any DJ will in some capacity follow a trend. But then that went out, it got too ridiculous and stupid. I decided to flip it and go the opposite direction and go into very deep and heady and psychedelic stuff, which is when I moved to New York and started being involved with the Bunker. I was opening up for multiple different artists at the Bunker, so one night I had to play techno, and the next night I had to play house, and then the next dub. That started to change my sound a bit and I moved into a very psychedelic and trippy sound. Now I’m coming back and I’m using all of the things that I gained from those 15, 18 years and I’m now back to where I started off doing this tribally techno thing but it’s still in this hypnotic, psychedelic realm. I think moving here, to me it was proof of concept and a confidence thing. What I’m now playing I don’t really hear other people in the city doing. So it was about seeing if it works but also pushing something new. Being here and doing something that is more fresh for people is important to me. So I’ve felt more comfortable going back to my original sound and it’s working. It’s nice to know that people in Berlin clubs are very open-minded and willing to take a chance on things. If they’re in a club, they’re going to stick it out and they’re going to listen and the biases are very small. Sure, they’ll turn on you very quickly if they don’t like it. But generally, people are tolerant of something new. Being in this environment and playing a slightly different sound to what’s typically popular in Berlin, what inspires you then today? I think that itself inspires me: being in this environment and hearing a lot of these redundant, uninspired, just predictable sets. Even from people who I really respect, sometimes they come here and they kind of change their sound, which is funny enough because people kinda do exactly the same thing in Detroit. You’re not doing yourself justice. You should always stick to what you believe in and your sound. If you do exactly what everybody else does then you become a cookie-cutter and why would I book you as opposed to someone who is potentially even cheaper and doing something slightly different? You’re not doing anything to stand out, you’re not being memorable. You want to be memorable. It sounds like this could be quite frustrating as well. I definitely get annoyed by what is becoming popular and what is getting booked and what is the ‘cool’ shit these days. But I have never let it faze me because I have always had my own sound and I’m going to stick with it. If you don’t like it, cool, there’s plenty of other people who you can get into. And I don’t want to ever conform because I know that it would translate incorrectly. People can smell a rat, a faker, super easily. I don’t want to ever not be me because music is the only way that I express myself. So this is my thing, this is how I’m going to tell my story and if people want to get on board with it, fantastic. But I’m not going to be offended if they don’t like it. What happens to you when you play? Who are you when you’re behind the decks? Somebody told me recently they didn’t want to interrupt me because they thought I would be angry. I just looked so focused and locked in. Which I definitely am. When I play I’m in my own space. I’m generally very locked in when I’m playing because it is a lot of work. And it’s also my therapy in some sense. It’s my expression. So it sounds like you have this same feeling of disconnecting when you’re playing that you discussed finding on the dance floor also? Oh absolutely, but I take a lot of pride in my sets. I will never just pack a record bag and that’s what I’m going to play for the next month. Every single set, every party, I genuinely want it to be something unique and I don’t want to repeat myself. But once I get into it, two or three records in, I want to tell a story in some capacity so it’s also a reflection of my mood. It is therapeutic. I love playing, which is why I want to play longer and more interesting sets. How does this change when you do a b2b collaboration with someone like Jane Fitz? I don’t like doing them, in general, because historically it’s just a pissing contest. You’re one-upping each other and there is no coherence. But there are people who I respect, and who I know I’m on the same page with, that I will do them with. And Jane is the perfect example. Her and I absolutely love each other musically and we both understand the concept of doing a back to back – that it should be that we work together and not against each other. We always talk before so we’re kinda on the same page. But after that, it’s mostly about just having fun. This is the third time you’ve played a b2b with Jane. What can we expect from your set this Friday? We are probably going to play some things that we wouldn’t normally play and challenge each other in a sense. Her and I have an agreement that it’s one record each, and we only play vinyl. I think we’re going to have a pretty good time, so let’s see what happens. Catch Eric Cloutier b2b with Jane Fitz at Patterns of Perception this Friday, October 30. More details on Facebook and Resident Advisor. Text: Zilka Grogan, Patterns of Perception Video: Elsa Löwdin Images: Rebecca Crawford

A seasoned selector in her homebase of Naarm/Melbourne, Jazz is a rising presence in the electronic music scene at large. A regular fixture on the radio (as PBS 106.7FM ‘Spaces Within Space’ host and resident on both Skylab and Hope Street) as well as in the booth at countless parties and events, her creative mixing style and quirky, always on-point selections have seen her become a much-loved contributor to the bustling Naarm/Melbourne scene. Expertly blending bleepy synthesisers, broken percussion and playful psychedelia, Jazz’s Patterns of Perception 84 is a perfect snapshot of her idiosyncratic style and taste. Recorded on a dark and rainy morning during Melbourne’s fifth (and current) lockdown, this set steers Jazz's musical narrative into a dark, dystopian direction, offering an energetic interpretation of the unpredictable reality that we find ourselves in. Jazz's Links: SoundCloud Instagram Facebook Resident Advisor PBS106.7FM - Spaces Within Space

As a resident of the revered Taiwanese collective Smoke Machine, Diskonnected is both a tastemaker and selector of wide esteem. The driving force behind the collective’s podcast, the Taiwan-based artist’s selections have had a considerable impact on the scene for more than a decade. Below, we caught up with Diskonnected, real name Gregory Huang, to hear some more about his recent mix for Patterns of Perception and the projects that have kept him busy this past year. Hey Gregory! How have things been going for you lately? We had a COVID outbreak just the last couple of days and suddenly everything stopped. So now it's time to stay home and dig for more music on the internet. Overall, what impact has COVID had on the electronic music scene in Taiwan? I understand that smaller events, including your own club nights, have been able to continue at a local level – has the pandemic impacted the scene in other ways? Last year was something truly bizarre: we almost had no COVID and everything was running as usual for a year, including the clubs. The first impact was everyone needs to get involved playing at the club a lot more cause we didn't have enough DJs when international traveling is prohibited. A lot of new local DJs came along, which is a great thing. You are the driving force behind the Smoke Machine Podcast, which is now more than a decade old with 143 podcasts in the series and counting. How have you gone about ensuring the series stays fresh in its sound and approach? I would say stick to something that resonates with your feelings, keep looking for new artists/genres and be willing to take risks. How would you say your own sound as a DJ has changed since you contributed the very first mix to the series? Is there any relationship between the evolution of the podcast and your own taste and style? I started to listen to electronic music or to be more specifically “techno” around 2008. And I started to work with Smoke Machine in 2009, so basically the whole Smoke Machine history is my personal music journey. We kept sharing different ideas and concepts during each period. What is it like to play a club night in Taiwan, compared to say Europe or elsewhere in East Asia? Of course it depends on the party and different venues. The first thing I noticed was actually the length of a party in Europe, which is very, very long compared to the parties in Asia and this really changes the music people play and listen to at a club. In Taiwan, the party is much shorter so sometimes people require more obvious “excitement” during a DJ set. Also music culture wise, we don't have that many media or music enthusiasts discussing music on a daily basis which creates a barrier between DJs and crowd. How have you struck a balance between all the different aspects of the Smoke Machine platform – podcast, club nights, Organik festival and more recently a record label – over the years? Have events, especially Organik, become more of a focus in recent years? Little do people know I stopped getting involved with the “organising” part of Smoke Machine for years due to the conflict between my artist life and being a promoter. But I continued to give music directions since. We usually just went with the flow and kept our passion, without thinking too much. Tell us a bit about your mix for Patterns of Perception: Where has this one come from? It is a live recording of me playing a drum n bass set at (Taipei club) Pawnshop in April this year. It was actually my first time playing a dnb set at a club, experimenting with extremely pitched tracks and combining different music styles. It was loads of fun. Looking ahead, what’s next for you and the Smoke Machine crew? Me and Andy (from Smoke Machine) started a conversation podcast called “了然瑞迪歐/ Liau-Lian radio” this year trying to share and discuss music knowledge and DJ culture. The main reason behind this is Taiwan lacks information about electronic music and often has misunderstandings in music and parties. Even though we've been doing events in Taiwan for more than a decade, it still feels really new for people to understand the concept and the driving force behind all this. So we decided to speak up.