As part of the B.A. Creative Industries, students gained first-hand insights into the networks, professional roles, and working practices of Berlin’s electronic music industry through guest lectures by leading practitioners.
Yuko Asanuma, Sven von Thülen, Sam Barker, Mike Smith: Musical innovation is about sound as well as mastering the tools
In the B.A. Creative Industries, students may set a focus on future work in the music industry, building their network and learning from practitioners. “The Ecology of Electronic Music in Berlin” (taught by Alex Samuels, label/artist/project manager and journalist) treated participants to a lineup of guest speakers who are deeply embedded in the city's electronic music scene. Yuko Asanuma, Sven von Thülen, Sam Barker, and Mark Smith each brought their own slice of wisdom, painting a vivid picture of the industry’s intricate web, and often how it relates to an EP/LP release cycle.
Yuko Asanuma kicked things off, sharing her journey from music journalism in Tokyo to booking and artist management in Berlin. Her background in writing about the industry gave her a unique vantage point when she transitioned to working directly with artists. Yuko's talk delved into how these roles—journalist, founder of booking agency Setten, manager—are all interconnected, each one feeding into and supporting the other. She underscored the importance of understanding the city’s full ecosystem, from the Berlin specific media outlets to clubs as well as their outward, global connection.
Sven von Thülen, a DJ, producer, and author of Klang der Familie, didn’t mince words about the shifting landscape of music press. In his view, traditional music journalism is losing its grip on relevance, especially compared to the immediacy and reach of social media. He traced how Berlin’s electronic music media landscape, once driven by print and classic websites (Groove, RA, German dailies), has pivoted to platforms where an Instagram post can do more for an artist than a feature in a magazine. Sven’s take offered a critical lens on how digital culture is rewriting the rules of becoming a working DJ in Berlin and then, eventually, touring the world.
Sam Barker, Berghain resident and co-founder of the label Leisure System, brought the conversation back to the nuts and bolts of music creation. He spoke about the interplay between technology and creativity, how the latest production tools shape what we hear on the dance floor – for him often an experience particularly related to his sets as a resident DJ. Barker’s perspective highlighted the constant evolution within the industry, where musical innovation isn’t just about the sound but also about mastering the tools that make it possible.
Finally, Mark Smith, who goes by Mark and also produces under the alias Klon Dump, offered a fascinating look at the intersection of his various roles—former tech editor at Resident Advisor, producer for labels like unterton and A Colourful Storm, and mastering engineer. Mark talked about how these seemingly disparate positions are deeply connected, each one informing his understanding of the others. However, he also emphasised their differences and how thinking about press and social media as an artist can be a fundamental distraction, especially in a release cycle.
Together, these speakers mapped out the dense, interconnected world of Berlin's electronic music scene, where every role and platform plays a part in the larger ecology of sound.
Alex J. Samuels
