Holly Herndon

‘Love is a great thing. That’s why we need to find new ways to love.’

Such aphorisms are projected on to a large screen to open Holly Herndon’s show at Berghain. They make reference to the tracks from Platform, her newly-released album that explores themes of surveillance states and neo-feudalism.

Herndon is almost entirely hidden behind the monitor but she cleverly connects with the audience through the acutely modern humour of the ongoing image projection. Akihiko Taniguchi’s 3D animations of whirling models carrying Lidl bags, onions and instant noodles, are juxtaposed with supposedly live feeds. These carry messages such as ‘the CIA may be trying to kill techno but they underestimate the underground resistance’ or flat-out random statements about Jurassic Park. Meanwhile, Herndon wrenches her body when programming sound on a touchpad as if playing a video game we’re part of.

On stage alongside two technicians, Herndon gives the powerful techno treatment to songs that are otherwise heavily layered but melodic. Singles like Chorus and Interference are performed wrapped in glass-shattering sound effects that get the crowd swaying just like any other weekend at the club.

Her own voice also breaks down the barrier between her avant laptop-pop and the audience. And despite the vocals being more ethereal than intelligible the messages on the board clear out for us what Herndon wants to express. What she can’t be accused of is having nothing to say; Herndon is openly pro-internet freedom and against systemic inequality, and her outspoken ideas take centre stage here in her live show. Midway through her set the sound suddenly stops banging and the lights turn bright to allow for a male voice to make a statement of freedom, culminating with the appeal: ‘Free all political prisoners, free Chelsea Manning!’ Hear, hear.

It’s clear Herndon thinks that experimental music hasn’t hit the clubs without entropy, so she strives to repeat the political messages loud and clear. And whether many other artists will follow her explicitness or not, she’s already proved she’s taking us one step further into a braver future. Or as text on the screen poetically puts it: ‘Devouring fear is the secret to happiness.’