Introducing Berlin: Then & Now, a podcast series exploring the city’s rich musical past, present and future through the gaze of two unique artists from different generations.
Recorded at the new Sonos Store in Mitte, both artists share ideas and play each other tracks using the Sonos One Smart Speaker with voice control.
Merrill Nisker, better known as Peaches’ journey accelerated when she moved to Berlin at the start of the millennium. Inspired by the values and progressive ideals of the city’s artistic underground, she unlocked a radical, sex-positive vision which defined her sophomore record The Teaches of Peaches.
When Lotic moved to Berlin from Texas in the 2010s, they were initially frustrated by the predictability of the city’s club culture. After connecting with the Janus crew and becoming a resident at their famed Kreuzberg parties, the collective began to find an experimental post-dancefloor sound which deconstructed and refreshed the DNA of Berlin’s soundtrack.
Both artists use their music to explore belonging, sex and identity. Tellingly, both artists have also found a home in Berlin, seemingly energised by the city’s liberating possibilities.
In this podcast, Peaches and Lotic meet for a candid conversation about opening for Björk, the different generations of Berlin’s queer scene and how they found a community in the city which is unlike any other. Lotic also discusses the foundations of their long-awaited debut album, Power.
Listen to the podcast in the player below and stay tuned for the next instalment.
Producer: Eliza Lomas
Videographer: Ben Brook
Photography: Elizabeth Herring
Series Lead: Duncan Harrison
Moderator: Nathan Ma