A true raver at heart, Marina Rubinstein – aka Dr. Rubinstein – has been masterfully constructing her own blend of hypnotic acid, 90s rave and louring techno since she relocated to Berlin from Tel Aviv in 2012. Making her mark on the German capital, sets at the likes of Berghain have brought her dynamic vision to life. Here she discusses the tracks that inducted her onto the dancefloor.
A track that made an impact on me growing up
A lot of quality pop music in the 90s influenced me as a child. Obsession by Army of Lovers [Ultrapop, 1991] was one of my favourites. In the music video, there were three bizarre, over the top characters that stood out to me. Growing up, I felt different from all the other kids at school and was bullied a lot. Watching these complete weirdos being themselves and making such cool music spoke to me.
A track that reminds me of my formative clubbing experience
I heard Speedy J’s Something for Your Mind (Exposure Remix) [Music Man Records, 1992] for the first time when I first saw Ron Albrecht closing Berghain. I had just moved to Berlin and had just started DJing and Ron’s set was so different to anything I’d heard… so ravey! He played so many old school acid tunes that I had just started discovering. Back then most people played straightforward techno and his style was so similar to my music taste, but with 20 years more experience than me. I love rare remixes of famous tracks like this. When you dance to them, it’s like a surprise: you know it, but at the same time you don’t.
A track which reminds me of my early years DJing
When I came to Berlin to visit around seven years ago, I went to Hard Wax and bought six records. These were the first records I ever bought, and one of them was Renaissance by Vince Watson [Planet E, 2006]. It is a very beautiful and melodic long journey of a track. It’s even a bit cheesy at first, but the groove is just so good and makes everyone dance every time. I used to play this a lot when I just started DJing, and I always knew this track would work. I still love it!
A track I've been closing my sets with recently
Generation Voiron [Craigie Knowes, 2018]. Voiron is one of my favourite artists at the moment. I love tracks with this kind of humorous vocal sampling. To me, it sounds like an old interview gone wrong. And the track itself sounds so epic with really powerful 90s-style UK breaks, floating acid, techno moments and even a hoover! A perfect ending for an intense techno set.
A perfect track for a summer set
Sweet Sanctuary [3024, 2016] is such a beautiful, melodic, breaky, and melancholic track from Doms & Deykers, a collaboration between Steffi and Martyn. It is so timeless, you can barely tell exactly when or where it was made. Perfect material for the very end of a closing set, Sunday morning sunshine vibes!
A track I would like played at my funeral
Years ago I listened to DJ Sprinkles’ album Midtown 120 Blues [Comatonse, 2008] like a gazillion times, and Sisters I Don’t Know What this World is Coming to was definitely my favorite. I just love this track and how it’s made. There is a vocal sample lifted from The Soul Children and Jesse Jackson’s I Don’t Know What this World is Coming to that floats and echoes in between flutes and a classic soul guitar riff. It’s emotional, not sad, but moody and political. It gives us a chance to think about life and the world around us.
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