19.06.23
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This is Cue Points, a new series where DJs get granular with current tracks in their sets, giving us the low-down on what makes them work.

As a DJ and the co-founder of Amniote Editions, Mama Snake is a core mainstay within the underground dance scene – both within her home city of Copenhagen and further afield.

Having previously formed part of techno trio Apeiron Crew, Mama Snake – aka Sara Svanholm – set up Amniote Editions with fellow DJ and music industry creative Tanya Akinola back in 2019. Dedicated to platforming the music along with other creative content, the label’s releases always come in the form of capsules. For its latest capsule, the imprint is teaming up with Berlin queer underground rave crew Mala Junta – renowned for creating a space of queer hedonism that captures the 90s rave spirit.

A link up that hones in on both of the collectives’ forward-thinking, boundary-pushing vision, the forthcoming release on Amniote Editions features a 12″ with tracks from Mala Junta residents Hyperaktivist, Yazzus, DJ Tool and D.Dan. It also includes two compilations with contributions from the likes of Roza Terenzi, Peachlyfe, François X and Narciss.

Ahead of the full capsule release – due out on 23 June – Mama Snake talks us through how she puts together her sets, which tend towards the percussive, heady and hard side of techno. Often playing deep into the night when the tempos and energy are already running high, here Svanholm gives insight into how they approach opening tunes, b2b sets and weaving in a crowd-pleaser edit.

Mac Declos – No User Serviceable Parts

The opening:

As I am usually playing quite late at night or at peak-time, I find that I am mostly taking over from someone who’s already got the energy popping. I like to pick it up and get straight to business, then take it down at some point during the set with some long breaks of ambient or curveball weirdo tracks instead of starting from 0 and building it back to 100 percent. Openings for me will sometimes be a mix of three things: some weird vocal samples, an ambient track and then the actual opener. This track I have opened a lot of sets with this last year. I love all of Mac Declos’ productions. I think he has a very good sense of writing tracks where you want to play the whole thing and not just mix in and out after two minutes. All killer, no filler.

This one has such a sick, rolling build-up and crazy percussion. The lead comes in quite late in the track, and gives it a whole new vibe. This track has so many good parts to also mix it in mid-set instead of opening. I have different hot cue loops set in it for using it in different ways not just for opening. Since I stopped playing vinyl and started using Rekordbox I use hot cue loops a lot set in most tracks at different places I would want to mix in from so I can easily beatmatch and mix in on a good sounding loop then exit the loop when I want to progress the track. I also set auto loops at the end of almost all tracks or at some place that works perfect for mixing out of. I also think it’s a nice service for when you play b2b sets and your partner of the night doesn’t know your music that well. Anyways, this track is a belter and I find that no matter when I play it in a set, it always works.

Faithless – Insomnia (Nebuchadnezzar Rework)

The edit:

As by popular demand in this current state of things, a lil’ edit of some pop cultural reference usually goes well. I will keep this to a minimum these days as I find it to be quite saturated sonically at the moment, but, on the other hand, if the edit is fucking sick and surprising it can really create a special moment if you sneak it in properly. This producer is called Nebuchadnezzar and the music is insane. It’s an extremely distinctive sound, you can instantly recognize the tracks. I will play something from them in all sets, they’ve released so much music and it’s all great. This track also works great as a tool if you loop and mix out before the vocals. I usually mix out before the very recognizable melody comes in, so it’s just the cheeky Maxi Jazz lyrics revealing that this is, in fact, an edit of Insomnia. And of course play the anthemic parts when it fits the vibe.

Sexapil – Secret Vision

The b2b with Spekki Webu:

It’s always so inspiring playing with Chris (Spekki Webu) and he has such good taste rooted in tribalistic, free tekno. This new release by Sexapil AKA the free party project from Amor Satyr and Siu Mata perfectly reflects the sound of Chris and I together. All four tracks on this EP are giving Spekki Snake. Secret Vision has a lot of psychedelic weirdness going on, but at the same time it is pretty straightforward, so can be used as a good transition between moods – both to build up or build down, depending on when you mix in and out.

Sidewinder – Mist (presented by D.Dan)

The Amniote:

It goes without saying that I love all the music that Tanya Akinola and I release on Amniote Editions, so I’ll always play a few tracks from our back catalogue and upcoming projects. There are so many crazy tracks on the forthcoming Mala Junta collaboration capsule, that all go so well together. I’ve been playing the Sidewinder AKA D.Dan track from the EP in almost every set recently. It has a lot of power and fits sonically with a lot of different styles – from groovy techno to fast rollers. It’s got that gritty yet defined D.Dan sound and it’s loopy, so makes for some nice, long blends. The breakdown has these drippy, cave sounds that makes you feel like you’re melting before going into a more stripped-back part so it’s perfect for when you want to reset the vibe. Melt you down and build you back up again.

Pøl – Romb 9 (Modēm Remix)

The tool:

It’s good to have a variety of tool tracks to blend in between tracks with a lot going on – which I have a tendency to play a lot of. This one’s got a trippy, rolling vibe and sounds good pitched up, too.

Manni Dee – Pillow Princess (François X Remix)

The closing:

I played the original version of Manni Dee’s Pillow Princess a lot as closing track last year. The melody has got this energy of melancholic euphoria and great lyrics and the sound I feel prepares the audience for the fact that now the set is ending. This year he’s had a great stack of artists remix it, so now it’s making a bit of a comeback in my sets in different versions. Currently it’s the François X version that I’m into. I’ll loop either from the beginning of the track or a bit into it depending on how the track playing before goes. When playing it from the beginning it feels a bit like a ‘bonus’ track at the end of the set, while starting from where the kick is fully present it’s more of a fluid blend.