An anchor of the Berlin’s underground scene, you may best know CEM as the co-founder and resident of the no-holds-barred queer party events series and label Herrensauna.

Initially inspired by hardcore punk and death metal in his younger years, the CEM – real name Cem Dukkha – turned to techno when he tapped into the underground scene at the age of 18, and found that the heavy and repetitive sounds he was influenced by could be found in techno, too. Moving to Berlin to fortify his interests and ambitions as a musician, Herrensauna – formed with a collective of ravers he met at techno parties in Vienna – sees the producer manifest his own sex positive vision in club form. Taking ideas from the raves in the 90s, Herrensauna stages lesser-known selectors in small basements, and has tapped the likes of Matrixxman, Cadency and more for its accompanying label.

Stepping up for our Crack Mix series, CEM’s excursion mirrors the intimacy of his Herrensauna parties – humid and close, it’s animated with a life or death urgency. A hour-long mix that displays the deft and skilful style of mixing that he’s honed over the years, there’s eerie electronics and meditative textures to break up the intensity, spliced with frenetic house and tunnelistic, zero-compromise techno. Prepare to sweat.