RW041

Hey there,

After the shock last Friday night, I’m back in my usual rhythm. Writing on Mondays, I really missed that.

What I especially loved was that I received two emails with new content from readers. So today we have another Community Pick of the Week, which makes me really happy.

But first things first:

But first, let’s begin as usual, as follows:

1. Recent Cuts - Fresh vinyl and digital releases worth checking out.

2. Essential Oldschool - Records from the 90s and early 2000s that still matter today.

3. Behind the Booth - Personal stories, lessons, and perspectives from life as a DJ.

4. Community Pick of the Week by Alvaro - One favorite from the community.
   

1. Recent Cuts - Fresh vinyl and digital releases worth checking out.

2. Essential Oldschool - Records from the 90s and early 2000s that still matter today.

3. Behind the Booth - Personal stories, lessons, and perspectives from life as a DJ.

I am actually kind of excited to talk about this topic together. It is a controversial issue in the techno scene, something that has been heavily debated since it first appeared, almost in a philosophical and socially critical way. It is about the social media grind, about social media itself, about publishing content and making it accessible for everyone’s voyeurism. Today I want to share my personal perspective on it.

You all know that I also have to run a DJ account for myself. Social media is exhausting, but you either take part or you stay out. The problem is that in most cases, staying away from social media does affect your career. No social media means no references, which often means no gigs. If it were up to me, I would not have social media at all. I am not a great speaker, I am not a great content creator, and above all, I am just one of eight billion people on this planet with both positive and negative traits, thoughts, and emotions. I feel fear, I feel joy, and everything in between. Do I really need to share all of that? I am not sure. And this is where the conflict begins. I am writing a newsletter where I share personal thoughts and feelings. Do I actually want that? On the one hand, it is nice to have found an outlet. On the other hand, it does not actively solve the underlying issue; it just shifts it and remains a way to release pressure.

I always wanted to become a DJ to channel my thoughts and emotions into sound, not to stand in front of a camera explaining what I do and how great it is. But at some point, I had to find a compromise.

Of course, someone like Helena Hauff has achieved what once seemed impossible. She plays internationally without really using social media. As far as I know, she does not even use a smartphone, though that might just be speculation. The same goes for Skee Mask, who barely posts anything, or DVS1. And Berghain remains consistently free of social media. But reaching that kind of status usually means growing in a time when social media was not as dominant, when word of mouth was still a powerful and often more positive way of promoting artists.

I am around the same age as Skee Mask. I started DJing in 2011 and producing in 2013, but I approached things differently. Back then, I thought someone would reach out if they wanted to book me. I believed I did not need output to get attention. Maybe the lack of visibility would make me more interesting, more mysterious. Like artists hiding behind masks. Honestly, that was nonsense. Until 2020, I barely released anything. And when I did, I questioned it over and over again. Is this still underground? What does underground even mean?

I kept asking myself these questions repeatedly, always with the thought in mind that the internet never forgets and that people in the scene will not forgive you if you drift away. That mindset made me question everything obsessively. At some point, I managed to let go. I started putting my productions online and even shared them through promo pools. And what happened? There was always at least one DJ or person who loved what I did. And there was always someone who absolutely hated it. And you know what? That is exactly how it is with personalities, too. People either like you or they do not. Some get along with you but would not necessarily spend their free time with you. And that is completely fine.

It is not just black and white. There is my vision, my way of thinking, my emotions. They are real, not controlled, and definitely not forced. At some point, I had to ask myself what I actually want and where I want to go.

One thing I never wanted was to develop an elitist mindset. For me, that includes many aspects, but one of the most important is not wanting to belong to just one category. Music is incredibly diverse, and I want to explore as much of it as possible. But then the thoughts creep in. What if a techno purist laughs at me for playing a tech house track in my set? No credibility, no status, suddenly a mainstream DJ. It is absurd how much time we spend thinking about what others might think of us and how we should act to please everyone, which is impossible anyway.

For me, producing music and sharing it through promo pools showed that it is possible to do things my own way and still find people who appreciate it. Social media, however, works differently.

It is not necessarily people who decide whether your content gets attention. First, you have to get past an algorithm that determines where, when, how much, and to whom your content is shown. And if you are a DJ with many different facets, you do not think like an algorithm. The algorithm might not understand that being a nerdy gamer and being a DJ can go together.

So I asked myself what my compromise could be. I want to present myself, so I started filming myself while DJing. I do not mind it, because in a club I never have control over whether someone else is filming me anyway, and this way I feel more comfortable. Even if I sometimes think that this kind of content might reduce my chances of ever playing at Berghain, because I assume that this kind of social media presence does not really fit there, I am still being myself. And that is what matters most to me.

In the end, it is not about what others like about you. It is about what you like about yourself. With your art, your vision, and your ideas, you will always find someone who connects with it. You just have to find your bubble, and then things can start moving.

That is my compromise. It is my way of balancing the underground with sharing music from the depths of the scene, without feeling uncomfortable or like I am betraying myself.

What do you think? How do you deal with social media? Do you struggle more or less with content creation? 

4. Community Pick of the Week by Alvaro - One favorite from the community.

Elektrochemie LK - When I Rock: Alvaro wrote to me via email on April 18, 2026, and talked about RW039, kindly sending me a Community Pick of the Week along with a story. Thanks a lot for that. What he wrote, you can read below:

I can’t choose just one EP as my favorite, but after reading the stories you shared today, I was reminded of this record that I bought a couple of weeks ago from a seller on Discogs. The vinyl was completely brand new, still sealed and untouched, and I was surprised to discover that inside, along with the record, there was also a copy of a German magazine about electronic music. It featured sections about DJs, festivals, recommended releases of that time, and more related content.

A friend of mine and I translated the entire magazine using our phones so we could read it in Spanish on the screen, and it turned into a really interesting and fun experience.

When I was reading your story today and saw the name of the magazine founded by KUM, I realized that it was the same magazine that came inside the vinyl. That is why I am sending you this EP as a suggestion for future recommendations:

Elektrochemie LK – When I Rock

DISCOGS

A lot of writing, but not that much musical substance this time. I really hope that next week brings a wave of great new records we can dive into and talk about.

Other than that, I am always open to emails where you share your own perspectives on different sections. Whether it is a story for “Behind the Booth,” a “TOP 5” (please make sure it is actually a top five), or a “Community Pick of the Week.”

To be honest, writing this newsletter does take time and energy. Sometimes I have other projects that take priority, and I still sit down on Mondays after an eight-hour shift to write them, which I genuinely enjoy. Please do not get me wrong, I love writing, and I really appreciate how this community around the newsletter is growing.

But it would help me a lot if you became part of it and sent in your own content. So feel free to keep that in mind 🙂

And don’t forget: keep sending me your favorite track or record. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the one curating the next pick in the Community section.

Simply reply to this email or comment here with a link to your favorite E.P.

Catch you next week! Be ready to drop the needle on my next picks.

Keep it spinning,
Robin Tasi @ Recycling Wax