Hi Zapped crew, thanks for taking the time to talk to us, for those who may be unfamiliar with your party series and the new label you’re launching off the back of it, could you tell us who you are and what you do?
We’re a collective made up of 8 DJs and producers from all over the world and have been throwing parties in Berlin since 2021, a record label was always on the cards and now felt like the right time as we’re feeling clear on our vision both as a brand and as individuals within the group.
We can see from the press release for this inaugural EP that you guys met through a shared studio space in Berlin and began working together from there, could you talk us through your roots as a crew and share some of your most notable moments leading up to today?
Our studio was on Frank-Zappa Str, which obviously influenced our name and it was actually not until we were moving into that space that half of us met, the rest of us became acquainted during the party series, as we needed more DJs and from the strongest bonds Zapped became a collective. We started parties in post-pandemic Berlin, hosting free Sunday open airs powered by our studio monitors. There, the Zapped sound began and has been growing ever since. From there we have always searched for the best sound system we can find and had a very memorable series in a private space with Funktion 1 sound – of course, our showcases at Renate and Golden Gate have been top as well.
How would you describe the sound of Zapped sonically and this debut EP which comes courtesy of crew member Ned Flangerz?
Zapped is all about minimal music whether it is on the housier side or darker more techno-influenced minimal – it fits as long as it has groove!
What does the future hold for Zapped, do you have further releases already planned for 2024?
4 more this year, all digital. We are now planning our first vinyl release for 2025.
You’re working with an artist, Cooked Rabbits (Jack Clark), on the branding for the label and you each have your own character created by the artist. Could you tell us more about how this idea came to light and eventually became what it is today?
Cooked Rabbits has been immersed in the character-based street art scene since his teenage years. When brainstorming merch ideas, we decided that each member should have their own character to move beyond the traditional Zapped logo. These characters, at this point, were used to add a bit of extra flair to our flyers, some crew merch and as decor in the private space with F1 sound, creating our own “Zappediverse” for a more immersive experience. As we developed the label, we stuck with this concept, granting each featured artist their unique character as the focal point of each EP’s cover art. It’s our way of honouring our origins while also offering something distinctive to the producers.
Anything else on the horizon for Zapped, do you have any party plans or anything else you’ve got going on individually?
Showcase at Kater Blau and open airs this summer plus we hope to make a return to the space of our most recent party in a secret location with a beautiful Martion Audio system once the weather gets colder again.
Lastly, could you each share on tip of something to do, somewhere to check out or anything else in Berlin that is an essential stop-off for visitors from across the globe?
BR12 Record store, Bikini Waxx Record store, Treptower park, Club der Visionaere in the summer and Hoppetosse club in Winter, Dark Matter exhibition and you should definitely eat a döner Kebab while visiting Berlin!
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