The Ghosttown crew – Kelburrt, Rompa and Brootworth – have been curating thrilling lineups on our PLUS floor for years, and throwing even more parties at countless other venues. Now, the gang is turning 8!
What began as a group of friends throwing raves at off-locations to fill a void for the music they love has grown into a full-fledged label, monthly radio shows, and countless nights spent dancing to rumbling basslines. What began with 140 BPM bass-driven music has flourished over the years, branching out into many grooving directions.
On Friday, 23 May, they celebrate their 8th birthday on our BLITZ floor with a stellar lineup: Modeselektor, rRoxymore, Stenny, and Ghosttown’s very own Rompa behind the decks.
Find out more about the event here and get your tickets here!
We sat down with the trio to chat about their history, inspirations, and what the future might hold.
Before we dig in, we suggest tuning into our of their latest radio shows or giving one of their releases a spin, such as their brand new Various Artists release with a wide of range of thrilling contributions:
And as always, make sure to follow Ghosttown on the web to stay up to date with all things grooving.
What’s planned for the 8-Year anniversary party at Blitz? Or maybe even more interesting: why exactly this lineup?
Modeselektor has had quite an impact on some of our musical upbringing in the early days. So we thought it would be an ideal match when we had the chance to host them at our anniversary, reflecting on our roots and bridging over into the present. Stenny‘s style is a huge source of inspiration when it comes to contemporary club sound, and Rroxymore completes the concept perfectly, being a long-time institution in timeless experimental dance music.
But let’s rewind a bit – how did it all start? What were those first nights like?
The origins of Ghosttown probably lie between 2013 and 2015, when we all went to Outlook Festival for a couple of years in a row, being exposed to certain vibes and sounds that were heavily underrepresented in Germany. At the same time, Grime and Dubstep really had a flourishing scene in the UK. After some time, we just thought: Hey, we can do that too. So we just set up some raves in various off-locations, and it just went off, as the people were exposed to something quite new at that time. The vibes were so wholesome as they also became a get-together of all our different communities and friends, really forging some long-lasting connections.
When we took things to the next level, giving it all a name and collaborating with venues, things developed their own dynamic quite rapidly. We started a show with Radio80000 and invited international guests on a regular basis. As most of them came from abroad, we quickly realised how important and inspiring it is to really nourish dialogue, exchange and vice versa inspiration. Same also goes for releasing music: we did a first publication long before our label had the structure it has now, as just a way of publishing our own productions and entering into contact with other musicians.
…and where do you want it to go?
The label has grown a lot since then and demands a kind of work we all really enjoy. Putting the community aspect into it and connecting different styles and artists through it really feels to all of us like a very creative contribution to the scene that means so much to us. We want it to be a space for artistic exchange and inspiration on a global scale with a few dedicated nights in different cities showcasing these approaches, inspiring, connecting and bringing open-hearted people and structures together.
How do you split the work between you all?
At the beginning we all did everything, but we grew into the present state quite naturally, as each one of us three brings some individual skills to the table, which he also represents in his work or studies. Be it the graphical aspects, actually working in the music industry, or writing and communicating. We’re in constant contact with each other, optimising our workflow but also supporting when there might be less capacity at times.
Were there any role models or inspirations when you started out, local or international?
Well, we were all heavily influenced by the Grime & Dubstep world of the time, really drawn to the works of DMZ or Bandulu, already being boundary-pushing and unique in their own way. Locally, we were also influenced by legends like Sustain! (fka. DnB issue) or Basswerkstatt, being almost the only ones representing non-commercial UK-Sounds in Munich. They also were super welcoming and supportive when we started our thing, showing how a scene definitely thrives through mutual interest and exchange. Shouts <3
Besides hosting parties and doing radio shows, you’ve released seven records so far. How does the label side differ from your events and DJ shows?
In the end, not that much tbh. We play and release music that we love. But in recent times, we have and will shift also more towards calmer and experimentally deconstructed things with the label, that might not always be suitable for a standard club environment.
Is there anything people (still) haven’t understood about Ghosttown? And same goes for Blitz—what’s your favourite detail that often goes unnoticed?
Sometimes we are not sure if the people actually realise how much we have changed over the years. Kicking things off as a group pushing mainly 140 bass music is far from where we are at now. Of course, that is the impact that sticks with people being around you from the beginning, but Ghosttown is so much more than the dark vibe we started with, and we want people to see how seriously we also appreciate a multitude of other quality styles.
You’ve been curating lineups on our PLUS floor for a few years now. How has your approach changed over the years—both at Blitz and at other events? And maybe even in your own sets?
We are all coming from the same foundation and background, but all of us developed a lot in their musical spectrum. Sometimes together, influencing each other, but also on individual journeys. We like to give each other a lot of space for that individuality, and this is represented also in our lineups and curations. As mentioned above, Ghosttown developed a lot in its musical aspects and aims to be a constantly developing sphere for high-quality music with the power of connecting open-hearted individuals and structures through sound.
You’re spread between Munich, Berlin, and Vienna. How does the Ghosttown vibe translate across cities, how does the écriture adapt to different spaces?
We feel like a lot of good things have happened through these developments of our personal lives. Living in different cities makes interactions with more collectives, labels and spaces crucial, which then only enriches the experiences we can reflect and share within our regular talks. It’s just more sources of inspiration and exchange that we can draw from.
Where does the Ghosttown crew hang out when you’re not throwing parties?
We’re actually hanging out quite a lot in our own chat group, as we all don’t live in the same cities anymore. But all of our lives turned out to be quite demanding, and we became quite chill when we can. Appreciating nature a lot, we sometimes go for hikes or travel.
And finally – our classic last question: What track has been on repeat for you lately—outside of your own releases and circle?
Zed – Ice (ft. Laylow)
UK Gold – Instincts
Salimata – Take You Dea