Sascha Funke

Berlin's Sascha Funke has explored several different styles and moods with his music, but he's best known for creating tuneful, sentimental techno influenced by synth pop and new wave. The DJ and producer is a longtime associate of both Kompakt and BPitch Control, two of Germany's most highly regarded techno labels, and his work bridges the precision and pop instincts of the former with the latter's touch of playful aggression. Initially surfacing with a series of trippy, upbeat minimal techno 12"s during the late '90s and early 2000s, he began releasing full-lengths in 2003, expanding his sound to incorporate warm, tender vocals and brighter melodies, as well as post-punk-influenced guitars. Following collaborations with Chloé and Nina Kraviz, as well as remixes for numerous artists including Télépopmusik, Ada, and Gui Boratto, Funke formed the duo Saschienne with his wife Julienne Dessagne (Fantastic Twins). Funke's subsequent solo work, particularly 2016's In Relationen, has often placed a greater emphasis on his Krautrock and ambient influences. These sounds are also present in his eclectic DJ sets, which often include plenty of his unreleased productions.

Sascha Funke grew up in East Berlin's Lichtenberg district, and began collecting techno records after the Berlin Wall came down. After he began frequenting dance clubs, he started organizing parties in youth clubs, and made his initial attempts at producing tracks with his friend, Paul Kalkbrenner. Funke's 1999 debut EP, Campus, was one of Kompakt's earliest releases, and he made his debut with Ellen Allien's then-fledgling BPitch Control the following year. He became a regular DJ at clubs like Ostgut, Tresor, and WMF, as well as the Melt and Sonar Festivals, and released additional well-received singles, such as a cover of Bros' "When Will I Be Famous" and "Now You Know" (featuring vocalist Fritz Kalkbrenner). Some of these tracks were reprised on Funke's 2003 debut full-length for BPitch, Bravo, which was later reissued as Brave. Numerous other singles followed for the label, as well as Funke's first mix CD, 2006's Boogybytes, Vol. 2. Watergate 02 followed on Watergate Records in 2008, while Funke remained on BPitch for his second artist album, Mango.

Following the 2010 EP Moses (with Nina Kraviz), Funke and Julienne Dessagne began making sensual, downtempo techno as Saschienne. The duo's debut full-length, Unknown, appeared on Kompakt in 2012. The label also released Funke's single "Zug um Zug" in 2014, followed by Saschienne's Golden Prints EP in 2015. Funke's Kosmische-minded In Relationen EP (and remix companion In Reaktionen) appeared on the Canadian label Multi Culti in 2016. IFA followed on Tiga's Turbo imprint in 2017, while the full-length Lotos Land was released by the Japanese label Endless Flight. ~ Paul Simpson