Photo by Petra Ruehle
If you’ve ever wondered what happened to good electronic dance music with a grittier impassioned outlook, well it’s alive and well in Berlin in the form of the recent ‘Hide & Seek’ EP from DINA SUMMER.
A collaborative project comprising of LOCAL SUICIDE, the Greco-German technodisco couple Dina Pascal and Max Brudi and KALIPO, the moniker of Nu-disco exponent Jakob Häglsperger, DINA SUMMER opened their account with the excellent single pairing of ‘Who Am I’ and ‘Fortune Teller’ in 2021. The Italo flavoured debut album ‘Rimini’ followed a year after.
Before they departed on their next set of travels, DINA SUMMER spoke collectively to ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK about their past, present and future…
You produce music in your own right as LOCAL SUICIDE and KALIPO, so how did the idea of working together come about?
We’ve been friends for years before starting collaborating. But the idea of a collaboration started when Jakob (KALIPO) and Dina and Max (LOCAL SUICIDE) were all playing at the same festival. While hanging out at the backstage, Jakob floated the idea of Dina contributing vocals to some of his edgier darker tracks. A few weeks later Dina and Max popped over to Jakob’s studio to lay down some vocals, and things just clicked from there. The creative energy sparked instantly, and before we knew it, ideas were flowing freely, blurring the lines between our individual projects. The musical and personal chemistry was undeniable, and from that moment on, the idea of creating a new live project took root and flourished.
Photo by Alex Gotter
What is the creative chemistry in DINA SUMMER, do you have designated roles?
Our creative process flows with flexibility. While we embrace a collaborative approach without strict roles, each member contributes their unique strengths. Jakob’s background as a sound engineer, a live performer and multi-instrumentalist, cultivated through his involvement with German band FRITTENBUDE and his solo project KALIPO, enhances our sonic landscape. Max and Dina, in addition to their production roles, are experienced DJs too, ensuring our tracks translate seamlessly to the dancefloor. Max’s extensive experience in label management brings valuable industry insight to our projects. Meanwhile, Dina leads lyric writing and takes care of our social media also lending a hand with PR efforts.
‘Who Am I’ and ‘Fortune Teller’ was an excellent first single pairing, were these tracks built up from scratch or ideas originally for LOCAL SUICIDE or KALIPO?
Both tracks were actually created after we had finished producing our debut album. However, we made the decision to release them as our first EP under the name DINA SUMMER to introduce our new project. Our goal was to craft a fresh and distinctive sound by blending elements from our individual projects while venturing into new sonic landscapes.
What do you get from a satisfaction point of view in DINA SUMMER that might not occur otherwise?
DINA SUMMER is our playground for experimenting with diverse styles and pushing creative boundaries. It’s a collaboration that provides a unique sonic space, allowing us to explore new territories and find satisfaction in merging our individual approaches. Currently, we’re in the studio producing a variety of tracks, from dark wave and synthpop to electronic tunes made for the dancefloor.
Photo by Petra Ruehle
How do you look back on the making of the ‘Rimini’ album? Was the sunny Italian flavour intentional from the start?
Looking back on the making of the ‘Rimini’ album, it was a thrilling adventure. From the outset, we intentionally infused it with the sunny Italian flavor, aiming to encapsulate the vibrant and energetic atmosphere of the region. Our shared love for Italy and its music, especially Italo disco, served as a driving force, motivating us to pay homage to its essence. Given Rimini’s significance as a hub for Italo disco enthusiasts, it felt natural to center our album around it.
With ‘Rimini’ you released not one but two remix albums… are remixes a strategy due to modern streaming algorithms or is it something you wholeheartedly embrace… but can it be too much on occasions?
After releasing ‘Rimini,’ we realized that some tracks weren’t exactly geared for the dancefloor, but held serious potential. Thus, we cooked up a ‘Versioni Discoteca’, or Club Versions album, featuring our own club edits of selected tracks. Additionally, we already had some killer remixes for a few singles released upfront, and we loved them so much that we sought out a few more, aiming for a diverse sound. It’s always intriguing to witness other artists’ reinterpretations of your music. Furthermore, we were eager to involve some Italo legends and were delighted to receive remixes by Alexander Robotnick and Daniele Baldelli & Marco Dionigi.
Around the time of ‘Rimini’ although not featuring on the album, you covered THE FLIRTS’ Bobby O produced disco classic ‘Passion’ and FRONT 242’s EBM favourite ‘Headhunter’ as free downloads, what was the thinking behind this as they are at quite opposite ends of the electronic dance spectrum?
We chose to cover tracks like THE FLIRTS’ ‘Passion’ and FRONT 242’s ‘Headhunter’ because they’re both songs we absolutely adore and we wanted to give them a dance floor makeover. Jakob suggested ‘Passion’, while ‘Headhunter’ was Dina’s idea, but we all agreed instantly that we should give them a shot. It was a fun way to pay homage to influential tunes from different corners of the electronic dance scene while showcasing our versatility and passion for diverse musical styles… and with fewer purists around these days and the current wave of Italo Body Music blending EBM, Italo, and new beat vibes, it felt like the perfect time to explore these classics and put our own spin on them.
Photo by Alex Gotter
Do you have any favourite go-to synths for your productions?
Our go-to synths for our productions often include the Moog One, Korg MS20, Sequential Prophet 6, and Moog Voyager, which you can hear in nearly all of our songs.
On the ‘Hide & Seek’ EP, the title song comes in two different versions, had it been a challenge to realise your visions, was there any creative tensions as to where to take it?
Originally, we crafted the original version of the title track for the ‘Hide & Seek’ EP. But with its faster synth-pop vibe, we realized it might not seamlessly fit into our solo live and DJ sets, as well as those of other DJs. So, we decided to create a club version to give it an electronic twist, making it more dancefloor-friendly for a wider audience. This allowed us to tailor the song to fit the needs of club DJ sets while preserving its energy.
As can be heard on ‘Unter Strom’ and other tracks, drums fills are a characteristic of the DINA SUMMER sound which is quite unusual in club music, how did this enter the party?
Since we’ve used drum fills in our solo productions, it just made sense to bring them into the DINA SUMMER sound too. We love how they add a unique twist to our music and have always been about breaking away from the usual club music norms by throwing in some dynamic and unexpected elements.
Anglo-German vocals are another constituent to DINA SUMMER, do you view the voice as just another sound texture or is the lyrical content important as well?
While the voice certainly contributes as another sound texture, we also value the importance of lyrical content. Our lyrics can range from humorous, as seen in tracks like ‘Zig Zag’ and ‘Fortune Teller’ to empowering in songs like ‘Who Am I’, ‘Dominator’, ‘All or Nothing’ and ‘Echoes of the Past’. We also delve into fictional storytelling, as seen in ‘Revenge’, which tells a horror sci-fi tale or we explore specific characters, such as the story of Rimini’s Romeo La Zanza Maurizio in the track ‘Rimini’. Our lyrics typically revolve around topics that we find interesting, important or amusing.
Photo by Petra Ruehle
‘All Or Nothing’ is very energetic and stark at the same time, but doesn’t use hi-hats in its rhythm, how did you arrive at this feel?
This distinctive feel is achieved through a combination of elements: a 16th arpeggio Moog bassline, infectious vocals, and numerous breaks featuring screaming opening filters and a deep sub bass.
‘Excess’ does what it says on the tin and is quite sweaty and sexually charged, is the viewpoint expressed autobiographical or observational?
We were captivated by the tales and visual material of Studio 54, prompting us to create a track that embodies the spirit of this legendary club. Renowned for its hedonistic vibe and lavish gatherings, Studio 54 inspired the birth of ‘Excess’. This track dives deep into the sweaty, sexually charged atmosphere synonymous with the club culture of that era, evoking feelings of unrestrained indulgence and opulence.
The Berlin music scene appears to have a lot of camaraderie, which artists have impressed you recently who are based in or around the city?
In the vibrant Berlin music scene, camaraderie runs deep, and we’re constantly inspired by the talents surrounding us. One artist who stands out for us right now is CURSES; his production prowess, DJ sets, and guest vocals truly resonate with us. So we’re very happy to have a guest appearance by him on our next album too. We also love the work of SKELESYS, FRANZ SCALA, ITALO BRUTALO, MODERNA, RADONDO, NEU-ROMANCER, ZANIAS, KRIS BAHA, and PHASE FATALE, some of whom we’ve also had the pleasure of collaborating with. On the DJ front, we’re particularly drawn to the sounds of Paty Vapor, Caillou, Ludmila Houben, Melanie Havens and Philip Strobel.
Will there be another DINA SUMMER album, does the long playing format have a place in this modern world of music consumption or is another EP more likely?
We are currently working on our album, although we’re not certain when it will be completed. It’s possible that we may release an EP before the album. However, rest assured, a DINA SUMMER album is on the horizon, and we anticipate it will be released either by the end of this year or the beginning of the next.
Photo by Petra Ruehle
What is next for you as DINA SUMMER but also individually?
Right now, we’re deeply focused on crafting our second album as DINA SUMMER, while also preparing for upcoming gigs in Switzerland and Sicily. Furthermore, we’re excited to announce our confirmed appearances at several festivals in Germany and France for the summer season with more to be announced soon.
KALIPO has some exciting releases in the works, starting with an EP set to drop on Ki Records, along with a series of performances at various venues and festivals.
Meanwhile, LOCAL SUICIDE have an impressive line-up of releases coming up. This includes a collaboration with PANKO on U’re Guay Records, an EP with VELAX featuring remixes by Arnaud Rebotini and Andre VII for Record Store Day on Iptamenos Discos, and another EP with SKELESYS later in the year again on Iptamenos. Additionally, they’ve been hard at work on several remixes scheduled for release in the coming months. While their DJ schedule is packed for the next few months, they’re also planning to take some time off this summer in Greece, Dina’s homeland, to recharge their batteries.
ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its sincerest thanks to DINA SUMMER
Additional thanks to Mirren Thomson at Eclectica
‘Hide & Seek’ is released by Iptamenos Discos, available as a 12” EP or download via https://iptamenosdiscos.com/dina-summer-hide-seek-idi018/
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Text and Interview by Chi Ming Lai
13 March 2024
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