Launching to prominence out of Herrensauna’s infamous underground parties, CEM has forged a singular path as a fierce club DJ unafraid of turning the dancefloor moody. Enjoy!
Hello Cem how are you and what have you been up to recently?
Hey there, I’m great thanks for asking. I’ve been busy decorating the new flat I moved into and just now started sharing a studio with a couple of friends. I can’t shake off the feeling that there are some exciting times ahead.
You live in Berlin. How would you describe the situation there at the moment?
Since Miss Rona’s inception my friends and I have been able to process the collective trauma in a very productive way. Some started their own companies, others dived further into arts and music production just like myself. In hindsight I think our community really needed a break from this seemingly infinite escapist loop to focus more on personal development. There is so much raw talent out here in Berlin and it just makes me happy to see my surroundings channel all their creative energies although I do recognise our privileged position in comparison to other countries.
Most people still live pretty isolated in lockdown. How do you cope with this and would you like to share anything you discovered during these times like music, books, movies, food or whatever?
Lately I’ve been quite fascinated by the origins of religious syncretism, in that regard I can recommend „Secrets of Voodoo“ by the Haitian writer Milo Rigaud. Otherwise „The universe is a haunted house“ about Coil is an absolute delight for all the die hard fans out there. Watch „Arabian Nights“ by Pasolini and fall in love with its beauty.
What annoys you or has pissed you off lately?
Fighting off conspiracy theorists on social media lol please save your precious time and don’t engage in it. Actually try not to engage in social media platforms at all for a while. It does wonders, trust me.
What excites you besides music?
Any visual or auditory stimulation, psilocybin and probiotic foods.
Anything coming up you want to share with us? Any shout-outs or final statements?
Our Herrensauna label was put on hold for a while due to missing funds but there are some great contributions by some of my favourite artists right now just waiting in the pipeline so watch out for that. Also I’ve been working on music of which some are composed for an upcoming performance by my other half Mauro Ventura. Also shout outs to Nicolas, Robert, Clara, Enyo, RJ, Silvia, Eleonora and thanks for constantly inspiring me. <3