Terminal V Podcast 053 || La Fleur

Swedish-born La Fleur has been one of the underground’s leading lights for many years now. She made such an immediate impact on the people behind Berlin’s Watergate club that after hosting just a couple of parties there they installed her as a resident. She also went on to become a key label artist before eventually branching out with her own Power Plant, which is now more than 10 years deep.

The sometime pharmacist, is a DJ who can lock it down in cosy clubs with subtle and melodic house sounds as she is to bring raw and hefty techno to large-scale events like our own Terminal V. Here she talks to us about how she loads tunes for each set, who mentored her on the way up and about the importance of her Power Planet label. Read on while you get lost in the terrific new house mix she’s put together for our podcast…

 

Watergate turns 20 this year and has been a big part of your career. What impact has the club, city, people and playing there so often had on shaping who you are?

Watergate has had a big impact on me and my career and will always have a special place in my heart. A friend and I started a night there together, and after a few events I got asked to become a resident and to join their agency. It was truly special to join the Watergate family, they welcomed me with open arms and the club soon became my second home for many years. On my debut EP for the label I had the pleasure and honor to be able to ask Kenny Larkin to do a remix that turned out to be 15 minutes of drama epicness. There are simply too many unforgettable memories, so many good stories, which I promise I will tell another time! What I can say as my time with Watergate definitely shaped my career in many ways, and to be able to play at one of the worlds best clubs, and to have that cultural platform as my second home definitely had a profound impact that I am forever grateful for.

Power Plant has been another big part of your musical life. What are the best bits of running a label and what have been your proudest moments over the last 12 years?


The biggest factor for sure is the creative freedom, to be able to decide everything from music to artwork, Power Plant really has been a creative breeding ground for me. Some of the proudest moments definitely are releasing my first ever EP (vinyl only at the time) called Flowerhead, with artwork from Olaf Hajek with the same name. Of course having some epic label nights around the world with my own customised art installations. Releasing a fashion capsule collection, called Power Plant Elements and having artwork also made by Swedish illustrator Hans Arnold whom I exhibited at a gallery in Stockholm in connection with the release of Eavesdropper EP. The label really has been a home for me, for special projects close to my heart but also releasing music and remixes from friends like Cassy, Chloé Caillet, Dana Ruh, Johanna Knutsson, Acid Mondays, Hans Berg and more. And at the beginning of next year I’m releasing an EP on Power Plant again so keep your eyes and ears ready for that !

I wonder, when you were starting out and trying to breakthrough, who did you look up to or go to for advice? Were there any women who inspired you?

Kerri Chandler was a major mentor and the one who early supported me, he has always been a source of inspiration and wisdom which again I am so grateful for. In the early days I shared the stage with the likes of Ellen Allien, Cassy, Heidi and other women who are some of the pionéers in the scene and that was indeed very inspiring for a young and up and coming La Fleur.

You have played Terminal V’s epic Halloween rave. What was it like?

It was epic! The production was first class and everyone seemed to have a really good time, as did I!

Do you pack a special record bag or usb for an epic party like that? Do you think about what might work or do you just wing it when you get to the decks?

I always think about what to play before every gig because no gigs are the same. When it comes to the UK, you guys know how to rave especially in Scotland it seems so I tried to prepare as much as possible to gear up for that.

What do you have coming up?

I am releasing an EP on my label Power Plant at the beginning of 2023, and after that I will start to unfold what is to be my album coming later in the year. This is all very exciting since I haven’t released music in a few years as I needed to find myself again both musically and creatively, so I let myself take the time I needed and I am happy I did. We have a saying in Sweden ‘ Den som väntar på något gott, väntar aldrig för länge’ as in English translates to similar to ‘Good things comes to they who wait…’ so I am excited to share music with you soon!.

Tell us about your mix, the aim you had with it, and what you wanted it to say.

I wanted to start slower to warm you up, building up to the feeling of what I played at Terminal V.

What gear did you use, is that important to you in any way whether in the booth or studio?

I use my home set up which is Pionéer CDJs and Allen & Heath XZone92 mixer, Technics MK2 turntable to get an idea for tracks and to get in the mood for the mix. Once I have an idea of what I want to include in the mix I usually finish it in Ableton.

Thank you.

 

Interview by Kristan Caryl