Terminal V Podcast 072 || LOLSNAKE

LOLSNAKE sits right at the heart of Berlin’s bubbling underground as a DJ, promoter and label founder. Born in Oakland, California but with Iraqi heritage, she is the founder of the long-running queer party Weeeirdos which she started in order to “arouse fun and freedom” in an often all too serious scene. The party plays out at Säule but has also been hosted at the likes of Berghain while LOLSNAKE has played all over the globe.

Her electrifying sets continually explore new musical ground where trance, techno, acid and bleep all collide. She plays with a sense of unabashed adventure, isn’t afraid to drip a curveball and often looks for musical mischief in her sets. All of that is evident in the mix she has put together for us this week, and it comes with an interview in which Danielle Lumma Rahal talks about studying neuroscience in Manchester, the motivation behind starting Weeeirdos and what she thinks dance music can do better. 

 

You studied neuroscience in Manchester, Did you learn anything there that has been useful in music and given you a rare different insight or edge as a DJ?

With studying neuroscience i learned a lot about how sound is transmitted and processed in the brain. How moods are set and the chemical processes behind which is pretty useful information. 

Manchester as a city was very inspiring and intriguing to me with its rich history of music particularly post punk and new wave and dance music that attracted me to the city as a teenager. While living there I was regularly going to concerts of all genres, DIY events, Raves, and club nights which in the end was heavily influencing me as a DJ as i was exposed to so many new genres at a young age.

What was the catalyst and motivation for starting Weeeirdos? 

Going out in Berlin and Manchester was eye opening and gave me the ability to get over my past and find strength in owning my identity. In Berlin I immediately connected with a lot of like minded individuals that eventually became a community. I found myself going to many events thinking – how can this be better? How can it be different. I loved imagining how that could be; I wanted to host an event for my peers – for all of us feeling othered from the outside world i wanted to design a space for us. 

I came to realise that the financial threshold at the time was pretty low to host parties and concerts in the DIY underground of Berlin, so with some creativity and support from friends I started the event series. 

How has it evolved and grown since, and has it become what you always envisaged it would?

So Weeeirdos is a creative project and since its an event series it feels to me like a living thing. There was no future plan but I love how its grown and morphed with the years. Im so grateful that the party is having a strong audience over the years.

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

It was an emotional one for me, I love diving into the melancholia of the seasons morphing from the romance of summer to the often reflective period of Autumn

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

I recorded this at home with my CDJs and Xone 92 mixer 😉 recorded it on my slightly busted zoom recorder.

Finally, what does dance music need to do better?

I want FLINTA* artists to take over main-stages  🙂 

 

Interview by Kristan Caryl

Photography by George Nebridze