Six Reasons Why Dubai-Bound Sven Väth is a Techno Don
When it comes to DJs who’ve earned their stripes, Sven Väth is amongst the highest ranking. The techno overlord has an insuppressible appetite to throw the best parties and rock dancefloors. Known affectionately as Papa Sven, Väth was the first to champion techno on Ibiza. His Cocoon parties on the island are now the stuff of legend. Väth is back in Dubai this weekend to play at Soho Garden DXB.
Need a reminder why Sven Väth is so revered in the electronic music world? Here are six reasons why he’s so admired…
1.
In the ’80s, Sven fronted synth-pop group Off, singing on a number of tracks. Electrica Salsa (Baba Baba) was their biggest hit. It still sold one million copies. He used the cash from his record sales to set up the Harthouse record label with Heinz Roth and Matthias Hoffmann. The imprint clocked up over 100 releases. Most of the label’s output touched on the psy-trance sounds that were big at the time.
2.
After hitchhiking to Barcelona, Sven landed on Ibiza in 1980 with little to no cash. Undeterred, he stayed for three months after setting up his own campsite in the woods, complete with stolen sun loungers. His Cocoon parties are now an institution on the island. The party brand extended into England with the Cocoon in the Park festival.
3.
In 1996, Sven started throwing parties in Germany under the Cocoon banner. Sven has described his early forays into promoting as “idealistic”, adding: “I didn’t accept any sponsorship. In other words, I put most of my personal savings into it. And I lost nearly all of it in the process.”
4.
In his time, Väth has owned two nightclubs, both in Frankfurt. At the tender age of just 24 he opened Omen club, which ran for a decade. Cocoon followed from 2004 to 2012.
5.
One of the most recognised vinyl supporters in electronic music, Sven plays exclusively on wax. “For me, vinyl is the tool and will always stay. All those new technologies in my ears didn’t make music better,” he reckons. “A track is good to be played if I can play it from the start until the end, and not just use a loop out of it or filter it endless times.”
6.
His Cocoon label celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this year. The label released Mystic Voices – a collaboration between Väth and Gregor Tresher – recently. Väth’s new album Catharsis will drop in 2022.
A true industry veteran, Sven Väth remains at the forefront of today’s techno scene – an inspiration for others to follow. Dubai’s techno heads will follow him to Meydan venue Soho Garden DXB on Thursday 16 December. Call the venue on +971 52 3888849 for more info.
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