Over the past 20 years, Berlin-based singer, songwriter and producer Barbara Morgenstern has fused the steely techno commonly attributed to her home city with the bright sounds of synth pop, resulting in a unique take on melodic, danceable music that is unmistakably hers. On this episode, Vivian Host sits down with Morgenstern to discuss her 2008 single "Come to Berlin," urban gentrification, the changes Berlin's undergone over time and the city's history of female electronic producers.

In the wake of major releases from the label Aggro Berlin, the city saw an excess of hard-nosed gangster rap. K.I.Z. counteracted that self-seriousness with humor and irony, filling their loquacious verses with hilarious punchlines and violence so grotesque it descended into black comedy. On this episode, Vivian Host sits down with Marcus Staiger, the journalist and founder of influential German rap label Royal Bunker, to discuss K.I.Z.’s hit “Walpurgisnacht" and the era of Deutschrap it intertwined wit

Quite simply, “Rej” is one of the most iconic house records of the past 20 years. Produced by Frank Wiedemann and Kristian Beyer, AKA Âme, it was also one of the biggest tracks to appear on the hugely influential Innervisions label, an imprint headed up the duo and Berlin house icon Dixon. On this episode, the music journalist Martin Böttcher talks with Vivian Host about the tune that helped take Innervisions, Dixon and Âme from cult concern to the main stage.

Berghain is Berlin’s most infamous club, and Ben Klock and Marcel Dettmann are perhaps the most famous DJs to emerge from its environs. The pair’s taut techno tracks were built expressly with Berghain’s dancefloor in mind, where they played lengthy DJ sets that hypnotized techno fans the world over. On this episode, music journalist Sven von Thülen talks with Vivian Host about the incredible nights (and days and nights) that Klock and Dettmann have helmed, along with the evolution of their sound.

For a few years, Ricardo Villalobos was the face of minimal techno and house in Germany. While he’s perhaps best known for his lengthy, freewheeling DJ sets – which were just as likely to include free jazz as they were pumping techno – Villalobos’ high water mark in terms of production came with “Dexter.” On this episode of Berlin Zwanzig, music journalist Sven von Thülen joins Vivian Host to discuss the cult of Villalobos and this celebrated track, which appeared on his Playhouse-released albu

In the ‘90s, Berlin rappers borrowed heavily from the music and style of rappers in the U.S. The arrival of record label Aggro Berlin in 2001 signaled the beginning of a transition, a move toward a more authentic Berlin sound. On this episode of Berlin Zwanzig, Vivian Host meets with Marcus Staiger, the founder of influential German rap label Royal Bunker, to discuss Aggro Berlin’s place in Berlin rap history and the label’s defining single, Sido and B-Tight’s “Aggro Teil 2.”

Though techno and rap has often taken center stage, Berlin’s reggae and dancehall scene is not to be overlooked. In 2001, the 11-piece band Seeed scored a major hit with their reggae ode to the city “Dickes B,” an anthemic tune that intertwined verses in German, English and Patois. On this episode of Berlin Zwanzig, Vivian Host sits down with Spider of the influential crew Supersonic Sound to find out more about the development of the reggae and dancehall scene in the city and the importance of “Dic

Ellen Allien has made monumental strides in a male-dominated Berlin scene as a DJ, musician and label head. In 1999, she founded the label Bpitch Control, through which she released her 2001 debut Stadtkind. A love letter to the city that made her, the project further cemented Allien’s critical role in the fabric of Berlin nightlife. On this episode of Berlin Zwanzig, Vivian Host catches up with long time BPitch Control affiliate Kiki to discuss the far-reaching impact of Stadtkind’s celebrated title tr

Berlin has a history of attracting eccentric artists. In this regard, Canadian-born Peaches is no different than any other expat. In every other respect, she is extraordinary. Her avant-garde electronica oozes sexuality and blurs the lines of traditional gender roles. On this episode, Vivian Host sits down with DJ Alexandra Dröner, who worked at clubs such as Tresor and witnessed some of Peaches’ early performances, to discuss the impact of Peaches’ signature hit, “Fuck the Pain Away,” in the early

Jazzanova is the renowned Berlin-based DJ/producer collective who founded influential German label Sonar Kollektiv and pioneered nu-jazz, the innovative hybrid of jazz and electronic music that has since inspired countless artists in both genres. On this episode of Berlin Zwanzig, Vivian Host sits down with Jazzanova member Claas Brieler to discuss “Caravelle,” the seminal track from the group’s second eponymous EP, and its impact in Berlin and abroad.