Iron Curtis

Johannes Paluka considers himself a DJ first and foremost, and that is more than just a bullet point on a CV that also credits him as a prolific producer, musician, and remixer. Whether in the studio or behind the decks, the Berlin-based »interuniversal« artist most commonly known as Iron Curtis meanders along the margins of different genres, combining discrete elements while switching things up wholesale with the sort of proactive curiosity that is at the heart of DJing. His various activities follow a »what if ...?« approach: What if we blend these two tracks and let the results mutate further? What if we enrich house music with elements of genre X? What if we eschew the tried-and-tested methods and take a different path for once, if only for the fun of it? Since his debut as a producer in 2008, Paluka has explored different genres and unexpected combinations thereof. His own productions, countless remixes, and collaborations—such as his ongoing series of full-length releases with long-term friend and musical partner Johannes Albert—have consistently strayed from and circled back to the house music sound that is so integral to his own. His 2018 sophomore solo album Upstream Color for Tamed Musiq showed just how far his exploratory drive can lead him when he leans into it: combining his sensibility for the deepest and dustiest of grooves with a penchant for sonic experimentation, the album reflected the breadth of his interests and qualities as a producer with a hazy shimmer. Over the years, Paluka has amassed a broad discography, stylistically ranging from leftfield experiments to broken beats and, of course, dancefloor-ready house music. Besides his collaborative albums with Albert on Frank Music and a slew of releases by the now-defunct acid/electro duo Achterbahn d’Amour, his discography includes numerous EPs and LPs under the name Iron Curtis, as well as various (occasionally anonymous) aliases. He has regularly worked with labels such as Rawax and its Chiwax sublabel, Hudd Traxx, and Permanent Vacation, while also making guest appearances on Running Back, Smallville, and Delusions of Grandeur—further underlining his stylistic flexibility through his tireless work as a remixer. Paluka’s work at a music tech company leaves him little time to tour extensively, but that does not deter him from playing at select international events. He feels most at home in front of crowds who enjoy the pure teachings of the house music gospel just as much as forward-thinking stylistic syncretism. His recent evolution can be traced through the numerous online mixes he has recorded—especially the various sets he has played at HÖR—during which his love for adventurous electronica shines through just as much as his affinity for techno and other styles. Across all of his activities, Paluka always prioritizes the element of surprise over fidelity to a single style, meaning that he combines things while switching them up. He is, after all, first and foremost a DJ: proactively curious—always asking, »What if ...?« ______ Text: Kristoffer Cornils, 2024 Photo: Mareike Gleisbau, 2023

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