Objekt - Listening Set

Objekt is TJ Hertz, a producer and DJ living in Berlin. Born in Tokyo to British-American and Filipino parents, Hertz grew up in Belgium and the UK before settling in Berlin in 2009. He first became known for head-turning club records, beginning with the self-released stamped whitelabel 12”s Objekt #1 and #2 in 2011, and following these up with remixes for Radiohead and SBTRKT and releases on influential dance music labels such as Hessle Audio. His club output quickly garnered critical acclaim and support from the likes of Aphex Twin and Autechre. Shocking out to the disassembled dubstep contortions of "Cactus" and “Unglued”, the juddering mindmelt of "Agnes Demise", or IDM headturner “Ganzfeld” became a familiar experience for a generation of open-minded clubgoers. Hertz’s early successes led to a split EP on Leisure System with Drexciyan electro pioneers Dopplereffekt. (The track in question, “Ganzfeld”, was picked as RA’s #1 track of 2014.) Objekt #4, released in 2017, delivered a huge crossover hit in the form of breakbeat house anthem “Theme From Q”. On his next EP, Objekt #5, he happily squandered whatever mass appeal Theme From Q had won him and turned in his slowest – and perhaps fiercest – 12” to date, exploring twisted dancehall rhythms and sonics with his trademark originality. Meanwhile, Hertz’s albums Flatland (2014) and Cocoon Crush (2018), both released on PAN, delve deep into complex sonic worlds. Hertz approaches the LP format as a canvas on which to paint unique, hyper-detailed works of electronic music which are rich with imagination and surprises. Both albums featured widely on year-end lists, with Pitchfork describing Cocoon Crush as containing “some of the most meticulously arranged compositions that dance music has ever produced”. In 2019, Objekt followed Cocoon Crush with a full-spectrum live A/V show in collaboration with visual artist Ezra Miller, touring a string of key festivals including Unsound, Atonal and Primavera. In parallel, Objekt has built a reputation as one of the must-see DJs of his generation. Selected as Mixmag’s DJ of the Year in 2018, he thrives in festival tents and sweatbox basements alike. His DJing style is equal parts wild and laser-focused, employing a precise and highly technical mixing style in a dynamic and expressive way, while paying little heed to genre or BPM and feeding off spontaneity and crowd energy. Hertz’s DJing is unpredictable: one night he might duck and dive through half a dozen genres in pursuit of an unhinged party atmosphere (especially if he’s playing b2b with his dear friend and partner in crime, Call Super). Another night he might guide you by the hand through a bewildering psychedelic wormhole. It’s these qualities that make his recorded sets so beloved – from his 2020 Essential Mix, to the widely-shared recording of his 8-hour set at New York clubbing institution Nowadays in 2021, to his 2016 mix CD for Berlin techno institution Tresor, Kern Vol. 3, which was described by Resident Advisor as “a window into the very essence of DJing”.