- CTM, the annual ten-day event series in Berlin, is one of the most adventurous electronic music festivals out there. Much like Mutek or Unsound, its programming reflects an admirable drive to present only music that is novel, avant-garde or in some way distinctly modern. A quick look at the lineup pretty much tells you all you need to know: opening concert with Mika Vainio, closing concert from Robert Henke (AKA Monolake), Editions Mego showcase, DJ sets from Actress, Veronica Vasicka and the Raster-Noton crew, and so on. That this stuff is presented at fantastic venues like Berghain, Stattbad and Berlin's House Of World Cultures only adds to CTM's credentials.
Unfortunately, the festival tends to be better on paper than it is in practice, thanks to what seems like a lot of logistical problems. Many of this year's events felt oversold, and drama at the door was common all week, with even pass-holders occasionally being turned away. The festival pass itself was a source of confusion—a standard one of these is sold for €100, but doesn't guarantee entry anywhere (you have to arrive early or risk being refused), and doesn't get you in to the festival's biggest events, including James Holden's live show and Henke's performance of Lumiére on the final night. (I managed to get on the guest list for this last one, but was still turned away, despite having arrived early.)
There were other snafus as well. Mika Vainio cancelled his headlining appearance at the opening concert, and Boddika was a no-show at Stattbad. That night's other headliner was Mark Ernestus presents Jeri-Jeri, a band which, it turns out, does not include Mark Ernestus (despite what CTM's festival guide says). Though it feels petty to quibble about all this, irritations like these were consistent enough to hurt the overall experience of attending the festival.
All that said, much of the music on offer was very strong. Charles Cohen teased incredible sounds out of his little blue Buchla, earning a standing ovation from a crowd that had until then been mostly horizontal (the room at HAU 2 was shaped like a huge staircase and covered with beanbag cushions). Moritz Von Oswald Trio were subtle and elegant, evoking more than usual the metronomic dub of Basic Channel and Rhythm & Sound. (The only trouble was finding a good spot in Berghain's absurdly packed main room. This was the only time I've seen the crowd extend all the way to the catwalk). Beneath seemed right at home in Panorama Bar, dishing out sleek and noir-ish house that really got the room moving—no small feat on a Thursday night.
For me, the highlight of the week was undoubtedly Actress, who DJ'd at Panorama Bar from 5 AM to 7 AM on the Friday. My expectations were admittedly low—I love Actress's music, but on the two other occasions I saw him he more or less shat the bed (his 2010 set in Berghain opened with Daft Punk's "Da Funk"). There's also the unfortunate reality that more left-field performances tend to fall flat at Panorama Bar, especially at peak time. Nonetheless, he smashed it, and without compromising his idiosyncratic style. He recently said that he doesn't buy very much of any one type of record, and it shows: in terms of both rhythm and mood, each track was a sharp left turn, albeit a weirdly intuitive one—for instance, Aphex Twin's "Green Calx" into the theme from Beverly Hills Cop.
As Actress played his final record—a dub reggae track, normally unthinkable at Panorama Bar—it occurred to me that this kind of moment would be very unlikely outside of CTM. As rich as Berlin's music scene is, its nightlife veers strongly toward all things house and techno. CTM does a good job of shaking this up a bit, bringing in different styles, highlighting more experimental artists and generally taking a lot of chances (what other Berlin promoter would fly in a seven-piece band from Senegal for a concert in an empty pool?). It's just a shame that all that should suffer from flawed execution. CTM is an inspired festival. If it ran more smoothly, it could be something really extraordinary.