Berlin's ICTV discusses new EP

ICTV is a Berlin-born and based DJ and producer who’s been soaking up deep and tech house since the 90s—probably before he could even walk. His tracks are like emotional rollercoasters wrapped in such sleek sound design, you’ll wonder if your speakers are flirting with you.

2024 has been a breakout year for ICTV, with 12-inch releases on renowned labels such as House Puff Records and Limited White Label. His music has garnered support from heavyweights in the scene, including Brawther, DJ Steaw, and Franck Roger—solidifying his presence as one to watch.

A regular at Berlin underground hotspots like Sisyphos, ICTV’s sets are filled with hidden gems and carefully selected tracks that keep the crowd moving.

We Sat down with the native Berliner, also known as one half of the duo Horsemen. Following the success of their 2021 hit “All My Bad Behaviour,” ICTV has just released his latest solo project on Limited White Label. 

Hey Christoph, Nice to connect! What's happening in your world at the minute?

I’ve just come back from a few days of a kind of musical retreat with some friends of mine. Which is a mix of vacation and making music together. It is something we try to do at least once every year.

Now I’m back home working on finishing, arranging, and mixing down records for next year.

‍You're just released 'LTDBLBL016’ on Ltd B/Lbl... What was it that attracted you to the label and how did the collaboration come about?

Almost all of my releases on labels have come from personal connections and this one is no different. Nicolai, the owner of the label, is based in Berlin as well and has been releasing music from friends of mine before. They took me to one of his Christmas parties and we got to know each other. After that, there was the Horsemen release. Later, I showed him some demos of my solo works and we decided to do an EP together.

Talk us through the release, what is the Inspiration behind it?

The release actually consists of older and newer tracks. Some of them are quite a few years old. I’ve tried to showcase a variety of different tracks that also fit the style of the label. The consistency between them is that they all carry a certain nostalgic or melancholic feel that I hope will resonate with the listener.

Can you enlighten us on the meaning of your ‘ICTV’ artist name?

It’s an abbreviation. Won’t say more at this time ;)

For those who are just discovering your music, what do you hope they feel or experience when they listen to one of your sets or productions?

I hope that there are people out there who can connect to the tracks on an emotional level. Maybe make them dance in a club. It’s music, not science, so I wouldn’t try to put too much into it.

Can you share some insight into your creative process when producing music? Do you have any particular rituals or methods that help you stay inspired?‍

Yes, I think what has helped me most in my creative process is collaborating with other producers. I’ve also joined Brawther’s Interweaved Community for quite some time. Taking part in the competitions and exchanging with other producers has definitely helped me a lot.

Apart from that, I feel that listening closely to music can spark lots of ideas as well.

You’re also one half of Horsemen, what inspired you to go down the solo route?

Before starting Horsemen with my friend Morrison from Amsterdam, I had always worked on music solo under various names. Being part of a duo is always exciting and it can teach you a lot but it also involves compromise. After producing a lot of music with and for Horsemen there were always demos or ideas that I made that didn’t quite fit and I wanted the freedom to explore those on my own.

As a producer, what message do you hope to convey through your music? What themes or ideas do you find yourself returning to again and again in your work?

There are many things in life more important than music, so I wouldn't try to overload it with too much meaning. However, music is deeply rooted in emotional expression. In particular, house music has always embodied the spirit of inclusion and freedom. Also sharing moments with others in a unique setting, like a club is important. 

Can you describe the connection between your music and your German roots, and how they continue to influence your music today?

I’ve always been listening to lots of different genres, starting from Punk Rock in my youth. Nowadays I look at the roots of house and tech house music from the early 90s and 00s for inspiration.

How's life In Berlin? Can you give us your top 3 tips of things to do‍

Top 3 things to do:

• For a night out with the best House Music booking: Heideglühen
• For Record Shopping: Bikini Waxx, Audio In, Sound Metaphors
• Playing Boule at Maybachufer in summer

As someone deeply rooted in the Deep House scene, what state is it in right now? What notable artists are emerging?

I think deep house is not as hyped at the moment, as social media trends push the sound toward harder, faster styles, and many DJs feel pressured to follow. But trends come and go. Meanwhile, commercialization and gentrification are forcing clubs to close, like Watergate and Renate in Berlin. Yet, new scenes are emerging, f.e. in places like the Middle East.

When you are not busy with music, what might we find you doing?

I’m working a part-time job in the music industry and I also work as a mixing engineer on the side as well. That means that there’s not so much time that’s not spent with music in one way or another.

Apart from that I like spending time with friends, doing sports or reading a good book.

What do you have coming up in the next few months? Feel free to mention anything!

I’ve got a collab EP with my friends from Nephews and DimSum coming up still this year and for next year we’re planning on a follow-up EP on House Puff as well.

For Horsemen we’ve just released a track on the latest Dungeon Meat VA and we’ve got an EP upcoming on their sublabel SLABS.

Finally, tell us about three of your best dancefloor fillers… 

An amazing Warm-up tune:

A great tune to keep it going: 

A lil peak time bomb: 

Buy/listen to LTDBLBL016 here