In electro peril with Pan-Pot

Taking its name from a recording studio mixing dial, rocking electronic duo Pan-Pot is about to blow the lid off Bangkok.
Pan-Pot arose from the wild and dangerous underground club scene in Berlin in 2005. Tassilo Ippenberger and Thomas Benedix have since become well known for their dark and murky take on modern techno.
Pan-Pot’s sound is best described as unconventional, with warped beats and kinetic grooves. The music is anything but orthodox. Get ready for stripped-down techno and house with smooth experimentation and transition, a night of stomping and bass lines straight from the world-famous party city of Berlin, brought to Bangkok by Retox Sessions.
This is Pan-Pot’s debut in Thailand and a new sound for the city’s electronic-music scene. The duo sent us an email while packing.

What are you guys up to?
Tassilo: Hey, we’re preparing for Bangkok of course!

Tell us a bit about how you got together.
Tassilo: We met at a school of audio engineering in Berlin, where we both took the same courses. It didn’t take long to find out that we both shared a similar taste in music, so we started to hang out and produce music together.

What was your first glimpse of techno music?
Thomas: When I was young I listened to all kinds of music, but techno came into my life when my grandmother bought me a tape at a flea market.
 Tassilo: First I was really into hip-hop, but that changed when I went to my first techno party with a friend. The music and feel really caught me instantly.

How about that name, Pan-Pot?
Thomas: Pan-Pot is short for Panorama-Potentiometer, a technical gadget used in the studio. When we were sitting in the studio and thinking of a name that really popped, the name was sitting right there.

Do you work on the music together or individually?
Tassilo: Both of us have our own studios so we each can work on music whenever we feel like it, but we work together most of the time because it’s easier to sit together and share ideas.
Thomas: Yes, and to play Fifa 2013 [laughs].

You released a dubstep-style track last year. What other experiments are you working on?
Thomas: That was the track “Kepler”. It was done because we both also have roots in breaks, me listening to drum-and-bass and Tassilo listening to hip-hop when we were a bit younger.
Tassilo: We have plenty of ideas on our computers and we just need some more time to glue everything together. We are open-minded to all kinds of electronic music. You’ll see!

If techno music didn’t exist, what genre would you be your thing?
Tassilo: That is a scary thought! If techno did not exist, we would need to invent it.
Thomas: Does tech house count? Seriously, it’s is hard to say, but I guess it would be a mix of aggressive rock and campfire singsongs.

What have you bought lately?
Thomas: Slam’s “Lifetimes (Pan-Pot Remixes)”.
Tassilo: I got new turntable systems from Shure.

Who’s your favourite DJ?
Tassilo: Thomas, because he’s digging deep.
Thomas: Tassilo! Because he plays mostly what I like.

What’s your ideal party like?
Tassilo: Medium-size club, very good sound system, good light and most importantly a good crowd and lots of friends to celebrate with.
Thomas: A hundred per cent true.

What’s your plan for Bangkok?
Thomas: I’ve never ever been to Thailand! Everyone is talking about it, if it’s holidays, food, parties, nice weather. So I am looking so forward to go there, but it’s a pity that we have only one day.
Tassilo: First a great party, then a little bit of time to experience the vibe of the city.

The duo performs at Glow Nightclub on Sukhumvit soi 23 tonight.