Interview by Joe Delon, May 2023
Thabo is a well-recognised name in his home town of Berlin and further afield. As a DJ he has played around the world, while as a producer and founder of the Home Again label and party series he has carved out his own niche in the contemporary genre-blending tech-house-meets-everything scene. In May 2023, Home Again also made its first foray into the world of festival promoting with a huge three-day event at Club RSO in Berlin.
Thabo’s mix for our series represents his sound fully, traversing vintage progressive, disco and electro house sounds all blended to fit today’s dancefloor. In the Q&A below, Thabo shares his thoughts about this scene, his recent travels, the current landscape for vinyl labels and, of course, the Home Again festival.
The mix you’ve done for us has a contemporary feel, aligning with the genre-blending 90s-influenced tech house style of today’s Berlin/London/Paris sound. Where do you see this sound going in the future?
I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my mix with you, and I’m glad you’re feeling the vibe! In my opinion, this sound is currently ubiquitous around the world. What I particularly enjoy about this genre-blending style is the freedom it provides for experimentation with various elements from different genres. Whether it’s a pitched-down trance record or a tech house track from 2000, there’s always something new to discover.
Your Christmas set from SASH in Sydney, warming up for tINI, was published earlier this year. What was it like playing Down Under at Christmas time? And how was the rest of your trip?
It was my first time visiting Down Under, and I must say that it was a fantastic experience. Berlin’s winter can be gruelling with its grey weather and faces, so it was great to escape and see the summer starting in Australia. Despite this, the weather and surrounding didn’t make me feel particularly festive during Christmas time. Apart from the stunning nature, I met so many fantastic people throughout the tour. Some were friends escaping the European winter, while others were new connections that I treasure dearly. I definitely hope to go back.
Your label Home Again recently branched out into digital releases. What’s your current thinking about the vinyl market and production, and how was the experience putting out something purely digitally?
Vinyl is always preferable, but it is less flexible and still has a lengthy wait time at pressing plants. To be more agile and able to release music when we want to, we decided to also release digitally. We currently have six digital releases and two vinyl releases scheduled for 2023. Our digital imprint will be more musically diverse, while the vinyl will focus on house music. The next release will feature a new talent called Logidy, and it is excellent.
You have just thrown the first ever Home Again Club Festival over four days at RSO Berlin. How did this project come about and what has it been like working on a project of this scale?
I’ve worked as a marketing manager for large-scale events for several years and had the opportunity to delve into other aspects of producing an event of this size. However, this has been an entirely different experience, as it is both emotional (as this is my baby) and stressful (as I have significant responsibilities). Nevertheless, I enjoyed every minute working on this project.
What were the moments you were most proud of from the festival?
I think when you work that long on a project you get so really close to it that you do not really understand the amazing job you made. But when guests and artists come to you and thank you for the experiences you created, you understand how proud you actually can be.
What’s coming up for you and the Home Again project after this?
Aside from releases, we have several shows scheduled outside of Berlin. We plan to host an event again at the beautiful Galerie Kurzweil, have our residency at Shelter in Amsterdam, participate in Lovelee during ADE, and talk with promoters in the UK. We’re also in discussions about doing a showcase in Lisbon next year, but I can’t divulge too many details at this time.