SUBSTRATE 04 X Upstairs Basement

At the height of summer, we gather for the fourth edition of SUBSTRATE, this time in collaboration with our longtime friends Upstairs Basement.

As the season reaches its zenith, we come together to celebrate a year of shared dedication, friendship, and the quiet work that unfolds behind every gathering. August is a time of abundance. A time to cherish the rewards of what has been carefully cultivated, to acknowledge the paths that have crossed, and to create space for new ones.

United by a shared vision of underground culture, SUBSTRATE and Upstairs Basement invite you into our favourite secret location in Neukölln for a night shaped by hypnotic techno, patient storytelling, and deep immersion. Through carefully curated extended sets, the music is given room to breathe, allowing each artist to unfold a narrative with intention, allowing the dancefloor to surrender to the gradual evolution of the night.

Coherence through sound remains one of our fundamental values. Every element of the evening, from the musical curation to the acoustics of the room, is considered part of a single ecosystem, designed to cultivate presence, connection, and collective release. A finely tuned sound system delivers warmth, precision, and physicality without ever sacrificing the subtle details that define the music.

At SUBSTRATE, light is never an accessory. It is a living instrument, existing in constant dialogue with sound. The light operator is as vital to the experience as the artist behind the decks, shaping perception, revealing and concealing space, guiding moments of tension and release. Rather than illuminating the room, light is used sparingly and with intention, giving form to the music while preserving the mystery of darkness. It is within this delicate balance that the atmosphere emerges.

Our artists are carefully sourced from the underground, chosen not for spectacle but for their ability to guide a room with patience, sensitivity, and depth. Together with the light operators, they create a singular experience where sound and light dissolve into one continuous narrative.

The founders of Upstairs Basement and prime selectors Dorothy Counts and Calcium Channel will be carrying the night musically together with IZZYA, a young underground talent from the heart of the scene and Dress who will be playing his first gig in Berlin. He recently released his first EP on Diffused Reality.

The exact location in Neukölln will be revealed on Telegram shortly before the event.

See you in the dark

Line-up: Dress, IZZYA, Calcium Channel

Arrangör: Upstairs Basement Berlin, SUBSTRATE