Len Faki
From Stuttgart’s 90s techno scene to the Berghain booth: the labels, the records and the residency of one of techno’s heavy hitters.
- German DJ and producer born Levent Faki, of Turkish descent, also known as La Monde.
- Resident DJ at Berghain, Berlin.
- Founder of the labels Figure (2003) and Podium (2006); breakthrough in 2007 with “Mekong Delta”.
Some DJs build a career on one big record. Len Faki built his on labels, residencies and a steady stream of hard, functional techno. Two decades after leaving Stuttgart for Berlin, he is still one of the names that defines the Berghain sound.
Stuttgart beginnings
Faki grew up in the Esslingen district near Stuttgart and started out as DJ La Monde in the city’s techno scene. His first productions, in the mid-1990s, came under the Lexicon project on the house label Plastic City. In 1997 he launched his own label, Monoid, followed by Feis in 1999, releasing artists such as Uroš Umek, John Selway and The Hacker. His debut album, Music for Some Place Other Than This, came out in 2001.
Berlin, Figure and Podium
In 2002 Faki moved to Berlin. A year later he founded Figure, later joined by the sub-label Figure Jams, and in 2006 he started Podium for EPs. Figure became his main outlet, including the LF & JH series and collaborations such as the Skulls EP with Markus Suckut.
The breakthrough and the residency
The turning point came in 2007 with “Mekong Delta” and “My Black Sheep”. “Rainbow Delta” / “Mekong Delta” appeared on Ostgut Ton, the label of Berghain, where Faki holds a residency alongside DJs such as Marcel Dettmann. In 2009 he mixed Berghain 03 for the club’s official CD series, followed by the Basement Trax releases.
What his records are made for
Faki’s productions are built for big rooms: driving drums, hypnotic loops, very little decoration. They are tools in the best sense — tracks that hold a floor for ten minutes and leave space for the next one. If that is your side of techno, keep digging with Marcel Dettmann and Fumiya Tanaka.
FAQ
Who is Len Faki?
Len Faki (Levent Faki) is a German techno DJ and producer of Turkish descent, resident DJ at Berghain in Berlin.
Which labels does Len Faki run?
He founded Figure in 2003 and Podium in 2006, after starting Monoid (1997) and Feis (1999) in Stuttgart.
What are Len Faki’s best-known tracks?
“Mekong Delta” and “My Black Sheep”, both from 2007, made his name. His Berghain 03 mix came out on Ostgut Ton in 2009.
