Motel, hidden away in the depths of South Melbourne, is known for being one of the city’s homes of house music. But on Friday 9 November, for one night only, house music was tossed aside and forgotten, and techno reigned supreme thanks to Berlin’s Ben Klock.

With his releases on bpitch control, its sub label memo and ostgut-ton, plus his own successful label, Klockworks, Ben Klock has established himself within the scene not only in Germany, but across the globe. His sound is one that goes well beyond ‘deep’. He creates an atmosphere based on this profoundly deep sound, a sound that accumulates over time into something euphoric and that touches you within your inner core.

With an air of class and professionalism, Ben Klock approached the decks, cool, calm and comfortable. As he started to lay the foundations for his five hour set, the small crowd didn’t seem to deter him, as they eagerly pushed him on. Although I was unable to stay for the entire set, what I did see covered dry and hearty minimal beats to Detroit techno, to techno of now. Driving beats, progressing forward in a relentless manner, driving the crowd on, making them cheer for more.

Naturally he played some of his own tracks such as Earthquake, Klockworks number 2 and Czeslawa, all to a roaring reception. It was obvious that there were some fans in the crowd! He also covered old school techno territory, with tracks from legends such as Richie Hawtin and Jeff Mills just to name a few. He even threw in *Daniel Bell’*s Lady Judy. Not afraid to experiment though, Ben gave us a taste of what his night back in Berlin would be like to attend, the night at the legendary club Berghain, where he has since been a regular DJ and finds the freedom to go for more rougher, harsher sounds.

The night was clear and cool, and Motel’s fantastic open terrace was a magic spot to be. With the realisation that summer was well on its way, the crowd seemed happy and keen to enjoy the night. Lucky for them, they had a wicked DJ leading their night and certain to make it a success. It was a real shame to see so few people there for such a great DJ, and I can only hope that Ben comes back again to a larger crowd.

It’s no secret anymore that Berlin has become the centre of the electronic music scene worldwide, and with DJs like Ben Klock spreading this word, it can only get bigger.