Having struck out from our shores to settle in Berlin, Emerson Todd is back on home soil for a working holiday. He’s just come off a mammoth weekend with Future Music Festival, warming things up in The Likes Of You tent and the techno sideshows. This Saturday, the DJ is jumping aboard the final Agwa Yacht Club for the season. Here’s a mix from his Berlin studio to set the mood, and a quick Q&A with Emerson.

So, you’re now settled in Berlin. How have you found the change of scenery to a new city?
I am totally in love with Berlin. It allows me to live a fantastic lifestyle and gives me the freedom to do a lot more than I could in any other city that I have lived in.

When you’re not working or partying, what else do you love to do in Berlin?
There are other things to do in Berlin beside work and party? I didn’t get the memo on that, damn! Honestly, I love going to art galleries or just hanging out at a nice cafe or restaurant with friends and watching the world go by, or just getting lost in the city exploring the streets.

You’ve just come off a massive weekend touring with Future Music Festival. What have been some of the highlights?
Wow, there were a lot of highlights. Playing before Hawtin on Friday was a lot of fun and ending the weekend playing after Dice was spot on too. I mean, it’s not often you have a weekend like that so it certainly made for a top time. It’s also great to just get your festival on and dig into the trenches with all the guys, powering on through the whole thing, day after day. Everyone on the tour is really nice and supportive so it was just great fun all-round.

What can you tell us about this mix? Is it a good snapshot of the kind of records you’re feeling at the moment?
Yeah it’s definitely a snapshot of what I play, but in saying that, I play so many different parties that require different sounds. It’s really a snapshot of me thinking about heading out of winter and into summer.

The mix includes lots of old records as well. I am lucky enough to have some great guys digitising my record collection. I started buying records around 1996 so there is a lot of different stuff and I am having a very romantic resurgence with all my old records that I haven’t been able to hear in a very long time. The mix was recorded in my studio in Berlin using Traktor Scratch Pro and my normal DJ set-up…hit ‘Record’ and off you go!

What’s one thing you love about playing on home soil, and what’s one thing you’d like to see improve in our clubs?
Having all my close friends there and being able to party with them is always a great thing. I miss it a lot and it’s nice to see their faces and shaking asses when I am working.

I would really like to see less fighting in the club scene here but I guess it’s hard as it’s so competitive – but really, can’t people just hug it out and work together for once?