Anna Z + J. Manuel
ANNA Z is an interdisciplinary artist with roots in architecture and coding-based visual art. Driven by a deep love for hardware, especially modular synthesizers, she has woven her presence as Live-Performer and DJ into renowned clubs and events, including Tresor, Blitz, Berghain, Bassiani, Fuse, La Gaîté Lyrique and others. Her bold and distinctive performances, bursting with imaginative sound design experiments, have become a defining feature of her influence within the dynamic musical landscape.
Since 2021 ANNA Z has hosted her own radio show KOMI on Radio80k, a noncommercial community radio in Germany. KOMI believes in the spirit of the forest and nature, free and independent like a Nordic wind, and is open to all kinds of electronic and contemporary music.
Anna’s artistic practice emerges from a wide range of experiments, including programming, hardware, including drawing and mixed media art — always with music at the center.
Her sound blends IDM-inspired textures, dubstep-influenced bass pressure, deep techno and electro rhythms, mostly focused on hardware.
Anna also shares her knowledge through workshops on modular synthesis, live performance, and visual art, opening up spaces for learning and artistic exchange. ANNA Z is a member of the Spandau20 family, a record label based in Berlin, Germany.
Photo credit: Fabiana Amato
Johannes Wagner, aka J.Manuel, is a Berlin-based producer and sound engineer, and a founding member of Spandau20. With a background in architecture and art, he has made a name for himself as a solo artist — releasing remixes for Modeselektor and Flohio, while continuing to collaborate closely with FJAAK, Tobi Neumann, and Apollo Studio Berlin.
His live performances, often alongside ANNA Z, revolve around modular synthesizers and the exploration of raw, analogue sound. These cutting-edge, hardware-based performances have been presented at venues such as Bassiani,Fabric London, Fuse, Säule at Berghain, Tresor, La Gaîté Lyrique and many more.
As a producer and engineer, J.Manuel has worked on countless projects, including close collaboration with Modeselektor on the latest Classics Vol.1, as well as with Ellen Allien. He has also contributed to projects by Parcels, ANYMA, Deaton Chris Anthony, Carl Gari, and Abdullah Miniawy, in addition to film scores and ARD television series.
Photo credit: Ronja Kappl