Get ready for a steamy club workout, as Berlin-based favourite Zeynep shares an extract of her recent closing set at Prague’s iconic Harmony Rec party.
Rapidly becoming one of the most exciting artists in Berlin’s flourishing underground scene and beyond, Zeynep has been firmly on our radar for a hot minute. The Harmony Rec resident has been transporting dance-floors into synchronised eruption with her radiant blend of rolling baselines, deep percussive cuts and ecstasy-inducing house. After running into each other in Paris a while back, we stayed in touch and were excited to hear she was sitting on a dripping hot recording of her recent closing set at Harmony Rec.
After bumping into each other again at RSO the other weekend, we thought the time was ripe and connected to discuss resident proposals on the dance floor at Harmony Rec, the heartfelt passion of the dedicated crew behind the Prague-originating party series and her recent trip to Japan, among other things. Dive in below!
Hey Zeynep, it was a pleasure running into each other at RSO the other weekend! I enjoyed your 3 hour set a lot. Can you tell us a bit about the set you played there and that weekend in general? You told me it was a fun party weekend.
Hiii Joe : ) so fun bumping into you at RSO. Thank you for coming and your support! That was such a fun weekend; full of great friends and unforgettable moments.
I played the opening slot which I love because you can do whatever you want and let the vibe build on its own. You get to shape the atmosphere and build a story from scratch, with no rush, letting the energy evolve naturally. The room filled up faster than I expected so I had to snap out of my zombie mode (thanks to all the weekend shenanigans) and jump right in.
The night before was a whole scene on its own – we went to the legendary ‘Imaginary Friend’ party – a party by DJ Fart in the Club, Hardwerker, Ibu 600 and JM Moser. Big fun! On Sunday, we had a double celebration going: my friend Steph’s farewell as she moved back to Australia; plus saying goodbye to Katie and Daisy’s old apartment. It was a full-on emotional rollercoaster but in the best way <3
You shared an extract from your latest closing set at Harmony with us today as a contribution to our mix series. Pointing out Harmony as one of your favourite parties around, can you tell us a bit about what makes it so special, the crew behind it and your residency?
Harmony is one of those rare gems in the party scene that you just feel lucky to be a part of. My journey with the crew started back in April 2023, when they booked me for one of their iconic warehouse parties in Prague. The setup was insane – a literal boxing ring as the DJ booth, with people dancing both inside and outside the ring. The energy was unreal and I’ve never seen applause go on that long. The Harmony crew said it was the longest ovation they’d had, so I figured I must have done something right : P
They booked me again for a party at OXI in Berlin, and after the show, Tomas and Jan (two of the founders) approached me holding a flower, kneeling down in front of me and asking if I wanted to become their resident. I teared up on the spot and said yes. I was initially supposed to be with them for just six months, but here I am – still part of the family and I can’t imagine leaving.
So, what makes Harmony so special? Well, it’s not just about the music; it’s about the entire vibe created. Believe it or not but Prague still holds an underground scene which has this authentic, almost nostalgic feeling that reminds me of my first-ever rave 14 years ago. Harmony has been building this community for over a decade, and it’s one of the few places left where people come out to dance and support local talent, not just big headliners because Prague’s got this fierce loyalty to its own.
And behind the scenes? The Harmony crew is a dream team. Everyone has their own special role and we work together seamlessly without big debates. From scouting locations to setting up sound, lights and even renting toilets for those let’s say ‘rustic’ locations – every detail is considered with months of planning behind each warehouse party. We don’t do it for profit (we’re lucky when we break even); we do it purely for the love of it and for the community. But each year brings more challenges: fewer venues, rising costs and we’re not exactly getting younger – but we keep going because we believe in it. So yeah, Harmony isn’t just a party. It’s a passion project, a community, and for me, a chosen family.
Harmony’s 10 year anniversary party is coming up next year as well. What have been some of your personal favourite memories from that time and anything special you can share with us about the upcoming celebration?
We actually planned to celebrate Harmony’s 10-year anniversary this year, but finding a venue in Prague that truly fits our vision has been more challenging than expected. And since it’s the big 10, we’re not settling – we’re aiming to create something entirely new and unforgettable so we’ve decided to give ourselves a little extra time to make it perfect. It’s still in the planning phase so I can’t give too much away yet, but we want to take the usual Harmony magic to a whole new level; something completely groundbreaking.
As for my favourite memories, honestly, it’s every moment spent with the crew : ) they’re living proof that loyalty and trust are the secret ingredients to that ‘harmonious’ vibe we love. But if I had to pick a standout, it would be our collaboration with Roza Terenzi’s label, Step Ball Chain. We transformed a stadium into a full-on rave temple, and then, as if that wasn’t enough, we shifted the whole scene over to Planeta Za (younger sibling of Ankali) for an extended afterparty. It was just too good.
Aside from Harmony, I saw that you’re fresh from a cute Asia trip, playing Japan on three different occasions. How did all that go down, what did you do in your two weeks there and can you tell us a little about the Japanese club scene?
I was so happy to finally make it back to Japan after my little drama last year – broke my foot in Seoul just a day before I was supposed to head to Osaka! Thankfully, no mishaps this time. I spent two amazing weeks hopping around by train, soaking in both the cities and nature. I’ve been to Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Naoshima and Tokyo. Very grateful for the Japanese promoters who gave me a second chance after the whole foot fiasco; I played two incredible shows at Circus Osaka and Womb Tokyo. Before Japan, I squeezed in a few days in Taiwan, which was a total highlight. I played at Rabbithole, a small but vibrant club in Taipei with an amazing community.
As for the club scene, in some ways it’s different from Europe. The crowd is a mix of tourists and die-hard locals, and everyone is just so into the music. I feel like it’s a much quieter, more focused atmosphere. People really come to appreciate the sound on a deeper level. There’s a lot of respect for the music and the artists which is such a refreshing vibe. In Europe, the energy is more wild and free-spirited – people are about letting loose and socializing. Both scenes have their own magic and I love them both for different reasons!
Furthermore, what can you tell us about the extract of the set you shared with us and the evening it was recorded?
Actually it wasn’t in the evening; it was the closing starting at 11am : P ooopp! The atmosphere was insane. Playing after Prague legends Yan and Alfred Czital made my knees shake; I’m not gonna lie. Especially for my first solo Harmony closing. But once those curtains opened, and the sunlight started pouring in, casting beams across the floor, I felt a wave of euphoria hit me and everything just clicked.
As for the extract, it’s a bit of a curveball compared to my usual house vibes. I decided to dip into a darker side of me, still full of percussion, hip-driven sounds and sexy basslines. It felt perfect for the jungle-themed stage we had going on. I decided to dedicate the name of this mix to this special occasion; calling it ’Prague Special’ (IYKYK).
What else are you looking forward to these coming months?
A busy December and more sickening Harmony partys! We have a very special collaboration planned in London in April : )