Moritz von Oswald is arguably among the most influential figures in modern electronic music. One of the foundational characters in the dub techno cosmos, von Oswald’s work, both as solo artist and in collaborations like Basic Channel and Maurizio, has continually pushed the sound of techno in ever deeper and more organic sonic territory. Based out of Berlin, his influence long rippled far beyond the city walls, resonating with a broad audience worldwide. Prior to his performance at Dekmantel 2025 we asked the people in our office what their favourite Moritz von Oswald productions are.

This story has long been elevated to an electronic music myth, not least because of the quiet mystique that surrounds his body of work. A classically trained percussionist, von Oswald's artistic trajectory took a radical turn after 1989, when he immersed himself in Berlin’s emerging underground. His story is inextricably linked with that of Mark Ernestus, founder of Hard Wax, with whom he started legendary groups Basic Channel, Rhythm & Sound, Maurizio, and Quadrant.

With Basic Channel, von Oswald and Ernestus pioneered a deep, minimal strain of techno that fused the mechanized pulse of Detroit techno with the reverberative sound of Jamaican dub. The Basic Channel project became the de facto start of the ‘dub techno’ genre. As Rhythm & Sound, the duo leaned even further into dub and reggae traditions, working with vocalists like Paul St. Hilaire to create swelling grooves that redefined the principles of the genre to a new generation of musicians.

As producer, performer, or engineer, von Oswald's legacy remains that of a quiet revolutionary. Throughout his career he has collaborated with musicians and composers like Juan Atkins, Carl Craig, Max Loderbauer and Vladislav Delay and further blurred the lines between instrumental music, techno, jazz, and experimental electronics.

His latest project, Silencio, explores the differences and commonalities between human and artificial sound, between the organic oscillations of vocal cords and the electronic voices of synthesizers, between breath and voltage, voice and speaker. Together with the Berlin-based Vocalconsort vocal ensemble, von Oswald bought this sonic meditation to life. On the 31st of July, he will present Silencio live in Amsterdam’s spectacular 13th-century Oude Kerk as Dekmantel’s opening concert—a Dutch exclusive show.

On July 30th, Moritz von Oswald will open Dekmantel Festival 2025 with a special performance of his recent 'Silencio' project in Amsterdam's oldest building, the Oude Kerk. In anticipation of his show, we asked around at the office to find out what the Dekmantel Team’s favourite Moritz von Oswald tracks are. Here are their answers:

Casper - Founder:

Maurizio - M5/M6

"Basic Channel and Maurizio were cornerstones of the sound that shaped us, and so many of the M-Series became foundational to the Dekmantel sound. But if I had to choose, M5 and M6 stand out—tracks you can listen to, and mix (which we did), for hours, preferably on a third deck. It takes a true genius to invent and produce loopy music like this—so influential to producers and DJs then, and still is."

Albert - Creative Director & Scenography:

Basic Channel - Imprint

"Imprint to me is the perfect opening track to a grimey club night. It's the strongest tune from the complete catalogue, perhaps the complete 'dubtechno' genre. A track where everything yet nothing changes, it shows time might be an illusion, a repetition of (the) now."

Linda - Content & Community Manager

Rhythm & Sound - Queen In My Empire

"My favorite tune by Rhythm & Sound is Queen In My Empire. This monumental track was the gateway for dub tech for me. Its oozing pulses and Jennifer Lara's hypnotising vocals give it a poignant yet serene sound."

Olf - A&R:

Basic Channel - Phylyps Trak II/II

"It's impossible to pick one favourite Moritz Von Oswald track. He worked on so many legendary projects. I love all the projects he released with Juan Atkins, from the 3MB to the more recent Borderland stuff, and everything he produced together with Mark Ernestus. The first time I saw him live was at Dekmantel when he performed and I had to open the stage. I remember how extremely nervous I was to meet him.

If I have to pick one track, then it's probably Phylyps Trak II/II, not because it's any better than the others — everything is at an exceptional level — but because I have the most memories attached to this track. We used to play it over and over again, and I still play it out today."

Brendan - Creative Content Lead:

Moritz Von Oswald Trio - Dark (Honest Jons)

"For me this is one of those tracks that ticks most of the boxes of what I enjoy in electronic music. It's mesmerising, dubby, features beautiful sound design, and—above all—is an engaging listen from start to finish. It draws you in and doesn’t let go, and after seven minutes, you realise you’re ready for another round. A true masterpiece."

Finn - Communications Intern:

Basic Channel - Q1.2

"My pick is ‘Q1.2’ from the first Basic Channel compilation. Classic BC dubbings that slowly intensify and warp away over a five minute loop. Layered with a beat track this can be turned into an evil club tool.

When I first discovered Basic Channel, it was like watching '2001: A Space Odyssey' for the first time – realizing that almost everything you had heard or seen was influenced by this singular body of work."

David - Head of creative:

Basic Channel - Phylyps Trak

"Up until this day Moritz is still up there, with all the projects he has been involved in from his recent project Silencio to the legendary Basic Channel. I saw a comment on Moritz and Ernestus sharing the line up this year that this would be the closest we would get to Basic Channel. This track is so good, still, that I am not sure if we will ever peak this hard again on dub techno."

Marco - Communications Manager:

Maurizio - Domina (Maurizio Mix)

"Whenever I think of Moritz von Oswald, this track starts playing in my head. It was my gateway into Basic Channel, Maurizio, and dub techno as a whole. Fifteen years later, I still love it—a track and groove I’ll simply never get bored of. If I hear a DJ play it in a late-morning set somewhere, I can go home in peace."

Words by Finn Pietrass