Ellen Allien witnessed it all. Returning from London, the German native experienced the fall of the Berlin Wall and then all that came after—first working behind the bar and at the decks at Fischlabor Club, then becoming a resident DJ at the Bunker, Tresor, and E-Werk around 1992. She also launched her own radio show on Kiss FM entitled Braincandy and then began organizing parties with the name Pitch Control—all before starting the BPitch Control label in 1999.

She remains an enduring symbol of Berlin’s electronic music scene and maintains a tremendously busy touring schedule; while her releases are showing few signs of slowing down. But today, as part of our Hi-Five series, she looks back at those reunification years in the German capital to pick out five tracks that remind her of those experiences at the legendary Tresor club.

3phase feat. Dr. Motte “Klang der Familie” [Tresor / Transmat; 1992]

This is one of the biggest Berlin hits from the early rave days and it was the ultimate hymn of Tresor and Globus! It has been played a million times, and I’m still getting goosebumps when someone drops it.

If you see one of the documentaries that came up in the last years about the early years, you can be sure this track will be featured. And the title says it all: “The sound of the family.”

Joey Beltram “Energy Flash” [Transmat; 1992] 

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The bomb forever, I still play it and can’t stop listening to this track!

Tresor was the first and only club that created the Berlin/Detroit axis. They flew in all the guys and made it possible for us to see our new heroes live.

Joey Beltram was always a wonderful experience to hear at Tresor. He’s still playing there from time to time; if you can you should definitely try to experience a set from him there.

Blake Baxter “One More Time” [Logic Records; 1992]

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Blake Baxter did many shows at Tresor/ Globus and played all these sexy tunes that made us freak out.

Ellen Allien “Get The Groove Goin” [Championsound; 1995]

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My first EP and I played it up and down, almost every Sunday when we did the after-hour at Globus! We had this Sunday there for a few years. Me and Tanith. We called it “Club The Rest” and it went until Monday morning for everybody who just didn’t want to go home those days. We were all young and the scene was new and in the beginning, so of course, nobody wanted to stop. We’ve spent so many hours in clubs! And we had wonderful times there.

To do this Sunday to Monday party with Tanith was just amazing because he gave me total freedom to do what I wanted to do. He never tried to influence me or anything; we just shared the night and played hour by hour.

We’ve started doing “Club The Rest” again a few times a year now. And every time there are many faces from the early days mixed with the clubbers from today.

Jeff Mills “Phase 4” [Tresor; 1992]

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Jefffffff—the King of Tresor! I mean, we all know him and he’s definitely the artist that has the strongest connection to Tresor, for me. Maybe because of all the records he did on the label, but also all the gigs he did there.

I’ll never forget how magical it was to see him playing the first time. So fast and concentrated. I didn’t even know where to look. He’s a very special being—a real wizard.

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Ellen Allien will be performing tonight at the Tresor / BPitch night in Amsterdam alongside DJ Stingray, K-Hand, Objekt, and more. More information here.