You may have heard the one about Deetron: He can take to the bathroom in the middle of a mix, go about his business, steer back through the crowd to the booth only to find the rotating discs in unaltered, perfect check. That's wildly exaggerated, of course, but it's a decent introduction anyway.

Without a doubt, Berne's Sam Geiser has skills. His 2008 offering for the Fuse mix series documents his energetic, dense and speedy mixing style—by default on three decks simultaneously. Deetron's expert sleight-of-hand owes to his early days as a hip-hop DJ: "At 15, scratching was the thing," he recalls. "But as soon as I started throwing Todd Terry records into my mixes, it became a whole different story. That stuff sounded so fresh, we didn't know what to call it then, it sounded like hip-hop, but different. Hip-hop with another beat."

Four-to-the-floor, indeed. It was the sound of Detroit that became the main well of inspiration, with anthems like E-Dancer's "Pump the Move" sparking the flame. In the late '90s, it was hard-edged loop techno, leading to releases on labels such as Carl Cox's Intec, Dave Angel's Rotation and Belgium's Music Man. The uncompromising 2003 banger "Don't You Know Why?" propelled him into the crates of his personal idols Jeff Mills and Robert Hood, while 2006 saw the arrival of Deetron's solo album, Twisted, in which he toned down the action for home-listening compatibility while staying faithful to his old-school flavoured aesthetic.

His muscular productions tend to unfold in a dramatic, suspense-laden rush. As a DJ, he's much the same way: "I want my sets to build and build and then break it down altogether. Even if that's risky. Honestly, I'm just bored of too many uniform, functional DJ sets." Does he hold any other ambitions as a record spinner? "Beat mixing remains a constant challenge, it's just what I love doing. A colleague recently asked me why I still bother to use the pitch faders. Well, that would be like asking a guitar player, 'Why are you still plucking the strings?' Beat mixing is one of the reasons I'm at this game. I guess the day I stop beat mixing, is the day I call it quits."

Floating Points - Vacuum Boogie [Eglo]

I heard Gilles Peterson play "Truly" on his radio show. That track is a beauty alright, but it's "Vacuum Boogie" that really does it for me on this EP. It must be because I'm really into bass, and this is a basslover's wet dream: The slowly filtered chords, the sparse percussion, the arpeggios and a to-die-for lead sound all building towards that pure sub bass heaven. I'll happily play it in full over and over again. Like the other night in Toulouse: hearing the bassline on a big system was even more of a treat!

Martyn - Seventy Four (Redshape remix) [3024]

Redshape and I have been exchanging our music ever since he dropped by Berne for a spontaneous visit a few years ago. This guy is behind one of the best live acts on the circuit, one of the few that actually deserve the term "live." He has a signature sound you never fail to detect. On this amazing remix for Martyn, it's there again, this darkly foreboding feel which is so typical for most of his dance floor-orientated tracks. The track is built around a duo of churning Detroitish chordlines and it has that breakdown with an organ fiesta: You can almost sense a hands-in-the-air moment there. Future rave music.

Wax - No. 20002 [Wax]

Now this is something of a rarity: Two tracks that embrace exactly what I'm looking for and that fit perfectly into my sets. The first WAX release was one of those records that would never leave my box, and with the second it will be no different. Pure, raw and energetic body music stripped down to the essentials for maximal effect. Very danceable and driving. The only trouble is that I'm having a hard time deciding which track to play. Oh well, I'll play both!

Shake - Breathe Deeper [Frictional]

Anthony Shakir is an artist who's been on my list ever since I discovered this gem. Even today, "Breathe Deeper" sounds incredibly modern. It's a really spacey affair with its billowing groove, hypnotic strings and synth arpeggios. Perhaps you remember the glorious days of the X-Mix series? This was one of the highlights on Mr. C's contribution. I have started playing it again lately, and to my surprise, it's gotten very enthusiastic reactions from the crowd.

Dennis Ferrer - Sinfonia Della Notte [Strictly Rhythm]

This is such a great tool to bring the house down. It felt right to include "Sinfonia Della Notte" in my selection, as I've been playing it constantly over the past months. It's quite simply constructed and the piano break might be a bit too obvious, but I love the way this track sits between the melodic and the kicking, and how it works well both in big and small rooms. There's quite a festive mood about it, created with impeccable style. Definitely one of my records of the year.

DJ Koze - Mrs. Bojangels [Circus Company]

I'm a big fan of Mr. Kosi's work, I admire his touch, this very personal, often freaky feel that make his productions stand out from the masses while still working on the floor. So, any news of an upcoming Koze release makes my blood run faster. Even greater was my anticipation when I heard that Circus Company was set to release "Mrs. Bojangles." Was I disappointed? Of course not! I had all but forgotten about cowbells since Kerri Chandler "Bar-a-Thym," and here they make a striking re-appearance. Hearing that breakdown for the first time was just awesome. Such a great mood shifter, it's the perfect track toward the end of my sets.

The Popular People's Front - Man Love [The Popular People's Front]

Well, this is sort of a secret weapon. People always ask me what track this is. The bassline has some kind of a "Love Boat" feel to it, while the siren sounds and the catchy vocal chants are extremely uplifting. A very potent DJ tool and—if used in the right place at the right time—a real crowd shaker. I'm actually a big disco fan, I love to spend hours in record shops in New York or in Shibuya when I get the chance to visit. I like to use them to shake things up and take the set into a different direction. Sometimes it can be a hit-and-miss thing but who ever said it's gonna be easy?

Rah Band - Messages from the Stars (Atjazz Remix) [CDR]

The original of this track by Rah Band was apparently a hit when it came out in the early '80s. I discovered it through this excellent remix by Atjazz. It's all about these swinging chords: deep but at the same time very driving. And they have these very unique and catchy female vocals from the original, which may be the reason this is another track which attracts the trainspotters. It's one of those tracks that keeps turning in your head after a long night in the club, and you catch yourself whistling the theme over and over. The perfect closing track to send people out in the morning with a good feeling.

Motor City Drum Ensemble - Satellites [Room with a View]

It's almost impossible to think of a set these days without at least one MCDE track. Be it one of his remixes or one of the beautifully crafted Raw Cuts. This one here is a contribution for the promising Room with a View imprint. I love the way MCDE's tracks effortlessly blur the lines between house and techno. And they sound totally up-to-date despite their old school rhythm workouts and vintage synth sounds. I particularly like the vocal samples in "Satellites." It has such an irresistible drive that should get everybody on the dance floor going.

Saag - Rose Rouge [Gamm]

Andreas told me about his version of "Rose Rouge" when we were having dinner in Gothenburg this summer. He played it later at the studio and I was totally blown away. It kicks off with the drum loop and vocal sample of the original, much in the vein of the Rhadoo version. Don't let that scare you off, though. Because after three minutes comes this incredibly euphoric piano riff which Andreas played and recorded on a real piano. The track spans over 12 minutes and never loses its touch for a single second. There's so much action and even though the track is at the relatively slow BPM rate of the original, it seems extremely fast-paced.