By Azzam Bilal 
HangupsMusic.com – Berlin, The global hard techno landscape continues its relentless expansion, fueled by a new generation of producers who are blurring the lines between traditional underground aesthetics and contemporary urban influences. At the epicenter of this movement is HEKATE, the powerhouse label helmed by the "High Priestess of Hard Techno," Sara Landry. The label’s latest offering, "Durchgemacht," comes from the formidable Berlin-based DJ and producer CALLUSH, marking a significant moment in the evolution of the label’s discography and the artist’s own meteoric rise within the European circuit.
The release of "Durchgemacht" is not merely another addition to the release schedule; it is a conceptual homage to the gritty, sleepless nights of the German capital. CALLUSH, who has become a staple in the high-BPM scene, describes the track as a "love letter" to the Berlin club scene—a world she inhabits both as a performer and a devotee. By weaving the aggressive cadence of German rap into the framework of hard techno, CALLUSH has tapped into a burgeoning sub-genre that prioritizes vocal character and rhythmic complexity alongside the traditional four-to-the-floor assault.
This latest single marks CALLUSH’s anticipated return to HEKATE, following the success of her May release, "Delicious." While her previous work established her as a producer capable of balancing industrial textures with dancefloor accessibility, "Durchgemacht" pushes her artistic boundaries further. The track’s title, which translates roughly to "staying up all night" or "going through it," perfectly encapsulates the marathon nature of Berlin’s nightlife. CALLUSH noted that her intention was to challenge her own creative process by writing lyrics that mirrored her artistic identity, ensuring that the "fun and chaotic energy" of a peak-time warehouse set was captured within the digital grooves of the recording.
The infusion of rap into techno is a stylistic choice that reflects the current cultural zeitgeist in Germany. For years, the hip-hop and electronic music scenes in Berlin existed in parallel, occasionally crossing over in the outer fringes of the underground. However, the recent "hard dance" revolution has seen these worlds collide with increasing frequency. CALLUSH’s decision to include German rap influences is a nod to the street culture that informs the city’s identity. It provides a narrative hook for listeners, transforming a high-energy tool into a storytelling medium. The result is a track that feels intensely personal yet remains functional for the darkest, most sweat-soaked dancefloors.
The timing of this release is particularly poignant given the current trajectory of HEKATE’s founder. Sara Landry has spent 2024 solidifying her position as one of the most influential figures in modern electronic music. Recently crowned the World’s No. 1 Hard DJ in the prestigious DJ Mag Top 100 DJs poll for 2025, Landry has transcended the niche boundaries of techno to become a global phenomenon. Her label, HEKATE, has become a beacon for "hard and fast" enthusiasts, acting as a platform for artists who share her vision of high-intensity, spiritually-charged dance music.
"Durchgemacht" arrives just as the community prepares for Landry’s own monumental milestone: the release of her upcoming album, Divine Intervention. Scheduled for arrival on October 16th, the album is the spiritual successor to her 2024 debut LP, Spiritual Driveby. The rollout for Divine Intervention has been a masterclass in brand building and musical consistency. Landry has already teased the project with several high-profile singles, including the UK hard-techno collaboration "Angel Dust" featuring Alex Farell, the high-octane "Shake That," and the more recent "Interesting."
The synergy between CALLUSH and Landry is indicative of a broader shift in the industry toward female-led dominance in the harder styles. Both artists have cultivated fanbases that are as much about the community and the "cult-like" atmosphere of the shows as they are about the music itself. Landry’s "High Priestess" persona has created a visual and thematic framework that HEKATE releases often inhabit—one of ritual, intensity, and transcendence. CALLUSH fits perfectly into this aesthetic, bringing a raw, Berlin-bred authenticity that complements Landry’s more polished, occult-inspired branding.
Beyond the studio, the impact of the HEKATE collective is being felt on the world’s biggest stages. The recent B2B set between Sara Landry and Amelie Lens at the Magazine Open-Air in London served as a symbolic passing of the torch and a union of two of the genre’s most powerful forces. This performance, the first of its kind in the UK, signaled that hard techno is no longer a side-room attraction but a mainstage powerhouse. The energy of that set, characterized by relentless speed and uncompromising industrial sounds, is the exact environment where CALLUSH’s "Durchgemacht" is designed to thrive.
Furthermore, Landry’s recent foray into the world of K-pop, through her remix of LE SSERAFIM’s "Celebration," demonstrates the expanding reach of the HEKATE sound. By bringing hard techno to the masses through high-profile collaborations and remixes, Landry is opening doors for artists like CALLUSH to reach audiences that were previously unreachable for underground techno producers. This cross-pollination of genres ensures that the sound remains fresh and continues to evolve, rather than stagnating in the tropes of the past.
For CALLUSH, "Durchgemacht" represents a maturation of her sound. The Berlin-based artist has spent years honing her craft in the city’s most demanding booths, learning how to read a crowd and when to push the sonic envelope. Her ability to integrate her own lyrical content into a genre often devoid of traditional songwriting is a testament to her versatility. The track’s success on streaming platforms like Apple Music and its immediate adoption by touring DJs suggest that the "rap-techno" hybrid is more than just a passing trend—it is a reflection of how modern listeners consume music, unburdened by the genre silos of previous generations.
As we look toward the final quarter of the year, the momentum behind HEKATE shows no signs of waning. With the release of Divine Intervention on the horizon, the label is set to dominate the conversation in the electronic music world. The inclusion of artists like CALLUSH in this journey ensures that the label remains grounded in the authentic club culture that birthed the movement. "Durchgemacht" is a celebration of that culture—a tribute to the producers, the rappers, and the clubbers who keep the spirit of Berlin alive long after the sun has risen.
In a landscape often criticized for being overly formulaic, CALLUSH has delivered a track that feels genuinely innovative. By looking inward at her own influences and outward at the city that surrounds her, she has created a piece of music that is both a functional tool for the DJ and a vibrant expression of identity. As HEKATE continues to redefine what it means to be a "hard" label in the 21st century, releases like "Durchgemacht" serve as the building blocks of a new era—one where the energy is chaotic, the rap is German, and the music never stops.
The broader implications for the techno scene are clear: the boundaries are falling. The success of Sara Landry’s HEKATE and the rising profile of CALLUSH suggest that the future of the genre lies in its ability to absorb and reinterpret influences from across the musical spectrum. Whether it is the rhythmic complexity of hip-hop or the polished production of pop, hard techno is proving to be a remarkably resilient and adaptable vessel. As "Durchgemacht" echoes through the warehouses of Berlin and the festival stages of the world, it carries with it the message that the underground is no longer a place of exclusion, but a space for radical, high-speed experimentation.
