Club Night: DJ HELL  PLAYLOVE

CLUB NIGHT: DJ HELL | PLAYLOVE

FRIDAY, 27.11.2026 | FROM 22:00

A true pioneer of electronic music returns to Zurich. This Friday, Palais Mascotte welcomes the legendary DJ HELL, one of the most influential figures in the history of house, techno and electroclash. With almost five decades behind the decks and 30 years of his iconic International Deejay Gigolo Records, DJ HELL represents an extraordinary chapter of club culture. Joining him is Zurich's own PLAYLOVE, a respected selector and driving force in the Swiss electronic music scene.

DJ HELL

Helmut Josef Geier, better known as DJ HELL, is a true pioneer of electronic dance music. Since beginning his DJ career in 1978, the German producer, label founder and visionary has helped shape the evolution of house, techno and electroclash, influencing generations of DJs, producers and clubbers around the world.

Growing up in Bavaria and emerging from Munich's underground music scene, Hell was among the first German DJs to introduce house music to European dancefloors during the 1980s. His early sets combined New Wave, punk, EBM, disco, electro and hip-hop, long before these musical worlds became closely connected. In 1987, he organised one of Munich's first acid house parties, helping establish the foundations of a movement that would transform European nightlife.

During the 1990s, Hell became a central figure in Germany's emerging techno culture, holding influential residencies at legendary clubs including Tresor and E-Werk in Berlin, Ultraschall in Munich and New York's Limelight, where he shared the decks with Detroit techno pioneer Jeff Mills.

His breakthrough production My Definition of House Music, released on R&S Records in 1992, became an underground classic and established him as one of the defining artists of early European house and techno.

In 1996, DJ HELL founded International Deejay Gigolo Records, one of the most influential electronic music labels of its generation. More than a record label, Gigolo became an entire cultural movement, bringing together electronic music, fashion, visual art and provocative aesthetics. Through releases by artists such as Miss Kittin & The Hacker, Fischerspooner, Jeff Mills, Vitalic, Tiga and Dopplereffekt, the label helped define the unmistakable sound and attitude of the electroclash era.

His groundbreaking albums Munich Machine (1998), NY Muscle (2003), Teufelswerk (2009) and Zukunftsmusik (2017) demonstrate his ability to move between musical styles while continuously reinventing his artistic identity. Throughout his career, he has also collaborated with remarkable figures from music and art, including Bryan Ferry, Alan Vega, James Murphy and Jonathan Meese.

In 2026, International Deejay Gigolo Records celebrates its 30th anniversary, marking three decades of uncompromising musical innovation, underground culture and artistic freedom.

Known for his fearless approach to DJing, DJ HELL's sets are unpredictable journeys through electronic music history and its future. From hypnotic techno and raw electro to acid house, dark disco and driving club rhythms, his musical selections combine decades of experience with an instinctive understanding of the dancefloor.

A living legend whose influence reaches far beyond electronic music, DJ HELL brings a piece of clubbing history to Palais Mascotte.

PLAYLOVE

Born in Vienna and based in Zurich, Nathalie Brunner, better known as PLAYLOVE, has been a distinctive presence in European electronic music and club culture since 1999. With more than 25 years of experience behind the decks, she has established herself as a respected DJ, cultural activist and passionate advocate for independent nightlife.

Her musical journey began in Vienna's underground techno scene before taking her through Munich and Berlin to Zurich. During her years in Munich, she became a resident at the legendary Rote Sonne, one of the city's most respected underground electronic music venues.

PLAYLOVE's sound is characterised by an unmistakable blend of trippy techno, raw and dirty house, deep Detroit influences and hypnotic acid grooves. Her sets are energetic, unpredictable and full of character, combining driving rhythms with psychedelic textures, powerful basslines and unexpected musical discoveries.

Rather than following trends, PLAYLOVE has developed a deeply personal approach to DJing, shaped by decades of collecting music, exploring underground scenes and experiencing dancefloors across Europe. Her selections move effortlessly between deep, atmospheric moments and intense, groove-driven club energy.

Beyond the DJ booth, PLAYLOVE has played an important role in shaping Switzerland's independent cultural landscape. In 2013, she co-founded Les Belles de Nuit, an influential Zurich-based association dedicated to increasing the visibility, representation and opportunities of women, queer people and other underrepresented communities in electronic music.

Her commitment to club culture also extends into cultural management and advocacy. Having worked with institutions including Zurich's Kosmos and Lucerne's Neubad, she has helped create spaces for independent music, artistic experimentation and inclusive nightlife.

For PLAYLOVE, electronic music is more than entertainment. It is about community, freedom, cultural exchange and the unique connections that happen on a dancefloor.

With her unmistakable sound and decades of experience, she is the perfect addition to a night celebrating the history, spirit and future of underground club culture.

Two artists, two remarkable musical journeys and one shared passion for the dancefloor. From the pioneering sounds of European techno to the raw energy of underground house and electro, this CLUB NIGHT brings together decades of musical history and uncompromising club culture.

Join us at Palais Mascotte for a night dedicated to the music, the people and the moments that make club culture unforgettable.