Function

Function (Dave Sumner) is a pivotal figure in the evolution of global techno, serving as a bridge between the raw intensity of the 1990s New York scene and the refined, atmospheric aesthetics of modern Berlin. His career began under the mentorship of Jeff Mills at the Limelight, leading to early releases on Synewave.

However, his most significant cultural impact came as a founding member of the Sandwell District collective alongside Regis and Silent Servant. This movement decentralized the artist ego and introduced a post-punk, industrial-influenced aesthetic to techno that remains influential today. Sumner's sound is characterized by high-production values, deep dub-inflections, and a mastery of tension and release. As an Ostgut Ton mainstay and Berghain resident, he represents the 'Berghain sound' in its most sophisticated form: dark, loop-based, and psychologically immersive. Critical consensus views him as a 'producer's producer,' respected for his technical precision and his role in Infrastructure New York, a label that has championed uncompromising electronic music for decades.