IRON CURTIS

  • Labels Rawax
  • Based Berlin, Germany
  • Links Facebook SoundCloud Instagram Resident Advisor Discogs

Johannes Paluka considers himself a DJ first and foremost, and that is more than just a bullet point on a CV that also credits him as a prolific producer, musician, and remixer. Whether in the studio or behind the decks, the Berlin-based »interuniversal« artist most commonly known as Iron Curtis meanders along the margins of different genres, combining discrete elements while switching up things wholesale with the sort of proactive curiosity that is at the heart of DJing. His various activities follow a »what if … ?« approach: What if we blend these two tracks and let the results mutate further, what if we enrich house music with elements of genre X, what if we eschew the tried and tested methods and take a different path for once—if only for the fun of it?

Since his debut as a producer in 2008, Paluka has explored different genres and unexpected combinations thereof. His own productions, countless remixes, and collaborations such as his on-going series of full-length releases with long-term friend and musical partner Johannes Albert have consistently strayed away from and circled back to the house music sound that is so integral to his own. His 2018 sophomore solo album »Upstream Color« for Tamed Musiq has shown just how far his exploratory drive can lead him if he leans into it: Combining his sensibility for the deepest and dustiest of grooves with a penchant for sonic experimentation, the album reflected the breadth of his interests and qualities as a producer with a hazy shimmer.

Over the years, Paluka has in this way amassed a broad discography stylistically ranging from leftfield experiments to broken beats and of course dancefloor-ready house music. Besides his collaborative albums with Albert on Frank Music and a slew of releases by the now-defunct acid/electro duo Achterbahn d’Amour, his discography includes numerous EPs and LPs under the name Iron Curtis as well as various (occasionally anonymous) aliases. He has regularly worked with labels such as Rawax and its Chiwax sublabel, Hudd Traxx, and Permanent Vacation while also making guest appearances on Running Back, Smallville, and Delusions of Grandeur and further underlining his stylistic flexibility through his tireless work as a remixer.

Paluka’s work at a music tech company leaves him little time to tour extensively but that does not at all deter him from playing at select international events. He feels most at home in front of crowds who enjoy the pure teachings of the house music gospel just as much as forward-thinking stylistic syncretism. His recent evolution can be traced through the numerous online mixes he has recorded and especially the various sets he has played at HÖR, during which his love for adventurous electronica shines through just as much as his affinity for techno and other styles. Across all of his activities, Paluka always prioritises the element of surprise over fidelity to a single style, meaning that he combines things while switching them up. He is, after all, first and foremost a DJ: proactively curious—always asking » What if … ?

31 Jan Stromboli, Hall in Tirol
12 Jan Kater Blau, Berlin

2024

21 Dec MiniMuzikhol, Istanbul
20 Dec Renate, Berlin
28 Nov Watergate, Berlin
17 Nov Sisyphos, Berlin
25 Oct Minus Eden, Skopje
25 Sep Virage, Paris
07 Sep Dornheim, Würzburg
06 Sep K4, Nürnberg
31 Aug ://about blank, Berlin
30 Aug Goldener Reiter, Munich
17 Aug Disco Zwei, Mannheim
10 Aug Heideglühen, Berlin
04 Aug Sisyphos, Berlin
03 Aug Renate, Berlin
11 Jul Golden Pudel, Hamburg
10 Jul Komun, Istanbul
07 Jul Datsche, Magdeburg
16 Jun Panorama Bar, Berlin
25 May Schlegel, Bochum
17 May Renate, Berlin
01 May Sisyphos, Berlin
27 Apr ://about blank, Berlin
20 Apr Folklore, Lausanne
19 Apr Disco2, Mennheim
18 Apr Zukunft, Zurich
15 Mar House of Underground at Club M01, Berlin
17 Feb Paloma, Berlin
06 Jan Open Ground, Wuppertal

2023

31 Dec ://anout blank, Berlin
24 Dec Z-Bau, Nürnberg
17 Dec Rawax at Hoppetosse, Berlin
17 Dec Mensch Meie, Berlin
10 Nov Silbergold, Frankfurt
23 Oct Sisyphos, Berlin
01 Sep Paloma, Berlin
25 Aug Heideglühen, Berlin
19 Aug ://about blank, Berlin
03 Aug Watergate, Berlin
23 Jul Sisyphus, Berlin
14 Jul Klein Garten, Istanbul
02 Jul Fusion, Larz
30 Jun Nationaltheater, Mannheim
16 Jun Renate, Berlin
17 May Pulsår, Nürnberg
12 May Interlude, Bremen
06 May Paloma, Berlin
04 May Club Der Visionäre, Berlin
01 May ELSE, Berlin
30 Apr Sisyphos, Berlin
22 Apr Kunstkantine, Magdeburg
21 Apr Disco Zwei, Mannheim
26 Mar Watergate, Berlin
19 Mar Mensch Meier, Berlin
26 Feb Hoppetosse, Berlin
03 Feb EL SÓTANO,Madrid
21 Jan Silbergold, Frankfurt
14 Jan Sweat Lodge XVI at ://about blank, Berlin
07 Jan Spinnerei, Leipzig

2022

16 Dec Paloma, Berlin
04 Dec Mensch Meier, Berlin
12 Nov Schlegel Kulturclub, Bochum
05 Nov Dornheim, Würzburg
29 Oct STEREO621, Mannheim
28 Oct Rawax at Renate, Berlin
21 Oct BulBul, Berlin
27 Aug Frappant, Hamburg
06 Aug Yes Basement, Manchester
24 Jul DAS FEST, Karlsruhe
15 Jul Zukunft, Zurich
13 Jul Club der Visionaere, Berlin
09 Jul About Blank, Berlin
29 Jun Fusion, Larz
24 Jun K4/Kantine, Nürnberg
18 Jun Anomalie, Berlin
04 Jun Tresor, Berlin
03 Jun Climax Institutes, Stuttgart
27 May Paloma, Berlin
26 May CDV, Berlin
13 May Renate, Berlin
06 May Paloma, Berlin
29 Apr Heideglühen, Berlin
23 Apr ://about blank, Berlin
18 Apr singularity x rawax, Berlin

2021
17 Dec Paloma, Berlin
26 Nov Luna, Kiel
05 Nov About Blank, Berlin
16 Oct DiscoZwei Open Air, Mannheim
09 Oct Renate, Berlin
04 Sep Renate, Berlin
28 Jul Club der Visionäre, Berlin

2020
12 Jul About Blank, Berlin
08 Feb Paloma, Berlin
31 Jan Mirage, Cologne
25 Jan Port, Odessa
18 Jan About Blank, Berlin
11 Jan Paloma, Berlin

2019
30 Dec Chaos Computer Club, Leipzig
28 Dec Tresor, Berlin
14 Dec Zur Klappe, Berlin
30 Nov Kantine, Konstanz
09 Nov Boiler Room, Plymouth
02 Nov diskothek melancholie 2, Berlin
26 Oct Zur Klappe, Berlin
25 Oct Elipamanoke, Leipzig
19 Oct Atelier Schinkel, Amsterdam4
12 Oct Kat La Kat, Pretoria
10 Oct Coquette at Kitcheners, Johannesburg
06 Oct Smalltown Beat, Stanford
02 Oct About Blank, Berlin
21 Sep Heal Yourself and Move at Paloma, Berlin
30 Aug About Blank, Berlin
01 Aug Garbicz Festival, Garbicz
31 Jul Tresor, Berlin
06 Jul H_Ausgang at El Coq, Bogota
01 Jul Dublab, Los Angeles
30 Jun The Lot Radio, NYC
29 Jun Public Records, Brooklyn
28 Jun LOW, Los Angeles
07 Jun Die Rakete, Nürnberg
27 May Hallo Montag at IPSE, Berlin
17 May Zur Klappe, Berlin
11 May Wilden Renate, Berlin
04 May Frappant, Hamburg
27 Apr Wendelpfad, Lüdenscheid
20 Apr Bellona Club, Lyon
13 Apr Farbfernseher, Berlin
29 Mar Paloma, Berlin
24 Mar Heideglühen, Berlin
23 Mar Wilden Renate, Berlin
16 Mar OffYard Club, Frankfurt
02 Mar Down by the Lake, Freiburg
01 Mar MS Zufriedenheit, Würzburg
19 Jan About Blank, Berlin
11 Jan Golden Pudel, Hamburg

2018

30 Dec Suicide Circus, Berlin
29 Dec Kicker Keller, Erfurt
15 Dec Schumacher Club, Bochum
22 Dec Musikverein, Nürnberg
21 Dec Wilden Renate, Berlin
24 Nov Zur Kalppe, Berlin
10 Nov Objekt Klein, Dresden
03 Nov MS. Zufriendheit, Würzburg
26 Oct Breakfast Club, Tel Aviv
20 Oct Beton Brut, Seoul
19 Oct Social Room, Hong Kong
13 Oct IFZ, Leipzig
05 Oct About Blank, Berlin
29 Sep Folklor, Lausanne
27 Sep Zukunft, Zurich
22 Sep TBA, Nürnberg
16 Sep Wilden Renate, Berlin
15 Sep Paloma, Berlin
25 Aug Wilden Renate, Berlin
22 Aug Watergate, Berlin
04 Aug Tresor, Berlin
27 Jul Farbfernseher, Berlin
21 Jul VISIO Festival, Helsinki
02 Jul IPSE, Berlin
24 Jun Solid-Grounded Festival, Prötzel
22 Jun Tresor, Berlin
16 Jun Wilden Renate, Berlin
25 May mjut Leipzig
20 May PAL, Hamburg
04 May Bassiani, Tbilisi
27 Apr Zentralcafe, Nürnberg
22 Apr Yours Truly, Up yours, Cape Town
21 Apr Champagne at Mødular, Cape Town
13 Apr Coquette Sessions at Kitcheners, Johannesburg
31 Mar Paloma, Berlin
23 Mar Heideglühen, Berlin
03 Mar Cult, Scuol
16 Feb Chalet, Berlin
10 Feb Kater Blau, Berlin
09 Feb Unten, Linz
05 Jan Rote Sonne, Munich

2017

31 Dec About Blank, Berlin
26 Dec Altes Wettbüro, Dresden
08 Dec Disco Zwei, Mannheim
09 Dec Cutie, Bielefeld
02 Dec Wilden Renate, Berlin
01 Dec Hoch die Tassen Afterhour at Goldengate, Berlin
07 Oct Robert Johnson, Offenbach
15 Sep Tresor, Berlin
08 Sep Mensch Meier, Berlin
22 Jul Houseflug Open Air, Altmühlsee
15 Jul Waldschänke Dornheim, Würzburg
07 Jul Silbergold, Frankfurt
06 Jul Heideglühen, Berlin
03 Jul IPSE, Berlin
10 Jun Griessmühle, Berlin
27 May Schrippe Hawaii, Berlin
07 May Else, Berlin
29 Apr Whiskey Jar, Manchester
08 Apr Die Registratur, Munich
31 Mar Remix, Davos
25 Mar Wilden Renate, Berlin
24 Mar Tante Emma & Cloud 9, Innsbruck
03 Mar About Blank, Berlin
19 Apr Liberty & Justice for all at Ostbahnhof, Los Angeles
06 Feb Dublab, Los Angeles
03 Feb Amoeba, Hollywood
21 Jan Dig Deeper, Los Angeles
14 Jan Tresor, Berlin

2016

30 Dec TBA, Dresden
15 Dec Musicbox, Lisbon
10 Dec Kalif Storch, Erfurt
26 Nov Goethebunker, Essen
19 Nov Tresor, Berlin
20 Oct Farbfernseher, Berlin
14 Oct Wilden Renate, Berlin
01 Oct Stadtgarten, Erfurt
30 Sep Trio-Club, Amberg
08 Aug Tresor, Berlin
01 Jul Tresor, Berlin
24 Jun Bellona Club, Lyon
23 Jun Ritter Butzke, Berlin
28 May Wilden Renate, Berlin
07 May Loftus Hall, Berlin
01 May Vabrique, Berlin
21 Apr Schirmherrschaft, Regensburg
16 Apr Schon Schön, Mainz
01 Apr La Java, Paris
26 Mar Kater Blau, Berlin
28 Feb Galerie Kurzweil, Darmstadt
20 Feb Wilde Renate, Berlin
12 Feb Golem, Hamburg
30 Jan Zentralcafe K4, Nürnberg
29 Jan Prince Charles. Berlin
16 Jan L’Autre Scène, Avignon
09 Jan Das Lokal, Wroclaw, Poland

2015
28 Dec B018, Beirut
12 Dec Weyde³, Berlin
04 Dec JackWho, Cologne
27 Nov Radion, Amsterdam
16 Nov Tresor, Berlin
14 Nov The Whiskey Jar, Manchester
13 Nov Albani Music Club , Winterthur
30 Oct About Blank, Berlin
24 Oct Die Registratur, Munich
23 Oct Carré Coast, Biarritz
16 Oct Griessmühle, Berlin
10 Oct Kontur, Würzburg
09 Oct Zentralcafe, Nurnberg
26 Sep Unten, Kassel
19 Sep Uncanny Valley Anniversary, Dresden
10 Sep OHM, Berlin
27 Aug Farbfernseher, Berlin
22 Aug Ost-Apotheke Leipzig
15 Aug Idylle Festival, Endsdorf
11 Aug Golden Pudel, Hamburg
08 Aug About Blank, Berlin
01 Aug Fabric, London
26 Jul TBA, Auckland
25 Jul Matterhorn, Wellington
12 Jul TBA, TBA
11 Jul Spice, Sydney
04 Jul Boney, Melbourne
11 Jun Propaganda, Moscow
05 Jun Heideglühen, Berlin
30 May Mosaique Club, St.Petersburg
24 May The Horse & Groom, London
22 May Cube, Heidelberg
16 May Ruigoord Church, Amsterdam
15 May Wilden Renate, Berlin
10 May Achterbahn D’amour @ Else, Berlin
02 May Achterbahn D’amour @ About Blank, Berlin
30 Apr Griessmühle, Berlin
28 Mar Sass, Vienna
27 Mar Dough House, Frankfurt
21 Mar Jetztmusic Festival, Mannheim
19 Mar Achterbahn D’amour @ Chalet, Berlin
25 Feb Achterbahn D’amour @ Paloma Bar, Berlin
07 Feb The South William, Dublin
31 Jan Chalet, Berlin
23 Jan Ritter Butzke, Berlin
10 Jan Achterbahn D’amour @ Tresor, Berlin
09 Jan Arena, Berlin
03 Jan About Blank, Berlin