DJ & Producer · Berlin, Germany
Ben Klock
Ben Klock is a Berlin-born techno DJ and long-time Berghain resident, the artist behind the album One and the label Klockworks.
quick facts
- Born
- 1972
- Birthplace
- Berlin, Germany
- Nationality
- German
- Based in
- Berlin, Germany
- Active since
- 1998
- Labels
- Klockworks
- Genres
- Techno
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, de.wikipedia.org, api.discogs.com
Ben Klock is one of the names most closely tied to the Berghain sound. A Berlin-born DJ and producer, he is a long-time resident of the club, a core artist on its Ostgut Ton label and the owner of his own imprint, Klockworks. His sets are known for hard, driving techno that keeps a human pulse under the machinery, and his bookings run from Berlin's best rooms to the big European festivals.
Early Life and Path Into Music
Klock was born in 1972 in Berlin, in the Schöneberg district according to German Wikipedia, which also describes him as a former graphic designer. The exact date of his birth is not published. He began releasing records in 1998 on labels such as WMF Records and BPitch Control, and English Wikipedia's discography lists a "Klockworks EP" from that year as one of his first solo releases.
The Discogs profile says he was a resident at the Berlin club Cookies in the mid-1990s and nearly gave up DJing in the early 2000s, because the microhouse and minimal wave had drained the fun out of it. It then says that being asked to play at Berghain, with its freedom over what to play and its long sets, restored his appetite for techno. Sources differ on the start of his residency: German Wikipedia says he has been among the Berghain residents since early 2004, while the Discogs profile and the BPitch biography put it in 2005. For the history of the club and who stands behind it, see our Berghain ownership explainer.
Sound and Style
Klock's DJ sets are hard but not blunt. The Discogs profile sums his approach up in the phrase "hard but always with a heart", and the BPitch biography lists remixes for Kerri Chandler, Depeche Mode, Robert Hood and Kenny Larkin, which hints at a taste that goes beyond straight techno. In the club he is known for long, deep sets rather than quick peaks, the format that Berghain's culture encourages.
He has worked alongside his Berghain colleague Marcel Dettmann since 2006. Their 12-inch "Dawning / Dead Man Watches The Clock" came out on Ostgut Ton in 2006, the single "Scenario" followed in 2007, and the pair released the album "Phantom Studies" in 2017 according to the English Wikipedia discography.
Labels and Releases
Ostgut Ton is the club-owned label on which Klock released much of his early work. Wikipedia says its first releases came from Berghain and Panorama Bar residents including Ben Klock, Cassy and André Galluzzi. His solo album "One" appeared on Ostgut Ton in 2009, and he mixed the "Berghain 04" compilation for the label in 2010. English Wikipedia also lists mixes for fabric (fabric 66, 2012) and a BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix in 2015.
In 2006 he founded Klockworks, which describes itself on Bandcamp as a label based in Berlin and run by Ben Klock. Its roster there includes DVS1, Etapp Kyle, Heiko Laux, Sterac and Fadi Mohem. His collaborations with Fadi Mohem, an EP in 2022 and "Clean Slate" with Coby Sey in 2024, led to the 2024 album "Layer One", according to the English Wikipedia list. German Wikipedia adds that he started an event series called Photon in 2017, to which he invites chosen DJ colleagues.
Career Highlights
German Wikipedia notes appearances at Awakenings and fabric, and our Awakenings festival guide covers the Dutch event in detail. Klock was on the bill for Bloc's final weekend, 11 to 13 March 2016 at Butlin's, as told in our Bloc story, and was among the headliners at the first Junction 2 festival in 2016, which we cover in the Junction 2 feature. He was one of the 80-plus artists booked for the farewell run of Munich's BLITZ in 2026 (our report), and, as of mid-October 2026, Fuse in Brussels was advertising an international residency for him, announced on 2 September 2026. For more on the Berlin scene he plays in, see our best Berlin clubs guide.
Live at RTS.FM
RTS.FM's archive includes a long Ben Klock set from the Efir Club Showcase series, dated 6 March 2011 in its title and running nearly two and a half hours.
FAQ
Who is Ben Klock?
Ben Klock is a German techno DJ and producer from Berlin, a long-time resident of Berghain and the founder of the label Klockworks. His debut album One came out on Ostgut Ton in 2009.
How old is Ben Klock?
Ben Klock was born in 1972 and has not published his exact birth date, so he is 53 or 54 (age 53 to 54 as of October 2026).
Where is Ben Klock from?
He was born in Berlin, in the Schöneberg district according to German Wikipedia, and he still works from the city as a Berghain resident.
What genre does Ben Klock play?
Ben Klock plays techno, a hard and driving Berlin style that is rooted in Berghain's long-set culture and keeps a strong sense of groove.
What is Ben Klock's real name?
Ben Klock is the name he uses for DJing and recording. He records under his own name and has no separate public real name.
What label does Ben Klock run?
He founded Klockworks in 2006. The label is based in Berlin and has released music from DVS1, Etapp Kyle, Fadi Mohem and others, alongside Klock's own work.
What albums has Ben Klock released?
His solo album One came out on Ostgut Ton in 2009. He released Phantom Studies with Marcel Dettmann in 2017 and Layer One with Fadi Mohem in 2024.
Has Ben Klock played at RTS.FM?
Yes. RTS.FM's archive has a Ben Klock set from the Efir Club Showcase series, dated 6 March 2011 in its title.
festivals
Past appearances and announced lineups only, each checked against the festival's own records.