Phase Fatale – Scanning Backwards: Techno as Control
· re:union Radio editorial · 3 min read
Phase Fatale built “Scanning Backwards” for the Berghain floor: his second album, eight tracks on Ostgut Ton about sub frequencies, power and manipulation.
Phase Fatale built “Scanning Backwards” for one room: the Berghain dancefloor. The second album by Berghain resident Hayden Payne came out on Ostgut Ton on 24 January 2020 – and it is not a new EP, as this page once claimed, but a full-length record about sound as an instrument of power.
At a glance
- Phase Fatale’s second album, following his 2017 debut on Hospital Productions
- Released on 24 January 2020 on Ostgut Ton, catalogue number OSTGUTCD48/LP34
- Eight tracks, written and produced by Hayden Payne
- Theme: music and sub frequencies as a means of control
Sound as a weapon: the concept behind the album
Ostgut Ton describes “Scanning Backwards” as music about control. Payne takes the link between weaponized sound and psychological manipulation as his starting point. He explores how music, and sub frequencies in particular, influence thinking and synchronize emotions and behavior – from military technology to sound systems and the physicality and sexuality of queer techno culture.
The label goes one step further: the tracks explore different manifestations of sound as power, with Berghain itself seen as an instrument. Mantras, loops, subliminal messages – and a rhythm that makes bodies and minds move in sync.
“All tracks on the album, no matter the style, were tailored to sound a certain way in Berghain.”
— Phase Fatale, quoted by FACT Magazine
Guitarist, sound engineer, resident: the Phase Fatale sound
Payne made his name with post-punk takes on dance music on EPs for unterton and Ostgut Ton. On the album he draws on his background as a guitarist and sound engineer: broken rhythms, noise- and shoegaze-inflected techno, often at slower tempos. The label speaks of music with space and pace to expand.
New, according to Payne, are speech, high-frequency instrumentation and drilling textures he had rarely used before. FACT writes that the eight tracks are precision-engineered to rattle your skull and vibrate your internal organs on the Berghain dancefloor.
The eight tracks
According to the label, the titles combine historical and fictional narratives from literature and science fiction. The side markings A1 to D2 come from the tracklist published by FACT – so the album came out as a double LP.
| Side A1 | Velvet Imprints |
|---|---|
| Side A2 | Binding by Oath |
| Side B1 | Polystyrene |
| Side B2 | During the Freezing Process |
| Side C1 | Mass Deception |
| Side C2 | Proxy Contact |
| Side D1 | De-patterning |
| Side D2 | Splintered Heels |
Label, artwork and context
The cover is taken from an early flyer for the SNAX party series – an open nod to the fetishization of power dynamics. According to the Berghain shop, the limited edition of 100 glow-in-the-dark double LPs is sold out. Mixing was done by Martin Maischein, mastering by Alain Paul.
DJ Mag covered the album shortly before the club’s 15th birthday and wrote that, in its focused power, it is designed to infiltrate the dark corners of techno clubs around the world. If you want to dig deeper into dark sounds, read our pieces on Ancient Methods – The Void and the industrial techno releases of September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Who is behind Phase Fatale?
Phase Fatale is the project of Hayden Payne, a resident at Berghain in Berlin. He wrote and produced every track on “Scanning Backwards”.
When was “Scanning Backwards” released?
On 24 January 2020 on Ostgut Ton, on CD (OSTGUTCD48) and LP (OSTGUTLP34).
Is “Scanning Backwards” an EP?
No. It is Phase Fatale’s second album, with eight tracks. His debut album came out on Hospital Productions in 2017.
Source: Berghain / Ostgut Ton, FACT Magazine, DJ Mag
