Freddy K: techno activist. Since the 90s, Alessio Armeni has been conducting tireless dancefloor campaigns, defending vinyl, supporting young talents and reinforcing the scene from the shadows. You'll know him better for his marathon sets and deviant selections. You might recognize him as the head of KEY Vinyl, or for the behind-the-scenes role he played at M_Rec, the label he helped manage with his best friend Max_M. You should definitely know Virus, who started everything for him in Rome. The Sound of Rome movement by Lory D and Leo Anibaldi; Luca Cucchetti's renowned Mad radio shows; warehouses, soundsystems and raves have all contributed to Freddy K's initial obsession with techno. He started DJing at Sunday after-hours after dancing the night away. In 1993, at the age of 21, he launched his famous radio show Virus, which aired daily from 20:00 to midnight and from midnight to 6:00 every Saturday. Parties, a booking agency and record stores arrived early: the Virus movement had arrived. A year later, Freddy K signed with the legendary ACV, who released his first EP, Control. Rage Of Age, his debut album, arrived in 1995; a dark and loud record influenced by his two passions, Chicago acid and rock. It has been widely praised across the country and remains a testament to the old Sound of Rome today. After the peak of Virus and having toured around the world with ACV, Freddy K stopped being a DJ and retired behind the scenes. He spent the years of the millennium working with Sandro Nasonte in Rome's flagship record store, Remix. Together they founded the influential label Elettronica Romana, which released some of the first EPs by Donato Dozzy and Giorgio Gigli. He moved to the German capital in 2009, founding KEY Vinyl two years later as a “techno label for DJs”. Artists like PVS and Héctor Oaks have helped to forge the label's (and Freddy K's own) traditionalist vision of techno. The move to Berlin rekindled Freddy K's adolescent infatuation with the rave. Soon he joined Homopatik, the former monthly gay event at the club: //about blank. He became known for his epic 10, 14, and 16-hour sessions there, always playing strictly on vinyl and in a dynamic, party-conscious way. Freddy K's sets are changeable and fully adapted for the dance floor. Play a '360-degree' techno style, which may include Soft Cell, WestBam or Bronski Beat - when the time is right. He played his first set at the Berghain in 2013; two years later he was closing the venue, keeping energy levels high until Monday. The last 20 minutes, he says, are the most important. So make sure you stay until the end.