Radio Darmstadt

Radio Darmstadt isn't trying to be Berlin's hottest club station. It's a local broadcaster from a city that takes its culture seriously, and that comes through. The daytime mix leans on German indie and pop, the kind of songs you'd hear in a café on the Mathildenhöhe. You'll catch AnnenMayKantereit, plus reliable German rock from the past few decades. Occasionally a cheesy hit slips in. So what? The presenters clearly know their listeners, giving traffic reports and local news without turning into background noise. It works. The evening shows drift into talk and community slots, which can drag…