The June Mix, Part 2

It´s time for another mix, using the music reviewed in this blog from June 16 - 30. This time things start at a strong pace and pick up in intensity as the session goes along, passing through many different sides of techno: melodic, funky, hard or just plain weird. 

Tracklist: 

1. Tone Depth - Errors
2. Matt Sassari - Seigneur Gondor
3. Frankyeffe - The Sun
4. VNTM - Be A Freak
5. ANNA - Razor
6. Thomas Evans  - Because I´m
7. Hell Driver - Exoplanet
8. Kaiserdisco - Salacia
9. Drunken Kong - One (Michael Klein Remix)
10. Flug - Rave
11. Blawan - Vented
12. Roberto Capuano - Define
13. Enrico Sangiuliano - A Further Existence 
14. Camea - NAF97
15. Martin Eyerer - El Circulo

Matt Sassari - Seigneur Gondor

Matt Sassari certainly keeps himself busy these days, with release after release of quality original tunes and remixes. This time, on the Seigneur Gondor EP, released by Kneaded Pains, he brings two very different tunes that nonetheless keep true to his own adventurous style. The title track has a techy beat and quirky samples, while Olum adds wobbly bass to the weirdness.

Roberto Capuano - Define

A Neapolitan artist who has immersed himself in dance culture since an early age, Roberto Capuano has since produced music that has been released by labels like Drumcode, Phobiq, Truesoul and Analytic Trail. His Define EP comes from Suara and is composed of four earth-shaking original tracks, of which we highlight the title track, with booming, menacing kicks and a sinister voice sample.

Martin Eyerer - El Circulo

For the Bedrock XX anniversary set, John Digweed recruited some of the most creative minds in techno music, resulting in an impressive collection of first-rate, cutting edge music made specifically for the occasion. Digweed then proceeded to compile and mix these tracks and produce two sessions of pure quality. Martin Eyerer was one of such artists, bringing his darkly melodic style of thundering techno, where arpeggio synth notes ride along the beats, in an epic nine-minute track.

VNTM - Be A Freak

VNTM is a 25 year old techno producer and live act from the suburbs of Amsterdam. Deep, dark techno is his speciality, and both his music and his performances have earned him a spot as one of the top new names in the scene. Filth On Acid released his Be A Freak EP, with four original tracks of pounding and sinister grooves, as well as a remix from Oliver Weiter. Check out the title cut, a powerful and expansive slice of underground techno.

Kaiserdisco - Salacia

Ever-busy German duo Kaiserdisco keep up their unmistakable house-meets-techno style in Salacia, their debut on Tokio label Session Womb. Thundering kicks face off against in-your-face stabs, in a frenetic track that´s sure to please many a dancefloor. 

Hell Driver - Exoplanet

French up-and-coming DJ and producer Hell Driver reaches into the lights and shadows of techno, often edging over the darkness, but managing to keep enough balance in his music to not fall over completely. Exoplanet, for example, a track included in the Yin Yang Bombs Compilation number 35, carries a menacing, stomping kick that is nonetheless enlightened by a nervous and jittering synth line. A peak-time tune that can blow a dancefloor away.

Blawan - Vented

Blawan is a UK artist who tiptoes the line between techno and bass. Feeling equally comfortable producing broken beat bassline scorchers as well as twisted techno growlers, he is truly a multi-faceted musical explorer who has released his tracks on labels like R&S, Soma and MB Elektronics. His own imprint Ternesc released his Wet Will Always Dry LP, eight tracks where Blawan immerses himself in his mutating, alien sound. Vented represents the producer´s techno side, an enigmatic track that draws you in, thanks to the urgency of the beat and the distorted, disquieting stabs of bass all throughout.

Tone Depth - Errors

By incorporating texture and composition into his sound, Tone Depth looks to move forward unto the next step in the evolution of techno, setting aside traditional elements of the genre and introducing some unexpected changes and atmospheres. Like in his The Odyssey Pt. 2 EP, out on the great fryhide, where melody takes over the shuffling rhythms, creating evocative moments like the first track Centuries. On Errors, Tone Depth adopts a tougher stance to produce a gritty sound, with dive-bombing synths buzzing along the beat.

Drunken Kong - One (Michael Klein Remix)

Having ruled over the Tokio underground since their first collaboration in 2010, Drunken Kong has then proceeded to release their music on international labels like Tronic, Terminal M and Transmit Recordings, which has, in turn, gained massive support from top players in the scene. The duo gained notoriety with their energetic DJ sets and quality productions, and a taste of their style is showcased in their Repeat EP, out on Octopus. Apart from three pumping and head-on original tracks, the release also features a remix from Berlin producer Michael Klein, who offers a raw, minimal take on One.

ANNA - Razor

Named Best Breakthrough Artist at the 2016 DJ Awards in Ibiza, Brazilian DJ and producer ANNA is now based in Barcelona and has enjoyed a steady rise in the international techno scene, thanks to an increasing presence at clubs and festivals around the world, and also to a quality body of work spread across some of the best dance music labels, like Kompakt, Turbo, Suara, Get Physical, etc. Her Razor EP, on novamute, includes three original tracks that seem to teeter on the edge between darkness and light, ranging from the edgy Dreamweaver and the otherworldly Escapism to the dramatic title cut, which is our highlight for today. 

Frankyeffe - The Sun

Italian electronic music artist Frankyeffe has produced massive tracks for labels like Phobiq and Kombination Research, delivering superbly arranged, engaging techno that has gained great support from many top-tier DJs, and from audiences in dance floors around the world as well. His latest release on Filth On Acid features haunting vocals from Liz Hill and a remix from Mees Salomé.

Thomas Evans - Because I´m

French DJ and producer Thomas Evans has a knack for finding and exploiting the deepest, darkest corners of techno, bringing out unique melodies and rhythms, and creating music that´s been played and supported by some of the biggest names in the scene. He has worked with labels like Phobiq and We Are the Brave, the latter of which has just released his Because I´m EP, three slices of gut-busting, head pounding techno, including the intense and driven title track.

Camea - NAF 97

Trained musician, DJ, producer and label head, Camea is a multi-faceted artist from Seattle based in Berlin, devoted to creating enigmatic and melodic techno that´s become her trademark and made her a sought-after name to play in clubs and festivals around the world. She released the NAF 97 EP on her own Neverwhere label, featuring two original tracks and their respective remixes by Markus Suckut and Matrixxman. The title cut is an expansive and hypnotic affair, with plenty of bass, a strong rhythm, and a dark, sinister breakdown. 

Enrico Sangiuliano - A Further Existence

Enrico Sangiuliano is a DJ and producer from Reggio Emilia, a city located between Parma and Modena, in Northern Italy, who has been a staple of the Italian rave and techno scene since the late 90´s. His productions have been praised by the likes of fellow countryman Mauro Piccotto and played by well-established DJs such as Sven Vath, Adam Beyer, Gregor Tresher, Alan Fitzpatrick and Secret Cinema. His latest album, Biomorph, was released by Drumcode on June 1st, a collection of very high-quality techno that includes gems like the grumbling Cosmic Ratio, the intense Symbiosis, and our selection for today, A Further Existence, which is included as a digital-only track. Melody and rhythm intertwine each other to produce a very engaging, emotional track.

Flug - Rave

Led by stormy synths and backed by a solid beat, Rave evokes the anarchic feeling of open-air parties and the madness that takes over late in the night. Produced by Flug, an Argentinian DJ based in Barcelona, Spain, this EP, released by Suara (from Barcelona as well), features remixes by label boss Coyu and by Matrixxman, each one focusing on a different aspect of the track, making it a collection that will cater to those with a taste for harder-edged techno.

The June Mix - Part 1

It´s time again to compile all the tunes we´ve selected these first 15 days of June, mix them together and present the result to you faithful readers. This session begins with the lovely Booya Boy by PanTone and progresses from the more melodic to the harder techno, ending with the blistering, white-hot Wrong Meta by Deapmash.

As always, it´s a real pleasure to select and mix the best techno tracks out there, and I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed making it. So here´s 1 hour of uninterrupted, cutting-edge techno.

Tracklist:

1.- Booya Boy (Original Mix) by PanTone
2.- Excelsior by Costello
3.- Hex (Original Mix) by OC & Verde
4.- Again Again by Hidden Empire
5.- Underground Diva (Matt Sassari Remix) by Nerdjack
6.- Crank (Original Mix) by Octave One
7.- Heat It Up (Original Mix) by Loco & Jam
8.- On My Way (Original Mix) by Marco Faraone
9.- 51 by Philip Bader
10.- 12 Hours by Ray Kajioka
11.- Droogs by Rhyw
12.- Keep the Funk by Fjaak
13.- Five by Falcon Black Ops
14.- Pestered by Juxta Position
15.- Wrong Meta by Deapmash

Rhyw - Droogs

Driven by a growling bass and crawling along twisted cymbals and chirping effects, Droogs is definitively a prickly ear worm boring a hole in your mind. Produced by Rhyw and released by TH Tar Hallow, this is a tune that does not let up, creating chaos and mayhem all along its path, like an out-of-control steamroller. 

Juxta Position - Pestered

A simple, hard and bouncy tune, Pestered by Juxta Position nonetheless hits all the rights spots when it comes to well-produced techno. On the Elixir E.P., released by Figure, this Berlin artist shows us what he´s able to conjure up by using analogue sounds and different takes on the style, resulting in four very distinct cuts that stand on their own.

Nerdjack - Underground Diva (Matt Sassari Remix)

Starting from the trippy, jacking original by Nerdjack, Matt Sassari refashions the house beats and trades them for a harder-edged techno base, keeping the flow of the tune while making it sound heavier. It´s a stomping extravaganza, complete with a mysterious vocal sample and buzzing effects. Released by the great Kling Klong.

Philip Bader - 51

Berlin DJ and producer Philip Bader knows very well what lies at the heart of techno: relentless beats and complete abandon, and he shows it in Dark Series 2 E.P., an explosive two-tracker released by  his Out Of Mind label that includes 51, our selection for today. Pounding and merciless, this cut keeps a steady pace while dropping massive depth charges and resonating all throughout the dancefloor. Sure to perk a few ears up when dropped. 

Falcon Black Ops - Five

Unknown to the Unknown unleashes a 4-track EP by the mysterious Falcon Black Ops, simply named Vol. 1, and it´s a scorcher. With elements of house and techno thrown together and given the club treatment, first cut Five is a fast and hypnotic affair, with its repeating stabs and squeaks atop drum and percussion layers, reminiscent of dark, hot and sweaty dancefloors, illuminated only by the frenetic flashes of a stroboscopic light. In other words, a perfect tune to lose oneself to.

Octave One - Crank

Detroit techno is at the root of all the music reviewed here, since it´s the daddy of all techno that exists, has existed and will exist, no doubt about it. Octave One have been instrumental in developing and shaping this style, and after many, many years they keep being its true ambassadors, as evidenced by their latest LP, Endustry, on their on 430 West Records. A true master class on what techno should be, their unmistakable style is pumping, full of energy and second to none all through the album´s 8 tracks, and all we can do is shut up and listen (and dance). The industrial menace of Crank is a fine example of the brand of techno this outfit (comprised mainly by brothers Lenny and Lawrence Burden, but sometimes joined by their three other siblings) is able to churn out.

OC & Verde - Hex

Manchester duo OC & Verde give us elegant and melodic techno on Hex, released by the great Filth on Acid. The title track contains a myriad of different layers, textures and feelings, an impressive production that sucks you in its vortex and keeps you mesmerized as it progresses and builds up into epic proportions. A great cut that should be an essential addition to any self-respecting techno DJ.

Ray Kajioka - 12 Hours

Reverb and echo take center stage in Berlin-based DJ, producer and live act Ray Kajioka´s 12 Hours E.P., released by MATTER+ Records. Dubby techno full of atmosphere and rising and falling cymbals, backed by a solid beat and subterranean bass. A real treat for those who love this kind of trippy, meditative take on techno. The E.P. includes 2 original tracks and a remix of the title track by Truncate.

Marco Faraone - On My Way

In-your-face and unapologetic, this is a bare-bones cut that nonetheless fills the room with its jacking beats and dry vocals. Marco Faraone promises to have a busy year and, with this crackin´ tune, the Italian producer leaves us wanting some more. The EP, released by Rekids, includes a very different take on the track from Bristol producer Addison Groove, who reconstructs it in his own unique style.

Loco & Jam - Heat It Up

With a massive kick drum, Loco & Jam introduce us to Heat It Up, a track that´s full of energy and purpose, riding on its own sinister groove and escalating towards a wicked breakdown. Their Heat It Up EP, released by Tronic Music, is an excellent showcase of the range these two producers from Northern Ireland are capable of reaching. 

Deapmash - Wrong Meta

Deapmash gives us four tracks of abusive, distorted hard techno in his Global Networks Connections EP, the kind that obliterate dancefloors and whips crowds into a frenzy. Jacking, mechanical, twisted and tough as nails, the EP´s first track, Wrong Meta, contains all the elements that make for great late-night madness, with a tinge of old-school flavour. Released by way-out-there techno specialists THEM Records, and not for the faint of heart.

Fjaak - Keep the Funk

Fjaak have been a very busy outfit ever since being picked up by Modeselektor for their 50 Weapons label in 2014, releasing a slew of breaks and techno records, including their first LP last year. Described as "hardware heads", the Berlin trio has imbibed from the city´s fountain of techno and become a true ambassador to the style, evidenced by their two-track, four-to-the-floor release Fjaak 003. Relentless beats that get into your head and move you onto the dancefloor, there´s no way to remain indifferent in the face of such massive kicks, especially in the A-side Keep the Funk, with its non-stop sample adding to the madness.

Costello - Excelsior

Costello is a DJ and producer out of Bordeaux, France, who has spent most of his life embracing dance music culture, fashioning his own distinctive sound by incorporating elements of house, techno and electro, and managing to make it sound fresh and up-to-date. His Excelsior EP, out on Bad Life, features four cuts that range from the leftfield electronica of Spectre, to the driving push and killer riff of the title track, the selection for today.

Hidden Empire - Again Again

German duo Hidden Empire have released music previously on labels like Suara, Stir Von Talent, Filth on Acid and, with the Again Again EP, on Octopus, so they´re no strangers to the techno scene. In this release, they tackle a spacey sound with plenty of echo and room to expand, backed by an almost easy-going beat that nevertheless gives the tune enough push to make it thump. Title track is a perfect example of this formula, with a remix by OC & Verde that tightens it up and brings the rhythm forward.

Pan/Tone - Booya Boy

Canadian ex-pat Pan/Tone (a.k.a. Sid Le Rock) has by now settled in Germany, from where he dispatches a steady flow of music under different aliases, all aimed toward the dance floors of the world. His Booya EP, released by Dantze under his Pan/Tone identity, is a meaty and solid two-tracker, with plenty of enveloping sounds and effects so as to keep your ears busy while your feet dance away. Booya Boy opens the record, a bouncy, driving, kind of progressive track perfect for starting a set.