Techno News

Dutch festival organiser Draaimolen and Rotterdam label Nous'klaer Audio join forces for a special 12" to celebrate 10 years of existence and 5 years of working together. For the 2023 Festival Edition, where Nous'klaer Audio hosted the Aura stage, they have made a vinyl with 6 tracks by 8 artists playing there. The record was sold at the festival, only a handful are left. The opening track by Oceanic was originally created for the 2022 festival announcement video. Similarly to his recent album Choral Feeling, this track was made out of friends' voices - more specifically the voices of the Draaimolen team-members. Nicola Cruz will make his debut on the festival in a b2b with Nous'klaer Audio label-boss Oberman. For Aura he gave the sizzling electro leaning tech-house groover Drom. Friends in real life and also playing a premiere b2b but on the Friday, Human Space Machine and Mary Lake present their first collaborative track together: A bass-driven 80/160 bpm immersive techno cut sharp as a razor. On the flip the Swedish duo Arkajo & Dorisburg (aka Genius of Time) spotlight their signature sound of Nordic tribal tech-house with Dawn. A sound they have owned and perfected over the last decade and will undoubtedly make for special moments on the weekend. Staying up North: Evigt M?rker, the Northern Electronics mainstay, masterfully blends subtle emotions into polyrhythmic techno with Levande och Dreglande (Alive and Drooling). Lastly Lenxi, who will open the Saturday on Aura, gifted a beautiful glitchy synth-pop track layered with her vocals.

As human beings, we often feel the need to control every aspect of our lives. We want to plan, strategize, and manipulate our way to success. However, sometimes our attempts to force a certain outcome can actually hinder our progress. In fact, it’s often when we let go of control and allow things to unfold naturally that we see the most clarity and progress.

This is especially true in the creative process, such as making music. When we try to force a certain sound or melody, we can become stuck in our own expectations and limitations. But when we approach the process with openness and a willingness to let the music guide us, we can tap into a greater sense of flow and creativity.

So, remember: the less you force, the faster things become clear. Trust the process, let go of expectations, and allow the music to lead the way. In doing so, you may just discover a new level of clarity and inspiration in your work.

Its been five years since Belgium's WeMe Records lovingly selected the first ever collection of Heinrich Mueller's (Drexciya/Doppleffekt) best remixes/remodels for a new generation of listeners that won't have to pay collector prices to have them on vinyl. Volume 2 of False Vacuum is now with us and still has riches to choose from.

These 13 rare and hard to find tracks (3 of which make their vinyl debut) all deliver in different ways as he systematically reinvents each one.

Beginning with his raw and now classic remix of Ultradyne's 'Clones', the hard-edged dance-floor friendly 'Woman's Scent' by Cisco Ferreira (The Advent), the more laidback and futuristic sounding 'Bohrium 274' by Jauzas the Shining and Victoria Lukas, the slow and mysterious and first time on vinyl 'Somehow' by Rough Days For Diamond Trade, reinventing the darkest of dance-floors on 'Rytumtraks 0002' by Albert van Abbe, the moody masterpiece and first time on vinyl 'Now We Continue' by White Car, Duplex's 'Autoslug' sounding like its been rearranged inside a black-hole, a balancing act between the light and darkness on Fasenuova 'Cachito Turulo', an insistent rise and falling workout for As One's 'Where Did He Go and Why', a tightly wound and almost meditative 'The Truth' by The Exaltics, an angular stomping march of the robots 'Longwang' by 6D22, a jumpy fidgety groove for first time on vinyl 'Forty Eight Hours' by Yan Wagner and perhaps one of his most sublime pieces is kept for last with 'So Long For A Small Storm' by Dollska.

After 6 years since his last EP, IAL proudly welcomes the return of AntonZap.

Urban Underground Solutions is a shocking EP that 100% embodies Anton's personality. Introspective, dark and captivating sonorities make this release unique. 4 strictly personal tracks produced with passion and years of field experience available exclusively on vinyl!

In a realm where the threads of fate intertwined with the tapestry of existence, there existed a timeless construct we call “MENG”. This transcendental domain pushed a sanctuary where an unholy wisdom was safeguarded. Within its twenty-two walls, the experiences of countless sages and seekers resided, forming a reservoir of enlightenment, of vision and of identity.

Among the enigmatic texts that adorned the shelves of The Memory Palace, one stood out—the "Tubular Heaven," a chapter that held the essence of the universe's patterns and transformations. The book we speak of is the Book of Change - I Ching. Legend has it that the Memory Palace embodied the vibrations of those who sought its wisdom, guiding them to the Slow-Chain’s pages where hexagrams unveiled the secrets of existence.

Amidst this cosmic dance of knowledge, there lived a young wanderer whose name we do not say out loud. Driven by a deep yearning for understanding, this Warrior ventured into the city of Tanoy. With every step, he felt the resonance of centuries long gone, as if the walls whispered to him the essence of reality itself - “you may fall as long as you stand up again. Repeat this 1000 times and you will understand me. Only then can we control the sound.” As he reached for the illuminated Book of Change, a light was cast onto a newly fabricated realm of questions.

One hexagram, in particular, was essential. The cryptic symbolism was perplexing. Upon meditation, we slowly begin to realize that life is indeed a tapestry of imperfections, yet from these glitches we arise with profound growth and transformation.

As our curiosity spikes, we delve into the pages that follow, discovering an unexpected connection between I Ching and the world of Jeans, no denim. In ancient times, the craft of weaving denim mirrored the wisdom of these hexagrams. Just as threads interwove to create a durable fabric, I Ching reveals how life's experiences intertwine to form a meaningful existence. Denim, like life, is sturdy yet adaptable - a true testament to the harmonious balance between falling and standing.

As this journey comes to a gentle end, we must stress that hexagrams prove that other divination systems exist. It has become clear that the patterns hitherto observed are not confined to one culture, tradition, mind or body. Instead, they echo throughout history, manifesting in various divination systems across our globe. Hexagrams are a universal language, transcending boundaries and demonstrating the interconnectedness of humanity's pursuit of higher understanding.

We can now truly emerge from the Memory Palace, carrying the wisdom of everything above us. It’s time to Drag A Friend into this Made Up Reality. Or is it? We now understand that life's glitches are the catalysts for growth and that just as threads wove together to create denim, experiences wove together to create a meaningful existence.
As we walk beneath the open sky, we whisper into the wind, "Hexagrams are the echoes of universal truths, proving that the search for wisdom knows no bounds."

The chimes tingle in the deep subset of your imagination. As the pages of the Book of Change unfurl one last time, the shimmering tapestry of our shallow minds unravels.

We have revealed the kaleidoscopic corridors where perceptions dance in hallucinogenic symphony to the hymns of our rich minds.

Beautiful melodies crafted with intricate layers of electronic sounds.
Japanese music producer Masumi Nishimura's solo project INNER SCIENCE. In which he creates an original kind of electronic music using his signature shimmering tones and melodies along with a wide spectrum of rhythms that is uncategorisable to conventional genres.
Release a this new vinyl for the first time in two years.

The Blue Soul is Juergen Vonbank's second solo album after "Trial & Eros" from 2018. It deals with the relationship to the color blue, the conventional and individual-personal associations with it, as well as the diffuse feeling that this color is able to convey. Digital and analog experiments in electronics, club music and dream pop.

Across these 7 untitled tracks (as is the modus of all blundar releases) the producer known as Unfinished Portraits crafts a coherent album experience that is equal parts empty space and density. Working in a seemingly collage-like fashion, the opening track juxtaposes rhythmic elements that just barely fit together; declaring upon entrance that all expectations from here on out are futile. Tension builds through a sparse palette of sounds both tactile and atmospheric. Dry, isolated clicks of digital clean trickling through a humming industrial space. Segments are abstract on their own, but stitched together still form an elegant whole. Just when you think you’re getting lost into avant experimentation, something cuts in to surprising effect. It feels “live” in a way only improvised music can.

And there is a conceptual sense of humor in letting the seams of the process lay bare. A string section builds only to be cut short upon completion. A field recording is audibly (i.e. intentionally) looped. The listener is made aware of the illusion and manipulations that ‘music’ creates in the same way Martin Margiela handled ‘fashion’ - with a postmodern kind of wit.

Hailing from Cairo but residing in Argentina, Unfinished Portraits could easily exude upon a dual exoticism in nationalities and climates. This is however not on the agenda, as for where this artist truly resides, is in the hypertextual realm of late capitalism. Identity loss, internet culture, the aesthetic of sadness and the Warp Records catalogue all come into play.

No matter what city, the urban landscape is always concrete and glass. And as the sleeve photo suggests - a picture of a former park turned to rubble in the process of housing developments - all cities are essentially unfinished.

Ronan’s journey has seen him move between Boston and New York, Washington State, Bogota, and most recently Mexico City. Rarely in one place for too long, his energy and enthusiasm for his craft carry that same roving sense of adventure, whether in his own expressive productions welding hyper-speed techno and classic hardcore into a dynamic whole, or through his Eternal Ocean imprint, which has notched a string of impressive releases from close friends and like-minded producers. Throughout, a sense of wide-eyed wonder and joy is the constant, an awe for its ability to transport and transcend, to become a calling in its own right, through sound and soul, a grounding force that becomes the guiding path through the world.

It’s that sense of possibility that dominates the sensibility of Vision Quest, Ronan’s second outing on Eternal Ocean, a four track offering recorded in Ridgewood, Queens just before he headed west in 2018. The tracks echo this awareness of a road stretching out before him. These are tunes about the journey, best exemplified by the snaking routes and pathways they pull the listener through: half-time breakdowns, sudden vocal stabs, hard-left turns and sudden shifts of tempo. Where previous Ronan EPs found their strength in meticulous mixing and track-craft, these embrace technique and arrangement as means to an end, resulting in lyrical, ever-evolving tunes that show an artist embracing the time given to create worlds unto themselves.

To Whom It May Concern: introducing here Yogg's groundbreaking release, a fusion of experimental techno, broken beats, bass and IDM music.

Renowned and talented, Tel-Aviv artist Yogg is set to captivate electronic music enthusiasts worldwide with the highly anticipated release of his latest work, showing through 4 tracks an unmatched ability to create intricaqte soundscapes, a meticulous attention to every detail and an innovative blend of styles that pushes the boundaries of sonic exploration, promising a mind-bending auditory experience.

This release will be unveiled on the esteemed 30D Records' sub-label ExoPlanets, in both, vinyl (strictly limited edition) and digital format.

Dutch producers Casiio and Sleepermane unite once more in ‘Unexplored’. Every track feels alive and organic, painting the picture of an alien world, yet very familiar. Other-worldly synths and foley/ambiences represent the different biomes and strange creatures walking around in this world we created.

The steady pulse of soft drum loops and warm chords form the heartbeat of the landscapes - taking you on a journey through the Unexplored. ✨

On the one-year anniversary of ‘mist, shadows & i’, Kanisan embarks on a deep-orchestral journey with Dario and Claudia Lessing in their atmospheric and mystical album ‘Edda’. Strings and haunting pianos evoke profound feelings, while vocals seep into your soul, tinged with melancholy and bittersweetness.

It’s a path with an unknown destination, yet something stirring in the shadows speaks to you and draws you into their gloom - if you haven’t already, you’ll be back for more of this mysterious release.

'Since 2018, João Pais Filipe (drums) and Burnt Friedman (electronics/synth) have investigated into automatic pattern–composition rooted in doubling and halving; the unimpeachable laws of motion. The offer of freedom can be seen as a way to get in touch with necessity.

On "Mechanics Of Waving" the attempt is made to succumb to such a mode of action, the drilling of a method, not through individual cunning or displayed musicianship.

Through constant practise Friedman & Pais discover the principles of rhythmic phenomena while dis–associating the music from cultural idioms. Inspired by rare infrasound–ratios ranging from 11 to 23, Nonplace releases the results of a 4 years long operation.'

Drums recorded and engineered by José Arantes.
Mastered by Kassian Troyer, Dubplates & Mastering.

Another week, another new release from the unstoppable ambient powerhouse that is zake. His latest full-length LL has two new cuts by the American maestro with remixes from a hefty selection of equally prolific producers all served up on his home label Past Inside the Present and no fewer than six sides of vinyl.

Across this immersive two hours of music, there is a mix of ambient, drone, drum & bass, electronica, and deep techno from Warmth, Aural Imbalance, ASC and Bvdub. It is yet another essential release from zake and co.

Obsessive tekno/grime experiment from London's lostdomain producer Leeway following the great great Krevet EP. Very compatible with ~160 BPM hardtek/trance. Grainy desaturated claustrophobic sound progressing to full, crisp and dreamy with alien salival textures...

Whole album varies on two or three circling themes. Super zoney and subdued and spiritual but then jumps right out of the speakers with violence.