Techno Presale

What About Never debut from Intertoto, who deals a tracky beatdown ace in ‘If I Take You Home’ — a late-night/early-morning house instrumental that hints at ambiguous post-club activity. Bridging the eclectic spirit of the Motor City with the raw, textural styles of European contemporaries like NWAQ and Kassem Mosse, ‘If I Take You Home’ filters these ideas through the experimental aesthetics that have long simmered in the underground of Intertoto’s native Scotland.

Michael J. Blood expands on the after-hours theme with the cannily titled ’Walk of Shame Mix’ — a cracked reflection of the original that channels the essence of Theo Parrish, Delano Smith, et al. His ’Morning After Mix’ flips the pace entirely, layering hypnotic chimes and dark New Jersey–style synths with an almost overwhelming sense of dub-wise dread.

Roughly three and a half years since pushing the boundaries of 160BPM and stepping beyond the realm of footwork with the Reidai EP, Oyubi returns with an even deeper sound, dropping due yesterday.

This EP consists of four tracks that showcase a darker, more introspective side of the producer, stepping away from the ghetto and booty flavors found in his other releases. However, anchored by his signature sequence patterns, the sound design—striking a perfect balance between playful and profoundly dope—only serves to amplify the groove.

The ultimate embodiment of this evolution is the B1 track, "Taiko 2." While it inherits its name from "Taiko 160" on the Reidai EP, its form is entirely transformed. Relentless, high-speed drums and stripped-back minimal components take over the mind and body like a dark incantation. Packing a hypnotic power that far surpasses its predecessor, it's destined to be a killer weapon in any DJ set. It’s also worth noting that this track draws heavy inspiration from Kode9 & DJ Fulltono’s "TKO."

Naturally, the other three tracks are just as formidable. Infused with elements of dub, A1 "Erekiteru" centers around a pulsing bassline heartbeat, keeping the groove steady alongside crisp, dry claps. Meanwhile, A2 "Da Groove" and B2 "Wop Wop" heavily incorporate Baile Funk and Dembow influences. "Da Groove" is quintessential Oyubi: as the extended intro breaks and the four-to-the-floor kick drops in lockstep with the bass, it guarantees instant unity on the dancefloor. Finally, B2 "Wop Wop" relies on intentional distortion and subtle spatial processing to build its foundation, revealing a dark side akin to "Taiko 2"—complete with an exceptionally punchy snare.

Fully loaded with Oyubi's uncompromising dark-side approach, due yesterday is set to be a 160BPM masterpiece.