TECHNO II

A work 12 months in the making, Adam Beyer continues his exciting series of collaborative EPs, teaming up with heavy-hitters Pig&Dan for an multi-faceted four-tracker.

Chances are up if you spied Adam Beyer in an airport departure lounge over the past 12 months, he’d have his head buried in his laptop, immersed in creating sound sketches. A long-time fan of collaborations, the Drumcode chief has been on an inspiring streak of form lately, teaming up with the likes of Mark Reeve, Dense & Pika and now Pig&Dan. The results have been compelling, to say the least. 

In trademark perfectionist Beyer style, the title track ‘Capsule’ – a shimmering slice of techno - involved “around 15 different versions” the track rigorously road tested by the Swede and featured in episodes of Drumcode Radio to test dancefloor reactions, before finally getting the sign off.  ‘In Love’ is a big room techno groover, driven by crisp drums and the kind of evocative vocal effect that’ll have hairs standing on ends. ‘Atmosfear’ is true to its name, centered on a menacing synth line and gritty percussion, its deep kicks and subterranean bass combining superbly to create a heady dancefloor brew. ‘We Are E’ is propelled by a catchy synth hook and a classic call-to-arms vocal, which tips its cap to the artists’ shared love of classic UK rave.

Adam Beyer Vs Pig&Dan - Capsule - Drumcode - DC171

Adam Beyer Vs Pig&Dan - Atmosfear - Drumcode - DC171

Adam Beyer Vs Pig&Dan - In Love - Drumcode - DC171

DC172 comes on behalf of Brazilian born Vinicius Honorio, a now London based producer and DJ who is making some serious in-roads amongst a new breed of techno artists. Having already released on labels such as Pig&Dan’s Elevate and dubspeeka’s Skeleton, the next natural step in his progression comes in the form of a release on Drumcode. 

‘Through The Darkness’ is a masterclass in darkened techno grooves, with each one of the four tracks managing to show off Honorio’s skill as a producer and just why he is firing on all cylinders. The release kicks off with ‘Walking Shadow’, a track that has been a key part of Adam Beyer’s sets at the tail end of 2016 and in to the new year. This tense, brooding affair has certainly garnered a lot of attention of late and it’s clear to see why. The title track ‘Through The Darkness’ is a much more of a stripped back cut, jam-packed with a haunting vocal hook, driving basslines and slick drums. This is one for the late night mischief makers. ‘Desolate’ is another hard-hitter, managing to perfectly balance that signature Honorio groove and pounding drums that adds depth to his productions. The release closes with the atmospheric ‘Out For Blood’, which is loaded with vintage rave stabs and weighty basslines – This one is meant to played in dark and sweaty rooms.

Vinicius Honorio - Through The Darkness - Drumcode - DC172

Vinicius Honorio - Walking Shadow - Drumcode - DC172

2016 was a standout year for Alan Fitzpatrick, with the Drumcode stalwart racing out of the gates in spectacular fashion with the release of his fabric 87 mix. A substantial amount of high profile shows followed, including appearing at the inaugural Junction 2 festival and closing the car park to a packed-to-the-rafters-crowd at Drumcode Halloween. He returns to Drumcode with ‘Brian’s Proper Dun One’, marking his first appearance on the label since late 2016 when he remixed Moby’s seminal ‘Porcelain’.

The release opens with ‘Brian’s Proper Dun One’, a track which caused a Twitter meltdown on Alan’s profile when he first started playing it at the tail end of 2016. Loaded with sharp and pounding drums, this is an ethereal experience from start to finish and packs a real punch. It’s a no holds barred, certified main room anthem. ‘Wait A Second’ feat. mc r1bbz has been a staple of Adam Beyer’s sets of late and has been getting a lot of air time on Drumcode Radio. This rave inspired track takes a raw, stripped back approach and delivers a real killer blow. Alan sampled the vocals of mc r1bbz from an LTJ Bukem tape pack from the early 90s and the record tips its cap to early jungle raves around the M25. The release closes with ‘Trance, Init?’; A homage to Alan’s days first and foremost as a raver before he became a DJ, with his non-purist attitude when it comes to electronic music shining through. The breakdown is sure to be a hands in the air moment at festivals all over the globe this summer.

Alan Fitzpatrick - Trance, Init? - Drumcode - DC173

Alan Fitzpatrick - Wait A Second feat. mc r1bbz - Drumcode - DC173

Alan Fitzpatrick - Brian’s Proper Dun One - Drumcode - DC173

Hailing from Spain, we are pleased to welcome Ramiro Lopez to take the reigns for our next release. The in-form producer has already released music on the likes of Bedrock, Intec, Suara and Diymanic in a relatively short space of time and garnered major support from Adam Beyer, Carl Cox and Monika Kruse. Coming out on 15th May, his ‘Pretending’ release comprises of 4 tracks that have been a mainstay of Adam Beyer’s sets during the latter part of 2016 and now full force in to 2017. 

The release opens with ‘September’; Atmospheric to its very core, the crunching drums and low end rumbles make this one a sure fire weapon of choice. Next we jump into ‘Loving You’ with a haunting vocal that compliments the stripped back yet refined approach of this track. ‘Come Closer’ featuring Juliet Fox is a dark, rumbling number that screams building percussion that lends itself to become a peak time choice, whether it’s a club or festival. The release closes with ‘Pretending feat. KnowKontrol’; An 8-minute piece of work that is destined for unadulterated dancefloor destruction, whilst maintaining that melodic element that Ramiro Lopez is fast making his signature style.

Ramiro Lopez - Pretending feat. KnowKontrol - Drumcode - DC174

Ramiro Lopez - Come Closer feat. Juliet Fox - Drumcode - DC174

Ramiro Lopez - Loving You - Drumcode - DC174

Ramiro Lopez - September - Drumcode - DC174

DC175 comes courtesy of Alias, a new project comprising of Harvey & Ryan McKay, who are two acts who have previously released solo material on the label. Harvey McKay’s last appearance was in late 2016 when he dropped ‘The Mad Drummer’ on A-Sides Vol. 4 whereas Ryan McKay’s last outing was in 2015 when he appeared on A-Sides Vol.3 under the name Skiver. This is the first collaborative project between the Scottish duo under their new moniker Alias.

The EP opens with ‘Pentatonic’; A tough sounding track that has been designed for the forward-thinkers. ‘The Truth’ follows up sharply, with vintage piano stabs and a vocal that gives the track abounding energy. The on-point percussion leads you on a trip of pure rapture. The release closes with the apocalyptic ‘Dream Taker’, which is teeming with sinister vocal action, hostile synth work and a sublime way to sign off.

Alias - Dream Taker - Drumcode - DC175

Alias - The Truth - Drumcode - DC175

Alias - Pentatonic - Drumcode - DC175

Drumcode continues its commitment to releasing the scene’s most cutting-edge techno. With releases this year already from Adam Beyer, Pig&Dan, Alan Fitzpatrick, Dense & Pika and Julian Jeweil, this July see’s the return of Enrico Sangiuliano with ‘Astral Projection’.

After his remix of Moby’s of ‘Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad’ back in November last year, Enrico sought creative inspiration from his travels, transcending that into his productions and long studio sessions during the winter months. The result brings a mind and body melting release from the Italian producer.

The title track ‘Astral Projection’ is a captivating, big room techno masterpiece. Deep reverberations punch alongside a sinisterly crisp percussive drive. Launching into a groove laden synth modulation of low end textures, it breaks down into an ethereal amalgamation of pads and synths before the vocal launches, taking this track to another level.

‘Blooming Era’ has destructive dancefloor intent. There is no holding back with the low end synth modulation which Enrico has mastered to perfection. A tightly woven percussive flare moulds flawlessly with the rolling oscillations of the beast of this track.

If you have seen label head honcho Adam Beyer playing anywhere on the globe in the last 5 months, this has been a peak time favourite. Road-tested to the max, and with much success.

Enrico Sangiuliano - Blooming Era - Drumcode - DC176

Enrico Sangiuliano - Astral Projection - Drumcode - DC176

Cooked up with a more melodic vibe and fusing elements of house and techno, Dense & Pika’s latest outing on Drumcode offers something different compared to their previous work. There is still that vintage feel to each of the tracks with analogue sounds and arrangements born and developed from experimental studio jams. Indeed, ‘Suki’ heavily utilizes the distinct harmonic tones of the Dave Smith Prophet 8 keyboard. While ‘Little Sun’ - A staple of D&P performances over the last three months - delivers a more classic Drumcode sound. ‘Lanky’ closes out the release with an infectious slab of wonderfully wonked-out raw funk.

Dense & Pika - Lanky - Drumcode - DC177

Dense & Pika – Little Sun - Drumcode - DC177

Dense & Pika - Suki - Drumcode - DC177

viva la vida #￼ travel 🇮🇹🇫🇷🇵🇹🏴‍☠️🇬🇧🇪🇸

TECHNO II

AME LIE