Drumcode

Adam Beyer invites the legendary DJ Rush to make his Drumcode debut, as the pair link for a stirring maiden collaboration, ‘Restore My Soul’.

The DC boss holds a deep respect for the iconic Chicago artist, the relationship stretching back 25+ years to their time touring the German techno circuit in the 90s. The title track builds dramatic tension via elastic synths that oscillate alongside Rush’s vocal, taking things to heady levels. ‘Control’ is a thick wedge of industrial-edged rhythms, with Rush’s famous vocal providing a commanding presence throughout. ‘Take Me There’ is stirring in composition, transitioning from crushing percussive loops to deep techno funk, before working towards a teased out crescendo as Rush’s hypnotic refrain echoes in the air. A deliciously pumping DJ Rush remix of ‘Restore My Soul’ rounds out the package.

Buy/Stream

Adam Beyer Feat. DJ Rush - Take Me There - Drumcode - DC244

Adam Beyer Feat. DJ Rush - Control - Drumcode - DC244

Adam Beyer Feat. DJ Rush - Restore My Soul - Drumcode - DC244

Restore My Soul

Adam Beyer feat. DJ Rush - Restore My Soul (DJ Rush Remix)- Drumcode - DC244

Adam Beyer’s new EP titled ‘Teach Me’ is an accomplished piece of work that highlights Beyer's year thus far. 'Teach Me' starts with some eerie chords before the distinctive vocal kick in and the track drops into a rumbling techno track. ‘Darlek’ uses rhythmic beeps and huge synth stab to create a funky rhythm before the atmospheric pads create a beautiful setting for this incredible techno track. ‘Stop Talking’ is a deeper offering from Beyer using weird and unusual noises to create and interesting piece of work that is helped along by the throbbing bass underlying in the track. ‘Spaceman’ uses a rhythmic vocal, percussion and sub bass to turn this track into a funky techno piece.

Adam Beyer - Teach Me - Drumcode - DC132

Adam Beyer is back on Drumcode with an impressive array of tracks that will get the senses tingling and shows us what Drumcode is all about. These 4 tracks are deep and almost melancholic in their approach to techno, using effects to really help enforce an ambience only Beyer can achieve within his productions. The under lying throbbing of the drums drives this EP into the forefront of the heads down Drumcode sound and have been heard in many of Beyer’s phenomenal sets throughout the year.

Adam Beyer - Stone Flower - Drumcode - DC141

Adam Beyer - What You Need - Drumcode - DC141

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

Drumcode returns with its 6th installment of the internationally celebrated A-Sides series. Renowned for fostering a shared space between industry tastemakers and rising talent alike, the careful curation that goes into each volume is a fine example of why Beyer’s brand continues to go from strength to strength.

Techno titan Adam Beyer has grown Drumcode into a force to be reckoned with; the label has become synonymous with forward-thinking, functional techno and even after 20 years, Drumcode continues to find new boundaries to push, and ways to solidify its legacy as the world’s number one techno label. 

2017 is no exception, with Beyer’s imprint hosting it’s first stage at Tomorrowland, not to mention the expansion of the critically acclaimed Junction 2 where the Drumcode stage is the centrepiece and Adam plays the key role of festival director. The Drumcode phenomenon continues to grow each week, chiefly fuelled by Drumcode Radio, Adam’s radio show that’s broadcast in 57 countries via 86 stations and to a global audience of 16 million techno fans per week. 

The A-Sides series acts as a perfect vignette of Drumcode’s cutting-edge sound; functional yet inspired techno, all tracks tried and tested by Beyer himself. Vol. 6 continues this tradition with a collection of 16 multi-faceted cuts from a mixture of both emerging artists and experienced label friends. 

The heart-throbbing bass in Amelie Lens’ electrifying piece ‘In Silence’ sets the tone for the dark and dance-floor-ready energy that Vol.6 carries the whole way through. Other standouts include Mars Bill’s rough’n’ready ‘Mohave’. Pulsating and precise, ‘Mohave’ has highlighted many of Beyer’s sets recently as has Wehbba’s monster track ‘Fake’, which fans have been anticipating the release of all year. 

Label-favourites Dense & Pika also feature on ‘A-Sides’ Vol. 6 with their hard-hitting ‘Just a Beat’ and a huge track from Beyer himself who has joined forces with Enrico Sangiuliano to bring us their undeniably infectious ‘Preset Heaven’. 

With many more notable selections from the likes of Julian Jewell, Timmo, Tiger Stripes and Pig&Dan, A-Sides Vol. 6 is another impressive addition to the label’s prolific release roster and a testament to why Drumcode remains at the forefront of the electronic world.

Amelie Lens - In Silence - Drumcode - DC178

Adam Beyer & Enrico Sangiuliano - Preset Heaven - Drumcode - DC178

It doesn’t get much bigger than this: Adam Beyer links up with Green Velvet and Drumcode’s outstanding rising star Layton Giordani for a debut collaboration.

Some musical partnerships feel fated. Both fans of one another’s work, for years Adam Beyer and Green Velvet had discussed writing music together. In turn, Beyer’s protégé Layton Giordani had admired the Chicagoan’s work for as long as he could remember. When the 25-year-old found himself playing alongside the green mohawked legend at Belfast’s Shine, the spark and subsequent friendship was immediate. With the links now set in place, it was only a matter of time before the trio’s creative chemistry would manifest musically.

‘Space Date’ was conceived organically and birthed quickly. Propelled by Green Velvet’s trademark vocal hypnotism, the triumvirate combine to craft a pumping intergalactic slice of techno laced in melody that’s highlighted sets by Beyer at Awakenings, Ushuaia and also EDC Vegas when Green Velvet dropped it to a raucous response. The track is complimented by ‘Rome Future’, the product of a year-long series of productions between Beyer and Giordani. Deftly combining crisp drum work, catchy vocal effects and a powerful bassline melody that gives the track an almighty kick, it will be familiar to many who’ve followed their sets over recent months.

Adam Beyer, Layton Giordani & Green Velvet - Space Date - Drumcode - DC193

The seventh volume of Drumcode’s annual A-Sides compilation hits with no less than 10 debuts for the label, with Charlotte de Witte, ANNA, B.Traits and Scuba’s SCB project, among the collection of topline artists to release their maiden productions on the imprint. 

Over two decades into its lifespan, Drumcode keeps evolving and excelling, pushing techno forward while remaining wholly respectful of its roots. This reputation for progression was further fueled this summer with its inaugural festival at the NDSM Docklands in Amsterdam, featuring a long list of heavyweights including Nicole Moudaber, Joseph Capriati, Amelie Lens and Ida Engberg, among others. 

As ever, the A-Sides compilation provides a timely opportunity to showcase the full range of its sonic repertoire, with Adam Beyer scrupulously selecting 22 unreleased tracks that have taken prime position in his sets over recent months. 

Outstanding all-round talent ANNA kicks off the compilation with ‘Portable Paradise’, a pulsating cut that sets the tone for the top-shelf club cuts to follow. Also entering the debut field with their first ever Drumcode dalliances are B.Traits and Charlotte de Witte. The esteemed Canadian selector offers up ‘I Feel The Music’, a euphonic track that’s been sought after since spring, and the Belgian ballista unlocks a thick-edged club bomb in ‘Remember.’

Leaders of Drumcode’s new brigade, exciting Brazilian Wehbba and British techno alchemist Boxia set out to impress. Wehbba’s straight-talking ‘Just’ hits with an immediate sense of urgency before neck-snap claps strike with force, and Boxia’s ‘Final Call’ elicits physical engagement with mellifluous vocals and soaring pads. 

Continuously looking to bolster the profiles of emerging talent, Berlin-based producers Weska and Juliet Fox are brought into the fold with equally engaging razor-sharp tracks that are primed to do lasting damage. 

Other notable highlights include an exhilarating workout from Reset Robot - the most released artist on Beyer’s imprint Truesoul – as he lands on Drumcode for the first time. And tastemaker’s favourite Jel Ford makes a welcome return as he ushers in techno rhythms with bustling breaks in ‘Nightshade.’

Elsewhere, support from label mainstays comes in from Bart Skils, who offers a work of consummate skill in ‘West Of The Moon.’ Alan Fitzpatrick, who’s been heavily featured across the A-Side series, joins forces with Scuba as he operates as his uncompromising alias SCB. The result is a propulsive floor-gripper that testifies to their masterful deftness as co-producers. Formidable duos Dense & Pika and Pig&Dan also contribute with powerful compositions.

ANNA - Portable Paradise - Drumcode - DC195

Pre-order here — bit.ly/DC200BP

Techno’s most influential label hits 200 releases with two powerful Amelie Lens interpretations of an Adam Beyer classic.

Over the course of its lifespan, Drumcode’s vision has remained resolute, crafting techno that’s both functional and forward-thinking. It’s a philosophy that extends to the stable of artists who release on the label and play its showcases, with Adam Beyer’s eyes and ears always focused on the future. 

One artist in his viewpoint in recent years is Amelie Lens. Supporting her early productions on Lyase and Second State, a kinship naturally developed between the two artists, with Beyer asking her to contribute to 2017’s A-Sides Vol.6 compilation. Her blistering acid cut ‘In Silence’ blew the collective techno world out of the water.

Eighteen months on and now a regular on Drumcode showcase line-ups, Beyer has sought the Lenske Records boss to apply her energetic take on techno and remix ‘Teach Me’, his deep, Detroit-influenced cut from 2014. The Main Mix highlighted the Swede’s Drumcode Halloween set in London and is an exhilarating peak-team weapon driven by a grinding bassline that undulates with intensity, while Lens has made smart work of the vocal, teasing out the sample to harmonic perfection. The Acid Mix sees the Belgian deliver a stripped back 303-led affair, utilising the looped vocal to build energy in the first half of the track, before rapid-fire percussion and squelchy stabs take control and push the atmosphere into darker and more ominous realms. 

Tracklist: 

1. Adam Beyer – Teach Me (Amelie Lens Main Mix)
2. Adam Beyer – Teach Me (Amelie Lens Acid Mix)

Buy all

Adam Beyer — Teach Me (Amelie Lens Main Mix) — Drumcode — DC200

Adam Beyer — Teach Me (Amelie Lens Acid Mix) — Drumcode — DC200

ANNA drops a triple dose of heat to mark her first EP on Drumcode.

ANNA first debuted on Drumcode with the irresistible groover ‘Portable Paradise’, which highlighted last year’s A-Sides Vol.7 and set up a busy year playing DC events in 2019. There was the memorable morning set at Space during WMC, two fiery gigs at Drumcode Festival and typically strong performances at the DC takeover at Resistance in Ibiza and Sonar. Fresh from her gargantuan collaboration with Kittin ‘Forever Ravers’, she steps up for a maiden EP on Adam Beyer’s flagship label.

‘Galactic Highways’ is propelled by an arresting peak-time riff and bombastic drums and was a storming addition to Beyer’s set at Drumcode Halloween recently. ‘Dimensions’ is the powerful brain scrambler, as a blistering wall of acid rubs shoulders with undulating bass notes for a dramatic finish. ‘Phase Two’ is a stirring, pad-laden beauty, driven by lustrous melody lines that cascade over the Brazilian’s punchy percussion.

ANNA — Dimensions — Drumcode — DC215

ANNA — Phase Two — Drumcode — DC215

ANNA — Galactic Highways — Drumcode — DC215

Adam Beyer returns with his first solo EP in five years.

The Drumcode founder is measured when it comes to signing music to his own imprint, biding his time till the stars align. His last individual outing was 2015’s ‘Stone Flower’ EP, which included the thrilling label favourite ‘What You Need’. A succession of classy collaborations followed, linking with DC’s most vital artists highlighted by ‘Your Mind’ with Bart Skils, proclaimed one of the best tracks of the last decade by Mixmag.

An EP that gives a nod to uncertain times, while remaining resolutely positive, ‘No Defeat No Retreat’ was written during Beyer’s fruitful production sessions during lockdown. The opening track, ‘Park People’ sets the pace with an energetic, 80’s new wave creating the track’s spine. Its hypnotic energy stems from a powerful synth riff and vocal sample culminating in a skilfully balanced track that neatly combines the old with the new. The title track is a study in contrasts, deftly crafting a muted, nagging vocal hook and infectious bassline into a slice of forward-facing, edgy techno. With its subtle, undulating layers of melody building in the background, it ushers in an understated sense of euphoria, making it a perfect end-of-set mood-maker. A thrilling return!

Tracklist

1. Adam Beyer – Park People
2. Adam Beyer – No Defeat No Retreat

No Defeat No Retreat

Adam Beyer — Park People — Drumcode — DC229

Adam Beyer returns with his first solo EP in five years.

The Drumcode founder is measured when it comes to signing music to his own imprint, biding his time till the stars align. His last individual outing was 2015’s ‘Stone Flower’ EP, which included the thrilling label favourite ‘What You Need’. A succession of classy collaborations followed, linking with DC’s most vital artists highlighted by ‘Your Mind’ with Bart Skils, proclaimed one of the best tracks of the last decade by Mixmag.

An EP that gives a nod to uncertain times, while remaining resolutely positive, ‘No Defeat No Retreat’ was written during Beyer’s fruitful production sessions during lockdown. The opening track, ‘Park People’ sets the pace with an energetic, 80’s new wave creating the track’s spine. Its hypnotic energy stems from a powerful synth riff and vocal sample culminating in a skilfully balanced track that neatly combines the old with the new. The title track is a study in contrasts, deftly crafting a muted, nagging vocal hook and infectious bassline into a slice of forward-facing, edgy techno. With its subtle, undulating layers of melody building in the background, it ushers in an understated sense of euphoria, making it a perfect end-of-set mood-maker. A thrilling return!

1. Park People
2. No Defeat No Retreat

Adam Beyer — No Defeat No Retreat — Drumcode — DC229

A rare treat for Drumcode faithful: A-Sides Vol.10 is set to drop in December, the second edition of the beloved series to come in 2020.

Fuelled by the extra time and space to be creative during lockdown, Drumcode’s collective of artists have stepped up. Across 17 contributions, the producers have gone deeper into their sonic repertoire, crafting powerful, yet reflective works that capture the range of the label’s sound.

Jay Lumen leads the way with a rousing riff-driven weapon, ‘Galactic Rainbow’, while Ramon Tapia brings us the muscular gem ‘Drum Control’, mixing up ruffneck techno with a barrage of synapse-tickling synths in the second half. Both rousing highlights of the compilation.
Victor Ruiz, Drumcode’s most prolific contributor in 2020, dishes up ‘Love Story’, led by a huge vocal lead. Zimmz also returns with ‘Tension’, which deftly combines deep squelchy grooves with a silky synth interlude. Thomas Hoffknecht follows up his debut on Vol.9 with ‘Escape’, keeping listeners on their toes with dynamic, choppy shifts throughout. Veerus joins with another stirring addition ‘I Know’, reinforcing why Beyer rates him so highly.

Elsewhere a string of debutants feature: buzzy newcomer Lilly Palmer gives us ‘Amnesie’, a brilliantly pummelling and eerie cut; Alex Lentini & Stomp Boxx serve up ‘Expanders’ mixing up drone effects, trippy vocals and an unsettling melody line; and Patrik Berg’s ‘Activated’ is full-bodied techno that drops down into funky rhythms.

Long-time DC family member Bart Skils brings his A-game with the thrilling no-nonsense ‘Solid State’ that hits like a steam train. Likewise, Alan Fitzpatrick who brings a momentous slab of techno energy with ‘Rochus’, while Thomas Schumacher, now feeling like a regular on the imprint, crafts another dark techno opus, this time in collaboration with CAITLIN.

There’s even a special appearance by the chief Adam Beyer, who makes a welcome return with the progressive-tinged ‘Changes’, driven by organic tones and spacey atmospherics. The track stands as his first original contribution to A-Sides since 2017.

Drumcode

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