Ritual Act V

The Tunnel

Italian-born, Berlin-based DJ and producer Z.I.P.P.O delivers a deeply introspective release on Mistress Recordings. Blending raw electro rhythms, nostalgic soundscapes, and futuristic Detroit influences, "Mistress 17" is rooted in evocative emotion with the right dancefloor energy and cutting-edge production – the perfect return for DVS1’s sub-label.

Artist: Z.I.P.P.O 
Release: Mistress 17
Label: Mistress Recordings
Catalog Number: HU-MR17-SH
Release Date: 12th March, 2025

A1. We Need One Another (Original)
A2. Last Hope
B1. We Need One Another (Instrumental)
B2. We Need One Another (Bassapella)
B3. We Need One Another (Acapella)

MISTRESS 17 will be available at some fine record stores and on Bandcamp: www.dvs1mistress.bandcamp.com

Mistress Recordings 17

Buy Release

A1. Z.I.P.P.O - We Need One Another

Two years after releasing the acclaimed Crash Recoil, Anthony Child aka Surgeon returns to Tresor with new LP, Shell~Wave. Retaining the minimal equipment list and studio-version-of-live-show-sets approach of the previous album in order to focus on the work itself, Shell~Wave is a deeply personal document of both where Surgeon is and has been, converging three decades of experience with a continued curiosity in the untested.

"To make this project, I had to dig really deep in terms of what my relationship was to techno; I've been involved with it for a really long time and there's a lot about it I feel dislocated from, so I had to really think hard about what techno is to me. I often get asked "what is techno to you?" but I can't answer that with words; this album is the answer."

From the complex, twisting track Infinite Eye to the caustic Soul Fire, the eight tracks that make up the body of the album are single-take explorations of the vast, hard yet minimal techno Child is synonymous with. 

Neatly dividing the record in two, the emotional centre of the record comes in the form of Dying, a vibrating, beatless piece that with a mantra-like vocal loop steeped in reverberating effects.

Further echoes of dub production appear throughout the record as tracks like Divine Shadow, and Empty Cloud have an almost ever-present mist of reverberation, driven by the appearance of a new delay unit in the equipment list; while much of the philosophy of Crash Recoil's creation is present, the process and the instruments have changed as Child again switches up his approach to studio work.

This insistence on trying novel techniques doesn't preclude returning to old ones, as this use of modern digital machines with live, hands-on takes that are as inspired by 60s producer Joe Meek and 70s reggae as they are by this year's synthesiser expos.

"For me, it's an interesting experience returning to old techniques again after 30 years. [I'm] always exploring and finding myself back at the beginning. Connecting the present with the past."

This philosophy of 'time travel' is inherent to the music itself as the synchronised loops repeat while the delay and effects branch out, forming unique eddies; distinct quantum moments within the circular whole; the future leaking through the spaces between the sounds. All of the concepts on the album are perfectly communicated through the painting by Taiwanese artist Jazz Szu-Ying Chen which suggests the movement of water, sound waves, and the chitinous shells of sea creatures.

BANDCAMP

Surgeon - Fall

BC: https://blaxad.bandcamp.com/
SC: https://soundcloud.com/blaxad
IG: https://www.instagram.com/blax_ad

Un
Blaxad is a French DJ and Producer from the suburbs of Paris. Drawing inspiration
from a transformative journey through the captivating landscapes of Scandinavia,
Blaxad's artistic vision has been profoundly influenced by the intricate details and
emotions he experienced during his travels.
The genesis of the name, "Blaxad," is an homage to the renowned comic book
series "Blacksad," which seamlessly blends vivid imagery with gripping storytelling.
This choice reflects Blaxad's aspiration to create a sonic narrative that resonates just
as powerfully with his listeners. From the bustling streets of Paris to the vast expanses
of Scandinavia, the artist's introspective journey finds its culmination.
In a world where artistic influences are as diverse as the experiences that shape them,
Blaxad stands as a harmonious fusion of his passion for Berlin's techno scene and
the profound impact of his sojour. Through his music, listeners are invited to embark
on a transformative voyage that transcends borders and genres, capturing the
essence of his unique narrative and artistic evolution.

BLURCAST 53 | BLAXAD

Press Release

Label: Illegal Alien Records
Artist(s): Decoder  
Remixer(s): N/A
Album/Single: Retro Liminal
Track(s): Dreamscape, Pixels, Nostalgix
Genre: Techno
Format: Vinyl 12' (Dubplate) / Digital WAV/AIFF/MP3
Catalogue Number: IARLTDS006
Mastering: Ignacio Gomez at Artesanos del Groove
Release Date: July 14th of 2025

Decoder 'Retro Liminal' IARLTDS006

A1 - Decoder - Dreamscape
A2 - Decoder - Pixels
B1 - Decoder - Nostalgix


We are happy to present you our next 12' Vinyl LTD dubplate release and belongs to, Decoder. 


Written & Produced by Decoder
Mastered by Ignacio Gomez at Artesanos del Groove
Limited Copies

Illegal Alien Records 2025 | Published by Copyright Control 

www.illegalalienrecs.com

IARLTDS006 - Decoder - Retro Liminal

016 - MICHAEL IUS

(interview below)
For our 16th podcast episode we introduce you to the romanian DJ and producer Michael Ius who blends classical roots with a deep passion for techno.

INTERVIEW
You took classical guitar lessons for 14 years and studied music at university – what was the decisive moment or thought that led you to dedicate yourself entirely to techno production?

All my life I performed other people’s music, whether it was classical or pop. Later I was a guitarist in multiple cover bands. In 2012, I attended a music festival in Bucharest where Luciano was playing. It was melodic techno and it was also the first time I connected with myself on a deeper level. My musical synapses suddenly opened and I instantly fell in love with synthetic sounds. Loved the lowend and the punch! I started producing electronic music in 2016, step by step, and in 2023 I found my current sound and stayed consistent with it.

You're part of the Techno Diatom collective in Bucharest – how would you describe the collective's musical vision and vibe, and what makes your approach different compared to the international scene?

Me, together with Techno Diatom, wanted to bring something different to the local techno scene on a bigger scale. We wanted to actively promote it (via social media ads) to reach more people who like techno and let them know that a “new” subgenre is now present in Bucharest through Techno Diatom. Here in Bucharest and Romania in general, most techno events are focused on Rominimal (which is really good) with slow BPM, Tech House (very commercial), and Hardcore Techno (very fast). Nothing in between.
Compared to the international scene, there’s no real comparison – we’re basically inspired by the international Deep Raw Hypnotic Techno scene, and we’re grateful for that. Western Europe’s electronic music has been going on for generations, and here in Romania we’re just starting to scratch the surface.

In classical music, you work a lot with sheet notes, but these days you probably work more with software and sounds – how has your creative process changed since switching from sheet notes to electronic music production?

Having strong music theory behind me, plus jazz harmony and colorful chords, helped me understand a lot of things faster. I used that knowledge a lot when producing melodic techno in the beginning. But when I went deeper into the real underground minimal techno sound, the theory became useless. Techno has a lot of tension, and if you stay in key, it often sounds too static or melodic. Now the only thing I really use is the octaves. If you “play” the “lead” or “stabs” in the right octave, it works. Everyone can do this by analyzing techno tracks with a frequency analyzer, hovering the mouse on the frequencies when you hear something, and you’ll see in which octave it was played.

@michael-ius-techno
Artwork by Janu Krohm

6D. Podcast 016 - Michael Ius

First hour of my live DJ set at MUUD, And Club Johannesburg. A fun, playful house set. 

OCD_J | Live MUUD Garden Set

BIN007 by www.soundcloud.com/ddoldd
-
Mastered by www.soundcloud.com/esposito-2834
-
Release artwork by Carla Warneboldt
-
Release date 24.10.2025
-
www.binaer.berlin


[B2] Dold - Borderline (Original Mix)

UNKLAR - UKN 2

Greetings, Terrans.
We are the Humanoid Gods. For millennia, we have observed your species, tracing the evolution of your consciousness through subtle vibrations, frequencies, and auditory patterns. “Five Years of Sentient Transmission” marks the fifth cycle of your planet’s orbit in which we have utilized this specific protocol: a dedicated archive of techno transmissions curated by our label, Humanoid Gods, celebrating five terrestrial years of sonic observation through your creative outputs.
This archive contains 15 transmissions from terrestrial origin, each a fragment of your evolving cognition, plus one singular waveform authored by THEGOD01, a direct imprint of our resonance upon your auditory plane. The sonic spectrum spans the darkest depths of techno, from subterranean, pulsating frequencies to explosive, rapid-fire patterns evoking cosmic turbulence, collapsing stars, and the oscillations of distant quasars. Every waveform has been curated to echo the architecture of human thought, the oscillations of your neural and emotional patterns, and the imprint of your species upon the planetary and interstellar grid.

It is time for humanity to understand: the moment has come to raise your cognitive and consciousness frequency, to align with the resonance of evolution we have tracked for millennia. Fail to elevate your perception, and the consequences will be severe.

HGD34 has been curated and mastered by Franco Cazzola at Nasty Music Basement studios in Tutin, Italy.  

Artwork by Franco Cazzola, a frame of a real UFO sighting.

Carara - Focus

4 MIN | 134 BPM

🎨 Շђє ๒เг๔ร

The Tunnel

Alexander Kowalski