Destroy All Monsters is a leftfield techno label that emerged in Berlin but now operates between the German capital and Shanghai. The label’s sixth release comes courtesy of MIIIA, an emerging Chinese producer who evidently knows a thing about unusual techno if this offering, the wonderfully titled ‘Mimi’s Wonderland in the Clouds’ EP, is a fair glimpse of her talents. And with a super limited limited 10 vinyl release available, getting your hands on a copy might prove something of a struggle…

Nonetheless, the action gets underway with ‘Mimi’s Wonderland’, a bleepy, snaking techno workout that’s full of shrewd motifs and an unerring 808 snare that lingers throughout. The stoned spoken voice, meanwhile, only adds to the track’s eerie ambiance. Watch this one cause havoc when it’s unleashed at just the right time. Next up is Cloudspeak, another track that’s fraught with tension. A perfect DJ tool with which to connect two very different moods, it’s another fine indication of the producer’s penchant for pensive, unrelenting sounds.

The B-side gets underway with Vincent Vidal’s remix of ‘Mimi’s Wonderland’. A strong and brutal workout, its cagey attitude forces parallels with classic Speedy J and Chris Liebing sounds. The action then comes to a head as Douglas Greed issues a remix of ‘Cloud Speak’ that’s notable for its spiky, shimmering synths and bouncing bassline. With four quality-imbued offerings on display here, Destroy All Monsters’ latest is a veritable treasure trove for fans of discerning, oddball techno especially.

Cloudspeak

C - MIIIA - Cloudspeak

B - MIIIA - Mimi's Wonderland (Vincent Vidal Remix)

Destroy All Monster (DAMN!) first signing outside DAMN!'s founding crew is Shanghai based MIIIA, rising star of Techno made in China – a young scene rising above cheap copycats that is establishing itself as an original creative hub.  
Hammered into tough shapes by a decade of DJing experience across China and Asia's top techno clubs, MIIIA’s sound ranges from deliberately raw, unpolished Techno-Pop (‚Mimi’s Wonderland‘) to sublime trippiness (‚Cloudspeak‘). China already is turning into a massive competitor for the leading US creative/tech industries, and with MIIIA and her electronic music compatriots we are now seeing the same thing happening in the Techno world. 
Berlin, beware!

A - MIIIA - Mimi's Wonderland

Following on from their last outing whereby Chinese artist MIIIA took the reins alongside some stunning remixes from Vincent Vidal and Douglas Greed, Berlin label Destroy All Monsters once again comes correct courtesy of a sumptuous slice of dancefloor leaning techno. This time about, the imprint looks closer to home, enlisting the services of label owner Zuckermann, who delivers with aplomb on the vibe heavy sounds of the ‘So Not Sorry’ EP.

The title already hints at a mean track, and the actual result delivers on that. Firm and uncompromising, it moves at a frantic pace, all the while building steam and chugging along with serious momentum. A surefire dancefloor battle weapon that’s certain to prompt pandemonium wherever it’s unleashed, this one is practically tailor made for gargantuan spaces à la Berghain. A truly devastating piece of music, it’s best you handle this one with care…

On the remix tip, fellow label owner Negativ Dekadent then puts his own unique stamp on things. His interpretation follows a similar path, but adds a sense of further consternation thanks to an acid-led subbassline that’s sure to generate goosebumps on the dancefloor. Culminating the package is Leandro Gámez, label chief of now famed ‚Sub tl‘ from Spain. He retains the original’s zippy synths and works them into a whole different beast altogether that goes in with maximum (but sub tl) power right from the start. A rough and ready release featuring three equally muscular cuts, DAMN!’s latest really is a joy to behold.

Zuckermann - So Not Sorry (Negativ Dekadent ReDub)

Zuckermann - So Not Sorry (Leandro Gámez Remix)

Zuckermann - So Not Sorry (Original Mix)

"This mixtape meanders between Ambient, echoes of 20th century classics and the weirder sides of Techno (in the broadest sense of the word). It deliberately aims at clashing some mostly unspoken of 'harmony' principles of DJ mixing in the process, i.e. rough instead of glib transitions, clashing of harmonies, sudden endings of tracks, an anti-climax dramaturgy, etc. 
Enjoy the journey which culminates in the eponymous track only to end with a very lone synth melody (reference to Jean-Michel Jarre, or - Glam Rock? OMD!!), and ultimately the static it was starting from.

'So Not Sorry' out on Destroy All Monsters August 10, 2017"


Tracklist:
>Basic Channel - Mutism
>Karl-Heinz Stockhausen - Gesang der Jünglinge im Feuerofen
>Chad - Afters
>Matt Star - Hypno (Franco Minelli Remix)
>Tolga Baklacioglu - Feeling Now and Then
>Blackhall & Bookless - Links (Bleak Remix)
>Ben Sims - The Fear (Planetary Assault Systems Remix)
>The Black Dog - Dissident Bleep (Sandwell District Remix)
>Planetary Assault Systems - Black Tea
>Dead J & Gunne - Untitled
>Zuckermann - So Not Sorry (Original Mix)
>MIIIA - Mimi's Wonderland (Vincent Vidal Rremix) 
>Basic Channel - Mutism

Zuckermann  - So Not Sorry (DAMN! 007 Exclusive Mixtape)

Dr.Nojoke - Mental Health Hotline EP on Destroy All Monsters incl. Berk Offset Remix

Anyone who’s followed the Berlin/ Shanghai and now Hong Kong-based Destroy All Monsters label’s recent endeavours will no doubt be acutely aware of the label’s propensity for doing this that (??) bit differently. Releases from the likes of MIIIA and Zuckermann are very much proof of the fact, while the label’s latest comes at us from Frank Bogdanowitz, who produces here under his Dr. Nojoke alias. The German producer and live act impresses on the ‘Mental Health Hotline’, a tongue-in-cheek EP that - in keeping with the producer’s alias - makes some lighthearted references to some serious issues. 
Opening up the release is the original, a gnarly, twisted, temperamental track that sounds as if it were lifted from a Donato Dozzy and Tin Man collaboration. Moody and minimal, it keeps the listener’s attention firmly locked courtesy of a range of swelling beats and unusual samples. A stifling, almost uncomfortable listen, this one will make most sense when the night is enjoying its most trippy moments. 
Berk Offset then somehow manages to lift the intensity further still. Another producer with a propensity for the unusual, his remix is no less sweaty, with Boiler Room levels of pressure and intensity at the core of all that’s good. A proverbial banger that’s best suited to cavernous rooms a la Printworks or Berghain, it’s a fitting slice of rave that compliments the original with some audacity. 
Last but not least is ‘Nemonuk’, Dr.Nojoke’s second original on offer. Again, the ethos here is firmly tied toward a minimal aesthetic and again, the results firmly lean towards a somewhat out-there place. Nonetheless, this is electronica at its most varied and a track that culminates an all-round fascinating EP with considered aplomb. Hats off to Destroy All Monsters for another fitting example of what makes them one of house and techno’s most exciting - and downright unusual - emerging labels.

Support The Artist

Dr.Nojoke - Nemonuk (Original Mix)

Dr.Nojoke - Mental Health Hotline (Berk Offset Remix)

Dr.Nojoke - Mental Health Hotline (Original Mix)

Zuckermann’s rework finally enigmatically meanders between after and peaktime Techno.
Reworked, floating HiHats, and a twisted grumbling FM bassline turn that one into a ‚metallica‘ like monster (sic!). But only occasionally so. The overall irregular form, an at times spitting bass, and unforeseeable outbreaks of otherwise suppressed sc(d)reams will keep you on your toes while dancing over the paving stones.

Negativ Dekadent - Under The Paving Stones (Zuckermann Remix)

HD Substances’ remix then paves the way to a more stoic view on things. 
With its dry funk and tenacious acidline the remix moves along with such a scalpel sharp precision that it needs no further decorum or a break down. A unconquerable and highly enjoyable Techno jacker.

Negativ Dekadent - Under The Paving Stones (HD Substance Remix)

‚Under The Paving Stones’ is a relentless Techno stomper, weirdo wild style. 
The juxtaposition of slightly unsettling, but hypnotizing HiHats and a rattle snake like distorted bassline craning its head makes that a track with a mighty bite. 
Enter the pavement and feel the animal under the dancefloor.

Artist Support

Negativ Dekadent - Under The Paving Stones

Contemporary Techno label with a code. 
Close your eyes and watch out for monsters inside and out.

Destroy All Monsters

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