On his latest excursion into concept-driven deep techno, Eddie Merced joins the dots between his East Coast US machine soul sound and his Puerto Rican roots, all while continuing to look skywards in search of hidden mysteries.

Merced's sound holds true to the fundamentals of techno as a modernist soul music, steeped in beguiling harmonies that communicate on an emotional level even as the lead track lands with physical, peak-time intention. It's a fitting tribute to Atabey, the ancestral mother-spirit of the Taino people across the Antilles archipelago (including Puerto Rico) in the time before Europeans arrived.

'LZ-1' maintains the forthright impact of Merced's most floor-focused production traits, locking into cyclical hooks while unfolding a narrative steadily over the run time. Elsewhere the body-popping electro funk of Underground Resistance exerts a tangible influence over the visionary sweep of 'UAPs Gone Mad' and 'Interplanetary'; two distinct tracks speaking the same language.

Given the rich layers of melodic synthesis that course through Merced's tracks, it's natural to hear him putting the drum machines to one side and casting off into beatless ambient techno on the impossibly lush 'Signals From Enceladus'. The track nods to the Puerto Rico-based Arecibo telescope, and its task in the 1970s of sending signals into space in search of a response from extra-terrestrials.

The quest continues to this day in the work of Merced and all other synth dreamers, creating evocative space music charged with that same sense of wonder and the enduring question of whether we've already received a response.

Beatport

Eddie Merced - Interplanetary

Eddie Merced is one of those artists whose sound speaks on a universal level. The Connecticut DJ and producer has honed a strain of techno and house that matches driving rhythms with richly melodic machine soul. As legendary French techno pioneer Laurent Garnier testified, “Eddie is one of the (too) rare producers these days that are keeping deep, soulful techno music alive.”

The key to the authenticity in Merced’s whole approach lies in the roots of the sound, tracking everything back to its source to understand where house and techno have come from in order to better take it forward. Merced’s life has been immersed in music since soaking up his dad’s love of freestyle and early 80s electro and heading off on his own voyage of exploration. From an affinity for soul, funk and disco through to the full spectrum of electronic music new and old, Merced’s appetite for sincere expression has been fuel for his own sharply-focused music. 

He established R4808n as a platform for his creative vision, framing the epic scope of his synth-rich production with the alluring intrigue of clandestine mysteries both of this earth and beyond. Elsewhere, Merced’s productions have been recognised and carried by scene-leading labels like Upon.You Records and Marco Bailey’s MB Elektronics, Yousef’s Circus Recordings and Brothers’ Vibe’s iconic New Jersey house imprint Mixx Records. His breakthrough release From Within, which also gives his Bloop London radio show its name, was carried by Gabcat back in 2016. 

As a DJ, Merced has played across the US, in the UK and mainland Europe, bringing a hi-octane energy to dancefloor settings, while his radio shows and studio mixes make space for slower, more introspective sounds that round out his musical identity. At all times, he keeps a handle on that vital deep techno, Detroit-inspired soul element that marks out his music. It’s a cohesive approach which has rightly drawn support from such respect luminaries as Colin Dale, Karotte, Ken Ishii and Claude Young Jr, while Carl Cox famously worked stems from Merced’s track ‘Tri-State Hustle’ during a hybrid live set at Ultra Music Festival 2022. 

True to techno’s origins as a fusion of technology and soul, Eddie Merced’s mission lies in the depth of his expression and the places he can take you - his is deeply rooted music heading into the future, reaching skywards as it hits you deep within.

Testimonials:

"Eddie is one of the (too) rare producers these days that are keeping deep soulful melodic Techno music alive. Been a big fan of his productions since day one!" - Laurent Garnier

“Eddie is a super talented DJ - producer who I noticed works really hard at his craft and at the moment is on an upward trajectory with some amazing production and captivating DJ sets under his belt. Definitely one to watch!” - Colin Dale