Artist: Balrog
Release: The Nothern Powerhouse' LP
Cat number: IOD053
Release date: 14.02
Format: CD & digital

Balrog’s debut album, “The Northern Powerhouse” is composed of 8 hard-hitting techno tracks, focusing on heavy, groove-ridden drums, driving basslines and obscure, distorted vocals. His tracks take influence from classic, hard-grooving techno but with a fresh injection of modern, industrial power.
The framework for the tracks was developed in the midst of the fallout from the UK leaving the EU and the numerous attempts to “level up” the north of the country through The Northern Powerhouse scheme, from which the album derives its name. Conceptually, the album is an attempt from the artist to dissociate himself from Brexit and the conservative government which has consistently stigmatised the most vulnerable in UK society and spread lies on an industrial scale in order to push forward their agenda.
           Through the album, a series of linked tracks mirror the raw divisions in society, not just between The North and The South of the UK, but also more widely representing divisions throughout the world.  As the album develops, a more hopeful outcome is suggested, seeing the culture of underground music as having the potential to build connections and incite resistance in an increasingly divided world.

https://soundcloud.com/balrogtechno
https://www.facebook.com/Balrog/

BALROG - Chain Of Command [IOD053]

Experimental, techno, noise label based in Berlin.

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⌐Contact:  mahanagent@yahoo.com
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📸 INSTAGRAM - discjockeymatt
📧 EMAIL - 123mg10@gmail.com

I was influenced from an early age by a CD called “CLUBBED” mixed by Judge Jules in 2002 which introduced me to the world of trance and techno. This sound is something I still believe is the true techno sound (hypnotic, loopy and groovy).

As I got older I listened to pretty much every sub-genre of EDM but nothing was as good as those early influences until I discovered hardstyle by the likes of Headhunterz, Showtek and Brennan Heart. They shaped my musical journey right thought high school and somewhat still to this day.

But as I’ve got older, I’ve realised I have less in common with the modern hardstyle sound and sadly, it’s not a genre I find much inspiration from anymore.

Now that I actually want to produce and DJ, I’m able to combine what I like from that genre as well as going back to the roots of techno. I find a lot of similarities between hypnotic techno, old school hardstyle, gabber and psychedelic trance (all genres that I absolutely adore).

I find myself conflicted about where I stand regarding the modern “hard techno”. On paper I should probably dislike it due to the mass commercialisation it has brought. But for someone like myself and the genres listed above, it is pretty much a dream come true for me to live in an era where it’s easy to find a rave now with such versatility.

I hope to create my own unique twist on these sounds and use my vast range of music I have acquired over the years, share that with you in my mixes, and then produce something new that also elicits that same magic!

My goals are to knuckle down and get equally good at both production and DJ. I think this should be the number one priority before even considering mixing in clubs etc.

Well, that’s a bit about what has influenced me - if this sounds like a journey you wish to join, follow me and find me on these various platforms below :P

Insta - discjockeymatt
Spotify - discjockeymatt 
Apple - discjockeymatt
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BALROG - Chain Of Command [IOD053]

Instruments of Discipline