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The Bells · Jeff Mills T.A.M.F. remix

Schranz and Its Connection to Jeff Mills’ “The Bells”

Connection to Jeff Mills’ “The Bells”: Jeff Mills’ The Bells (1997, Purpose Maker, PM-002) isn’t pure Schranz but heavily influenced its development. Its raw, hypnotic loop and pounding 4/4 kick resonated with the harder, minimal techno sound that Schranz built upon. Here’s how it ties in:
* Influence on Schranz Producers: Mills’ use of repetitive, functional loops in The Bells inspired Schranz’s stripped-down aesthetic. Its 140 BPM tempo and relentless drive aligned with Schranz’s ethos, making it a proto-Schranz track for DJs like Liebing or Boris S.
* Club Play: The Bells was a staple in late ’90s hard techno sets, bridging Detroit techno’s soul with Schranz’s aggression. Its iconic bell riff added a melodic hook that Schranz often avoided but still absorbed as a reference for tension-building.
* Remixes and Legacy: Later Schranz DJs (e.g., Eric Sneo, DJ Amok) remixed or drew from The Bells’ energy. For example, the 2006 10th Anniversary The Bells 12” (PM-020) had a louder, Schranz-friendly master that fit harder sets.

Original Pressing Context: As mentioned earlier, The Bells appeared on the Kat Moda EP (1997, Purpose Maker, PM-002, 12” vinyl). Its raw production—gritty kicks, unpolished mastering—mirrors Schranz’s unrefined edge. Schranz DJs likely gravitated to originals or early represses for their analog warmth, though the track’s quieter mix (compared to 2000s Schranz cuts) required DJs to crank the gain.

Where to Find Schranz-Inspired The Bells:
* Original 1997 Vinyl: Hunt on Discogs/Reverb for PM-002 ($20–$50). Check matrix: PM 002-A/B (RE I) NSC.
* Streaming: The 1997 version (on Spotify/Beatport) retains the raw vibe Schranz fans love.
* Modern Schranz Comps: Look for The Bells in hard techno mixes or CLR/Tresor compilations. Check X posts or SoundCloud for recent Schranz sets featuring it.

Schranz Today (Oct 2025): Schranz remains a niche but vibrant scene. Recent X posts highlight new releases on labels like Schranz Total or Hard Drive, with DJs like Fernanda Martins and Luciid pushing 150+ BPM bangers. The Bells still gets play in retro sets or as a remixed bootleg in Schranz raves.
Want me to dig into a specific Schranz artist, label, or a The Bells remix in this style? Or maybe check X for recent Schranz chatter? Let me know! 🔔

Deep Dive: Schranz – The Hard Techno Beast 🦖
Since you’re doubling down on Schranz, let’s go full throttle. This is the raw, pounding heart of German hard techno—no fluff, just facts, history, essentials, and where to score it today (Oct 16, 2025). The Bells connection? It’s the proto-Schranz blueprint—hypnotic loops + brutal kick = Schranz DNA. Ready? Gas it up!

Schranz 101: What the Hell Is It?
* Born: Late 1990s, Frankfurt/Germany. Evolved from Jeff Mills/Rene Pawlowitz-style minimal techno into a weaponized sound.
* Tempo: 140–160+ BPM (faster = harder life).
* Sound: Distorted 909 kicks that hurt, razor-sharp hi-hats, zero melody (unless it’s a stab), industrial noise loops. Think: a jackhammer in a warehouse.
* Name Origin: Chris Liebing (2001) called it “Schranz” to mock haters saying hard techno was just “schrammel” (grating noise). DJs flipped it into pride.
* Ethos: Anti-EDM, sweat-soaked, 6AM warehouse raves. No peaks—just relentless drive.

Schranz vs. Regular Techno:
Feature	Schranz	Standard Techno
BPM	145–160	120–140
Kick	Distorted, punchy AF	Clean, groovy
Melodies	Minimal/none	Hooks & synth

Vibe	Dark, aggressive	Hypnotic, soulful
Clubs	Berghain, Tresor	Fabric, Output
Timeline: Schranz Evolution
Year	Milestone	Key Track/Artist
1997	The Bells drops (Mills). Proto-Schranz loop energy.	Jeff Mills – The Bells
1999	Frankfurt explosion. Liebing coins term.	Chris Liebing – American Madness


SCHRANZ ON! 🦖🔔 Drop the needle—let’s destroy some speakers.

Recording 16-10-25, 11.55.43 am

Relaxing Instrumental house music

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Soundcloud: @tuomasdata
Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/12NjG2NhuKYBq6qfN5jE0S

Sunshine

1. Burtons Garden 2. Bleeding in the Jungle 3. Burtons Garden (Sau Poler remix) 4. Bleeding in the Jungle (Ujin Ray Remix).

Jamie Porteous - Bleeding In The Jungle (Ujin Ray Remix) (fde in/out 192)

Mr KetaCover and Högt i Tak goes down that hole! For more Keta, check out https://soundcloud.com/user-793995544

Högt i Tak & KetaCover - Rox (Down that hole remix)

Multi Culti’s lucid-lifestyle dreamer Peter Power takes us on a free-wheeling trip to the motherland on AFRO DAMBA.

The Irish-born Voodoohop resident has returned from the jungles of Bahia with a fresh ep of primal party tracks sampling voices and rhythms from across Africa and it’s neighbouring islands, producing what is easily his most club-oriented work to date. Whereas his tracks for Voodoohop were spiritual flute-heart-openers, these are neo-pagan mating-ritual floor-fillers. The rhythm is set to tribal chug, with rollicking percussion, reverb-soaked vocals, and all the fun jangly bells & bits you expect to be hanging off such a well-traveled producer.

If that weren’t enough, we enlisted Romanian-dance-duo Khidja to double-down and remix both Adama Waro and Dansakoni (available as a digital-exclusive). Resident mix-lord Dreems also weighs in with a subtle remix of Dansakoni, gently upping the tempo and tweaking the knobs in selfless service of the original groove.


• ‘Dansakoni’ samples Guinea’s Famadou Konaté 
• 'Mori Baka’ samples a song of the Baka people, traditionally sung to help children fall asleep
• ‘Mori' comes from Moribyassa; a  traditional malinke rhythm of West Africa
• ‘Adama Waro’ features a vocal sample from Danyel Waro from Reunion Island
• Djembe percussion on 'Dansakoni' and 'Adama Waro' by Adama Dramé

Peter Power - Dansakoni (Khidja Remix)

Check out the brand new Acid Hamam E.P - Hammok on Tom Tom Disco (@richardrossa), the long awaited follow up on Soul Sirocco from last year. The one that got 10/10 in DJ mag review and got the stamp of approval from artists far and wide.

This release is a bit more lush and melodic, and includes a remix from local producer and DJ partner Victor Norman (Heimlich Music, etc). However, lots of wonkiness to enjoy including funky cumbia, arabic desert blues, Scandinavian poetry and acid-folklore-elements.

Release Date - 01/12/17

PREMIERE - Acid Hamam - Hypnozahara (Tom Tom Disco)

Sunrom - Utopia (Dandara Remix)

1 Mark My World (Original Mix)
2 Mark My World (Marlon Remix)
3 Mark My World (Tillmann & deAdi Remix)
4 Mark My World (Bigeneric Remix)
5 Mark My World (Rearte Remix)
6 Mark My World (Alessandro Giannelli Remix)

irascible 2018

Mark My World (Rearte Remix)

The Mushrooms Project are well known for their sleazy mid-tempo laid-back percussive style, a sound that immediately resonated with rising stars and newly signed label mates Earthboogie. 

Specifically it was ‘Dubby Bolas’ from the Italian duo’s 2016 album ‘Rivea Corymbosa’ album that really excited Earthboogie and equally, the Mushrooms were fans of the afro disco sound the Londoners displayed on their debut track ‘Route Ten To Interzone’.

The mutual appreciation led to this remix project which was released on Record Store Day 2018 and showcases their complementary productions styles which collide with great effect.

LENG SHOP

Mushrooms Project - Dubby Bolas (Earthboogie Remix)

I Lost My Poncho In Istanbul is proud to present to you a fresh selection of bomb tracks from Ecuadorian mastermind Nicola Cruz and the Brazilian label honcho Pigmalião. The new release ILPI003 exposes identities from both artists in their pursuit of representing South American references comprised by local expressions mixed with afro rhythms exploited in a more obscure, avant-garde and electronic intended soundscapes.

On side-A, Nicola Cruz tracks Apnea and Marea blend dembow and soca rhythms with modular music, leaving space for these harmonics to create dance patterns. Both are a duality of ideas that have travelled across the oceans, from Africa to South America, and back, reinforcing the idea of accentuation in music, rather than the usual straight forward dance structure. These are songs that evoke a primitive feeling, crafted on a contemporary head.

On side-B, Pigmalião tracks B2 and Ocrânimo explore acid lines and syncopated rhythms for darker dance floor environments in distinct BPMs sealing a proper b-side storytelling for the release.


Credits:

Side-A: Produced by Nicola Cruz in Quito, Ecuador
Side-B: Produced by Pigmalião in Hoorn, The Netherlands
Cover Art by Juliana Lira in São Paulo, Brazil
Mastering by GS Mastering & Post in Stockholm, Sweden
Physical distribution by Bordello a Parigi in Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Digital distribution by MusicDeli in Amsterdam, The Netherlands


to follow Nicola Cruz:
soundcloud.com/nicolacruz
www.instagram.com/nicolacruzz/

to follow Pigmalião:
soundcloud.com/piglion
www.instagram.com/pigmylion/

to follow Juliana Lira
www.julianaalira.com
https://www.instagram.com/mizzyfk/

to follow I Lost My Poncho In Istanbul
soundcloud.com/ilostmyponcho

ILPI003 - Nicola Cruz / Pigmalião

Buy on Bandcamp

ILPI003 - Nicola Cruz / Pigmalião (EP sampler)

Trailer techno with a pinch of psychedelic disco and acid masala

Högt i Tak & KetaCover - Rox (Down that hole remix)

Högt I Tak [When Disco Goes Wrong]