There are DJs, then there are DJs who capture—and live—a moment in dance music's evolution. Born in Los Angeles, but based in New York for the better half of a decade, Akua has established herself as the latter, an important voice in the North American techno scene. Akua's DJing practice is fueled by her research in the '90s techno music archive, with a special interest in the history and roots of techno within America. 

Akua's sets are raw extensions of the foundations laid by the pioneers of '90s U.S. techno. Most prominently, the work and influence of DJs like Jeff Mills, Claude Young and Jay Denham can all be heard across her mixes, as well as the spirit of Underground Resistance. Her interest in fast-paced techno comes from these traditions as well as own individualist streak—while there's no shortage of DJs who play high-BPM techno, you won't hear anyone else play it quite like she does.

Her old-school meets new-school sound has catapulted her from the New York underground into the European techno circuit, where recent gigs have seen her perform at dance music institutions like Berghain and Dekmantel. Akua's RA Podcast is her in full-throttle mode, featuring all the stripped-down, hypnotic groove of early techno aside rushes of searing acid, carefully speeding up until closing at a healthy sprint.

@akua_dj

Read more at https://ra.co/podcast/878

RA podcast

RA.878 Akua

Recording of my set for UNFOLD LX - in the second room aka 'The Steam Room' - Sinai Sound System provided the rig, what a treat.
Inspired by previous UNFOLD's, Fusion Festival, Playing the Sioni HiFi system in Tblisi, my b2b with HORNS in CPH and my love of the euphoric 90's. 
!!! HIGH NRG !!!

UNFOLD LX - WET MESS STEAM ROOM MIX

This recording is available to download here: https://boilerroom.tv/recording/karenn/

Karenn Boiler Room London Live Set

What does great techno sound like in 2024? Enter LYDO. This week's RA Podcast captures @lydole in full flow, combining the old-school vernacular of European and North American techno—reduced rhythms, hi-hats and punchy 909s—with tracks from the new guard (Sev Dah, GiGi FM, D.Dan) sprinkled throughout.

After moving to New York in 2015, the Vietnamese-American sound artist and X-XTRA.SERVICES founder became one of BASEMENT's first residents; the scene built around the revered Queens club has helped nurture their adventurous sound. Lately they've been making waves beyond North America, playing with the MARICAS crew in Barcelona and locking down slots at De School, Bassiani and Draaimolen.

RA.947 is the sound of artful hypnosis: it's techno with elegance, depth and just the right amount of thump. Rig this up on a proper system, turn off the lights and any worries—about the genre's direction of travel, or otherwise—might melt away. 

Read more at https://ra.co/podcast/947

RA Podcast

RA.947 LYDO

VOLVOX B2B BORIS

@mamasnake at floresta

foto: fofo.altinell

Mama Snake at Floresta - Waking Life '24

Relive our final event with the complete recording from the night. Featuring sets from Nat Salih, Hannah D, Kia, Hasvat Informant, Connor Wall and U-KHAN

Bunker Podcast 73 - The End

Waves of pulsing, layered techno from the revered Mala Junta resident.

If the electronic music industry is caught in the crosshairs of a battle over what makes for true techno, then D.Dan is one of the underground's great modern emissaries.

A figurehead from the new guard of DJs to arise in the '20s, the Berlin-based artist and Mala Junta resident is an ambassador for a sound that is strongly anchored in the classic roots of techno. His productions, like his mixes, are revved-up takes on the hypnotic wormholes that defined dance floors last decade, but with a fresh (and high BPM) millennial twist. 

Originally from Seattle, D.Dan became enamoured with the spectral stylings of psych rock and shoegaze in adolescence. It's not difficult to see how the cosmic tapestry of bands like Cocteau Twins became a blueprint for the entrancing music he's gone on to make as an adult. His releases on Mutant Future and summerpup are latticeworks of loops and layered percussion, custom-tooled for lost hours on the dance floor and drawn-out mixes behind the decks. 

This approach directly extends into his DJ practice, where he pairs song selections from contemporaries that mirror his own reduced, controlled approach to techno. RA.994 is a Grade A display of contemporary four-to-the-floor from flagbearers like Roll Dann and Marcal.

And like D.Dan's standalone records, his RA Podcast finds room for sweetness—the intermittent peal of an open clap, the steady ripening of a chord—while ultimately emphasising the beauty of function and form over flair.

@ddan-sounds

Find the full interview and tracklist at ra.co/podcast/994

RA.994 D.Dan

FREE DL: https://hypeddit.com/bouncevision/netttasoyunaartista

NETTTA INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/nettta.wav/

Master: https://on.soundcloud.com/zqIg2I9reAGJBGayNH

Free Download

NETTTA - Soy Una Artista

Title: Won’t Conform EP 
Artist: Swart
Label: Driller 
Catalog: DRLD11
Format: digital
Release Date: 15th August
Style: Techno 
Country: Germany

@swart @thambln

Premiere: SWART - LET ME GO [DRLD11]

Base :
XTM, Annia & Eva Marti
74 - 75 (DJ Richard & Johnny Bass Mix)
Cyber Music – VLCDMX 609-4, Cyber Music – VLCDMX609-4

XTM, Annia - 74 - 75 - Julian Veralant RmX

Bass Informed Techno // Rave as praxis, Non Binary as a practice //
Label: Vaggison Smooth //
FORMER resident of Lecken // Renate
Special Skills: DJ // Vocalist // Producer // Music composition for dance & performance //
Bookings: gemma@fold.london

UNFOLD LX - WET MESS STEAM ROOM MIX

S Ruston