Techno

A great philosopher (Samuel Johnson, not Ebeneezer Goode) once wrote… “our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks”. While it would be a stretch to suggest the Drumcode artist roster are closet philosophy fans, once one begins to unravel the tale that led to Jel Ford remixing the 2012 Alan Fitzpatrick hit ‘For An Endless Night’ and it is impossible to escape the unexpected enterprise and spirit of surprise that are at the heart of this exciting collaboration. 

As fans of Adam Beyer’s label will testify, the two Drumcode names have more in common than just a label stable, they also share common ground with the peak-time melodic sound that has delivered many of the labels most memorable output. Ford being a much more recent addition than Fitzpatrick, whose history with the seminal Swedish imprint stretches back to 2009, however Ford’s history within techno goes back even further having released multiple EP’s through the early noughties on vintage UK techno labels including Dave Angel’s Rotation Records, Billy Nasty’s Tortured Records, Primate Recordings and Ford’s own Jericho imprint. 

It is within this shared passion for uplifting synths and big room melodies that the ‘unexpected spark’ of creativity that led to Ford remixing Fitzpatrick can be found. An long-time admirer of Fitzpatrick’s work, Ford had developed an idea for his alternative version and secretly worked on the remix long before any discussion of the project had taken place. Once given the draft version, Fitzpatrick immediately endorsed the remix, excited to have an updated version to breath new life into what had become a familiar staple of his sets for the past two years. Parts were swapped and the end result being the barnstorming end-of-night monster presented here. A track that will be familiar with many having been the subject of much social-media furor since it first surfaced back in Autumn 2014. 

Alan Fitzpatrick - For An Endless Night (Jel Ford Remix) - Drumcode - DC140

Hot on the heels of the A-Sides Volume 5 compilation, Enrico Sangiuliano makes his return to Drumcode with his highly anticipated EP ‘Moon Rocks’. The heavy hitting four track EP shines a light on Sangiuliano’s tight, thundering production skills. The hoover heavy lead track ‘Moon Rocks’ is packed with booming percussion, intricate synths and brooding crescendos. The EP encapsulates Sangiuliano’s wide spectrum of sounds ranging from the fat bass line of ‘Moon Rocks’ to the more delicate harmonies shown within the ‘Dutch Kiss’ mixes whilst ‘Ghettoblaster’ sits somewhere in between.

Enrico Sangiuliano - Moon Rocks - Drumcode - DC160

Sam Paganini makes his return to Drumcode after his chart topping album ‘Satellite’ with a four track, pounding EP. ‘The Beat’, is crammed with thudding drums, reverberated vocals and floaty synth lines. The EP, packed with tantalising synths and explosive drops, will ignite any dance floor.  

Sam Paganini - The Beat (ft. Zøe)- Drumcode - DC162

Highlighting sets everywhere from Awakenings during ADE to Spazio 900 in Rome, the tracks are hard-hitting master studies in industrial-edged techno.  ‘Future’ is a chunky stomper perfect for the winter warehouse party season, as multi-layered synths and effects rub shoulders with heavy-set drums to ensure this one hits its target.

Adam Beyer Vs Dense & Pika - Future - Drumcode - DC166

Out now on Beatport

https://www.beatport.com/release/percussionix/2280205

Carl Cox is an industry figurehead whos legacy in music includes his iconic label Intec, which he runs with friend and business partner Jon Rundell.

Intec's new release is from UMEK who is a Slovenian artist accredited with kick-starting the techno scene in his home country, before earning critical acclaim on a global scale when he first started his career in the 90s.

Having released on labels ranging from CLR and Novamute right through to Toolroom, in recent years UMEK's own imprint "1605" has also become a main outlet for his music.

People with a good knowledge of technos history will be more than aware of the impact of UMEKs classics tracks, such as his anthemic Gatex that came out only a few years before his first Intec release in 2005.

Having also collaborated with many influential figures such as Chris Liebing and Joey Beltram, this new solo EP is UMEKs third release on Intec.

Titled Percussionix the EP opens with (Mix 1) which centres around a thick set bassline cut with filter sweeps and full of menacing intent. Leading the track is a combination of tribal percussion loops, which provide the track's main driving force.

Track two is UMEKs alternative mix of Percussionix which titled (Mix 2) has a more refined sound with the raw edges of the percussion being rounded off to smooth the sound, and its bassline is left unfiltered so it becomes more of a gradual sweep that grows with building tension.

ID152 1. Umek Percussionix Mix 1

The seventh volume of Drumcode’s annual A-Sides compilation hits with no less than 10 debuts for the label, with Charlotte de Witte, ANNA, B.Traits and Scuba’s SCB project, among the collection of topline artists to release their maiden productions on the imprint. 

Over two decades into its lifespan, Drumcode keeps evolving and excelling, pushing techno forward while remaining wholly respectful of its roots. This reputation for progression was further fueled this summer with its inaugural festival at the NDSM Docklands in Amsterdam, featuring a long list of heavyweights including Nicole Moudaber, Joseph Capriati, Amelie Lens and Ida Engberg, among others. 

As ever, the A-Sides compilation provides a timely opportunity to showcase the full range of its sonic repertoire, with Adam Beyer scrupulously selecting 22 unreleased tracks that have taken prime position in his sets over recent months. 

Outstanding all-round talent ANNA kicks off the compilation with ‘Portable Paradise’, a pulsating cut that sets the tone for the top-shelf club cuts to follow. Also entering the debut field with their first ever Drumcode dalliances are B.Traits and Charlotte de Witte. The esteemed Canadian selector offers up ‘I Feel The Music’, a euphonic track that’s been sought after since spring, and the Belgian ballista unlocks a thick-edged club bomb in ‘Remember.’

Leaders of Drumcode’s new brigade, exciting Brazilian Wehbba and British techno alchemist Boxia set out to impress. Wehbba’s straight-talking ‘Just’ hits with an immediate sense of urgency before neck-snap claps strike with force, and Boxia’s ‘Final Call’ elicits physical engagement with mellifluous vocals and soaring pads. 

Continuously looking to bolster the profiles of emerging talent, Berlin-based producers Weska and Juliet Fox are brought into the fold with equally engaging razor-sharp tracks that are primed to do lasting damage. 

Other notable highlights include an exhilarating workout from Reset Robot - the most released artist on Beyer’s imprint Truesoul – as he lands on Drumcode for the first time. And tastemaker’s favourite Jel Ford makes a welcome return as he ushers in techno rhythms with bustling breaks in ‘Nightshade.’

Elsewhere, support from label mainstays comes in from Bart Skils, who offers a work of consummate skill in ‘West Of The Moon.’ Alan Fitzpatrick, who’s been heavily featured across the A-Side series, joins forces with Scuba as he operates as his uncompromising alias SCB. The result is a propulsive floor-gripper that testifies to their masterful deftness as co-producers. Formidable duos Dense & Pika and Pig&Dan also contribute with powerful compositions.

Victor Ruiz - Pulso - Drumcode - DC195

Jay Lumen - Stella Luce - Drumcode - DC195

After an excellent performance at Drumcode Festival, Tiger Stripes comes strong with his first EP on the label since 2009.

Since 2015 Tiger Stripes has been an invaluable contributor to Drumcode’s ‘little brother’ Truesoul. As recent as March he released ‘Sound of the Bettest’ in collaboration with Riva Starr, their fresh raggainfluenced take on techno entrenched as a 2018 highlight for the label. Drawing from a wide palette of sounds to craft his groovy, personality-laden take on techno, the Swede has produced arguably his finest work yet with the ‘Insanity’ EP. ‘Baby’ is a melting pot of three decades worth of influences, from James Brown, to Northern Soul and indie pop of Ariel Pink.

The result is a stunning kaleidoscopic techno treat, that brims with rave, garage and funky house spirit. ‘Insane’ is a dynamic feast for the eardrums as trippy arpeggios, a persistent vocal and lush synth leads cascade throughout the seven-minute track. ‘Too Deep (to Bear) follows, an exhilarating slice of late-night techno before the EP concludes with ‘Dying Planet’, mixing up a potent environmental message with tough dancefloor functionalism.

Tiger Stripes - Dying Planet - Drumcode - DC196

Tiger Stripes - Baby - Drumcode - DC196

Horchata

Horchata - Reflekt Records - RLK 004

Enter Mordor

Enter Mordor - Reflekt Records - RLK 004

“With Transmission I wanted to produce an album which would represent me a hundred percent, without limiting myself or setting boundaries. It was important for me to make an LP where every single track could be used in a mix as well as listened to at home. The album's concept was simple: Transmission tells a story; my techno story" Julian Jeweil

France’s globetrotting techno DJ/producer Julian Jeweil set to release debut artist album Transmission via Adam Beyer’s illustrious Drumcode Records on 7 January 2019. 

Over the past decade, Julian Jeweil has risen to become one of one of electronic music’s most respected artists and synonymous with cutting-edge melodic techno. Throughout his career, the Marseille-based artist has garnered numerous accolades and achievements including releasing on esteemed imprints such as Cocoon, M-nus and Plus 8, being Beatport’s #1 top selling techno artist (2015), remixing the likes of Moby, Deadmau5, Dubfire & Oliver Huntemann and Pan-Pot and performing at some of the world’s best clubs/events such as Fabric (UK), Womb (JP), D-Edge (BR), Drumcode OFF Week 2018 (ES), Drumcode Festival (NL), BPM Festival (PT) and Resistance (MX). 




With the accumulation of all of this success and experience, the time has now come for the talented Frenchman to continue his burgeoning relationship with Drumcode by following on from his well-received debut ‘Rolling’ EP (2017) and ‘Space’ EP (2017) with his much-awaited debut long-player, Transmission – comprising of 11 stellar tracks inspired by Jeweil’s ambition to produce an album for the dancefloor that would fully represent him without setting any limitations or boundaries.

The alluring space-themed LP commences with the exquisite synth-laden beatless composition ‘Intro’ which is closely followed by one of the album’s darker standout moments, the stomping peak-time title track ‘Transmission’. Elsewhere, there’s further dancefloor weaponry such as the pulsating synth-driven roller ‘Mars’, the edgy groove-based ‘Hyoid’ and the trippy acid-tinged ‘Turbulence’.

Other highlights include, ‘Planet X’ which showcases Jeweil’s mastery of atmosphere, serving as an ambient downbeat interlude when placed between the pounding Berghain-esque workouts such as ‘Internal’ and ‘Futura’. The album continues into its final triptych with ‘Astral’ and ‘Dorsal, 2 powerful bass heavy masterpieces, concluding with the aptly named emotional soundscape ‘Final’ to round off a superb debut long-player that’s well worth the wait.

Julian Jeweil - Futura - Drumcode - DC199

Julian Jeweil - Internal - Drumcode - DC199

Wehbba collaborates with ghetto tech legend DJ Deeon, to deliver another superlative EP on Drumcode.

Since his debut on Drumcode in 2017, Brazil’s Wehbba has become one of the most dependable and impressive artists on the roster. Last year saw two standout EP’s ‘Eclipse’ and ‘Catarse’ drop on the imprint, alongside ‘Just’, his strong contribution to A-Sides Vol.7. He also made his mark playing Drumcode events at OFF Week, Resistance Ibiza and the much talked about double header in Manchester and Bristol when DC took over Warehouse Project and Motion respectively.

A true master craftsman in the studio, his first contribution for 2019 is typically impressive. A huge inspiration to Wehbba since his nascent raver days, ghetto tech icon DJ Deeon contributes a fierce vocal to ‘We Have Bass’, after a serendipitous hook up in São Paulo. A peak career moment collaborating with one of his original heroes and the artist responsible for the classic ‘Freak Like Me’, the resulting percussive-heavy cut kicks like a rodeo bull. ‘Third Wave’ is coffee geek Wehbba’s homage to his favourite brew, constructing the production to mirror the experience of a caffeine fix, as a loopy trance-inducing groove leads to powerful synth stabs that are heavy on impact. ‘Steamroller’ is a stripped back slice of techno driven by the Brazilian’s Korg MS-20 and found form after it initially begun as a studio jam inspired by Richie Hawtin’s ‘Minus Orange’. 

A Jean-Michel Jarre fan stretching back to his childhood, ‘Another Mistake’ was conceived after Wehbba saw the French legend in concert last year and was subsequently able to meet him backstage through a mutual friend. While creating the track, the producer imagined Jarre playing the main layers of the hook on his famous Laser-harp, eliciting an almost celestial quality with the melody. This is a stirring slice of techno fit for stadiums. The EP ends with ‘Purge’, the artist’s stream-of-consciousness expression recorded in one-take and a beautiful beat-less way to conclude the work.

Buy all

Wehbba - Steamroller - Drumcode - DC202

Wehbba - Third Wave - Drumcode - DC202

Veerus makes his Drumcode debut, after an impressive contribution to Truesoul’s VA EP in 2017.

The Italian has built up an impressive discography over the last decade, dropping records on labels including Terminal M, Octopus, Filth on Acid and his own Le Club imprint. His collaborative with Maxie Devine ‘My Train’ was a highlight of Solomun’s classic Boiler Room in Tulum, which has clocked 37 million views. In late 2017 he linked up with Brits OC & Verde for the fantastic ‘Naaki’ that featured on Truesoul’s first Various Artists EP, ensuring he was an artist well and truly in Adam Beyer’s sights. 

His maiden outing for Drumcode mines 20 years of history, taking inspiration from classic trance and acid from the ‘90s, which he distils to create powerful modern techno works. ‘Hypnosis’ was a huge highlight of Beyer’s Awakenings show at Gashouder during ADE. It’s characterised by an engrossing call-and-response dynamic Veerus builds between the 303 acid warbles and the melodic stabs that run throughout. A track custom made for big moments.  ‘Apocalypse’, like its name, is more menacing. Veerus constructs the work to mimic the dramatic theatre of a gladiatorial scene in a film, as heart-fluttering chord progressions, a piercing synth line and dystopian melody mark this memorable track.

Veerus - Hypnosis - Drumcode - DC203

Techno stalwarts Heiko Laux & Joel Mull return to Drumcode for their first outing since 2016.

Friends and collaborators for over a decade, Heiko Laux and Joel Mull continue their fruitful partnership with a searing four-piece work. ‘Centipede’ is a thematic follow-up to ‘Rooter’, their last atmosphere-heavy production that dropped on Laux’s Kanzleramt imprint in 2017. A year earlier they teamed up for the vinyl-only ‘Munch’ EP on Drumcode Limited that explored subterranean techno grooves. 

Their latest work was created during an extended stay at Mull’s home in Stockholm while Laux was visiting for a show. The evocative ‘Contour’ brings the EP into focus, as delicate strings set an atmospheric tone. The title track ‘Centipede’ follows, a track tailor-made for deep Sunday afternoon rave explorations as a menacing riff runs throughout. ‘Bullet Ant’ is driven by industrial percussion and brain-bending synth effects that dip in and out throughout the muscular work. ‘Centipede’ (Morph) follows on from its namesake, teasing out some space and introducing melody to the palette for a deep late-night impact.

Heiko Laux & Joel Mull - Contour - Drumcode - DC204

Out now on Beatport
https://www.beatport.com/release/waiting-ep/2642041

Darren Emerson was the first to discover the talent that is DYSART when he signed him to his label Detone, and after that it wasnt long before Dense & Pika made him a main feature on their highly acclaimed Kneaded Pains imprint.

DYSART also featured on Intec in 2018 when he dropped the Forza EP which was a popular release leading to this highly anticipated follow up from the talented UK producer.

Along with Production and Djing, DYSART also founded and runs the London based Scrutton Street Studios which is used by many global artists ranging from Dave Seaman to label boss Jon Rundell plus many more

Days Go By opens the EP with a thundering kick drum and trippy vocal textures that drive the track forward with devastating force. Bursting forth are the explosive bass stabs and other dramatic sounds that add to the peak time energy of this cut.

Deep Roll keeps on the same dark vibe with a juddering low end and mechanical off-beat rhythm. Full of things that go bump in the night, there is an unnerving intensity that subdues only for the pads of the main break down and before hammering home with another percussive onslaught.

Milk It crackles with distortion and a muffled vocal that give the track a distinct personality. Stripped back with minimal sounds, the track is anything but small with each of the parts having a monstrous presence in the unfolding carnage of this DJ weapon.

ID183 1. Dysart - Days Go By

Drumcode mainstay Bart Skils links up with emerging DJ/producer Weska for a maiden collaboration.

The duo first met in 2013 when Bart played Toronto’s iconic Coda, where Weska was a regular. In friendship and in music, they clicked effortlessly. Since then, the Dutchman has become one of DC’s most vital contributors, releasing a consistent stream of standout productions on the label, highlighted by the now-classic ‘Your Mind’ with Adam Beyer. Meanwhile the rhythmic power of Weska’s productions caught the ear of Beyer who gave the young Canadian his debut on the imprint with ‘Other Places’ when ‘A-Sides Vol.7’ dropped last summer.

When Weska migrated to Berlin a plan was hatched to collaborate, with the pair swapping ideas back and forth, before linking up in Amsterdam to finish the work. The propulsive ‘Polarize’ EP is the result, a pair of cuts that have highlighted Beyer’s gigs at Department Festival in Stockholm, Junction 2 and his behemoth B2B with Cirez D at EDC Vegas. The title cut packs a punch with rugged basslines and pin-sharp percussion, while stabs of melody dip in and out with euphoric effect. ‘Lost On You’ is a heady trip into the abyss with a sinister vocal line and powerful climax.

Techno

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