We’re retiring the project.
It was a great two or so years, and we’ve appreciated the love and support. But alas, all good things must come to an end!
If you want to say hi or bye, we’re around for a message: dzdzwrwr@gmail.com
We’re retiring the project.
It was a great two or so years, and we’ve appreciated the love and support. But alas, all good things must come to an end!
If you want to say hi or bye, we’re around for a message: dzdzwrwr@gmail.com
Our favorite work from Zeller: MASS Sessions #009 | Zeller
Why we love Zeller: Dark, artistic, and industrial are three words which describe Zeller’s sound. The London based artist has driven dancefloors across the UK at parties like Jaded, Mass, and Live Now Sleep Later. In addition, she has also shared decks with DJs like AXKAN, Polanski, and Tapefeed. We’re excited to continue to see Zeller’s distorted sound fill more dancefloors and podcasts for the rest of 2020.
Where you can find Zeller: Soundcloud, Facebook
Soenda Festival 2020 DJ Contest Entry // GIA
An aggressive and pounding set with a touch of EBM
Hypnotic yet experimental with dark, industrial, and apocalyptic textures
MEIIER! - Overreacting (RAßßeAT Remix)
For those who love huge kicks, melodic pads, and distorted sounds -- this is the track for you
Huck Farper - Hymn Of The Aten
Soothing pads with intricate percussions and just the right amount of distortion
ØTTA is one of the most exciting artists bursting from the London underground scene. She is a regular at the Jaded After-parties in London and the Demain Kollectiv parties in Bordeaux. ØTTA also co-founded the Oрфей [orpheus] project based in London. The series focuses on combining art and techno as an inclusive and immersive experience. We recently had a chat with ØTTA to talk about her experience as both an artist and a co-founder of Oрфей [orpheus].
Can you tell us how and why you started DJing as ØTTA?
I started DJing five years ago when I moved to London. I’ve always had a very close relation with music, when in Portugal I spent 6 years in an orchestra playing classic viola and then I started my Architecture degree so I had to stop as it was impossible to do both so when I finished my Masters and moved to London decided to study at Point Blank Music School and that is how it all started.
What is your process for creating a DJ set?
For me creating a DJ set really depends on the party, duration & time slot . I believe that as artists we are not jukeboxes, however it is important to know how to adapt to different events without losing our identity or selling ourselves. This being said, I usually start by choosing an intro and/or a closing track - I am researching music on a daily basis and I keep tracks organised in folders by key words so I would say that I prepare the first 5 tracks and the last track and then I will build up the DJ set during the performance considering the site conditions.
You also co-founded the Oрфей [orpheus] project along with P RISCO, Metaraph, and Olha Korovina. Could you tell us how that came about and what were the motivations for starting it?
Oрфей [orpheus] is a London based techno music and multidisciplinary art’s project. We have decided to start this project after working together in different number of projects exploring the limits of expression through music, performance art, fashion and visual arts. As artists we gather similar views and objectives in the underground music scene and after years of working together in different projects, organizing parties with other collectives and being immersed in London underground techno scene we have decided to create a more free environment to promote emerging underground artists and challenge the forms in which electronic music can be experienced.
Oрфей [orpheus] presents a multidimensional, immersive and obscure rave experience communicated through techno music and elaborated conceptual constructions. Every event is curated following a certain narrative that presents a synergetic journey through hard, dark, raw, distorted, melodic and industrial soundflow aligned with live performance acts, visual, multi-sensorial stimulation shown in various forms and art mediums.
Our aim is building a space for diverse, queer audience that approaches party experience with great curiosity and openness to our vision. What we are offering is for people who are not grounded in a singular way of being, who are ready to involve themselves and embrace our way of transmitting music.
Were there any challenges or any surprises you encountered while starting Oрфей, and if so what were they?
I believe that every time anyone starts a new project it ended up being a constant learning process. In the beginning our biggest concern was the people’s response and how the message of the project and our vision was transmitted. I have to say that the response has been extremely positive and we couldn’t be more grateful and thrilled to keep working hard to develop a whole new different way of seeing and experiencing raves.
Another of our main concerns and challenges is to create a community where everyone feels comfortable in being and doing what they want. Nowadays we live in an age that freedom of expression is constantly condemned so we fight every day against pre concepts overall.
Lastly, can we expect anything in the future from you as ØTTA or from Oрфей?
This year is looking very positive! I will be performing more regularly internationally as at the moment my main bookings are in London. I also have tracks coming out very soon and some other surprise projects on the way.
Oрфей will also perform internationally and besides our monthly events we are being featured on “Sound of Darkness”, a documentary made by young multicultural filmmakers that intend to unveil the world of underground techno and immersive art through Oрфей [orpheus] - defined by them as “ A group of four individuals who orchestrate voyeuristic rave experiences, combining the hard-hitting beat of electronic music with soulful art performances”.
Links: ØTTA Soundcloud, ØTTA Instagram, ØTTA Facebook, Oрфей Instagram, Oрфей Facebook,
Thanks for reading and stay tuned for next month’s edition. If you want to stay in touch, send us a message on Facebook or Email.
Our favorite work from 𝔖𝔱𝔞𝔰𝔶𝔞: SF.MIX.11 - Stasya
Why we love 𝔖𝔱𝔞𝔰𝔶𝔞: 𝔖𝔱𝔞𝔰𝔶𝔞 are a DJ and producer from Lisbon and are a member of the Rádio Quântica, as well as co-founder of LGBTQ collective Circa A.D. Their sets combine hard melodies and pummeling dance-floor percussions. This year, they’ve released a debut EP on Alp and released with Boiler Room’s Hard Dance series. 𝔖𝔱𝔞𝔰𝔶𝔞’s sound spans multiple genres from gabber to glitch, creating massive impact.
Where you can find 𝔖𝔱𝔞𝔰𝔶𝔞: Soundcloud, Instagram, Facebook
Glitchy, trancey, and fun best describe this cute mix
A borderline-hardcore mix with heavy, pounding tracks
Sir Speedy - Amor Con la Ropa (Buzzi's Bootleg Remix)
A hard, ravey interpretation of a classic reggaeton staple
Devastatingly aggressive with epic pads and a harrowing kick
Discover The Extreme Hardcore-Fueled Sound Of Rising New York Producer Kilbourne
An in-depth article about one of New York’s hardcore staples, Kilbourne
Damon Bradley is the founder of TechnoFist, a group dedicated to techno and electronic music lovers. The group currently has more than 2,000 members and has been active since 2013. There are daily postings of practically anything related to techno from tracks to videos to even live watch parties. In addition to being a community, the group has expanded to a podcast series featuring artists like Sugar, Viscerale, and Juana. More recently, TechnoFist recently started a party series based in the U.S. called Katalyst. We had a few words with Damon on the community and how he continues to run it.
How did you decide to start the Technofist Facebook group? Did you have a particular goal in mind when you first created it?
I started TechnoFist on August 6, 2013. Around this time, I believe I had just visited the Output Club with some dear friends from Brooklyn for the first time. We already knew each other for a number of years, and I was already frequently visiting NYC for techno, trance, and progressive house parties. I got the idea to start the group while leaving Output and wanting to share music efficiently with all of the new people I kept meeting every time I visited the city. Since I don’t live in NYC and I’m terrible with names, I figured starting a Facebook group to share music with folks would help. So I guess the goal was, and always has been, to share quality techno with as many people as possible. I started adding friends from home in DC and Baltimore around the same time, and the community grew exponentially after I started adding people I met at my first Movement Festival in Detroit in 2014.
As the moderator and admin of the community, how do you go about addressing conflict when it arises?
The group now stands at nearly 3k people, spanning 10 countries. The demographics of the group are vast, and as such, so are the diverse opinions and perspectives of people in it. So first and foremost, I try really hard to keep folks focused and on topic – music first. It’s the music that attracted people to the group and generally this is the value that people get out of it. Second, I aim to let folks voice their own perspectives, until things start to get personal. If the discussion veers off topic and degenerates into a typical Facebook argument, personal attacks of any kind, character defamation, or the like - that’s when either I or my moderators intervene. My hope is for folks to come to the group and learn the breadth of techno and connect with each other in constructive ways that add to the community. We also abide by standard rave ethics – no ‘isms of any kind.
I feel like the success of these communities is largely dependent on the members and their enthusiasm for certain genres and artists. How do you continue to encourage members to stay active in the community?
This is probably one of the most rewarding aspects of the TechnoFist community – members themselves stay active and self-regulate. There are about 20 members who have consistently posted new music, podcasts, or shows and sort of act like catalysts for further discussion. This is truly grassroots. Sometimes I don’t interact with the group for days, and it remains very active with lots of music shared and lots of subsequent fruitful discussion.
I personally use the group like I always have – by posting tracks I personally like a lot and I think folks may find interesting. I do the same for events. TechnoFist has emerged inadvertently as a haven for promoters also, so the events normally generate great discussion as well. When SEQUENCE DC was started in 2016, I used TechnoFist as a promotions platform to quickly spread the word and eventually attract New Yorkers to DC. When NYC heads started coming to DC for parties, I looked at that as a huge achievement for TechnoFist because NYC is rife with great techno and great crowds. TechnoFist became sort of a techno-cultural exchange between the two areas, and it’s been extremely fruitful for both areas. The TechnoFist Podcast helped along with this as well – elevating local artists so they could be heard by a broader audience and eventually booked outside of their home areas.
Currently, Technofist has expanded to a podcast series and more recently, a party series called Katalyst. Do you have any plans to further expanding the community? I've heard some rumors about potentially starting a label.
So the TechnoFist Podcast is about 4 years old now actually. There was a time that I’d post a new mix every week, but because of scheduling and just being really busy all the time, I post mixes on an unpredictable and irregular schedule now. The goal of the podcast is to highlight the artists in the community. Every single person who’s been on the podcast is actually a part of the group. That’s been my strict requirement. For the community to stay fresh and relevant, everyone needs to participate. So I invite folks who I encounter who happen to be artists to put their artistry on display on the podcast.
I started the Katalyst party on March 9, 2019 as a result of getting restless after retiring from SEQUENCE DC after its first 2 years. I wanted to do a party that could fill in the gaps of unexplored sound here in the U.S., channel the extreme inspiration I received from getting to know and playing for the folks in Copenhagen, Denmark, and actually help tear down the Berlin-esque wall between techno and trance music and communities. Many folks I’ve known in the techno community for a while only see me from the techno perspective, but are surprised that I’m just as much into trance as I am techno – particularly classic trance. Same for house music. I actually run a House Music Appreciation Group, as well as an OldSchool Trance group – both significantly smaller than TechnoFist. Katalyst is an opportunity to share my own unique perspective of techno and trance with the broader community and keep pushing the music forward.
As far as expanding, after a long talk I had with Emmanuel Beddewela, who runs the ARTS label, I decided not to start a label. ARTS was one of my favorite labels at the time, and I wanted to run a TechnoFist label with the same standard of excellence that Emmanuel runs his label. But after learning the sheer amount of time and energy that Emmanuel poured into it, and the stress that came along with it, I decided against starting a label. I simply don’t have the time to do it.
On the other hand, I have considered starting an artist agency. I think given where we are with the podcast, and the joy I receive from connecting people and ideas, an artist agency might be the next logical step to expand TechnoFist. I’m also brainstorming ideas on how to expand the podcast to a broader audience. There are also other party ideas I’m currently exploring as well.
Lastly, do you have any advice for people who are interested in starting or finding their own community within techno?
If I was deliberate with starting a new techno community, I probably wouldn’t have named it TechnoFist because of the obvious hilarious puns. That is to say – the community grew into existence in a completely organic and grassroots fashion, starting from a small group of friends who all loved the music as much as I did. I didn’t start the community deliberately, but as it grew quickly, I grew with it, immediately realizing how it needed to be cultivated and maintained. So for folks wanting to start their own community, start from your own passion, love, and circle of friends. As far as finding your own community within techno, there’s a lot of places to go because techno is extremely vast. TechnoFist spans the gear-fetish heads who love to crank industrial noise, the Drumcode types who are making the transition from modern trance and tech-house to techno, folks who spend their Sunday evenings as speaker creatures running around Berghain, nerdy track-ID’ing heads who keep up with more conventional underground techno, to the trance revivalists and everything in between. I just say explore and get lost in the music. That’s worked for me for nearly 3 decades. The music will take you where you need to go. Just be adamant about your own taste, and don’t allow anyone to dictate your taste for you while also keeping an open mind and humble spirit about music you may not have heard yet or that others may be passionate about.
Links: Facebook
Thanks for reading and stay tuned for next month’s edition. If you want to stay in touch, send us a message on Facebook or Email.
Edited by Anastassia Gliadkovskaya
Our favorite work from 0.001: Spirit Totem Podcast | 28 0.001
Why we love 0.001: 0.001 is an artist from Brooklyn. She is the founder and resident of Cipher, a collective which hosts podcasts and throws parties at the infamous Bossa Nova Civic Club. As a known DJ in the New York party scene, she often crafts deep, dark, and organic sets. They are always a journey often composed of textured soundscapes and experimental rhythms. For those who enjoy music for the mind, we highly encourage you to listen to 0.001.
Where you can find 0.001/Cipher: Soundcloud, Facebook, Instagram
Harder Podcast #005 - H E N G E
A hard, ravey, yet experimental podcast which goes through tracks with industrial, glitch, and melodies.
Dark, epic, and slightly hardcore filled with acid lines, noisy effects, and brooding pads to vibrate your speakers.
Pounding industrial grit yet beautifully hypnotic.
Mercury 200 - Toxic (Mercury 200 Lightspeed Edit)
It’s Britney, bitch. Trance style.
The future of NYC’s queer techno scene
NYC’s nightlife figures come together to reminisce and discuss the city’s techno scene
Our favorite headliners include: Ne/Re/A, Renata, and Kaltes
When / Where: November 29, 2019 / Tresor
Arguably one of the most in-demand exports from Canada, Aahan is sprinting through the year with success. His recent releases include Obscuur, Pitch Dark Records, and Dax J’s Monnom Black. Aahan’s productions goes between industrial sounds and groovy rhythms, and they are always mixed with intricate percussion work. His talent lies in his ability to strike a chord across the music spectrum as his tracks are heavy yet accessible. We prefer to call them, “easy listening bangers.” In the future, he will release an EP for both Instruments of Discipline and Monnom Black. Don’t say we didn’t warn you: His work will blow your ears off.
The last time we chatted was around a year ago and since then you’ve received the support of notable artists like Rebekah, Paula Temple, Dax J, Manni Dee, and Orphx. How does that feel and was this something you expected at the time?
I never expected it. I still can’t believe that these people support and talk to me. They give great feedback and are true artists like the rest of us. Manni is good looking.
How do you make a track? Do you have a specific process you follow or do you just let things flow?
There's no specific process each time per se, but I usually have an idea in mind of what I want. I am lucky (or unlucky) enough to have spent countless hours on my DAW to now realize these ideas
To me Monnom Black and Instruments of Discipline have their own respective sound. How are you creating your EPs to match each label’s identity while keeping your sound?
I've always made it a point to be versatile as a producer and DJ. I think it motivates you to improve your skills and your tastes. I have many different sounds in my opus so far, some are noisy and broken, some are hard-as-nails 4x4 techno.
What is your advice for young producers who are interested in finding the same success as you? Is there something you wish you knew before that would've helped you now?
Patience in the craft and in the industry, it is important. Prepare for a rollercoaster of emotions in both areas. Ultimately, nothing beats making a tune that you're proud of.
Lastly, you were known for being rather humorous on your social media accounts, do you have a favorite techno meme?
Humour is mostly my satirical view of society but it's truly there to mask the existential angst that grips me at every waking moment. I love cat videos. Me retiring would be the funniest meme, i feel like doing it everyday
Links: Soundcloud, Facebook
Thanks for reading and stay tuned for next month’s edition. If you want to stay in touch, send us a message on Facebook or Email.
Our favorite work from Tonia Nee: Disruptors 015: Tonia Nee - You're Not Crazy. The System Is.
Why we love Tonia Nee: Tonia Nee is not one to shy away from the harsher and heavier sounds. As a familiar face in the London techno scene, she has made appearances in parties like Jaded, Corner, and BLANC. More recently, her collaboration with End Train in “The Day I Didn’t Want to Wake Up” has landed a release on Mørbeck’s label “Code Is Law.” Tonia is also the founder of the event series Synthapise, a non-profit dedicated to raising funds for animal rights and individual causes. Tonia is a master at crafting journeys through her sets, and we’re certain you will agree too.
Where you can find Tonia Nee: Soundcloud, Facebook
Paula Temple at Katharsis 2019
It’s that time of the year when you listen to Paula Temple’s Katharsis set over and over again!
Linn Elisabet @ Norbergfestival 2019
An experimental yet danceable mix with the right amount of techno, noise, and melodies.
High Speed Violence - Underworld
Hard ravey tracks bursting with a heavy dose of trance. Our favorites are Above Ground and Sound Of Speed into The Night.
Brooklyn favorite Buzzi ends his Reshape series with a 13-track album full of old-school-inspired high energy goodies. Our favorites are Leaving Planet X, Hold Me Tight, Pain Hotline, and Ah 2.
Nadja Arast (Viscerale) Interview
Viscerale, one of our favorite DJs, eloquently tells her story of DJing and how she approaches playing her signature sound.
ASEC is a new Berlin-based label founded by its namesake, ASEC. Although fairly new to the techno scene, ASEC has already received support from renowned artists such as SNTS, Stephanie Sykes, and Amotik. His style of music is geared towards those who appreciate hypnotic yet raw dance floor-oriented music. We're excited to be able to interview one of Berlin's rising artists and labels and don’t forget to be on the lookout for his future releases.
Can you tell us your motivations behind starting your label?
Like most Producers, I'm someone who's been making electronic music since I was a kid – making music through naivety and exploration, never really chasing a release. As my skills improved over time, and not feeling the need to go after labels for releases, I was able to be patient in developing my skills, sound palette and ultimately present a stronger, more personal vision of electronic music.
For me, starting a label seemed to be the best vehicle to channel this sort of approach.
How do you approach making an EP or making a track? Do you view them as two different things?
I want to make sure that anything I present comes from the same vision and is stylistically consistent. I find this is more difficult when writing singular tracks and as a result I tend to work in batches.
This is probably because I come from a background of writing and recording music with traditional instruments. In those kind of scenarios, you would spend multiple days recording various parts and this generally ensures consistency of sound palette and vision.
That said, consistency breaks down over many levels of granularity. Consistency of releases, of a label, of your entire career etc.
Ultimately, What we're talking about is being able to play a record and correctly guess who's name is in the credits – I think all artists should strive for this.
The response from your first EP has been very positive and you've already garnered a lot of early support. Has that changed how you've approached writing and releasing your tracks?
As someone who hasn't chased releases, strong DJ support is an interesting one. Hearing your favourite artists drop your tracks on a system, as a brand new producer, is a great feeling.
That said, support is an endorsement of artistic perspectives. Instead of changing my approach, I think a better path would be to further define my sound and try to take more risks.
Has there been anything that has surprised you about starting a label? And do you have any advice for people who might want to start one as well?
The hard part is making good music, it always will be. Most likely, you'll need to have 9-12 months of product ready to release before distributors will talk to you.
In my opinion, the next most important thing is choosing a distributor. Generally, good distributors will have an understanding of the tactical kinds of business questions that you can't answer by reading the Ableton Live manual. Questions like Vinyl or digital, release frequency, promotion methods. I definitely benefited from having an experienced distributor to help me figure this out.
That said, you have to be confident in your musical product. Everything else is secondary.
What's next for ASEC? Do you have any plans for the future?
I just announced my 2nd EP, “ASEC002”, which I will release on my own label on October 30th.
Whilst the first release was solid, the second was somehow a more artistic project so I was pretty happy to see positive reaction from producer and DJ colleagues.
As for the near future, I'll continue to move slowly but I'll be involved in a few interesting various artist releases around the beginning of 2020.
Links: Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Instagram, Facebook
Thanks for reading and stay tuned for next month’s edition. If you want to stay in touch, send us a message on Facebook or Email.
Proofread by Anastassia Gliadkovskaya
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