Browsing Tag

Dark Techno

Rafał Przewłocki & Dr Gin summoned a sonic djinn to the dancefloor with their dark techno anthem, Sila

Rafał Przewłocki and Dr Gin conjured a sonic storm with their dark techno anthem, Sila. Like the mythical djinn from which the track takes its name, the single possesses an otherworldly magnetism that commands every moment it occupies.

The deep pulsations and nuanced shifts in momentum drive listeners beyond the edge of euphoria, an experience fuelled by the high-octane energy manifested by the experimentally luminary producer. Yet, don’t mistake experimentalism for a lack of precision; Sila is a carefully orchestrated ride through a meticulously constructed soundscape.

The Middle Eastern influence permeates the production, as ethereal Eastern vocal lines and the melancholic hum of the duduk breeze through the relentless beats. These elements open a vast expanse within the track, creating a sense of depth that leaves plenty of room to sink into its electrifying power. While the rhythmic intensity of Sila will undoubtedly flood your senses through your home speakers, it’s on the dancefloor where the full weight of the track will possess and devour your senses.

There’s a seamless interplay between the feminine and the sinister in the single which submerges listeners into its darkly atmospheric world. And with every drop, every subtle shift in rhythm, Sila teeters on the edge of chaos, while retaining a scintillating sense of control.

The official music video for Sila premiered on August 31; join the 7.4k watchers who have already caught the hype by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Descend into the sonic shadows with Voidform’s seminal score, Wonder

Voidform’s single, Wonder, from the debut album Void Incarnate, is a haunting foray into an innovator’s mind. As the dark, reverberant, industrial techno-adjacent bass rolls through your speakers, they’re met with luminous synths that shimmer through striking juxtaposition, creating an avant-garde production that ensnares from the very first beat.

With the Eastern-esque synthetic rhythms weaving a thread of mysticism through the track, Voidform adds an unpredictably addictive twist to the mix which transcends unsettling sound with its cinematic scope, which lends enough eerie tension to rival a John Carpenter horror soundtrack. Prepare to be propelled into a hypnotic stupor when you hit play; the pulse of the beat becomes inescapable in the immersive soundscape of sonic shadow.

Voidform may be a fresh name on the scene, but this project is clearly one to watch. There’s a calculated precision in the chaos, a deliberate artistry in the dissonance that suggests this is just the beginning of what Voidform has to offer. Immerse yourself in the Void—if you dare.

Wonder is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Bitvert – Deletist: A Techno-Punk Invocation of Resistance

Bitvert’s latest release, Deletist, is an off-kilter slice of pulse-pounding experimental electronica, crafted in the heart of East London’s artist quarter—where creativity thrives despite economic and political adversity.

The encapsulation of the struggle against a dysfunctional government and parasitic leaders embodies the spirit of liberation and defiance; the punk ethos charges the sequence of nocturnal electro, born through an amalgamation of spectral electronica, 4/4 techno beats and kinetic sub-bass frequencies.

The single’s release coincided with the new government’s election, yet it remains timely all the same, given the sense of nihilism and despair that remains pervasive in the UK’s collective psyche. Deletist serves as a bass-drenched techno resistance, a sonic uprising against the subjugation that has eroded hope and fuelled a belief in our epoch’s irreversible regression.

With punk’s spirit relegated to the shadows of the music industry, Bitvert ensures its essence endures through his frenetic rhythms that testify to the times, call for unity and vindicate through volition.

Deletist was released on the 4th of July via We Are Not Content; stream the single on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Novit Terminus Orchestrated A Darkwave Descent Into a Euphoric Descent With ‘Take Me Down’

Take Me Down by Novit Terminus plunges listeners into unchartered intersections of EBM, Post-Punk, Darkwave, and Techno and drenches its audience in an infectiously rhythmic rendition of sonic Jungian shadow work that is poised to become a sanctuary for darkwave electronica fans seeking liberation from the dark reverberations of their own minds.

Fans of VNV Nation, Ari Mason, Electro Spectre, and Black Nail Cabaret will find themselves irresistibly drawn to this release, which offers a cathartic outlet for emotions as blackened as the industrial-tinged, Eastern-rhythm-influenced progressions.

Each element of Take Me Down attests to Novit Terminus’ cultivated skills as a sonic architect. The euphoria-inducing crescendos, tension-fraught build-ups, and spectral whispers of philosophical poetry come together seamlessly. The result is a track that permeates the soul as deeply as the rhythmic pulses permeate the body.

Novit Terminus’ return to music after a successful tenure in historic preservation and higher education is marked by a profound exploration of trauma and recovery. This project is not just a return to form but a therapeutic journey through shadow work, making Take Me Down a significant and poignant piece in the artist’s discography.

Take Me Down was officially released on May 31; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

n1ne8zero transcended the mundanity of the ordinary with their industrial debut, ruminate_illuminate

With harsh NIN-esque snares amidst the industrialised techno progressions that slither through the augmented production, the debut single, ruminate_illuminate, from n1ne8zero is a cacophonous juggernaut of an earworm which pays ode to industrial pioneers while modernising the genre and sealing its fate in the modern music landscape.

The biomechanical beats, tension-fraught builds, explosively euphoric breaks and deliciously distorted guitars all pull together to deliver a mind-mashing instrumental track that transcends the mundanity of the ordinary and stands as a testament to n1ne8zero’s ability as a boundary and convention obliterating innovator.

Setting their debut release apart, ruminate_illuminate comes with an immersive cerebral touch through the intricacies in the labyrinth of instrumental layers and the way the transcendent elements juxtapose the visceral chaos offered to alleviate the listener from the external chaos that permeates our perceptions and worlds. We can’t wait to hear what lingers in n1ne8zero’s pipeline after this phenomenally strong debut.

ruminate_illuminate was officially released on February 16th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

DARCY – Mandem Carni: an avant-garde installation of artful electronic annihilation

With her sophomore single, Mandem Carni, the artist and enigma DARCY emerged from the shadows of her former alias and unleashed a visceral force to be reckoned with. The dark, bass-heavy oscillations resonate with a raw, physical intensity, capable of giving even the most robust speakers goosebumps.

This track is a masterful blend of genres, straddling the line between an industrial electronic horror score and an avant-garde installation of artful annihilation. It’s a sound that carries the terrorised glamour of a Dana Dentata release, yet pulses with the kinetic energy akin to Avalien. DARCY’s approach to music production is both aggressive and energetic, yet marked by an increasing fluidity and ambition that sets her apart.

Mandem Carni is an unflinching embrace of the dark and the macabre. It’s a track that doesn’t just flirt with the nightmarish; it revels in it, all while maintaining a level of artistic finesse that transcends mere shock value. The production quality is impeccable, with each beat and synth meticulously crafted to contribute to an atmosphere of controlled chaos.

For anyone with a penchant for the darker, more brooding variants of drum and bass, Mandem Carni is an augmented anthem to be experienced.

Mandem Carni disrupted the airwaves on February 18th; stream the release on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Darth Athena took us into the depths of techno’s shadow with ‘Black Mojo’

Dark Athena’s tempestuous latest release, Black Mojo, plunges into the depths of techno’s shadow. With its monochromatic palette, this piece from the Atlanta-based producer is a bold foray into the heart of darkwave electronica, where precision and chaos dance in a delicate balance.

Darth Athena, the architect behind this auditory odyssey, weaves a tapestry of sound that reflects his eclectic musical upbringing. From the pulsating beats of EDM to the haunting echoes of darkwave and the rhythmic complexity of jazz and R&B, Black Mojo is the culmination of a lifetime spent in the company of diverse genres.

The track’s progression is a masterclass in tension and release. Each beat is meticulously crafted, ebbing and flowing with a rhythm that seems to sync with your heartbeat. For seven minutes, you are lost in a world where time bends to the will of the music. The laser-like strobes and sci-fi motifs add a layer of dynamism, yet it’s the relentless, hypnotic beats that anchor you in Darth Athena’s universe.

Black Mojo will do more than just fill dancefloors; it will command them. It’s a siren song for the night, calling out to those who find solace in the pulsating heart of techno. As the final beat fades, you’re left with an insatiable hunger for more – a testament to the enduring power of Darth Athena’s musical alchemy.

Black Mojo was officially released on January 19; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Supa G Swift has launched his dark, dirty, and droning techno debut, Take You to Attica

Take You to Attica is the debut dark, dirty and droning tech house hit from the up-and-coming artist Supa G Swift. Taking their listeners far beyond earth’s banal and predictable atmosphere, this helter-skelter ride through the cosmos treats you to funked-up surging electro-electricity by the smorgasbord.

The Cork, Ireland-based artist, DJ, and producer initially set out to take over the hip-hop scene in Cork before entering DJ battles in Ireland and relocating to Canada, where he became one of the most notorious and revered DJs in Vancouver.

For the past seven years, his upcoming debut album, Enter Infinity, has been his labour of love; it promises to be a psychologically expansive high-energy ride. On the basis of Take You to Attica, we don’t doubt his ability to deliver exhilaratingly trippy hits that could lead to a dancefloor frenzy.

Take You to Attica released on April 3rd; entrance yourselves via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Take a trip with NSJ’s debut dark techno hit, Aya – Wasca

The up-and-coming artist, NSJ, launched his debut dark techno track, Aya – Wasca, on September 30th. Strap yourself in for a speaker-slamming ride through the transcendent production by Quantum Fractal.

While the solid basslines reverberate, spacey hardstyle kicks and harsh snares become the centre of gravity in this intoxicatingly stratospheric instrumental release that allowed NSJ to assert himself immediately as one to watch. With the latter half of Aya – Wasca, the production picks up industrial intensity before the final crescendo that could easily fill a floor and leave it at the mercy of the builds of this stellar feat of bass-riding euphoria.

Aya – Wasca is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Techno Victim’s techno-funk hybrid, ‘Funk It’, is the ultimate EDM playlist staple.

If you like your techno on the darker side of the tonal palette, you’ll want to immerse yourselves in Techno Victim’s (AKA Christopher Rapkin) latest single Funk It. The international EDM artist and producer weaved organic funk grooves amongst the chilling bass-driven tones; despite the experimentalism, Funk It is as easy to slip into as any of Daft Punk’s iconic hits.

The textural contrast that the elements of funk bring through the choppy staccato guitar rhythms are nothing short of ingenious. They allow Funk It to unravel as an all-consuming feat of EDM in a way that is quickly becoming with synonymous with the enigmatic producer’s sound.

You can check out Funk It for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast