Browsing Tag

Dark Techno

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

Posted on 3 March 2024

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

Posted on 3 March 2024

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’

Posted on 25 January 2024

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

Posted on 8 April 2023

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

Posted on 15 October 2022

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.

Posted on 15 June 2021

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