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2LP
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SNDST 123LP
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Legendary German techno duo Pan-Pot announce their brand-new project FORTE, a collection of ten singles. Each track presents individually, each telling their own unique story influenced by the duo's ever-evolving sound over the years -- something that has kept them perpetually current. The culmination also marks a milestone 20th anniversary for the duo, serving as a resounding reminder of why they have been at the forefront of the scene for over two decades.
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12"
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SNDST 112EP
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DJ/producer, label boss, and creative director Cora Novoa debuts on Berlin's Second State Audio with the Rituals EP. The release contains three dynamic original tracks from the Spanish creative, with an additional rework from regular Berghain DJ Nur Jaber.
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12"
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SNDST 103EP
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BEC returns to Second State Audio with another earth-shattering release containing four raw and atmospheric cuts. The Berlin by way of Brighton producer BEC has been a member of the Second State family since her first release with the label in 2016. Since then, BEC has dropped four EPs with the Berlin imprint, and regularly appears at the likes of Awakenings, Amnesia, Warehouse Project, Fabrik, Watergate, and Burning Man, to name a few.
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12"
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SNDST 111EP
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Berlin's Michael Klein drops heavy duty five-tracker EP on Second State Audio. A mainstay of the Second State label, Michael Klein's back catalog has now expanded to include 11 releases with the Berlin imprint. Opener and title track "Golden Hour" kicks off with strong synergy between the kick, bass and percussion. Moving and rising at controlled pace, Klein brings in off kilter keys and a smooth arpeggio. Next up is "Voice Interrupt" which uses twisted melodies and pitch distortions to create a tense but energetic energy. Minimal shakers and a solitary hi-hat add texture to the track, whilst keeping the arrangements tight and bouncy. "In My Own Eyes" starts off minimal and subdued, with a rotary synth that eventually breaks through and takes command. Subtle industrial elements are used but hidden under shakers, coming to the forefront during a brief interlude of the main synth-line. Following is "Howlip" with a uniform kick, hi-hat and a jagged synth combo that dance menacingly throughout. A sample of the cut's name chimes in at varied volumes, at times battling against the main groove and recurring electro twinged synth. A driving and peak-time dancefloor weapon. The finale of the EP "One Eyed Master" is dominated by piping, high-frequency keys that bubble under the main kick and sharp single hi-hat. Varying in intensity as the track drives on, the keys create a dystopian yet uneasy atmosphere. Klein again plays with the balance of percussion and pitch to manipulate the mood created in the track, an obvious theme and technique applied throughout the EP.
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12"
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SNDST 100EP
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Second State founders Pan-Pot mark the Berlin label's 100th release with the three-track EP Skin On Skin. Berlin based duo Pan-Pot begin 2022 with a momentous milestone for their Second State imprint, including a fresh look for the long-standing label. The winning design by Philipp Ludwig was chosen out of hundreds of entries after the label launched a contest for this very special release in November of last year. Skin On Skin marks Second State's 100th release and showcases the variety of different sounds homed by the label since 2014 with three fiery contrasting cuts from its founders, giving a nod to the range and expression that Pan-Pot's imprint has come to be known for in today's techno scene. Raw cut "Skin On Skin" takes position as opener. Resonating bongos and rattling shakers incite a tribal element while ominous synths begin to unfold. Sandra Bjurman's taunting, faintly distorted voice comes in, claps and growling organs are layered over while metallic ringing gives way to the vocal once more. Twisted elements and the resonating drums are revived for the finale, closed out by a soaring Balafon. "Particle Fever" is next, kicking off with a resounding, impactful kick and gritty elements: jumping bass line and metallic stabs that ring out and halt swiftly. Yelping keys call out during the breakdown halfway through, exploding back into original pace with the addition of a weighty bass line and stripped back grittier elements. The closer "Bow" is characterized by warped and pulsating elements that march forward menacingly. A rumbling bass snarls beneath metallic strikes, an oscillating spring synth and a sliced up and brooding sample, injecting a haunting element. Grumbling synths hover buoyantly throughout, as the kick and mechanical elements continue with authority.
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12"
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SNDST 102EP
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Glasgow's Gary Beck is back on Second State Audio with weighty four-tracker Supervan EP. A pillar of Scotland's techno scene, Gary has appeared regularly at some of the globe's most respected venues and festivals including Womb Tokyo, fabric, Output NYC, and Awakenings, to name a few. Title track "Supervan" opens with bouncing bass and rattling percussion. A chopped-up vocal is introduced and commands the track forward as it ascends, with the kick battling to harden the track over the grooving melody and anthemic keys. Next up is the spirited cut "Psycho Babble". A resounding sample attempts to cry out over the jacking bass and kick combo, calling out in ecstasy at intervals of the track. A minimal hi-hat jumps throughout but retracts as the track increases tempo and gallops towards the end, where Beck incorporates breakbeat elements for the final leg. "Sparks" follows with rhythmic shakers and hi-hats juxtaposing each other under the monologue of two young punters. The conversation adds a narrative to the track as it intensifies along with a gritty buzzing element. The voices become distorted as the track builds to crescendo, with the sample and music working together in unison to unravel the story of the character's night. The finale "Pink Castles" is a pacy and hypnotic trip, conjuring up the energy of both a peak-time workout and high-tempo closer. Haunting vocals and icy synths swirl around the driving elements and atmospherics, engulfing the listener into the darkness of this finishing track.
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12"
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SNDST 091EP
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Pan-Pot return to their Second State Audio imprint to deliver their first release of 2021, the two track EP Voodoo Signs unveiling their take on an unconventional techno sound. Berlin based DJ/producer duo and label bosses Pan-Pot return to their Second State imprint to serve up the label's sixth release of 2021. The illustrious Second State has been fostering the sound of some of techno's biggest tastemakers and emerging artists for several years, with releases throughout 2021 so far being some of their strongest ones to date. Voodoo Signs EP however, is a shift from their usual productions, incorporating a breakbeat sound throughout the record, a step away from the duo's familiar straight ahead techno weapons.
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12"
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SNDST 096EP
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Taking its place as opener is the title track "Nokaut". Stomping along with intent, the walloping kick and rave-y 303 elements coerces you to move. The robust vocal sample spouts repeatedly while the 303 builds and fades, before storming back in with slapping hi-hats. MK's Random Mod Edit follows. His rendering is a warped and disjointed edit, but still manages to retain the energy and soul of the original. Showing off his production skills, he transforms the once acid-tinged melody and turns it into a jolting, jittery tune that allows the percussion to take center stage. The galloping kick drum and searing hot cymbals push the tempo as snare drums and hi-hats layer and fall over each other. On the flip, "Scream" is a step away from the relentless, high powered rave energy of the A side and a step into the deeper, darker side of techno. Booming kick drums sound out over a powerful baseline and snapping detuned percussions. An echoing woodblock is struck and fades into the distance while the brooding melody takes control. Last up is "Slow Sucker", which commences as a labored, chuggy cut, but builds to a steady march throughout. An indistinct voice jolts across the explosive kick drum and snare combination, an element that Klein cleverly uses sparingly during the track. A distorted baseline hangs over an oscillating synth that drapes an impenetrable veil of darkness, creating the atmosphere of this closer.
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12"
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SNDST 087EP
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Stockholm techno luminary Pär Grindvik and Berlin based sensation Sylvie Maziarz team-up for a five-track techno expedition, the Before We Run EP, out on Second State. Pär Grindvik and Sylvie Maziarz join forces following the Swedish techno giant's remix of Sylvie's track "Increased" in 2019. The EP launches with menacing strains and flurried hi-hats in "Bullet Tower". Similar to the other tracks on the EP, this cut narrates a story using a particular element, in this case the clattering bells and shuddering bass brooding throughout to create urgency, soon intensified by distorted acid lines. Next up is title track "Before We Run", led by a ferocious heaving kick-drum and a bubbling vocal that ripples over the hysteria. Synth notes swirl throughout and gradually overwhelm the rhythm, before it bolts through and drives forward once again. The flip-side launches with "Utopia". Driven by an unusual, wild percussion and drawn-out foreboding synths, the duo commands focus with unbroken kicks against whirring beeps, tumultuous keys and jolting claps. Taking you on a trancey paradisiacal odyssey is "Circles". Characterized by the subdued sample of a hospital monitor at the beginning and end, with ethereal drawn-out pads that take you on a journey between earth and the other side. The final track incorporates dense sonics to build to climax. Sharp synths rise and decline to drive you into a trance, while shattering kick and snare drums roll throughout, awarding "Light Storm" its place as a definitive roller on this release.
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12"
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SNDST 090EP
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Berlin based DJ and producer BEC returns to Pan-Pot's Second State for her sixth EP on the label featuring a remix by Pan-Pot themselves. Following 2019's Lost In Change and 2018's No Regrets EPs, Pleasure Seeker already marks her second release of the year. It's abundantly clear that few artists can compare to her consistency and quality when it comes to BEC's productions. Pulsating title track "Pleasure Seeker" kicks off the EP. This high-impact percussive workout that seizes listeners attention with galloping kicks and snare rolls. A commanding female vocal sample purrs the track's name over and over. Echoing electro tones twist and turn throughout, creating a complex, brooding energy. "The Truth" lays focus on a heavier rave-esque sound, enlisting a hammering rounded kick drum to open the track. From a distance, a single angelic note swirls and holds, then slowly builds. Sonic snaps fly back and forth in a scattered flurry of sound while a vocal sample with twisted distortion growls harsh truths. Dense rave chords slice through the noise to close out. "Reaching Nirvana" opens the B-side of the record, bringing an elaborate balance between peaceful melodies and powerful techno. Joyful and fast-paced major chords dance over a driving kick drum, while snares and hi-hats crash and sound in tandem with one another. A siren rings out amongst the breakdown before being rejoined by the melody to close. Pan-Pot's UKW remix of "Pleasure Seeker" is up next and closes down the vinyl, transforming the title track into a heavyweight techno roller. Bleating synth keys add pressure and intensity that surge throughout. Kick drums and snares take charge in percussion while cymbals flicker above. The vocal that once dominated the original cut has been chopped up and distorted.
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2LP
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SNDST 088LP
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Second State Audio's latest release is a special one: the debut album from talented German producer Wigbert. Over the past decade, Wigbert has been forging a strong reputation as an inventive, versatile producer, skills that have seen him submit remixes for the likes of Gregor Tresher and Pan-Pot themselves, while achieving plenty of support from Dubfire, who has released a handful of Wigbert's EPs on his own SCI + TEC label. Stepping up for his first full-length, Wigbert demonstrates why he's a firm favorite among so many. Distorted Matter showcases his affinity for both atmospheric mood pieces and pummeling club cuts, the sign of a producer with more than one trick up his sleeve. "Uncertainty" opens the album in an ominous tone. As its name suggests, it creates a feeling of unease, even horror, as macabre drones blare underneath bleepy arpeggios. Later on the LP, on "Error 404", this mood is revisited, with bleeps and static signifying that something has gone awry. The second track on the record, "Reflection" is its hardest hitting. Ice-cold stabs, a pumping kick and driving rhythms send the track into overdrive before creepy arps and drums come back in. It's complex, layered and unrelenting. "Night Vision" is threaded with warped off-kilter rhythms, while "Xcelerator" is charged with nervous energy, echo FX and prickling percussion. Other tracks on the LP share this latter mood, such as "Digital Mirroring", with its windblown synths, distorted vox and broken beats, while the title track heralds a different variety of sounds. The beats on it are also chunky, but the airy pads place it in a more ethereal category. "Drone Level" is similarly lighter in spirit, with arps shimmering over the sound of running water. The rest of the LP continues in this is more pensive vein, with the rhythms of "Focus" loping under twinkling, reverbed synths, before "Transformed" closes the album in a delicate mélange of dreamy pads, chopped up beats, and sounds that mimic insects and nature. "Distorted Matter" is one of Second State's most sophisticated releases this year. The double-LP includes a bonus mp3 of the exclusive "Digital Mirroring - Matt Star Remix", which won't be released anywhere else.
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12"
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SNDST 089EP
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Frankfurt born and Berlin based Michael Klein returns to Pan-Pot's Second State for his next EP on the label. Following on from 2020's big hits "Der Sturm Kommt" and "Hoisin" from the No Mercy EP builds from an incredibly productive year for the BLK DRP label boss. "No Mercy" opens proceedings with a subdued synth subtle kick and concentrated snare hits. A bellowing kick drum then follows while 303 cuts through and creates a dark twisted undertone for the listener. Snare drums and claps each add an element of texture that ties everything together and any let off or respite is short lived before diving back in head first to the sonic storm. "Joker Smile" is up next. Keeping with the tone of the record so far a heavily weighted acidic lead orchestrates a foreboding atmosphere from the get-go. The furious acid notes swirl in and out before blistering hi-hats and snares are infused. Rapid percussion builds a sense of adrenaline and restlessness pushing the energy higher while an ever-present kick drum slams over and over leaving the power of the 303 to take full effect. Bringing things to a close on the EP is "Sticky" where Michael shows us his ability to build melody and synths seamlessly into heavy and powerful techno tracks. A rhythmic plucking synth runs throughout this finisher that builds and plummets into itself. Jolting claps and hi-hats are paired together raising the intensity. Distorted vocal samples ring out in the distance adding to the malicious dark nature of the track. These twisted samples become more and more entangled drawing you in deeper until the end. Michael once again shows that his abilities in the studio make him a force to be reckoned with -- and his newest release blasts speakers with no mercy.
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12"
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SNDST 084EP
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Belgian duo Joyhauser are perfectionists, and it shows. Their releases aren't sent out into the universe until they're just right, and the Think People EP is a fulsome explosion of powerhouse techno, crafted with meticulous care. The title track is a barnstormer loaded with everything you need to ignite a warehouse: pumping kicks, synth blasts mimicking smoke machines, and huge bass-y blurts that cut through the mix like an oncoming train. "Molly" doesn't let up where that let off. Rattling percussion and haunting synths are the precursor to a cheeky voiceover that confirms exactly which "molly" they're talking about. Lashes of acid heighten the energy, creating a trance-like state that endures for the duration. Michael Klein's remix of "Think People", meanwhile, bears the German producer's trademark energy. Rave-y synths peal over the top of a delicious thump, snatched vox and an incessant shuffling beat, trading the bite of the original for something slightly less dark. Joyhauser are rising stars and Second State Audio release their first full EP on Pan-Pot's label -- put your seatbelts on and start the journey!
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12"
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SNDST 082EP
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"Keid" builds slowly with rustling percussion, insistent tapping and a sneaky, smoldering bassline that bypasses the predictable massive drop for something moodier and more subtle. Exotic jungle sounds, tribal drums and cool bleeps open the atmospheric "Planet9", which soon pivots towards a thrilling build and rave-y arpeggios that sound ripe for dank basement clubs and open-air festivals alike. "Echoes From Epsilon" is probably the most unexpected track of the lot. Five and a half minutes of ambience is characterized by airy pads, windchime synths, and a transportive, meditative air that is light years away from Pan-Pot's typical fare. At once timeless and completely of the moment, Keid is a surprising, refreshing release from the industry veterans that should both please old fans and win new ones.
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12"
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SNDST 081EP
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Young Italian duo Reform return to Second State Audio with their latest release, four tracks of innovative, hard-hitting, and unusually sophisticated techno. The throbbing kick and trippy synths of "Close Encounters" opens the EP, with a foreign, clipped vocal and breaks-y jungle elements adding further interest and mystique. "Stance", meanwhile, is a straight-up stomper packed with ricocheting percussion, rubbery synth blasts, and disorienting pads, all crying to be heard in a club. "Mind Control" demands to rain down on a crowd at a festival, too. A lean, nimble build steadily escalates into an irresistible, shuffling beat boosted by shifting, bouncy synth patterns and an unrelenting forward momentum. The pair's unusual knack for blending disparate elements into something atypical but completely danceable is perhaps best demonstrated on "Horse Riding". The drums are tribal, the stabs are acid-like, there's a gauzy filter laid over the top, and tickling hi-hats, but also an undeniable thump commanding bodies to move. Put simply, this dream team from Tuscany are making music well beyond their years that stands up beside the work of veterans (and is often more interesting).
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12"
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SNDST 079EP
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Israeli producer Shlomi Aber makes his Second State debut with an assured package of nuanced, nimble techno, of the standard you'd expect from a chameleonic producer with over 17 years in the game. "Orion" is a paranoia-laced stomper, with rattling beats and synths that dart around like eyeballs scanning the crowd for friends. Silky stabs lend the track a cinematic quality, almost mimicking a scene in a horror movie. "Nuclear" is just as evocative, layering a harmony of string stabs over teasing synthetic hi-hats and whipping FX. It's complex and intelligent, but Shlomi makes it sound effortless. The Pan-Pot remix of "Orion" is stormier. The same rubbery, springy bassline is there but the track is trippier in character thanks to tribal drums and synths that pop like rayguns. Think "galactic circus" and you're getting close. Buzzing insect sounds usher in "Brikz", an atmospheric track designed to put you on edge, in a good way. At the track's tensest point, the drums drop out altogether before returning in downtempo breaks-y patterns. Definitely not your typical techno cut, but then nothing Aber does is typical. Second State is thrilled to welcome this master producer into the family with a release that promises to expand minds while moving bodies.
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12"/ART
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SNDST 075EP
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Der Sturm Kommt is German for "the storm is coming", and the name of Michael Klein's new EP could apply as equally to the artist as to his music. In the past two years especially, Klein's career trajectory has skyrocketed thanks to the ever-increasing quality of his output. His tracks have been hand-picked for compilations by Amelie Lens and Cocoon honcho Sven Väth while his productions are supported by big hitters including Laurent Garnier, Dubfire, and of course Pan-Pot, the owners of his home-label Second State Audio. On his latest EP, the storm is coming quite literally in form of three high-energy bangers that help establish Klein as one of techno's most reliable party-starters. The title track recreates the mood of an actual storm, opening with grey squall before the heavens open in a downpour of android-like vocals, high-volume distortions, a relentless kick, and a build and drop sure to blow up any club it's played in. Rather than dial it back on "Wasser" (water), Klein keeps the heat turned right up, deploying a snarling acidic bassline recalling the best of International Deejay Gigolo Records and adding his own stamp in the form of a characterful dog-like bark. German for "when you scream", "Wenn Du Schreist" is, as its name suggests, the most ominous-sounding of the lot. There's a dark energy to the production, with spooky treated vocals and rubbery synths creating a nefarious atmosphere. Importantly though, like everything on this EP, the track still bangs. Der Sturm Kommt is another package of high-BPM floor-scorchers from one of the hottest names on the scene today. With every release, Klein just gets harder, better, faster, and stronger.
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12"
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SNDST 069EP
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Born in Brighton, bred in London, and now moving between Berlin and Ibiza, BEC has an omnivorous approach to electronic music that shows up in her productions; techno with a twist. Her seventh outing on home label Second State continues in this vein as she balances hypnotic, driving elements with atypical flourishes. "Lost In Change", which gives the EP its name, layers a pounding kick with a bloodless, repeated vocal before a juddering synth launches the track into another gear. "Flux" pairs a springy bass line with siren FX to pleasantly weird effect, followed by the more intense "State Of Flow", a euphoric collision of rave-y synths and gurgling acid lines. "Holocene", meanwhile, hinges on an impatient groove textured with whipping 808s. It conjures the delicious abandon of parking your worries at the door as you give in to the primal pleasures of the dancefloor. BEC has been an international touring DJ for the past five years, playing everywhere from Berlin's Watergate to Australia's Rainbow Serpent Festival and from London's Egg to Nevada's Burning Man Festival. Lost In Change is sure to advance the ascent of one of Techno's most promising young stars.
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12"
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SNDST 074EP
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Rocko Garoni knows what a techno dancefloor wants. He's learned it through countless hours spent on the floor himself as a punter, and through DJing at some of the best clubs and festivals in his hometown Berlin and all over the world. He knows exactly the type of productions that thrill crowds, and he brings this wealth of knowledge and experience to his third EP for Second State, Ammoniak. The title and first track "Ammoniak" drags you straight into the zone; a pounding, take no prisoners cut laced with stormy synths creating a vague sense of paranoia. "Gece" cranks the energy up with trancey, bouncing synths and a cool, clipped female vocal. Instantly, you're pulled into the very sort of club that Garoni knows so well. "No Border" is the kind of expansive track that seems destined for huge warehouses or vast festival dancefloors. There's an insistent, brooding bassline, robotic repeated vocals and a mid-track shift in tone that will send the crowd to a heightened state of reverie. The blend of post-punk vocals and eerie beats on "It's All Yours", a track featuring Cook Strummer on the vocals, is at once highly unusual and completely compelling. It's the track to play when the crowd are losing themselves in the best possible way. Closing the EP is "Helio", another completely different track that showcases the extent of Garoni's range. Faint, echoed chanting lends the track an almost holy atmosphere. Combined with tunnelling synths and spindly percussion FX, the effect is euphoric, acting as a delicious palate cleanser between heavier tracks. Put simply, Ammoniak is another first-class EP from a dynamic act who's fast becoming a Second State star.
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12"
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SNDST 073EP
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Greek-born, Krakow-based DEAS is a producer of unusual stylistic and emotional breadth, possibly the result of growing up with a range of cultural and geographical influences. His fourth EP on Second State Audio continues his impressive run, a mosaic of moods and textures that coalesces into a cohesive, compelling whole. "Space Race" brings a futuristic cosmos to mind, a track that's at once urgent and foreboding, yet light on its feet. Arpeggiating laser synths glide over peppy drum patterns in a manner that encourages dancefloor mayhem. "Apart" is a little more sinister but still highly danceable, with a propulsive bassline, noodling lashes of acid and an almost psychedelic vibe. "Index" strips it back and places the drums front-and-center in a less-is-more piece designed to keep the party chugging, while "DRMS", another percussion-based track, adds trippy effects to enhance those slightly sideways moments. "Radiation", meanwhile, is a journey in the true sense of the word, a track that morphs from atmospheric to tense and back again in an arrangement that's uncluttered, yet highly effective at creating a sense of delicious unease. This EP is another collection of weapons from an internationally acclaimed techno producer and DJ.
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12"
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SNDST 072EP
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Techno DJ and producer Michael Klein has been consistently putting out solid work for years, a habit that has made other DJs -- among them Richie Hawtin, Chris Liebing, and Laurent Garnier -- look to Klein's releases as reliable fodder fit for a variety of moods at any given party. Born in Frankfurt and trained in classical piano as a child, Klein cut his clubbing teeth at the likes of Robert Johnson and Cocoon. He then moved to Berlin where he cultivated his dark and groovy sound, assisted by his studies in sound engineering, and earned a residency at the beloved, now-closed Stattbad. Klein is prolific but versatile, and these qualities come to the fore on his latest release, the Hoisin EP for Second State. The title track, "Hoisin", is a shapeshifter, switching gears from mesmeric, winding bass and rhythmic bleeps to minor, eerie builds, cheeky drum rolls, and more energizing chords. "Bite" is more urgent, kicked along by impatient percussion and an acidic bass burble. "The Signal" is the EP's biggest moment, destined to be a highlight of not just Klein's sets, but others', too. It has the atmosphere of a '90s Bristolian rave, with a whomping stomp, beguiling bass and the odd vocal yelp adding era-specific authenticity. "Hollow Night" demonstrates how deftly he can change moods. Here Klein retreats into something darker and more insular. A kick joined by circular chords creates a claustrophobic but compelling inner world. Klein is a highly valued member of the Second State Audio family and recently contributed an excellent exclusive track for Amelie Lens' Fabric Presents mix. He's been something of a secret weapon in the techno community for years, but while his music prefers to live in the dark, Klein's profile is, deservedly, coming into the light.
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12"
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SNDST 070EP
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Ten years ago, Berlin's Pan-Pot put out the Confronted EP on Mobilee (MOBILEE 054EP, 2009), a landmark release centered around the title track, eleven-and-a-half minutes of slow-burning techno. A decade later, the Second State Audio dons have decided to celebrate their classic track with a reissue that reflects their evolution. Featuring two remixes from Pan-Pot themselves, Tassilo Ippenberger and Thomas Benedix have also recruited four of the scene's hottest talents for a diverse, comprehensive remix package that reimagines the source material for today's dancefloors. Opening up the remix package, the "Basement" remix by Pan-Pot adds barking synths and snatches of vocal FX in a murky, offbeat edit of the classic. Glaswegian rising star Frazi.er delivers a "Raw", lean techno tool with subtle tweaks like the crystalline synths piping through the mix and aggressive, springy bass that charges in mid-way through. Farrago, a Lenske favorite from Belgium, takes the listener on a weirder journey built around bounces, bleeps and discombobulation -- it's by far the most foreign departure on the EP and it lives up to the "Welcome To Goa" title. Up-and-comer Anfisa Letyago, from Naples by way of Siberia, sends a rippling acid synth through the mix like lightning in a hi-NRG alternative perfect for trancier sets in her "Stranger" remix. The word "crazy" is set on an electrifying loop, commanding ravers to give in and let go. Closing the remix EP, the "Paradise" remix by Pan-Pot goes in the opposite direction, opening with bird calls and idyllic chiming synths before moving into breaks-y territory. Surprising and strangely dreamy, it completes a richly varied remix package that breathes new life into a beloved classic.
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12"
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SNDST 068EP
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Four-track masterclass EP in driving drama built for big rooms -- new release for Pan-Pot's label, Second State Audio. Andrea Gengaroli and Ludovico Bracciali of the Italian duo Reform have only been releasing music since 2016 but they've already made quite the splash in Techno circles, receiving support from the biggest names in the scene. Tensions are running high on their fourth release on Second State, the Quartet EP, following another two releases on Luca Agnelli's Etruria beat label. Quartet is a masterclass in driving drama built for big rooms.
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12"
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SNDST 066EP
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Berlin DJ and producer Rocko Garoni presents Phobia. The title track is as atmospheric and menacing as its name suggests. A detached female vocal utters the titular word on repeat over a pulsing kick, while later, rave-y bleeps shift the track into overdrive. "Unify" is a rallying call that meshes a political voiceover with a hammering kick and pounding synths. "MBF" is straight eyes-down techno, with another nefarious, monosyllabic vocal and a slowly building cacophony of elements designed to get lost in. On Marco Bailey's remix, the Belgian veteran adds lashings of acid and wonky keys for a destabilizing alternative.
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12"
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SNDST 067EP
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Industrialyzer tracks create soundscapes built for cavernous warehouses where regular rules don't apply. The Portugal-born, Amsterdam-based producer born Ricardo Rodrigues maintains his consistent form on the Moonstone EP with four slamming tracks made for these very conditions. The title Moonstone beats you into oblivion with a relentless kick and distorted vocals. "Kontrol" peals of synth cut through a thick mist of white noise and the ever-present kick. "Daily Nova" is a more vibrant track, with house-y chords laid over a pulsing beat. On "Psychic Overlays", Rodrigues wades back into darker waters in a pummeling peak-time cut.
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