Laksa's (@laksauk) contribution to techno is as vital as it is hard to define. The London-based Bristolian never sits still in one stylistic niche and is as likely to ramp up the techno as he is slow then down. His meticulously designed grooves have come on tasteful labels like Hessle Audio, Timedance and Ilian Tape, always with a focus on dance floor dynamics. Further creative outlets come in the form of the re:lax label, club night and NTS show he runs with with re:ni. Most recently he has cooked up the WONDA EP which includes a vocal collaboration with Nyege Nyege-affiliated Phelimuncasi
The podcast he serves up for us is, in his own words, "a mix of hype and hypnotism" and it includes some tasty unreleased music from the man himself as well as the likes of Ma Sha, Siu Mata, Erik Luebs and Crespi Drum Syndicate. The 90 minutes are as wide-ranging as you might expect with bass-heavy grooves, trance-inducing synths, broken techno workouts and tribal rhythmic explorations all making sure both head and body are catered for in style.
--------
1:27:43
Dekmantel Podcast 480 - Jennifer Loveless
Whatever Jennifer Loveless (@jenniferloveless) turns her attention to, she always looks to find real human emotion. The Berlin-based, Australian-born multidisciplinary artist works across a wide musical realm as a DJ, producer and top-line writer who also scores for the screen. In the club, she is all about big energy, warmth and colour as she flits between future sounds and euphoric nostalgia all while dropping plenty of big tunes on labels like Sex Tags UFO, Planet Euphorique and Future Classic.
Over the last decade-plus, she has proven herself adaptable in the DJ booth and just as able to lock in a heady crowd at Panorama Bar as she is making her mark on festival stages like Horst. Across 90 minutes in this week's mix, Loveless draws on all of that experience to lay down a silky smooth trip that touches on deep techno and lush electronic minimalism before delving into more menacing atmospheres, jacked-up house and feel-good sunrise sounds.
--------
1:34:09
Dekmantel Podcast 479 - Moxie
London's Moxie (@djmoxie) has always embodied a fearless approach to DJing. Her sets are driven by her famously eclectic taste and can go from deep Detroit techno to face-melting bass via loved-up disco in an instant. She made her name as one of the earliest hosts on NTS Radio but is now a favourite of the global underground who has often impressed at our own events. Her "Moxie Presents" compilations have shown her dedication to championing forward-thinking artists and have helped make her a genuine new school tastemaker.
This week Moxie has put together a breezy jaunt through many different facets of her sound. There are balmy summer pads and carefree house beats to start with then things head indoors for deeper, darker sounds but always saved up with plenty of warmth and emotion. This mix is a perfect encapsulation of how Moxie can take you from the early evening to late into the night without you even noticing.
--------
1:03:34
Dekmantel Podcast 478 - FAUZIA
FAUZIA (@djfauzia) is an artist who is always evolving. The UK DJ, producer and live act first broke through as a DJ who played fast music be it techno, electro, IDM or bass-heavy breaks. Her famous NTS has always shown a different side, where anything from soul to jazz can be called upon to tell a story. As a producer since 2020, she has tended to mine a more emotive side with releases that explore dub, ambient and jungle. She has also done pop collabs with Kelela and sings ever more on her own material. Basically, she is anything but easy to categorise, and instead works in many different worlds with equal style and skill.
For this week's mix, FAUZIA focuses on the dance floor with a thrilling 90-minute selection. The scene is first set with some escapist ambience, deep and beatless jungle and spine-tingling vocals but then some serious breakbeats arrive. They come thick and fast and take on many forms from heavy and apocalyptic to blissed out and astra. FAUZIA's own voice occasionally arrives to lend them a personal, intimate quality while the mix grows faster and more futuristic. It's a showcase that's as brilliant in taste as it is in technique.
--------
1:36:30
Dekmantel Podcast 477 - Sound Metaphors DJs
Sound Metaphors (@sound-metaphors) is Nemo Ripoll and Castro Moore, but it is also the name of their famously well-curated label and record shop in Berlin. As such the pair has been helping to define the sound of the underground on many different fronts - electric DJ sets, cult events and even through the custom-made sound systems built for customers worldwide. With a vast musical knowledge between them and a never-ending supply of their own unreleased edits and DJ tools, they are able to tell musical stories that draw from all across all genres and many different eras.
That plays out in the superb mix they have put together for us this week. It's a full-bodied selection that shows off their love of contrasting styles - loose, percussive house music brushes up with deep and dubby cuts, dark acid grooves sit next to '80s synth sounds before a disco finish goes from stomping to funky. The exuberance of it all is infectious and leaves you wanting more.