OUTWORLD Hard Techno

Es ist kalt, doch die Welt brennt ich suche halt, der mich auffangt es ergeht, jedem einzeln, von uns gleich, wenn wir allein sind Es ist kalt, doch die Welt brennt Wolken Schwarz, bis Dir auffallt es ergeht, jedem einzeln, so viel leichter, wenn wir zu zweit sind

For its 6th release, Berlin-based Klangkuenstler returns to his Outworld imprint with the Weltschmerz EP – an ode to a world in turmoil, prophesying that there's light at the end of a pitch-black tunnel. For there's a fire of passion burning brightly within the depth of these two monstrous new tracks. Make no mistake, this is brutal, floor-shaking techno, yet, despite the sheer force, Klangkuenstler captures the emotional essence of our Zeitgeist, shape-shifting moods between raging anger, deep-blue melancholia and glimpses of hope. The EP's title-track 'Weltschmerz' kicks off mercilessly at the light-speed-tempo Klangkuenstler has become synonymous with. As a muscular kick thuds below slashing hats and rust-covered atmospherics, a venomous lead snakes through this airtight framework, unfolding into a moment of unadulterated ecstasy. 'Untergang', meanwhile, bursts of pure energy in tired times, thundering violently towards a bittersweet peak of warehouse-sized euphoria. To put it in a nutshell: Klangkuenstler rings in the end and we're going out with a bang. Though cooked-up for carnage, it's Klangkuenslter's intuition for existentialist contrasts that let the Weltschmerz EP transcend its design purpose to grow into something altogether bigger – touching body, mind and soul alike. The outside world may have ground to halt, but Outworld continues to move.

OUTWORLD Hard Techno

OUTWORLD Hard Techno

Amelie Lens' EXHALE imprint launches with a myriad of uncompromising techno tracks from the underground's finest established and aspiring artists. EXHALE's much anticipated first release continues the legacy of the EXHALE event series with a fifteen original track compilation featuring old and new friends from each avenue of the underground. With a shared love of rave culture, the label is a platform for the forward-thinking while simultaneously paying homage to foundations of techno. With this in mind, Amelie gathers familiar faces and upcoming artists to deliver the future sounds of techno. Spanning to each dark corner of the technosphere, the compilation fosters a range of sound that exhibits each artist's production taste and background. Amelie & EXHALE events mainstay AIROD open proceedings with the ascending 'Adrenaline', featuring acid lines and hypnotic vocals, with Spanish techno veteran Regal driving on with authoritative speed and neurotic alarms in 'Spreading the cult'. Following his debut on LENSKE, Amelie welcomes AhI Iver to bring an acid flavour to this compilation along with French talent Felicie, who builds tension early on with raucous track 'The Devil Himself'. Obscure Shape & SHDW follow with 'Brennende Erde', inducing a state of trance with whirring atmospherics. Next up is notable Berlin based producer Klangkuenstler with 'Engelsblut', an oscillation of stabbing keys, sinister drones and unrelenting hi-hats before transitioning into 'Take Two' from REMY-X, whom Amelie discovered after his stand-out EP on Coincidence Records last year. DJ/Producer at the forefront of French techno Antigone proceeds with 'U Tell Me', along with Brecc who incorporates industrial elements and thundering bass with track 'Vox', continuing with Antwerp producer Lukas Firtzer's 'Excessus', packed with shifting percussions and tenacious melodies. Purveyor of modular techno MRD combines layered atmospherics and euphoric pads in 'Reach my hand', followed by Mehen (aka Hadone) who maintains pace with his rendering 'Broken Whisper', with a disorentiating and melody driven expedition from Francois X next to switch up momentum. Promising upcoming Dutch producer Grace Dahl ensues with the merciless 'Vermilion Empire', while production virtuoso DYEN nods to EXHALE's roots in rave culture with 'Fantasy', a medley of spiked vocals and ethereal synths that maintain the energy until the final kick.