Crate Digging is a monthly roundup of top-tier tunes you might have missed from across the electronic music spectrum. From obscurities uncovered during trips down Bandcamp rabbit holes to the latest releases from legendary artists, Crate Digging is here to keep your collection up to date.

1. Gino – Detroit Receiving [Dark Heaven]

Gino blends tight, rolling techno grooves with gnarly sound design on “Detroit Receiving,” creating a dance floor-ready yet intricate track.

2. Ulysses – Recreational Genetics [Science Cult]

“Recreational Genetics” is the title track from Ulysses‘ latest full-length album, and it’s some of his weirdest and most challenging work to date. Wonky, otherworldly electro meets IDM by way of improvised analogue noise.

3. Lewis Fautzi – DNA [fautsection]

Hypnotic techno aficionado Lewis Fautzi surprises with “DNA.” A downtempo, low-slung electronica trip, it retains his dark, brooding aesthetic while exploring new sonic frontiers.

4. The Miller – Hi Tech [ANAØH]

Hardgroove techno is well and truly back, and The Miller is leading the charge with cuts like “Hi Tech.” This is everything that makes the sub-genre great: funky, percussive, energetic and relentless.

5. WeTurnToRed – The Machinist [Cosmic Resonance Records]

6. Bodhi – Edge of Blue [Hotflush]

Some of the hardest-hitting output to date from Bodhi. “Edge of Blue” is perfectly at home on Hotflush with its thunderous drums, rapid-fire vocal samples, and high-impact bass stabs.

7. Casual Treatment – Distorted Reality [Symbolism]

“Distorted Reality” sees Casual Treatment carve out a tunnelling, hypnotic groove comprising of shiny sci-fi atmospherics and a tough, pulsing, low end.

8. QphoriQ – Wonch Like Woo [Diffuse Reality Recordings]

QphoriQ challenges genre conventions with “Wonch Like Woo.” This raucous, percussive breakbeat cut combines crunchy drums and growling bass with floaty, warm chords and heavily reverbed vocals.

9. Chris Moss Acid – Izbla 7 [Chris Moss Acid]

Unusually downtempo and melancholy compared to Chris Moss Acid‘s usual output, “Izbla 7” is a beautiful, ethereal journey. It’s just one of many highlights from his magnum opus Izbla, an album eight years in the making.

10. Zemög – Babuna [Danza Nativa]

“Babuna” is Danza Nativa‘s modus operandi epitomized. Colombian producer Zemög induces a meditative state with earthy textures, quirky effects, and heady rhythms.

11. Shed – Time [The Final Experiment]

Shed‘s legendary album Towards East gets a digital rerelease, and “Time” still stands out as the finest cut on the effort. A deep, spacious and emotive soundscape, it slowly unfurls and draws you in with each passing moment.

12. Dave Clarke – Zeno Xero [Skint Records]

After decades of fighting to get the rights back to the tracks from his seminal Red series of EPs, Dave Clarke finally owns the music again. To celebrate, Skint Records are remastering and rereleasing these classics, starting with rave-infused breakbeat techno stomper “Zeno Xero.”

13. Bruno Belissimo – Everybody Loves Dancing [Polyamore]

No-nonsense, dance floor-ready disco vibes from Bruno Belissimo. It’s true that “Everybody Loves Dancing,” and when you’ve created a groove this charming, can you blame them?

In a recent Facebook post, Clarke hedged his outlook for the future with a healthy measure of sympathy for his contemporaries. “Many of you are having really hard times, of course Italy is a country that is close to my heart and you got hit hard and fast, Spain too…” he wrote. “…I hope you all get through as best as possible.”

He nevertheless went on to predict that the absence of festivals and international travel might remove commercial influences that have steered the techno world off course. “I am quite hopeful for this reset regarding the music scene,” he wrote. “Each year I was feeling more and more suffocated by the corporate takeover of our music and history (but also many other originally creative arts).”

Clarke’s post wasn’t the first time he’s shared such sentiments in regards to COVID-19. In an interview for Serato‘s “Keeping Busy” series, he remarked that Resident Advisor’s “Save Our Scene” initiative should have been called “Save the Hierarchy.” “They presented an utterly childish understanding of how the economy works,” he said.

The Baron of Techno

Brighton-born and Amsterdam-based, Dave Clarke has remained a fixture of electronic music since his debut 1990 release under the alias Hardcore. The venerated R&S Records championed his music shortly thereafter, and in 1992 he launched his own artist imprint, Magnetic North. The late BBC Radio DJ and journalist John Peel dubbed him “the baron of techno” before his rising star was but a twinkle in the eye of most of the genre’s enthusiasts.

By most discerning fans’ measure, Clarke’s integrity has remained intact over the years – but he’s also managed to remain relevant. TWTMEGP banter aside, his commentary has long served as a barometer of the goings on in techno.

As with many musicians, Clarke has no tour dates until late summer, 2020. Until further notice, he will resume gigging with a performance at Bunktek Festival in Glabbeek, Belgium on August 7th.

Image credit: Marilyn Clark

To punctuate the announcement, Clarke has unveiled the lead single of the effort: “Charcoal Eyes (Glass Tears)” featuring Mark Lanegan. The industrial-tinged piece of minimal techno largely hinges around a spoken word sample delivered by Lanegan, offering a decidedly cerebral take on underground electronic music.

Good Old-Fashioned Futurist

Born and raised in Brighton, England and currently based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Dave Clarke made his debut release in 1990 on XL Recordings under his alias Hardcore. He went on to put out music through the highly influential R&S Records as well as his own artist imprint, Magnetic North.

The Desecration of Desire will certainly exhibit a dramatic step up in production values from Clarke’s last album, 2003’s Devil’s Advocate. However, if the lead single is any indicator, his penchant for cryptic social commentary will remain. Lanegan also contributed vocals to another single titled “Monochrome Sun,” and Gazelle Twin, Anika, and Louisahhh boast features on the effort as well.

The Desecration of Desire by Dave Clarke comes out on Skint in October. Find the artwork and tracklist for the album below.

Source: Resident Advisor