This edition focuses on hard techno, a faster, more intense, and sonically heavier evolution of techno that emerged in the ’90s and peaked in popularity at the turn of the millennium thanks to artists such as Miss Djax, Mike Dearborn, and Chris Liebing.

Combining the distorted and crusty sounds of hardcore and industrial with the funk and rhythm of techno, hard techno is a unique hybrid that, although on the surface is considerably more brutal than the genre from which it evolved, is also a lot funkier and groovier than hardcore and its offshoots. While the style has had diehard enthusiasts since its inception, the explosion of minimal in the mid-to-late 2000s and then tech house in the early 2010s saw hard techno’s popularity wane considerably. However, post-pandemic, it has truly returned in a big way.

That being said, much of the newer music being called “hard techno” is closer to hardstyle and hardcore than its namesake. Although it certainly has the aggressive distortion and punishing tempos of those genres, it lacks the all-important funk and groove of techno, often replacing it with the catchy vocals of Eurodance and abrasive synths of hardstyle.

With this in mind, Hot Track Time Machine is here to honor the artists and labels who have stayed true to the ethos and aesthetic of hard techno. Read on for a list of bangers you may not have heard from the earliest days of the genre’s inception to the contemporary tracks staying true to the sound.

1. Missing Channel – Whirlpool [Hardwax] (1992)

Although Detroit is typically associated with the more soulful, melodic side of techno, a number of key players in the city were also pioneers of its harder offshoot. In fact, “Whirlpool” by Missing Channel (comprised of Claude Young and Robert Hood) could lay claim to being one of the first-ever hard techno records with its swirling, sinister synth loop and chaotic, rugged drums.

2. Robert Armani – Ambulance Two (Bonzai Remix) [Music Man Records] (1994)

Artists from Chicago, a city with a rich history in house music, unsurprisingly leaned heavily on the funk when they started experimenting with hard techno. Robert Armani took the jacking, raucous attitude of early acid house and put it into overdrive, upping the tempo, distorting the drums, and using more aggressive synth sounds. This approach is especially evident on “Ambulance Two,” which gets an even more intense reworking on the “Bonzai” remix.

3. Mike Dearborn – Moments [Djax-Up-Beats] (1995)

You can’t talk about hard techno without acknowledging the vital role Djax-Up-Beats has played. The label originally released more traditional acid house sounds. As techno reached Europe and artists in countries such as Germany and the Netherlands infused it with the sounds of popular rave genres such as hardcore, Djax-Up-Beats took its place at the forefront of the movement. In turn, it influenced the American artists from which it took inspiration. While “Birds On E” was the big tune from Mike Dearborn‘s album Moments, the title track is an underappreciated gem which is a great example of the cross-pollination between U.S. and European vibes.

4. Tim Taylor and DJ Slip – Pleasure Unit [Missile Records] (1997)

Minneapolis became (and still is) a location where the harder, faster side of techno thrived, and artists such as DJ Slip played a big part in this with tracks like “Pleasure Unit.” His collaboration with Missile Records owner Tim Taylor is pure Midwest hard techno: gritty, distorted and funky, with inventive sound design and clever use of samples.

5. Magnum Force – .44 Calibre [Stay Up Forever] (1998)

Unsurprisingly, with how readily the U.K. embraced the acid sound, when hard techno started to proliferate throughout the country’s squat party community it was focused heavily around pushing that delightful silver box, the TB-303, to its absolute limits. London’s Stay Up Forever collective had plenty of hits, but “.44 Calibre” is a criminally underappreciated gem from the catalogue. D.A.V.E. The Drummer and D.D.R. layer acid on top of acid (on top of acid) in a relentless, driving melting pot of energy.

6. Pounding Grooves and Ignition Technician – Muthafucka [Fine Audio Recordings] (2000)

Pounding Grooves is one of those artists that delivers exactly what his name promises. “Muthafucka” combines his straightforward, thumping, heavily-compressed sound with Ignition Technician‘s playful, booty/ghetto-tech-inspired beats to excellent effect. The result is tastefully distorted, crunchy goodness.

7. The Anxious – Menace [Compound] (2001)

The early years of the new millennium saw a more percussive, densely layered style of hard techno emerge, with U.K. artists such as The Anxious (comprised of Mark EG and Chrissi) maintaining the freight train intensity of the genre while taking influence from the groovier, tribal techno sounds that were growing in popularity. The result was tracks like “Menace,” a hard-as-nails groove that feels like a guided tour through a psychedelic steel mill.

8. D.A.V.E. The Drummer vs. Blackout Audio – Hydraulix 16A [Hydraulix] (2002)

This one is all about the vocal. Blackout Audio (an alias of The Anxious) lay the foundation with thumping, heavily mechanized beats and a rolling bassline, with D.A.V.E. The Drummer adding gnarly percussive hits and metallic washes in between a looped vocal chock full of attitude. Professional ass whippin’!

9. Glenn Wilson – Sentinel [Heroes] (2002)

When it comes to U.K. techno icons, they don’t come much more prolific than Glenn Wilson. Released on one of his many record labels, “Sentinel” does not waste time with nonsense like gradual progression or subtlety. Instead, it begins with a distorted percussive rhythm and grungy bass line that does not let up even just once, adding additional layers of tense synths and chord stabs as it continues.

10. Andreas Kauffelt – Bassquake [PV] (2002)

“Bassquake” is one of those tracks that rewards a patient listener. Its first half is a simple (albeit effective) slamming loop comprised of tight percussion and an off-beat, bleepy synth sequence. But then comes the breakdown, and one the most obscene bass lines in electronic music history, which Andreas Kauffelt modulates and tweaks in increasingly wild ways when the drums kick back in.

10. Wyndell Long – Chicago MF [Pro-Jex] (2002)

Pro-Jex was at the forefront of the variant of hard techno which took influence from ghetto tech and booty, releasing anthemic bangers from the likes of DJ Funk, DJ Rush, and Frankie Bones. Although it may not have received the same kind of widespread success as tracks by those artists, “Chicago MF” is in a lot of ways a more pure representation of the Pro-Jex aesthetic. Wyndell Long loops an aggressive vocal refrain over thunderous, distorted drums and funky synth sequences, only briefly taking his foot off the gas for a short breakdown before it’s back to business.

11. Stigmata – Samael [Stigmata] (2003)

Taken from their final release before Stigmata (André Walter and Chris Liebing) went their separate ways, “Samael” is the pinnacle of the duo’s discography. The gritty, industrial aesthetic typical of German hard techno is evident, but it is blended with the rolling, percussive edge more commonly found in U.K. artist’s work. It’s an excellent bridge between two unique approaches to hard techno.

12. Guy McAffer – Hammond Chips [RAW] (2005)

Who said hard techno can’t be creative and take risks? Guy McAffer delivers a cheeky slammer that puts a heavily distorted, bouncy Hammond organ solo at the forefront, backing it up with a tough, rolling groove. It’s absolute silliness in the best way possible.

13. Miss Djax – Sick Of U (DJ Rush Remix) [Djax-Up-Beats] (2005)

When it comes to fast, jackin’ hard techno with a tongue-in-cheek attitude, they don’t come much better than DJ Rush. His remix of “Sick Of U” by Miss Djax pitches the original version’s vocal down several octaves, cutting it up and layering snippets of it over a bulldozer of a bass line and pounding drums with just the right amount of swing.

14. Robert Natus – To The Beat [Inflicted Records] (2008)

Schranz, a type of hard techno characterized by its even higher tempos, even greater amounts of distortion, and a minimalist, loop-based approach to arrangement, is one of those hyper-specific scenes that exploded in popularity, but also stagnated stylistically just as quickly. That being said, every now and then a track like “To The Beat” would come along, injecting something fresh and unique into its repetitive structure. Robert Natus throws a curveball with this track, waiting until nearly half way through an otherwise fairly standard schranz loop to add a funky, playful bass line and lots of clever drum edits.

15. Tik Tok and Brentus Maximus – Delusional [Corrosive Records] (2015)

The driving, euphoric acid sound pioneered by the Stay Up Forever crew lives on thanks to labels such as Corrosive Records. “Delusional” by Tik Tok and Brentus Maximus is a loving tribute to London squat party vibes with its multiple layers of overdriven TB-303 sequences and tight, steady drums.

16. Gunjack – Random Axis Jack (The Preacher Remix) [U.K. Executes] (2017)

Gunjack is the definition of an unsung hero. A hardware enthusiast who has been releasing high-quality music across various genres for over two decades, his steadfast adherence to the ethos of “I just make music that I like” is the main reason for his longevity. The Preacher‘s remix of “Random Axis Jack” combines the sort of sound design and synth work more often found in industrial techno with a quintessential hard techno drum groove.

17. ISN – Art Cannot Be Killed [SCHUBfaktor Music] (2018)

Italy’s ISN delivers some modern schranz that stands out from the pack. “Art Cannot Be Killed” incorporates a simple, but effective, synth loop and lots of breaks and edits to keep the rhythm from getting stale, which is the most common pitfall of the style.

18. 14anger and Dep Affect – Portable Persecutors [Call Of The Void] (2020)

One of the darkest, grimiest tracks of the last few years, “Portable Persecutors” proves there are still artists out there like 14anger and Dep Affect who are willing to push the creative boundaries of hard techno. While each of the individual sounds in the track aren’t necessarily new, combining them into a single track definitely is. This is a brilliant mix of rollicking drums more commonly associated with jacking house, a huge, growling bass line one would typically find in EBM or electro, and eerie chords reminiscent of the best darkwave tracks.

19. Unconformist – The Brain [Mätäsism] (2023)

It’s almost impossible to avoid the influence of old rave sounds in modern hard techno at the moment, and a lot of the time the references are quite stale and uninteresting (I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard that synth stab in completely unaltered form in the last year). That is absolutely not the case with “The Brain,” though. Unconformist takes elements of early hardcore and dark industrial, re-contextualizing them in a modern way to create a heavy, peak-time stomper that also has appeal beyond the hard techno realm.

20. Patrick DSP – Cutting In [Interruption Records] (2023)

Pounding, mechanical, percussive vibes live on! While a lot of contemporary hard techno artists are trying to outdo each other with who can make the most distorted pseudo-hardstyle, the likes of Patrick DSP are staying true to the genre’s ethos. “Cutting In” is a relentless, sinister roller that never lets up, adding layers upon layers of rugged percussion as it progresses to create a thick, tightly packed rhythm joined by creepy atmospherics and metallic synth stabs.

As with previous Monobox releases, the EP affords Hood the opportunity to explore a more cinematic style than the loopy techno encapsulated in Minimal Nation (which he rereleased in August). Included is a remix of the title track by London producer Ø [Phase] with more traditionally repetitive elements, however. Rounding out the effort is a “Robert Hood Re-Plant” of said single as well as a more serene soundscape titled “Homestead.”

Black Box

Robert Hood followed up the 1996 release of Realm with Monobox EPs like Downtown in 1997 and Population in 2001. 2003 marked the project’s debut studio-length album Molecule – also its first release on Logistic Records as opposed to M-Plant. After several remix packs via Logistic, Hood brought Monobox back to M-Plant with the 2014 two-tracker Film / Rectangle.

Hood, whose indelible work in Detroit techno extends back to his history as a co-founder of Underground Resistance, spoke about Monobox in a Red Bull Music Academy interview coinciding with the latter release. “Monobox was an alien project,” he said. “I read this book when I was probably around 13 or 14.  It was this ominous black box that came from some other universe, and it was just sort of hovering over the planet, over a cornfield somewhere.”

“After maybe a few weeks it began to open up and objects and these creatures from another world began to emerge from this box,” he continued. “The whole thing about Monobox was that it was an alien life form. To approach minimalism from an alien futuristic perspective.”

The Forwardbase Kodai EP and Regenerate follow Mirror Man, a full-length album Robert Hood released via Rekids in November 2020.

The seminal minimal techno album will be repressed as a triple white vinyl via Hood’s M-Plant record label nearly 30 years after its debut on Jeff Mills‘ Axis Records imprint. It will also release as a CD, and both formats will feature remastered versions of all eight original tracks. Among them are the immortal “Rhythm Of Vision,” plus the unreleased “SH-101” from the Minimal Nation recording sessions, as well as the ultra-rare “Self-Powered” from the album’s test pressing.

The reissue follows two prior releases; in 2015 Minimal Nation was reissued via Hood’s imprint, and before that in 2009.

“I was fooling around with a [Roland Alpha] Juno 2 keyboard and I came across this chord sound,” Hood explained to Resident Advisor when Minimal Nation was reissued in 2009. “Once I had that chord sound and a particular pattern I realized I didn’t need anything else.”

Hood described his sound to FADER in 2013 as “minimum structure” and “maximum soul.” “At the time, I really didn’t understand the purpose and the vision and where it was emanating from, but I knew it was spiritual,” he told the publication.

The repressing of Robert Hood’s Minimal Nation will be released this August via M-Plant.

Both songs on the record reflect Floorplan’s time-tested style, with simple yet dissonant lead synths repeating over minimal grooves. The Thomas P. Heckmann-remastered versions make for valuable weapons in a DJ’s arsenal, injecting the intelligent grit of Detroit techno into a DJ set.

Robert Hood made a name for himself as a member of second-wave Detroit techno collective Underground Resistance alongside Jeff Mills and “Mad” Mike Banks. After helping define the minimal sound with the 1994 album Minimal Nation, he inaugurated his Floorplan project with the single “Funky Souls” in 1996.

Lyric Hood joined Floorplan in 2014 at the age of 16 – first as a DJ, and then as a collaborator on recorded works. Most recently, the father-daughter duo delivered Right There / Holy Ghost via Classic Music Company.

A Robert Hood single titled “Shadows” will also appear on the first installment of EPM Music‘s EPM20 series at the end of May.

The techno EP, out May 28th, comprises singles by Robert Hood, Ben Sims, James Ruskin and Mark Broom. June 25th marks the release of the electro EP, for which Carl Finlow, Detroit’s Filthiest, Freddy Fresh as Modulator, as well as The Advent and Zein Ferrara have offered up music. Closing out the series on July 30th is the house EP, whose tracklist includes songs by Eddie Fowlkes, Jon Dixon, DJ 3000, and Rico & Sonny.

Following the conclusion of EPM20, a compilation of the same name will arrive at an as yet unannounced time.

20 Years of EPM Music

EPM Music, the brainchild of Oliver Way and Jonas Stone, originally served as a booking agency and PR company. Over the years it expanded to include distribution, rights management, and record label services. Dekmantel, M-Plant, Avian and Hot Elephant Music are but a few of the labels they represent.

The 20-year anniversary EP series will be dedicated to the memory of Detroit techno DJ and producer Tim Baker, who passed away in early April. “EPM20 is dedicated to the memory of one of the most beautiful souls in the scene, Tim Baker who has been taken from us far too soon,” reads a press release. “Your music shines on.”

EPM20 will be available for purchase in vinyl format, with specially designed sleeves for the series. Find the tracklist for each installment below.

EPM21V / EPM90:

1. Robert Hood – Shadows
2. Ben Sims – Xotnuc
3. James Ruskin – There Was A Time
4. Mark Broom – The Three Swords

EPM22V / EPM91:

1. The Advent & Zein Ferreira – Strangeform
2. Carl Finlow – Optogenetic
3. Detroit’s Filthiest – Werewolf
4. Modulator aka Freddy Fresh – ProMars

EPM23V / EPM92:

1. Eddie Fowlkes – 1-2-3
2. Jon Dixon – Mack & Bewick
3. DJ 3000 – Summer 1995
4. Rico & Sonny – The Beat

With an updated master, Underestimated serves as the first release of 2021 on his M-Plant imprint. Retaining all of its clean grooves and no-nonsense approach, Underestimated is just as strong now as it was in 1998. Side A features classic anti-establishment cut “Black Man’s World” as well as “Sleep Is The Cousin Of Death.” On the flip, “Hard To Kill” still delivers on its namesake nearly 23 years later.

The Perpetual Masters series features remastered versions of classic cuts from Hood’s back catalogue, including The Pace / Wandering Endlessly, Stereotype, The Greatest Dancer, Protein Valve, and more. Underestimated will follow up Hood’s full-length 2020 album, Mirror Man, and the EP The Struggle / Save The Children, which centered around the Black Lives Matter movement and featured a sample from a speech by activist Tamika Mallory.

Last year, Hood also released music from the Floorplan project, which sees Robert produce alongside his daughter, Lyric Hood.

Underestimated will be released March 12th via M-Plant.

Each track was given a 90-second preview on the Bleep page dedicated to the release. In the short segment, you can hear another helping of uplifting house put forth by the duo. Piano and vocal-driven, the songs see the Hoods showcase their innate ability to deliver a sound that inspires both physical and emotional movement.

Robert Hood has been busy as of late. In the fall, a post-disco mixtape of his from 2004 was uncovered and posted on Mixcloud for all to enjoy. Shortly before that, he made his Rekids debut with the release of his EP, Nothing Stops Detroit. In addition to the EP, he offered fans even more music with a new full-length album, Mirror Man.

“Right There” and “Holy Ghost” under Robert and Lyric Hood’s Floorplan project will be released on Thursday, January 21st. You can pre-order the tracks on vinyl here.

Hood said as much in an interview with Stamp The Wax, the U.K. blog who reshared the tape via Mixcloud. After touching on topics like religion and racial justice, he recounted recording the mix in a small Detroit studio space. “I remember reflecting on the short space of time between disco and electronic music and thinking, ‘that was a lost era,’ he said. “Not many people pay attention to that moment, and I thought it would be nice to do a mix based around that.”

Indeed, the first half of the mix includes post-disco, new wave and electro by the likes of Depeche Mode, Kano and Tom Tom Club. Later on, the stripped-down sounds that would become dance floor favorites find their way in. “A Better Way” by Royal House and “Energy Flash” by Joey Beltram are but a couple of the songs from what would have been the time period in which Hood’s career came into its own.

Hood’s 2004 mixtape isn’t the only place curious music fans can get a glimpse of post-disco. REVIVEHER recently began compiling a list of music played by Larry Levan at Paradise Garage that consists of similar fare.

On Friday, Robert Hood will release a 14-track album titled Mirror Man.

Comprising 14 pieces of music, Mirror Man will explore sounds ranging from minimal techno to house to downtempo. Titles like “Black Mirror” and “Ignite A War” stand out, suggesting that the album might pose social commentary on 2020 affairs. Hood and his daughter, Lyric, released an EP titled The Struggle / Save The Children that resulted from similar musings in August.

Robert Hood Revisited

Along with fellow second-wave Detroit techno artists Jeff Mills and “Mad” Mike Banks, Robert Hood co-founded the label and DJ collective Underground Resistance in 1989. The group’s anti-establishment branding and ethos is a big part of the reason techno has a history as protest music.

Hood’s music itself has left a mark that continues to inform producers and DJs through the present day. As noted by Resident Advisor, his 1994 album, Minimal Nation, provided a blueprint for minimal techno still relevant over 25 years later.

Find the tracklist for Mirror Man below.

1. Through A Looking Glass Darkly
2. Nothing Stops Detroit
3. Fear Not
4. Black Mirror
5. Falling Apart
6. Run Bobby, Run
7. Freeze
8. A System Of Mirrors
9. Face In The Water
10. A Shattered Image
11. Ignite A War
12. Prism
13. 7 Mile Dog
14. The Cure

The tracklist is comprised of “Nothing Stops Detroit,” “7 Mile Dog,” “Ignite A War,” and “The Cure.” A one-minute and thirty-second preview of each single can be found on the Above Board Distribution page dedicated to the upcoming EP.

Earlier in the month, Hood released a three-track EP on his label, M-Plant, which featured a segment of a speech from Black Lives Matter activist Tamika Mallory. Not long before that, he had a track included on an EPM Music fundraiser album in support of Campaign Zero‘s fight for police reform. Also included in the compilation was music from Eddie Fowlkes, Developer, Ben Sims, and others.

Nothing Stops Detroit by Robert Hood is slated for release on Friday, October 9th. You can pre-order the upcoming four-track on Beatport.