Monday 27 December 2010

Slow Techno Special : John Tejada - The End Of It All

john tejada photo
As a Christmas treat we are pleased to bring you a track by one of our favourite producers - John Tejada. Thank you John for your help with this post - great to feature your music here at last.

John has been releasing high quality techno for many years on labels such as Plug, deFocus, GDI, Multiplex, Palette and Immigrant. 2009 saw John drop a storming mix for the Fabric label compilation series. The California based artist stands out due to his high level of musicality (classically trained) and the consistency of quality in all his releases. We cannot name a poor track from the many we have heard! John is also very diverse in his styles and does not create only techno. Hunt down the brilliant 'Genetical Love' to see what we mean.

One of the best places to find more from John Tejada is at Palette Recordings - http://www.paletterecordings.com/

Palette Recordings was started
by John Tejada in the fall of 1996. Many releases later it is one of the most respected techno labels in the world. Palette became an exclusive outlet for Tejada to release his most prized music. Past releases have featured music and remixes by artists such as Daniel Bell, TitontonDuvante, Klute, Dominick Martin, and Dan Curtin among others. However these days the label is set up as the primary outlet for the work of its three main California based artists. John Tejada, 19 year Tejada collaborator Arian Leviste, and Justin Maxwell. New additions to the LA team are Dave Hughes and Josh Humphrey.


Below is a great melodic slow techno workout 'The End Of It All' as featured in the Palette back catalogue. The perfect tune for deeper moments.




We highly recommend tracking down John's many albums and singles.
A personal favourite that we also suggest you find is the Tejada / Leviste collaboration 'Passing Through.'

Wednesday 3 November 2010

Slow Techno : Flippo - Flood



Here we have a track that previously featured on the now seminal Mary Anne Hobbs BBC Radio 1 show.

'Flood' by Flippo is a super slow ambient dub techno cut.

David Phillips is the man on production here (thank you for getting in touch with us about this tune). Based in Melbourne, it is great to hear such a lush slice of deepness that can work in many contexts. We can easily see this cut reaching deep house, chill, ambient, dubstep and techno DJs. 'Flood' is currently unreleased (labels - get in touch with the man at -http://soundcloud.com/flippo/flood ) but may appear on an EP at some point.

Saturday 23 October 2010

Aaron Carl R.I.P

Recently heard the very sad news that Aaron Carl passed away after being diagnosed with cancer.

Hear his words here (what an incredible guy):





In tribute to Aaron here is a truly majestic piece of music from him:





Our thoughts go to Aaron's family, friends and fans.

Aaron Carl R.I.P

http://www.aaroncarl.com/

http://www.facebook.com/aaroncarl313

Friday 15 October 2010

Slow Techno : Eddie 'Flashin' Fowlkes - T.M.F 61

true people album cover
eddie fowlkesGoing way back in time on this one but what a tune from 1996!

On a mission to spread the word about this track. 'T.M.F 61' has only one video upload on YouTube, less than 200 plays and no comments - that is criminal! This is a proper underground classic for the heads. Featured on the brilliant 'True People: The Detroit Techno Album' alongside many classics. If you do not own that album, get a copy in!

This is brilliant melodic jolly upbeat electronic music. Not too many pieces of music out there that sound quite like this - really uplifting. The range of sounds is brilliant from flute like hits, to funky keys to sparkly synths over a cool breakbeat. Eddie is the 'GodFather of Techno Soul' - a detroit legend. Check his music!




Monday 27 September 2010

Slow Techno Mixes from Japan : DJ 100Mado & Parhelion a.k.a Julia

Thank you to DJ 100Mado for getting in touch. Great to hear about what is happening in Japan with their underground music scene.

DJ 100Mado is a dubstep and slow techno producer / dj.
He runs the party 'BTC' with Goth-Trad.

You can read more about DJ 100Mado here:

http://backtochill.com/artist-archive/dj100mado

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fm20100319a1.html

Below is a preview of a 100bpm mix of his from April.
DJ 100 Mado describes this selection as 'Beatdown Techno influenced by Dubstep.'

The full mix can be downloaded from here:

http://100mado.com/mix/100bpm_djmix_2010_april.html





Also worth checking is Parhelion a.k.a Julia who has posted up a 100bpm mix from May this year. Slow deep tech grooves all the way on this one.

Listen / download it at Soundcloud:

100bpm promitional mix may 2010 by parhelion a.k.a JULIA

Tuesday 14 September 2010

Slow Techno : Actress - Hubble

actress image
A deep masterpiece here from the Werk Discs Label Manager. Darren Cunningham recently released the second Actress album entitled 'Splazsh.' Electronic to the core, the range of tracks fit house, techno and electronica. There is a real Carl Craig feel to the music which gets our backing everytime.

Opening the album is this super deep and
slow techno cut 'Hubble.' Possibly inspired by space exploration, this track pulses magnificently whilst elements work around the hypnotic enticing melody. At nearly nine minutes long, you will get lost in the groove as your imagination begins to soar.



Saturday 4 September 2010

Slow Techno : Daft Punk - Steam Machine (The World's Second Slowest Techno Track)

daft punk image
The French maestros are best known as kings of house but hardcore fans will know all about their techno outings.

'Steam Machine' is taken from the 2005 album 'Human After All' which also contains the peak time full on techno workout 'The Brainwasher.' 'Steam Machine' is super slow techno - analogue synth business with a whispered vocal throughout. At 92bpm this was just 1bpm slower than the recent world record track by Scaramanga Silk.

Here are two versions of 'Steam Machine' - one forwards and one backwards.







Tuesday 24 August 2010

News : World Record is Official

Congratulations to Scaramanga Silk for setting the World Record for the Slowest Techno Track with their 'Sacrifice' single.

91 Beats Per Minute.

Read all about it at The World Records Academy Website.




Monday 23 August 2010

Update : Site Crashes whilst streaming World Record attempt

Our apologies to viewers who hoped to see the live stream for 'The Slowest Techno Track' World Record attempt this evening. It appears that our bandwidth could not cope with the high volume of traffic.

The good news is that the attempt was completed successfully.

At present, the attempt will have to go through all the verification processes before the record can be claimed. We will update you as and when we are informed of a decision.

Friday 13 August 2010

News : SlowTechno.com to stream World Record attempt

On Monday 23rd August 2010 the site will be hosting the official World Record attempt for the Slowest Techno Track. The event will be streamed live on the night and will be exclusive to this site.

For full details and updates, please visit the dedicated page: World Record -Slowest Techno Track

Wednesday 11 August 2010

Slow Techno : Carl Craig - Domina / Dominas & Maurizio - Domina (Carl Craig's Mind Mix)

carl craig domina record centre
Carl Craig - proper legend! Here we have a deep, lush and beautiful outing from the Detroit master.

Interestingly, this was released as both a remix and an original track. It features as a remix of Maurizio's - 'Domina' but also as an original track 'Dominas' on the exceptional Carl Craig album 'More Songs About Food and Revolutionary Art.' Please buy that album if you do not own it already. In fact, if you do own it, buy yourself a spare copy.

Perfect slow techno at a deep 126BPM. This gem dates back to 1993. To this day this is still an aural delight. Lush textures, deep grooves, hypnotic vibes and a warm centre make this a great listening experience or groover on the floor. Hit that rewind button on the player. Enjoy this one over and over again.



Saturday 7 August 2010

Slow Techno : Basement Jaxx - Raw S#it

basement jaxx raw s#it record centreYes, you did read that title correctly! A Basement Jaxx track on SlowTechno.com - what is going on?

Well, these two legends are the market leaders of house music and are a pair of mighty fine producers but on this occasion their dark 'n' dirty side comes to the fore. Many will argue that this is dirty house music and they would be right. However, this has a rawness and energy that is truly in the spirit of techno. It is great to see a track like this come out of the house scene and work so well in a slow techno context.

'Raw S#it' was released all the way back in 1997 on the great Atlantic Jaxx label. You will find this hidden away on the b-side of the 'Urban Haze' EP. The Jaxx have done a few other dirty distorted numbers during their time - seek them out!





Wednesday 21 July 2010

Slow Techno : Fabrice Lig - Digital Forest

fabrice lig artist photo - slow techno
R&S are back! That is enough of a reason to post.

Techno don Fabrice Lig releases 'Digital Forest' and it is a quality cut from this masterful producer. You may know him as Soul Designer on F-Communications. This Belgian artist now has this worthy track released on that country's legendary label.

This man has given us so many excellent cuts over the years. He is a highly productive individual who never disappoints with his records. We suggest investigating his back catalogue if you are not aware of it.

Detroit is a clear influence in Fabrice's work. 'Digital Forest' is a fine melodic future tech soul number that is getting strong reviews and plenty of plays right now. The drop around 5m30s is killer. Slow techno heads - this is a treat.

On a non-techno tip but on a music lover vibe, check out
Pariah and James Blake on R&S. Supreme new electronic music for fans of Dilla, Wonky, Hip Hop, R&B, Burial, Drum & Bass, Dubstep and Techno. Two gifted young producers to watch out for.



Thursday 15 July 2010

Slow Techno : Sueno Latino - Sueno Latino (Illusion First Mix)

Image of record centre for Sueno Latino by Sueno Latino, the Illusion First Mix by Derrick May - slow techno
Tune!

We could just write that and be done.

There are so many versions of this all time dance classic but this is vastly superior to all the others.

Quite possibly one of Derrick May's finest moments, yet many heads out there may never have heard this underground killer. The original is based upon a section of the epic (nearly an hour long) 'E2-E4' by Manuel Gottsching. It could be easy to say that what Sueno Latino did with the track was simple but making things look / sound simple is a pure talent.

Derrick May
goes to his melodic techno latino best here - opening with pads before launching into sparkling melodies, keys and chords. The melodies layer upon each other before the drums arrive. As the track progresses the piano becomes more apparent as do other harmonic beauties. Half way through, a short break leaves just the rhythm before a change of direction comes into play. Some quirky jumpy synth lines enter that add brilliantly to the track as it builds to a heavenly climax.

This is a rare joint these days but essential for your slow techno box or any record lovers collection.

Really wish that the founding fathers of Detroit techno would deliver us more tracks and albums in these modern days.




Wednesday 7 July 2010

Slow Techno : Scuba - On Deck

scuba artist photo - slow technoThe Hot Flush head honcho, Paul Rose, drops this little techno bullet on his second album 'Triangulation.' Most commonly known for his ambient styled dubstep music, it has become apparent that Mr Rose is a fan of techno. This was best demonstrated when he included Surgeon's 'Klonk 4' on his Sub:Stance mix CD (which is well worth checking out).

'On Deck' is a fresh release from 2010. Percussive slow techno groover that grows as the track gathers momentum. The stab lead starts off subtly as the pad floats around it. The track really gets going as the synth eventually occupies more space and takes over the record. Waves pour in towards the end as the joint finishes on a mellower tip. Good track for getting the rhythms riding and grooves locked. Easy to see how this one can work in a number of genres and environments due to the clever sounds used, the choice of tempo and the percussion.




Tuesday 6 July 2010

Slow Techno : Maurizio - M-4.5

maurizio m-4.5 record center - slow techno
Maurizio artist photo - slow techno
Moritz von Oswald & Mark Ernestus make up Maurizio a.k.a Basic Channel. 'M4.5' is a slice of German genius from this legendary label.

True deep techno of the absolute finest nature. This is a real classic amongst the 'heads' in the scene. Originally released back in 1995 on the Maurizio / M label (part of the Basic Channel family), you can hear the attention to groove hypnotism as this one pulls you in and does not let go. Don your audio armbands as this one will not be found in the shallow end.

This record is now fifteen years old but has that timeless quality that only such a strong piece of music can achieve.

One thing that amazes is just how deceptive this cut is - it may appear to be simple on your ear but crafting such rhythm, texture and groove that retains your attention is the art demonstrated here by these fine producers. Slow techno that stirs your imagination whilst moving those 4am feet.




Tuesday 25 May 2010

Slow Techno : Domu - Quarantine

Domu Quarantine Slow Techno
Domu is best known for his works in the genres of broken beat and drum & bass. Here we have an outing of his released on New Religion back in 2005. 'Quarantine' featured on the 'Electric Institute' compilation alongside music from the likes of Balil, Carl Craig and Kirk Degiorgio. This cut could be described as broken beat, nu-jazz, broken techno or slow techno as it can fit into any of those categories. Fans of Floating Points will enjoy this production as it has a real space funk vibe to it. Jazz Funk heads and Underground Resistance followers will immediately be able to tap into the vibe that Dominic Stanton has created here - futuristic, funky, melodic, uplifting and dancefloor too. You could not ask for more! This release was a firm favourite of Patrick Forge's that he used to play on his legendary Kiss100FM radio show (now sorely missed).



Wednesday 12 May 2010

Slow Techno : Robert Hood - Aural 512

Robert Hood - Slow Techno
We hit you with another killer cut from the Peacefrog label. This time, the mighty Robert Hood is the artist we are focusing on. The Underground Resistance co-founder has had a prolific career in techno with releases on Metroplex, Axis, Tresor and many more.

'Aural 512' is a lesser known track but is a beautiful piece of slow techno containing lush melodies and plucked instrumentation that combine with an uplifting soulful groove with a Latin element that moves both feet and minds. This featured on Hood's 'Wire To Wire' album back in 2003 which is a delightful journey through electronic styles. We recommend that you check out the full album.





Tuesday 4 May 2010

Slow Techno - A Definition

Here is a definition of techno that we have discovered courtesy of Dmoz.org:

"Techno is a hard and fast style of electronic music. The speed of tracks is usually between 135 and 150 bpm. There are usually no vocals, and no guitars or other "live" sounding instruments. Techno can be found in warehouses, clubs and outdoor festivals around the world."

http://www.dmoz.org/Arts/Music/Styles/D/Dance/Techno/desc.html

This definition links in well with how we have therefore defined 'Slow Techno' in a previous post:

http://www.slowtechno.com/2010/04/what-is-slow-techno.html

Finding accurate definitions of the genre is not easy so we salute Dmoz for this clarity.

Slow Techno : Purveyors Of Fine Funk - Ashes Smashing Red

Purveyors Of Fine Funk - Slow Techno
Peacefrog released this gem back in 1995. Dan Curtin, Mike Filly & Tatsuro Hayashi are the trio behind this legendary outfit. 'Ashes Smashing Red' is hidden away on the b-side of the 12" but became recognised as a great slow techno track. Starting off with pure atmosphere and light percussion, the groove soon takes over with fantastic rhythms, sub bass and hypnotic pads that loop over and over. Make sure you catch this on a good system as the deep and low bass needs to be heard properly to appreciate this great tune.

Not a particularly slow track for the era but the timeless nature of this piece means that this release now works brilliantly in deep techno contexts. A tune for the 4am Fabric crew or a great early doors track to get the momentum of a set going. One to hunt down - fifteen years on this still does the business.




Saturday 1 May 2010

Slow Techno : Paperclip People - Oscillator

Carl Craig has worked under many guises but Paperclip People has to be one of his best. The album 'Secret Tapes Of Dr Eich' contains some real classics such as 'Throw' and 'The Climax.' Here we have 'Oscillator' as released on Retroactive. Containing samples from the Mortal Kombat computer game, the 'Power Of Love (Remix)' by Deee-Lite and Mantronix's 'King Of The Beats' this is a breakbeat driven piece of analogue screeching slow techno. Opening with pads this launches straight into the cow bell driven floor shaker as the sweet open hat rides on the four-four with the break kicking over the top. The distorted synth line owns the tune as it pitches up and down across the track. Pure genius from the Detroit legend that still sounds amazing despite being released back in 1991. Seek it out.

Thursday 29 April 2010

Slow Techno : Slum Village - Raise It Up vs. Thomas Bangalter - Extra Dry

So here we have a hip-hop track from Slum Village entitled 'Raise It Up.' We are featuring this as it is a great example of techno being used creatively, differently and 'slowly.' Genius piece of production and a great idea that works superbly - fantastic innovative music with brilliant cross over appeal. One for the deep slow techno heads who appreciate poduction and sampling.





Here is the original track 'Extra Dry' by the talented Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk released on Roule. A cracking piece of techno aimed straight at the heart of the floor!



Monday 26 April 2010

Slow Techno : Floating Points - People's Potential

Floating Points Slow Techno
Fresh tune from Samual Shepherd on Eglo. This Floating Points piece can easily fit into deep house or slow techno sets. 'People's Potential' is certainly a track that has a Herbie Hancock vibe running through it. Mighty infectious dancefloor cut that has found favour with Benji B.




Check Floating Points out at:
http://www.floatingpoints.co.uk

'People's Potential' is out now in all good record stores.

Friday 23 April 2010

What Is The Difference Between Slow Techno And Tech House?

Thank you to Jose-Andreas for the following email that we just received:

'Hey there Slow Techno.com,

I likes your Aardvarck and Youngsters postings on your website.

I not know much about Slow Techno but is it not just Tech House? I always told that Tech House is just slowed down Techno. Is this wrong, no?'

This is a valid question and we are pleased that you have raised it. Both styles are sub-genres of Techno and therefore will contain similar elements. It is also likely that both styles are slower than current and traditional Techno. Where they may differ is in the feel, groove and soundscapes used. Tech House may have more of a house groove to it with some softer pads (e.g - Circulation). It is also likely to stick to quite a tight bpm range. In conrast, Slow Techno may keep more traditional techno sounds, fluctuate in bpm range and not have a house groove. However, as with many styles, there are bound to be cross over tracks that blur the boundaries. When these crop up we will feature them here (and debate them too).

Slow Techno : Dave Clarke With Chicks On Speed - Disgraceland

Dave Clarke Slow Techno
The moody king of techno has been instrumental to the scene for many years. A master of electro and techno on the decks but also a fantastic producer who will eternally be remembered for the seminal 'Red' series.

Back in 2003, Dave released his 'Devil's Advocate' album on his home town label - Skint.
The slow techno track 'Disgraceland' was an interesting collaboration with Chicks On Speed that competently displayed the diverse concepts and production talents of this fine UK techno artist. A departure from his more familiar pounding techno and electro workouts, this release saw a slower vocal track with a punk spirit running through it. The groove filters and loops as the Sped Up Chicks tell you what is what. (Some language may offend in this video.)





Check out the snazzy Dave Clarke website here (where you can also find links to buy his releases):
http://www.daveclarke.com/Site2010/

Thursday 22 April 2010

Slow Techno : The Youngsters - Slow

Youngsters Slow TechnoToday we have a suggested track courtesy of Freethos who can be found at: http://www.myspace.com/freethosmusic

A big thank you to Freethos for recommending this little slow techno gem.

Olivier Mateu and Gilles Escoffier are the techno act known as The Youngsters. Best known for the anthems of 'Smile' and 'Illogique' on Laurent Garnier's F-Comm label. Their music travelled far and wide impressing DJ's such as Sasha.

The aptly titled 'Slow' is the opening track from The Youngsters' debut album 'Lemonorange' that was released in 2001. This is techno with a slight twist. One for the rhythm heads with the bouncy beats and pounding kick. As the track progresses, pads emerge to guide you whilst the sweet melodic synth line infects your brain.



Get this track and other Youngsters releases from:
http://www.fcomshop.com/uk.php

Check out their MySpace here:
http://www.myspace.com/therealyoungsters

Monday 19 April 2010

Slow Techno : Aardvarck - Cult Copy 1

Aardvarck Slow Techno To kick off the site we are going for this little gem courtesy of Aardvarck a.k.a Mike Kivits - a diverse and talented producer with releases in the genres of techno, hip hop, new wave and more across a range of labels including Delsin, Rush Hour and Kindred Spirits. You may also know him as part of Rednose Distrikt. This track is taken from his album 'Cult Copy' on Rush Hour from 2005 that features tracks across a range of styles including melodic electro, space age sci-fi soundtracks and peak time dancefloor techno.

'Cult Copy 1' is a deceptively slow piece of rhythmic dancefloor techno. The four-four kick drum leads the groove but the overlaid percussion drives the track on excellently. It is an energetic workout from start to finish as the pulsing synths, tribal groove and analogue warmth raid through the track to meet the sweeping pads later on. This slow techno release is reminiscent of the classic Paperclip People works of Carl Craig from the early 90's.



Get this track and other Aardvarck releases at:
http://rushhour.nl/store_master.php?search=aardvarck&idxGroup=&SearchMode

Check out his MySpace here:
http://www.myspace.com/aardvarck


Slow Techno On Twitter

Twitter Slow Techno

Twitter will be another place where you can find us for all the latest goings on in the world of Slow Techno. Check us out at: http://twitter.com/slow_techno

We Now Have A YouTube Channel For Slow Techno

YouTube Slow Techno
SlowTechno.com is proud to announce the launch of our very own YouTube channel which can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/slowtechnodotcom

The channel will be dedicated to showcasing Slow Techno tracks.

All tracks on the channel will be uploads that do not appear on YouTube already.

Sign up to the channel now for the best in slow techno.

Tuesday 13 April 2010

What Is Slow Techno?

What is slow techno?Yet another new fangled music style or actually something of note?

Sub genres emerge constantly in the world of electronic music. By definition, techno is a futuristic style that is known for having a high BPM count, so how can such a contradictory 'slow' variant exist?

Pioneers of the genre from Derrick May to Richie Hawtin to Chris Liberator are renowned for their unique takes on techno and are behind many innovative tracks within the scene. From the screaming acid of Hardfloor to the dub heaviness of Rhythm & Sound to the pounding beats of D.A.V.E The Drummer - techno has always evolved through many guises. Slow Techno is causing a stir due to how it manages to capture new ideas and fuse exciting styles such as dub and ambient. You can expect to hear such tracks being played by a wide range of DJs such as Scuba, Mary Anne Hobbs, Erol Alkan, Richie Hawtin and Gilles Peterson.

A clear definition of 'slow techno' can only be arrived at by first understanding exactly what 'techno' music is. It is generally accepted that the Detroit legends Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson and Eddie Fowlkes are the 'fathers of techno.' However, it is clear that this sound is an evolution from electro and electronic works by the likes of Kraftwerk and Cabaret Voltaire. To clearly define the sound of techno, it is best summarised as:
  • Machine sounding.
  • Electronically produced.
  • Futuristically minded.
  • Contains a 4/4 rhythm.
  • Has a tempo of 128bpm upwards.
From this definition, we can clearly see that 'slow techno' will contain the majority of these elements but the tempo will be sub 128bpm. Can having such a fundamental attribute missing from the new style actually be relevant or is this a horrible abuse of this classic style?

Tempo is such a core element in defining dance music. Breakbeat music is a very good example of this. Hip-hop and downtempo are generally the slowest of the breakbeat styles, followed by big beat, dubstep and nu skool breaks in the middle range of tempos with drum & bass occupying the fastest end of the spectrum. Finding such clarity in the 4/4 styles is not so obvious. House and techno are the main categories in 4/4. House music has many offspring sub genres but the tempo ranges do not fluctuate that wildly. Hard House and techno are generally faster than any of the other four to the floor styles.

One school of thought is that slow techno is an attempt by producers to cross their productions over with the hyped and in favour dubstep sound. It is a plausible theory as monetizing music sales becomes increasingly difficult for independent and underground artists. A marketing spin can be essential in an industry flooded by thousands of download releases every week.

Other opinions seem to suggest that slow techno is much like the short lived 'dad-house' genre, in that the crowd is older and therefore highly paced, adrenalin fuelled beats are not so desirable to the more mature listener (and the producers are often a bit older too).

Neither of these ideas are conclusive or can be completely responsible. It is just as likely that some creative, innovative producers and DJs are trying to push the boundaries and are therefore experimenting in the region of tempo. We applaude any such attempts and are excited by what is clearly a new emerging sound that can open up intriguing possibilities and create fresh experiences.

Showcase / Recommend Your Slow Techno Tracks

Showcase - Slow TechnoSlowTechno.com invites all artists, producers and labels to submit your tracks for showcasing on the site.

Our aim is to bring the best in slow techno music from around the world to our readers.

We are on the hunt for the best tracks in the genre. They can be old or new, you do not have to be signed or on a label - if your tracks make the grade then we will feature you.

Be a part of the scene and get involved with the community right here.

We are also keen for slow techno fans to recommend tracks that they would like to see appearing on the site. Please share your favourites with us and the slow techno family.

Get in touch by email: