Reclaim Your City

Championing a sound intrinsically deep and leaning towards lo-fi dub techno, St. Odes co-founder and Dial Records alum Ben Kaczor stops by to deliver his first ever RYC podcast. Laying down a mix rife with the slo-churning, micro house-esque jams and eerily contemplative boogie that’s come to define his style, Kaczor treats us to a two-hour jaunt into a fractured headspace, organic and synthetic at once, inhabited by odd creatures and ghostly silhouettes. Evocative and lush, his mix conjures up the most haunting reverb-drenched melodies and esoteric grooves to shape a uniquely engaging, cinematic voyage. Give in to this slo-evolving buildup of dusty ambiences and falsely serene harmonies, as they teem with the kind of held-in magnetic power and subjugating potential to get any crowd wading in a weird, awry sense of XTC. 

A sonic explorer connecting the dots between spaced-out abstraction and trippy techno sorties, Shoal has been cruising the scene’s hyperspace for the past ten years with his eyes set on a new horizon of musical possibilities, eager to clear the ground for further audacious expeditions in the uncharted nooks and crannies of atmospheric electronics. Combining spacious and layered envelopes with finely textured, FX-soaked membranes of sound and forward-rushing dynamics, Shoal beckons us on the path of fearless time and space traveling through sound. Immersive and uncompromising, his present mix takes us on a bumpy ride across alien-engineered megastructures and subterranean drifts, in search for the unheard ore concealed at the heart of techno’s paling mainstream veinstone. 

For the past decade, Rhyw has been trading monster floor twisters, inherently bold and inch-perfectly engineered to whip up crowds into a frenzy with its UK bass-y chassis and post-industrial bodywork. Blending in rugged percussion with hard steel machine funk and hip-swaying grooves, the Fever AM co-founder keeps on carving out a lane truly his own in today’s oft tepid techno landscape. Aiming to trigger off yet unfelt sensations amongst ravers, Rhyw puts together mixes that defy gravity and genre-bound limitations, sculpting momentums and harnessing the crowd’s NRG like no one else. Sweeping his wide spectrum of influences, from two-step rhythms and Garage culture to classic steely techno punch, through Latin-inflected swing and electroid propulsion, Rhyw’s RYC mix ushers us down a volcanic vent flush with the wildest floor pyrotechnics and straight slapping bursts of untamed audio synthesis. Fiery. 

Hailing from Sapporo, Japan, Occa is no typical big room DJ but a master acrobat in sound, expertly pushing the envelope of electronics as a transcending means of expression. Shifting gears constantly between conceptual abstraction and functional architecture, seeking effect in every move and sniffing out substance in any sine, Occa dwells his own sonic continuum, hermetic to stiff norms and creatively hampering conventions. Laser-like and seamless, be ready for a descent into a cyclonic tempest of FX-splattered loops and verbed-out tactile, nimbly moving the cursor between ominous dubs, hi-tech floor destroyers and experimental-leaning detours. A masterclass in sound design, boasting both impeccable curation and mind-bending construction thru and thru, it’s Occa taking over with one of this year’s most hair-raising highlights. HARD. 

Diving deeper into reverb-soaked environments and subterranean sonic strata, Berlin-based producer and ungesund co-founder Elias. graces us with a mix bound to have all listeners zone out in a flash. A bold explorer of hyper-textured fractals and submerged post-industrial atmospheres, Elias. embarks us on a trip down the infra-visible and infra-audible, into the heart of our world’s pulsating matter and across FX-coated membranes of sound. Getting ever closer to the organic throb of it all, we’re ushered through an in-limbo kind of headspace, sitting at the junction of proper floor entrancement and abstract-leaning escapology. Prepare for a sense-awakening plunge into a sonic realm seemingly bleached-out and tenebrous at first, yet incredibly vivid upon closer inspection. Mesmerising and deep as it gets. 

Championing a sound both entrancingly serene and deep-diving, Blazej Malinowski joins us for a two-hour journey across dubbed-out psychedelic folds and straightforward cinematic crescendos he holds the secret to. Through a string of hypnotic releases for the likes of Semantica, The Gods Planet, Kvalia and his own imprint, Inner Tension, the Polish DJ and producer has been minting a sound signature both impeccably fuel-efficient and immersive to the full. Seeking the meditative thrill of sensory entanglement through contrasting dynamic forces and melodic chiaroscuros, Malinowski treats us to a rivetingly evocative outpour of shape-shifting techno epics and sunken, reverb-drenched atmospherics spiraling in and out of focus. Expect a deluge of mazy, claustrophobic 4x4 corridors and further unhindered panoramas of layered, swelling synthesis. Wild. 

Herald of a sound both punishingly jagged and haunted by the long heritage of Dutch industrial music, U.F.F. boss and Axis alum Kole Leijen aka DJ Surgeles steps in with a two hour mix reflecting his hard-boiled headspace, sprawling steely uptempo landscapes and further rapid-fire bursts of enslaving machine funk. Running the hoodoo down with masterly precision and undeniable flair, Kole amps up the pressure through a chiselled montage of titanium-coated big room wares, kaleidoscopic hi-tech motifs and abstract-leaning analogue techno stunts. Prime yourself for a wild ride across metamorphic, future-proof atmospheres and whirring fractals of sound. 

This week we’re blessed to welcome a true legend of the techno game with Rolando taking over RYC waves for a two-hour jaunt into otherworldly floor narratives and lushly-forested sonic landscapes. Now operating out of Edinburgh, the former Underground Resistance member - forever associated with the timeless classic ‘Knights of the Jaguar’ - has laid the foundation to a ceaselessly compelling body of work, including key releases on Ostgut Ton, Delsin and his own imprint, R3. Championing a sound most entrancingly dynamic, largely informed by groove, jazz and Latin percussions, Rolando graces us with a mix that combines the finest of his signature mystic-imbued vision and sixth sense for crafting some of the most memorable club experiences to be had. Tapping in his love for polyamorous Detroit techno and house combinations, mostly leaning into the more soulful side of his hometown’s heritage rather than the industrial edge, Rolando embarks us on a ride across shape-shifting technoid boogie reliefs and further uncharted routes. Brace yourselves for some of the lushest, most immersive and distinctive techno heroics around. 

Bringing this month of Clone-ruled brilliance to a closure, legendary German act The Exaltics treat us to a face-melting avalanche of abrasive kick-n-snare-heavy assault and future-proof sound engineering. Championing that no-surrender electro pulse and the same acid-soaked dystopian atmospheres that innervate their whole discography, the two-hour set here presented showcases the uncompromising nature of The Exaltics sound: both rugged to the core and infinitely complex in its musical phrasing. The result is a highly corrosive and equally dynamic mosaic of paced-up fragments, polychromatic ambiences and that signature in-your-face punch wrapped in a post-apocalyptic cinematic envelope. Steel yourself for liftoff. 

Third artist to grace us in this Clone-curated month of October, The Hague’s one-and-only analogue wizard Legowelt surfaces with a mix sprawling from esoteric proto-techno to hallucinogenic electro, via trance-infused dreamscapes, eerie pop and mystique-imbued downtempo. As the true master of the synths he is, Legowelt has us traveling far and deep into a layered multiverse of dazzling hardware stutter and iridescent machine funk out a frizzling, VHS-supported headspace. Effusively vivid and durably haunting 8-bit-informed tapestries succeed through this glitchy maze of fractured tempi and vectorial stunts, cascading seamlessly as Legowelt pulls off yet another magnetic expression of retro-laced granularity and enhanced organic synthesis. Mythical. 

Taking the helm for the second number in Clone’s October takeover, here goes the mastermind himself, Serge with an ever epic selection of hard-nosed bangers and boundary-pushing ordnance. Having built an absolute monument to electronic music in the broadest, most widely eclectic sense of the term, Serge remains a driving force without equivalent both within and well beyond the borders of Netherlands. His much anticipated mix for RYC attests to the evergreen quality of his selections and precision of his mixing, diving deep into his own label’s catalogue and like-minded repertoires to once again deliver the most compelling club-destroying transmission you could think of. Expect torrents of acid-drenched psychedelia, rough-hewn analogue bursts, cutting-edge slices and laser-precise groovers on a post-industrial tip. BEEG. 

Brace yourselves for a breakneck ride this month as our longtime friends and distributor Clone hijack RYC frequencies with a massive takeover for the whole month of October. Breaking this four-part installment in, Amsterdam’s Afra cuts in with two-hours of old-school Detroit electro vibrations, hi-velocity breaks and future-facing floor narratives beckoning us onto a whole distinct dimension entirely. All in finessed vortical dynamics and rapid-fire bass deluge, the Dutch DJ pulls out an absolute charge of a chiseled and finely-curated mix, locked-and-loaded on having ravers lose their mind to this effervescing fusion of frantic sci-fi-like atmosphere and proper nuclear propulsion. Buckle your belt. 

 Not yet a big name on today’s techno map, up-and-comer Erik Jabari is a producer and DJ you shall hear a lot more from in the coming years. Championing a sound both rugged to the core and honed to razor-sharp effect, the young Berlin-based artist is on a rising trajectory his recent 6-hour B2B set with living legend DJ Pete came to confirm in the most splendid way. Building upon an unmatched maturity behind the decks associated with a sixth sense for faultless track selections, Erik has been dishing out proper memorable vinyl-only sets with unfaltering flair and focus throughout the past few months, and his inaugural mix for RYC shall cement his position as a DJ and producer to keep a close eye on. Locked in, ready for the sweep.

Taking over the decks this week with two hours of unflinching groove engineering, Tresor resident DJ and Unrush boss Mareena pulls out the big guns. All in layered atmospheric finesse, streamlined rhythmic architecture and nimble transitions, Mareena's mix vouches for her impeccable mixing skillset and pristine curation. Blending hi-impact, big room-focussed wares and clever detours into further experimental-leaning territories, the German artist captures a compelling snapshot of her current musical headspace, combining the finest of hi-tech dubs with vanguard electronics and stripped-down floor destroyers bound to wreak havoc all the way from the basement to the rooftop. Seismic drop, beware. 

Half of boundary-pushing production outfit Voices From The Lake and co-founder of Spazio Disponibile, Neel is an Italian producer with a keen ear for complex, enveloping sonics; his ample, elegant pieces of music sitting right at the junction of beatless abstraction and intricate webs of electronic pulsations. Boasting his works’ most dynamic side, Neel’s debut transmission on RYC ushers us into a smouldering pit of molten steel and glassy membranes. Playing with echoes and latency as he builds his own multi-sensory experience out of eclectic fragments, Neel transports us to a zone where movement and inertia rule in concerted harmony, and your suddenly weightless body feels eventually free from today’s iteratively chaotic burden. Uplifting. 

Responsible for a handful exquisite platters on the likes of Dial Records, LARJ, Figures’ sub-division LF RMX and his own imprint, Intergalactic Research Institute for Sound, Georgia-born, Berlin-based sound explorer Irakli lands his new transmission for RYC: a mix giving full vent to his ever innovative and shape-shifting approach to floor narratives. Always going the unsuspected route with no compass to guide us back onto the normative boulevard, Irakli takes us on a bumpy ride across jagged proto-technoid topographies, fractal-like foldings and mind-expanding new horizons of musical possibilities. The result is - as per the man’s high-flying standards, an ode to techno’s core values of innovation and fearlessness, developing the kind of pioneering mindset we miss so much these days. Electrifying. 

Boss of Madrid’s seminal imprint Semantica, Spanish DJ and producer Svreca steps in the series with a monster two-hour jaunt into his multi-faceted techno headspace. As ever busy pushing the club sound’s envelope with great loads of heavyweight kicks and trenchant snares, Svreca has us all kitted out for a breathtaking dive into gravityless territories and cragged moonscapes. Flush with hair-raising momenti, unsuspected plot twists and climactic rollercoasting, his mix shifts the focus constantly betwixt textural magnification and rhythm-enslaved abandon, having you wading into the instant’s XTC to most mesmeric effect. A rough, Indus-minded masterclass from one of the finest to ever do it. Rampage mode on. 

A gifted, sure-handed groove manipulator, Alienata has been carving out a niche for herself as one of the scene’s most reliable DJs in both actual floor impact and mixing skillset. Also curating the ever consistent Discos Atónicos, which she founded in 2017, she keeps on delivering sets that combine a wide array of styles, from dark disco to acid, through D-town electro, industrial and IDM outbursts with equal poise and gusto, time and again. Expert in chiselled transitions and pristine track selections, the Spanish born DJ builds her mixes like one creates mosaics, building a cohesive whole out of disparate rhythmic elements and tempi, while she snaps ankles and flips brains by the dozen along the way. Yet another faultless mix from a DJ whose palette and perspective here surface in all their abrasive, unadulterated glory. Jet propulsion activated. 

Championing a sound both rugged and trance-inducing, Porto-based Brazilian producer Marcal clocks in this week with two hours blending future-proof warehouse rave material and claustrophobic 4x4 maneuvers. Hot on the heels of his latest ’Nature of the Future’ EP on Donato Dozzy and Neel’s imprint Spazio Disponibile, Marcal takes us on a mind-bending ride down raucous sine-scapes and brooding, verbed-out atmospheres, constantly pushing the envelope of techno as can be experienced these days. Resuming its course as a means for transcending our (currently much gloomy) zeitgeist, techno here gets back on its revolution-friendly tracks, finding its second breath as a metamorphic tool for blazing new paths and routes towards a better, more intelligently designed world. There goes a mix that summons the very finest of Marcal’s boundary-pushing vision and killer knack for crafting memorable and emancipatory floor narratives. Brace yourselves. 

Paris-via-Berlin based DJ and producer Arkan onboards the series this week with two hours fully embracing his deep, hypnosis-inducing mindset and definite knack for shaping streamlined floor narratives. Responsible for a handful surgical transmissions on the likes of Figure and SK_Eleven, in addition to running his own imprints Autonome and Drawner, the French artist keeps carving out a niche for himself at the junction of purely pragmatic, gravity-defying grooves and a certain orientation for experimental-leaning submersion, tailored to maintain techno's intrinsic relevancy and boundary-pushing character when so much material feels stuck in the emulative loop and not caring one bit to opt out the lame-ass continuum. One to keep the adrenaline rushing badman-style, and all brains in the room just as duly, unflinchingly stimulated.