Followers of ambient music will no doubt know Ario as the man behind Astral Industries, the revered label that fuses reissued work with new releases from some of the most exciting artists in the genre. Despite the challenges thrown up by 2020, this year alone has seen AI releases from Multicast Dynamics, The Chi Factory and Waveform Transmission, among others, and 2021 already promises to be even more prolific for both the label and its boss. Yet London-based Ario is just as much a DJ in his own right, with a sound that evades neat categorisation: drawn to the “deeply ritualistic and primal” side of drone, and still partial to the occasional dance floor set, he is reluctant to get too concrete when discussing his own music. His Patterns of Perception 77 is designed to challenge the listener – built on the belief that, contrary to what many may think, an ambient set is not necessarily designed to soothe and subdue. Following on from his mix, we spoke to Ario about his own approach to DJing, the concept behind the label and plans for the new year. Hey Ario! How have things been going for you this year? Hi Zilka! It’s been a tough year but I’m certainly not alone in feeling that way. Perspective is important – I have my health, my friends and loved ones, and a relatively stable income stream, which I think all together constitute a successful 2020 given the circumstances! Astral Industries has been quite prolific in a very tough year – both in terms of the label and engagement through other platforms like streaming & mixes. What have been some highlights of this past year for you? Aside from the releases, I think without a doubt it had to be the 9128.live takeover we did back in April. The level of love and support I felt that weekend from everyone who tuned in and took part was very humbling and hugely inspiring. Thanks again to Ryan at A Strangely Isolated Place for his help and to everyone who donated, which helped the label come through a rather tough time financially. We’d love to hear about the concept behind the label from your perspective. What’s the philosophy behind the platform? It is quite hard to express the philosophy in words. It is more of a feeling. When I hear an AI release I just know, and once an artist is on board they have my full faith. The visual aesthetic has evidently been critical also – I couldn’t imagine doing this without Theo Ellsworth’s magical artwork. As well as giving a platform to new music, how do you decide if a release deserves a reissue? The reissues are just releases I’ve known and loved that I never had a chance to play on vinyl, which I felt was a shame. Whilst Astral Industries will always engage in reissues (there will be a couple next year), as the label has grown new music has increasingly become the primary focus. I’m getting sent too much good new material to keep me busy enough! How did you first discover ambient music, and what drew you to the genre? Through a long and winding road with various milestones that include the discovery of downtempo music at school in the mid-2000s, exposure to dance music and the club scene at university around 2010 and being introduced to Rod Modell’s music not long thereafter. Ambient (and I define that not in the way that Brian Eno originally termed it) may not even be the final stop on this journey, but it certainly encapsulates diverse influences and allows me a freedom that I feel no other genre can. How would you describe your own sound as a DJ? I’m definitely drawn to the various forms of drone music – there is something deeply ritualistic and primal about it. I’ve given a lot of consideration to the function of a DJ and to developing ‘my sound’ over the years, but the more I consider, the more I think it is best not to overthink these things. Ultimately, I feel the best approach to DJing is just to play what you love. The rest will fall into place if and when it is meant to. For the last few months, many people have been listening to more ambient and downtempo music than ever before. Do you see this having any lasting impact? Ambient and downtempo are still just tiny drops in a huge ocean. The only meaningful impact on the electronic music industry will come from the corrected balancing of income streams from the various new forms of media consumption (plus the ending of piracy). This will ease the pressure on and allow more freedom on the live side, and ensure the ‘industry’ as a whole remains healthy and viable for all participants in the long term. How have your own listening habits changed during this time, if at all? To be honest they haven’t changed much. If anything I’ve been listening to more techno, clearly longing for the return of the magic that comes with being in the club/festival environment! Tell us a bit about your mix for Patterns of Perception. How and where was it recorded? Is there a particular concept behind this mix? This one came together in a very strange way. I originally did a mix on 3xCDJs which went off in a very different direction in the second half. After listening a few times I decided to change the second half, fusing the original half with the new half in Ableton. Whilst in Ableton I added some atmospheres and spoken word effects. I wanted to do something a bit more challenging, as the function of an ‘ambient DJ’ isn’t necessarily just to soothe. What is the ideal environment for listening to this mix? Late at night, a darkly lit space with carpets, beanbags, cushions, high-quality projection mapping, immersed in a good (loud) sound system, a faint smell of incense in the air, surrounded by like-minded people, preferably in an altered state of consciousness, however that may be personally achieved. Actually, that just sounds like an Experiment Intrinsic event haha – they have been really supportive of me and it is one of the few places I feel comfortable to play whatever I want. Whatever kind of DJ you are, it is a rare blessing to have total freedom and an open-minded, engaged audience, two things which Experiment Intrinsic has consistently given me. Do you have any upcoming projects for 2021 that you’d like to share with us? You mentioned the label being prolific in 2020… actually, there has been quite a sizable backlog of releases building up (namely due to pressing delays) that we need to get through next year. I think 2021 will be the busiest year yet, starting off with a Wolfgang Voigt LP in February. I’m very grateful to have had his support with the label from the start, he is a class act and a true visionary. It’s a fantastic way to start off a new year if I may say so myself. Lastly, which artists or labels have you had your eye on lately? I don’t want to comment individually on any artists or labels as there are many, but I would like to take this opportunity to extend a special thanks to Rod Modell whom I mentioned briefly earlier – a prolific talent and a real gentleman without whom I absolutely, categorically wouldn’t be doing this. I’d also like to give a shout out to my friends: o.utlier, hems, Eight Fold Way, Nathalia and Lynne in particular. They are some of the most immensely talented ambient and experimental DJs I’ve known. Whenever I think I’ve made progress as a DJ, I hear them playing and am totally blown away and inspired to do more. They have consistently pushed me to improve over the years and I couldn’t think of a better lineup for a night of deep, sonic experimentations.

With a style forged in the ’90s Midwest rave scene, Patrick Russell's Detroit-bred origins are still very much on show today. Now based in New York, he has found a harmony between retaining his acid-driven musical influences and broadening his palette towards the deeper and more psychedelic. A Bunker New York resident and Labyrinth Festival regular, and still a key figure of Detroit’s famed No Way Back parties, Patrick has gained what borders on legendary status within the international electronic music community through a combination of integrity, hard work and uncompromising ability to weave storytelling into his work as both DJ and producer. Like many artists, his recent selections have ventured away from the dance floor – with the COVID era offering a freedom of exploration that’s on full show in his Patterns of Perception 76. Of the mix, Patrick says: “For some time now, I’ve been sitting on a number of tracks around the 75/150 BPM axis that I’ve been dying to play, and wanted to do so without venturing into full-on techno or electro. This seemed like the right opportunity to present them, and also throw in a few curve balls while I was at it. Challenge accepted.” Patrick Russell's Links: SoundCloud Facebook Twitter

Moving from Australia to Berlin had a deep impact on Eluize’s sound. Away from the outdoor parties that are a staple of the summertime scene back home, she found the space to experiment with darker, weirder sounds that are more fitting of a Berlin club. It’s in Berlin that she’s found her feet as a producer, DJ and label head, with productions and mixes that fuse techno, house, acid, breaks and more, though always building to those uplifting moments reminiscent of the best Australian day parties. Following her recent contribution to our mix series, we had the chance to catch up with Eluize just as her latest Australian tour got underway. Below, she shares some insights into her upcoming projects and passions, ranging from why she fosters cross-continental collaboration with her label Night Tide, to how she’s found a flow as a DJ and new mum. A big congrats from all of us on the recent birth of your little one! How are you settling into life as a mum? It’s so bizarre honestly, it’s totally surreal that we brought this wonderful, funny, sensitive, energetic and inquisitive little boy into our lives. Of course, at times mum-life can be exhausting, but he brings my focus into the moment like nothing else, which is pretty magic. You’re now back to playing regularly and have a tour coming up. Did your pregnancy impact your playing, either before or after giving birth? How did it feel to get back to into the swing of things? During my pregnancy I kept playing. It brings me so much joy that I felt it was important. I adjusted a bit and worked with promoters as I got further along to make things fit in terms of the type of space, volume, set time and length, everyone that knew was really excited for us. After the birth, I had a short break before easing back into performing in Berlin at first, then gradually further out. I didn’t quite know what to expect or realise how intense being a new mum would be. In the beginning, if I was traveling overnight he needed to come with me which was tiring for everyone so I had to be selective, rethink my calendar a bit, and chose to postpone some away gigs until next year. Now I can go overnight, but full weekends are still on hold and I’m not in the studio as much as I was before. I’m so lucky that I can spend so much time at home with him, but moments for creativity and performing are important for me as well to bring balance and calm to my mind. It’s a gradual process but we’re gently finding our flow as we get into a family rhythm. The very first show after he was born felt strange. Everything in my home life had changed dramatically and I’d been in our family bubble, then suddenly I was back in this environment that felt totally unchanged with high energy, loud music, and a smiling crowd. I was right back in doing something that felt so natural, that I love, but had temporarily settled in the back of my mind while I was busy with this new little person. I’m happy it was all there waiting for me; I’m not sure what I expected but it felt good to be back. I read recently that you started your career as a classical instrumentalist. Can you tell us a bit about your musical background? At what point did you decide to switch to electronic music? I studied classical and jazz from when I was about five, through school and a little university. My main instruments were woodwinds, piano, and voice. I had a bit of a burn out with it in my late teens, I couldn’t see myself in an orchestra or as a pure instrumentalist and the hours rehearsing and exam pressure were too much. At that time electronic music production wasn’t an option I was aware of so I took a break from music and bounced around some other fields, studying engineering then architecture for a while and worked on the door of a club. It was there I fell in love with the community and sound and learned I could combine my passion for music, maths, and sciences. Perfect 😉 How has moving from Australia to Berlin impacted your career and your sound? I’m most influenced by my mood, what I’ve been feeling and thinking about and the people I’m surrounded by. Generally speaking I think moving to Berlin gave me the inspiration and platforms to go deeper into ideas and experiment with darker, weirder and sometimes harder things, more acidic tones and ravey sounds. The city and the climate were big changes, the long winters give you plenty of time to be introspective and a dimly lit, fog-filled, sweaty club with snow outside calls for a different soundtrack to a sunny outdoors day party. It has given me more opportunities to travel and perform in cities throughout Europe and be surrounded by artists from all over the world to collaborate with and talk to about their perspective on electronic music. Set times are usually longer, generally 3+ and sometimes up to 12 hours, which gives great freedom to explore and delve deeper into these new sounds and ideas. No matter what, I still love the daybreak moments of a morning set when I get the chance to reach for go-to faves from rooftop parties in Aus for a mood peak. You’ve said your label Night Tide “stands for beauty in electronic music and international collaboration between sonic and visual artists”. Can you tell us a bit more about the concept and the criteria you use to select the music? I love that electronics and machines in the right hands can make something beautiful that evokes feelings. For the music I try to find pieces that stir moods. I look for something that perhaps doesn’t precisely adhere to a genre, that exists as its own little cosmos and draws the listener in. I like the idea of people from different places collaborating. We all have our own personal experience, music and cultural education, and I find it interesting connecting people to see how they interpret and add to someone else’s art. Once the music is signed and the EP is finished I usually ask the artists to send me some images they like and I reach out to photographers that have a similar tone, send them the music and see what they come up with. Last year I collaborated with Belgian label ensemble to do a release event where we played music from the two labels and exhibited artwork from people involved with the aesthetics of the records. That was a really nice way to bring it all together and share it in a collective way. I’d like to do something similar next year with the addition of video art as I’m directing more focus on clips to go with the music in 2019. What challenges are involved with running a “cross-continental label”, as you’ve described it? Nothing that unusual when you’re an Australian, we’re so used to working with people on the other side of the world in different time zones. Shipping is a challenge and expense when it comes to getting physical products from Germany to Australia. It’s also always nice to meet people in person that you’re working with on a project, which isn’t always possible, but sometimes interesting things happen when the collaboration process is a bit more complex. You also do some of the artwork yourself, which is super cool. How important is the artwork and photography when it comes to setting the tone of your releases? Artwork is extremely important. It can make the difference between someone listening to the record or not. For me analogue photography links well to the tone of Night Tide releases. The grainy nature of the images matches the analogue touched sound. For my new project Bermuda Series, a more experimental digital imprint where I’m focusing on highlighting music produced by women, the artwork is bolder, brighter, centred around flora and has a more illustrative influence. On doing it myself – being a small independent label, there’s not a lot of budget so the DIY approach works wherever possible. I enjoy experimenting with images so it’s a fun thing to do, but the goal is to have an artist or designer who connects with the music collaborate on each release to bring more ideas and interpretations to the table and share more work from amazing people, hopefully one day 🙂 You’re heading back to Australia to tour later this month. How are you feeling about heading back home to play? I’m SO pumped. I’m playing my first Subsonic and Rainbow Serpent Festival sets, plus going to Hobart for the first time to perform at Grand Poobah and returning to staple favs Sugar (in my hometown Adelaide) and Revolver. It’s my boy’s first time in Australia, so I’ve scheduled plenty of hang times between to meet friends and have cuddles! You previously worked as a booker and party promoter in Sydney for several years. What impact have you seen the lock-out laws and other restrictions have on the local scene? Do you have any friends who have been affected by these changes? I moved to Berlin in early 2013, before the lockouts really began so I haven’t come up against it first hand very much. I’ve definitely seen it impact friends, promoters and venues. I’m sad to hear that The World Bar is closing, the most recent of many places that have come up against the challenge of the lock-outs. I loved playing and dancing there and put on a weekly Sunday party called Dust with James Taylor for some time. That place was a hive of activity and interest giving the floor to different promoters, pushing all sorts of sounds, providing artists with a great space to perform and a place for people to connect. Many fond memories. From what I can tell, despite the closures and challenges the Sydney music people have rallied and continue to work hard to keep the scene alive, doing warehouse parties and experimenting with new spaces. I think there’s some very cool things to have come out of it, but it’s not been easy. How do you see the Australian music scene now that you look at it from a distance? Or are you still involved in some way? It seems to be thriving from what I can tell from the internet, in record stores and on line ups. There’s a lot of cool music coming out and artists coming through Berlin on their European jaunts, plus some great collectives and labels making a lot of noise internationally. It’s been almost two years since my last visit so I’m excited to check out some festivals, catch up with people to see what’s been happening “in real life”. What else is on the cards for you in the last months of 2018, and into 2019? My debut album Confide comes out on Craigie Knowes in early 2019, I can’t tell you how thrilled I am about that seeing the light! There’ll be another new record from my acid, early rave and new beat project Cashminus that I do with my baby-daddy / fav collaborator Gratts. The last bit of this year I’ll be spending tonnes of time with family and friends in Aus before kicking things off early Feb back in Europe with the first date of my 2019 residency at AWAY at ://about blank in Berlin.

Myles Mac is perhaps best known as co-founder and curator of trusted electronic music platform and mix series Melbourne Deepcast, but his list of credentials stretches much longer than that. A fixture of Melbourne’s underground for the past decade, Myles has cemented his reputation as a respected DJ and curator through both Melbourne Deepcast and his famed Lost Weekend club nights. His eclectic and diverse selections - both as an individual DJ and as one half of the 90s house duo Project 95 - have meanwhile earned him space on lineups across Australia and overseas. While Myles, like many of us, has found a sense of calm in downtempo and ambient music the last few months, in his Patterns of Perception 75 he switches gears. Here, Myles seamlessly fuses some of his favourite fast, spacey techno and energised broken rhythms with moments of pure, atmospheric euphoria. The resulting hour and a half feels like a triumphant return to the club: offering both a brief escape from our current moment and a much needed reminder of the energy that can only be created by a dance floor in full flow. Myles Mac's Links: SoundCloud Facebook Resident Advisor Melbourne Deepcast - SoundCloud Melbourne Deepcast - Facebook www.melbournedeepcast.net/

If ever there was a new year that's required us to look forward, rather than back, this is the one. Now that the world has collectively turned a page on 2020, we’re kicking things off with a playlist of music to celebrate this fresh start, selected by Patterns of Perception. Steve Good - Less This piece by Steve Good transports me right back to the final morning of the Labyrinth festival in 2019. While 2020 didn’t bring any magical moments like this, I am quite optimistic that this year we’ll be able to start experiencing music again more like we did before the pandemic. - Kim doc sleep - Emerado Falls This track feels a bit like waking up: it’s hopeful yet contemplative – suggesting a new dawn, but maybe not an entirely uncomplicated one. It was released in early 2019, yet for me resonates so much with this particular moment. - Zilke Harold Budd - The Foundry (for Mika Vainio) I didn’t plan to make both my selections in some way about COVID-19, but here it is: 2020 saw the tragic death at the hands of COVID of one of my most treasured ambient/minimalist composers, Harold Budd, whose works, even well into his 70s and 80s, continued to captivate and calm. I thought it fitting to select here his own tribute to also-departed Mika Vainio, another artist whose works I spent a lot of time with in 2020. - Andreas Malibu - Tilting On Windmills Malibu’s nostalgic, personal and utterly beautiful ambient works have been a true source of inspiration for me this year. Tilting On Windmills comes from her album One Life, and is a simple yet powerful piece with a pure, optimistic atmosphere and a hint of melancholia at its core. Perfect for reflecting on the complicated, difficult year behind us, and embracing hope for what’s to come. - Steve Billus - Positivity Keeps The Disk Afloat What a fitting title if we’re to speak about moving forward. Naming aside, this track has the uplifting buoyancy of downtempo propelled with a hypnotic, minimal bassline. It comes as no surprise that this release finds its place on new Australian label Mindmap, whose essence is derived from the deep and minimal. I’m a bit tired of hearing so much ambient after last year, so this kind of mellow music will hold a special place for me in 2021. I highly recommend checking out the whole compilation of Mindmap’s first release, it’s not only peppered with 14 wonderful tracks, but 100% of the label’s profits are donated to the Black Rainbow organisation too. - Bianca Caim - Absynth Caim brings the heat with this sexy tech house groover. The perfect track to ring in 2021. - Kim Loop LF - IZ 200 This track points me into a reflective mood, before moving forward I need to look back. Waking up from a deep slumber, filled with sparks of imagination and drowsiness wrapped in a flow of broken beats that chugs along. This is how it feels like closing out my year. - Ray Donato Dozzy - Aquatica Donato Dozzy and Eric Cloutier’s Palinoia LTD 001 was the first EP purchase of the year for me, and arrived (in Berlin) while I was in Australia for a long, unplanned holiday that was forced on me by Covid-19 restrictions. I was excited to get back home and find the vinyl had arrived, although also due to restrictions, I’m yet to play it out. Dozzy’s Aquatica delivers a liquid, lush, expansive groove that is full of seductively reverb-drenched sounds, dancing across the sonic scene and melting into one another with characteristic Dozzy masterfulness. - Andreas DJ Plead & Anunaku - Clap Clap A track for missing the dance floor. I want to hear this played during an outdoor set doused in sunshine, when summer is in full swing. Something to hope for in 2021. - Zilke DJ Trance & Darwin Chamber - Indians And Aliens (Roza Terenzi Terrestrial Mix) I love Roza Terenzi’s version of this trance classic. The original has an alluring, dirty baseline but it’s Terenzi’s vivacious percussion that makes this track burst with colour. It reminds me of the dusty red dance floors of Aussie bush doofs; a fond memory, which I’m looking forward to reliving again soon. For now, cut shapes on your rug to this irrefutable dancey number and be careful to not get carpet burn. - Bianca Mathis Ruffing - Emotional Dance Music To date, the catalogue of MSJY’s Unposed imprint consists entirely of music that’s specifically made for closing out a DJ set in a positive, emotional way. This concept applies just as well for seeing off an entire year - particularly one like 2020. Mathis Ruffing’s contribution to the second Docile Outros compilation perfectly balances uplifting, nostalgic melodies, propulsive rhythms and a wicked acid line that electrifies the entire piece. If you haven’t already, check out the Unposed catalogue - it’s full of beautiful, diverse dance floor bombs like this, with all profits going to offering food support to Yemen's humanitarian crisis. - Steve Aloka - Enigma The metamorphosis of my being into an abstract spatial entity. Sliding into the new year, with speed-dealers on with clarity but remaining dogmatic. - Ray Full playlist:

In his studio near Berlin’s Hermannplatz, Peter Van Hoesen is unfazed about a broken guitar string. In town for a few days from Majorca, where he’s recently relocated, he’s spending some time in the studio working on a new project that’s pretty far removed from his usual techno productions. It sounds a little bit New Order, a little bit LCD Soundsystem, and definitely requires his guitar. Unfortunately, on this sleepy Good Friday, all the city’s music shops are closed. Van Hoesen is working on this band project with a friend and, with nearly an album’s worth of material lined up, the only thing missing now is a female vocalist. Creating something totally different allows him to come back to techno refreshed, he says. But regardless of the genre, his drive to keep experimenting is a constant. So he continues to plug away, broken string and all, making the most of the five he has left. Conducted in his studio over two days in early spring, the below interview and video serve as a portrait of an artist who has been closely tied to Patterns of Perception since the very beginning. We’re honoured to share this interview package to coincide with Peter’s contribution to our podcast, marking the 50th mix in the series. Special thanks to our dear friend and collaborator Elsa Löwdin for the video production. You can find more of her work over here. The influence that Belgium’s rave scene of the ‘90s had on you and your music is now pretty well documented. Are there other important influences that people might not know about? Before that period, there was obviously everything that came out of post-punk. When I seriously started listening to music, it was that genre. I was still quite young. There was obviously an electronic component to that style and that brought me further into the electronic domain. Before that, when I was 10 or 11 years old, I was crazy about heavy metal. For most people, it’s a phase that stops when they’re 16 and they’re like, ‘now I can listen to serious music’. I still listen to some mostly older stuff, some new stuff as well, and actually I went to a Slayer concert a couple of years back here in Berlin – it was 20 years or longer that I wanted to see that band. That’s still very much alive. If I have the opportunity and I can play it at a loud volume, it’s fantastic. What is it about heavy metal that you like exactly? For a kid it’s amazing, because you have a lot of energy. When I was 11 or 12, there was a whole shift in the genre, which happened to coincide with me discovering it, like when the first Metallica album came out. And suddenly everything was five times as fast. That’s very interesting because it’s five times as aggressive. You can play that and you get an immediate hit. When I listen to heavy metal now, it’s also the fast stuff, and that’s still the same as when I was 12. There’s so much energy in there. It’s also technically very advanced. Are there any parallels between that type of music and the music you’re making now? My music’s definitely become more aggressive but I don’t know if there’s a parallel with heavy metal. It’s more about energy. When I listen to heavy metal at home for instance, the aggression is all pretty much mid-range aggression. Whereas what I make, and what most people make in techno, has a lot of low frequencies because that energy that moves people resides for a big chunk in the low frequencies. So it’s a different kind of aggressiveness I think. You’ve talked in the past about the ethos behind your label Time to Express as ‘evoking mental body music’. Is this something you still hold to, for example with the new label Center 91? Is it still part of your ethos? I thought that recently the mental part had become a bit too big and I wanted to take it back to the body a little bit. To make it more visceral again. If you listen to early Time to Express releases, it has that more visceral feel to it and gradually, over 10 years, the label became less attached to the body music side and more attached to the mental side of it. At the beginning of last year, I was feeling unhappy with that. That vibe of mental body music is still very important to me – that the mental aspect and the physical aspect are still very equal. I had the impression that one was overpowering the other and it was making me a little bit uncomfortable, and I started to hear it in other people’s music as well. Time to Express is still there and still going. The correction is the new label. I know that feeling from the dancefloor, when the two are in sync is when I’m most engaged. Is that the feeling you’re trying to evoke? Yeah, that’s the main goal. I’ve made quite a radical shift and I think in the next few months it will shift a little bit back to the middle. It’s a question of just putting things out and testing them and seeing how people react. Fine-tuning them a bit until what I see on the dancefloor matches what is in my head. I was getting a bit bored with techno that consists of a kick drum, one simple hi-hat and an ambient track. Where is the bassline, where is the groove, where is the sex? It was slowly fizzling away in this whole genre of what people call deep techno or whatever, which for me doesn’t do anything anymore, unless it has a groove or a driving element that appeals to the body. When there’s too much appealing to the mind, it becomes too cerebral. And I can’t dance to cerebral things. How do you make sure the sound that you’re producing now, while influenced by the rave sound of Belgium in the 90s, stays fresh and forward-thinking? That’s an important issue. I think the reference is more towards the energy and not so much towards the sounds of that era, though there is a little bit of that as well. There was something very visceral and there was a lot of energy in there. Nowadays everything is very certain, very formatted and secure. That brings with it a certain vibe and energy. I think that’s more of what I want to evoke with the label. The sounds need to be mostly contemporary. Can you specify what that energy is all about? It was excitement, which obviously you can’t have today anymore because we’re no longer in the 90s and it’s no longer as new as it was back then. For a lot of people back in the day there was a certain ‘aha’ moment. A lot of people did not want to be involved with rock music or traditional bands on stage. When electronic dance music came around, for a lot of people, including myself, it was like, ‘finally, we have our music’. That was very crucial for me and a lot of other people. And the music was fast and hard. Do you see your DJ sets getting faster and harder? Yeah. It happened first with the DJ sets about two years ago. I just couldn’t resist. It just goes up and up and up. For most of my sets four years ago, I would start at maybe 126 and 130. I don’t think I start under 133 today. It just happens. I’ve always done it when I was very tired because playing fast music keeps me awake. So that was always there but now it’s every set. I still try to play a deeper sound, the deeper sound is only faster than before. Whereas before the deeper sound always meant slow, I try to play deep but fast and with this mental component. And still groovy? Yes, it needs to be groovy. I love to dance myself. I’ve spent a lot of time on the dance floor so I just play what I want to hear should I be on the dance floor. I know there’s a lot of DJs out there who don’t dance. I have no idea how they do it. How do you approach the production of your music? I do think that when you make electronic dance music - or at least the way that I approach it - every track that I make is obviously a thing in itself but I also feel that it slots in a much bigger whole. An ensemble, like a wider story. Your track is almost like a little building block in a DJ set of someone else and it’s also a small building block in the genre. You can look at different levels and different perspectives on this thing. For me, this is also how the world works – a fractal principle that is at work. In a way, that idea influences my music, or supports the music. That’s quite a nice metaphor for the nature of the DJ set as well. Absolutely. It’s very apt for electronic dance music, but specifically for techno because a lot of good techno is completely faceless and can just be taken at face value and used as a tool to create something new. Compared with pop music, for example, a techno track goes a lot further in connecting itself to a higher, wider context. I feel I also now gravitate more towards tracks of that kind and I try to step away from tracks that have too much of an identity or are knocking too loud on your door, ‘I’m here!’ It’s like, nah, I’ll take the shy one in the corner and work with that. That seems more interesting to me now. Are you trying to tell a story with your music or is it about something else for you? It is about storytelling but less with techno than with the experimental music I make. The experimental music I make is connected to a story. Techno probably also, but to a lesser extent. Techno for me is an energetic outlet. That pulse that you hear in the music, I’m literally addicted to it. I’m 48 years old, I walk into a proper club, I hear the sound system and I’m immediately still directly connected to it. It’s a fantastic feeling. That bass and that pulse, that heart that just beats. But the experimental stuff, like a lot of the things that I do with Yves (de Mey, for their Sendai project), that is very connected to stories, to images. I’m usually the one who distorts the beats and makes everything angular because for me the world works in a way like that. I like to mess it up because I also feel that corresponds to a certain slice of reality. With the techno, I don’t really have the urge to do. It needs to make people move. It needs to make me move when I work here. There’s always the point when I hear the moment in the track and I’m dancing to myself here and I think ‘okay, we’re there, cool’. Why is that an urge for you, to make people dance? In the ideal situation, which doesn’t always happen but you always have to strive for that, there’s some sort of exchange of energy, which is very clearly there. That’s an amazing feeling. I’ve only felt that specific kind of exchange when I was doing martial arts. Certain movements where you do it with a partner, certain circular movements that have no end, so you just go into an endless loop. At first it’s all technique, but when you have a partner who you correspond with, suddenly you get into this hyper state of flow. A dance floor which has really taken off is in the same sort of flow. People are connected also, they sort of lose their ego. The dance floor is an egoless thing and if I become egoless as well, that’s amazing.v Text: Zilka Grogan, Patterns of Perception Video: Elsa Löwdin Images: Supplied by artist

Melbourne duo HTRK (Nigel Yang & Jonnine Standish) have a well-storied history reaching back nearly two decades. From a back-catalogue comprising of significant releases on imprints like Ghostly International, Mistletone and Boomkat Editions, collaborations with luminaries such as Mika Vainio, Rowland S. Howard & Ben Frost, and appearances at numerous key events around the globe (including the legendary Berlin Atonal festival, Krakow's Unsound and Vivid at the Sydney Opera House), their impact on a vast array of listeners and scenes is indelible and difficult to overstate. As a two-piece band, their melancholic, sensual music lies roughly at the intersection of post-punk, no-wave, shoegaze and art-rock, with influences from IDM, industrial, noise, dub-techno, pop and beyond. Indeed, it is this eclectic palette, combined with deep knowledge and curiosity that has recently seen them contribute a captivating ambient score for Jeffrey Peixoto's documentary "Over the Rainbow" and regularly deliver genre-defying mixes on platforms like Secret Thirteen and NTS. A starting theme and departure point for HTRK's Patterns of Perception 74 is the ocean. This intricately assembled collection of music finds a natural ebb and flow amongst rich, organic synths and delicate abstract melodies. Building from a slow and introspective beginning, the duo intuitively and carefully guide the narrative to also incorporate gentle energy and a sense of strangeness. Viewed holistically, this mix is invigorating and luxuriously diverse, with a true chameleonic quality that allows the listener to take something different from every listen. HTRK's Links: SoundCloud Facebook Instasgram Bandcamp Spotify Twitter yourcomicbookfantasy.com

In all the turmoil of the past months, Patrick Russell has found a fitting coping strategy. Whether spending almost every day in the studio or doing a 14-hour live stream for his followers, Russell has thrown himself headfirst into music. The result is a renewed vigor for his craft – and a determination to use this time as wisely as possible. Originally from the Midwest and having cut his teeth in the Detroit rave scene of the ‘90s, Russell is perhaps best known as a key figure in the famed No Way Back parties. A move to New York, where he is now a resident with the Bunker, allowed him to broaden his musical palette. His penchant for deep, psychedelic storytelling is on full display in his recent mix for Patterns of Perception, on the back of which we caught up with Russell to hear more about his current projects. Hey Patrick! How are you going at the moment? Surprisingly ok, given the year we’ve had. Outside of DJing, my day job revolved around various aspects of the event industry, which is a long way off from returning…so, like many folks, I’ve adjusted to a new daily life. In a recent email, you mentioned that you’ve been focusing on making music during COVID. Have you found these last few months particularly fruitful creatively? Why might that be? It’s been quite productive actually, though from speaking to other artists and DJs I feel I’m somewhat in the minority. I experienced a low point early on when I had to cancel April gigs in Tokyo and Taipei – a trip I was very much looking forward to – and combined with losing work it was a major blow to my overall outlook. However, I was able to pivot and focus that energy into my studio, and ever since then I’ve spent every day devoted to music in some form or another: working on a remix or collaboration, cramming for a podcast or stream, or even just reading and learning about new gear. As for my own music, well, without gigs I feel like making music is back to a form of pure expression, and so far it’s been invigorating. In the end I simply decided this time was a gift, and I didn’t want to look back and have nothing to show for it. It’s keeping me sane and I feel at peace. You were recently on the lineup for the Anecumene radio show on 9128.live and took part in a No Way Back stream in late May, among others. I’m curious about how you’ve found the experience of these digital events. Are you able to still connect with audiences through these? Are there any elements of the experience of ‘playing out’ that can be reproduced in such a format? The first stream I did was my 14-hour ambient listening set in mid-April. Playing with that kind of freeform, psychedelic listening narrative has long been a passion of mine, although it has traditionally been amongst groups of friends or the rare event such as Mysteries Of The Deep or Sustain-Release. I wasn’t 100% sure how it would translate to an online audience, but in the end, I had to trust my gut, and it worked. This inspired me to do another eight-hour set in May that was still freeform but more focused on dub, African drumming and modern D&B. Along with NWB and Anecumene, there has been a great response to these sets and people have been able to connect and share the experience through various chats. While I miss the tangible feedback from an energetic audience (not to mention dancing with friends in front of large subs), I feel this new way of coming together will see us through to the other side. Are there differences in the way you approach a set for an online audience? Do you adapt your sound or mixing style at all, for example to account for more home listening? Overall I’ve been feeling a great sense of freedom playing during COVID because I’m not necessarily tied to a “dance floor” vibe. I naturally gravitate towards more adventurous music and narratives, so I’m using this opportunity to push it further, with more twists and turns than ever before. Eric Cloutier once told us that he feels people sometimes use Detroit as an adjective for a certain sound and standard of djing. Do you ever feel something similar? I’d say there was a certain time when that applied, particularly as it pertained to a certain sound or style of playing. Standards were always very high in Detroit (and Chicago as well) – because of the level of talent and folks playing only on vinyl, you had to be really good to be noticed and get gigs. Nowadays with digital DJing and the internet, things are more democratised and I’m not sure people have the same sense of evaluation. Expectations, and the bar by which talent is measured, have changed. However, I choose to believe the cream will always rise to the top, even if the masses aren’t always interested. I still think integrity, hard work and pushing yourself matter above anything else, and that’s perhaps the best takeaway you can get from Detroit. How would you say your sound has changed since leaving Detroit and moving to Brooklyn, if at all? What elements of Detroit have you retained? Moving to New York and having the immediate ability to consume such a large variety of amazing music, from experimental to techno, certainly broadened my palette as a DJ. I think I’ve found a harmony in retaining and representing my musical influences while expanding my horizons, and I wouldn’t ever want to lose that balance. How are things looking for the scene in New York at the moment? In what ways do you think the local scene might look different after the pandemic? As you know, New York was hit hard early on so things came to a screeching halt before most places. It has yet to recover, and given the state of the pandemic in the US, I don’t really expect it to do so anytime soon. I can’t speculate what it will look like when it’s over but I hope to see more small venues with focused audiences. That’s what I’ve always connected to most. Resident Advisor recently described you as a “techno alchemist”. Does this accurately describe how you approach your sets? Well first off, that’s extremely flattering. I can see how it applies though because I thrive on putting disparate tracks together and making new connections you wouldn’t otherwise notice. My philosophy is to create something of lasting value in which the sum is greater than the parts. I can’t bring myself to do anything less. Tell us a bit about your set for Patterns of Perception. How and where was it recorded? Was there a particular inspiration or concept behind this mix? This one was recorded at home, two XDJs, Xone 96, all in one go. I wanted to do something special that I hadn’t done before and ultimately settled on playing only at 75/150 BPM and constantly shifting between the two without ever going into ‘proper’ fast techno or electro. It was tough, because there are like, 90% more tracks out there that operate on the 85/170 BPM axis and most lose their energy when slowed down that far. It was a challenge, but I genuinely love all the tracks I selected and it was important to make them sing together. What would be the one piece of advice you’d give to a DJ who’s just starting out? Put in the time. I totally get the desire to get yourself out there and be heard right away, but I believe Theo Parrish once said something to the effect of “practice five years in your bedroom before playing out”. While that may seem a bit mad to you, there is a kernel of truth in there: take time to develop your skills, and most importantly, your own voice and style. You should personally connect with every record you play and know each one like the back of your hand because that will 100% come through in the way you play them. It’s going to take years to master this, and you might not stand out right away, but if you’re truly passionate about it then practice every day and you’ll get there with perseverance and patience. “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” It’s perhaps difficult to plan too far ahead at the moment - but can you tell us what plans you have for the rest of the year and 2021 so far? I’ll be doing an A/V stream for a big Detroit promoter on the weekend of December 18/19, and then a radio show for Rinse France right after the New Year. After that, I’m planning another *very* long stream sometime in January/February. Stay tuned for more on those. Lastly, what music has caught your attention recently? Sadly, I haven’t listened to as much new music as I should have over the past few months, what with being so focused in the studio. However, I always have some great ambient and experimental-leaning mixes and albums on hand to relax to, and I’m currently obsessed with more rhythmically off-kilter biz from Mohammad Reza Mortazavi, Durian Brothers, Crossing Avenue, and Donato Dozzy. Also, Garçon has been killing it with every new mix, and I’m always going to check out anything by Forest Drive West.

Grand River, real name Aimée Portioli, is many things: composer, producer, DJ. The Dutch-Italian musician is just as likely to create music for film scores as for concert environments, with the common thread among her work being the creation of atmospheres that encourage deep listening. Next Friday, she opens our first party of the year with a 1.5 hour set of ambient and experimental music. Here, she explains her approach for preparing for this special set that she describes as a hypnotic listening session. We encourage our attendees to arrive early to catch Grand River perform along with visual artist Marco C. To get a taste of her sound before Friday, have a listen to the transcendent mix she put together for Blowing Up The Workshop: Tell us about your upcoming set for Patterns of Perception. What can we expect? I will play a 90-minute ambient/experimental DJ set, a journey that I like to call a hypnotic, mesmerizing listening session. There are many differences between a fully conscious brain and a hypnotized one. The proposed listening session, if listened to in silence and stillness, can bring the listener towards this state. It makes people more open-minded and malleable and allows them to believe things they otherwise wouldn’t consider. The set will start gently and I will introduce also some beats, but as the performance is not meant to rise towards something danceable it will bring the listening experience then again towards deeper beatless parts. How do you prepare for this type of set? Is there something different about your approach compared to preparing for a techno set for example? It depends on where I play and on the kind of venue. I would say, yes the approach is a bit different if compared to techno set preparation as I focus on the intention of the set. Usually, I start selecting the vinyls I intend to play and I will add some extra special tracks on a USB stick that are not available on vinyl. Even if often while I’m busy playing with vinyls I kind of forget the CDJ’s are also there so I don’t use them. But I will try this time as I found some incredible tracks that I would like to share. Why explore ambient & experimental music in a traditionally club-focused atmosphere, what is the attraction for you? Playing ambient or experimental music in a club has its pros and cons. Let’s say the pro is that it is incredibly challenging as a lot of listeners might be there to dance and that’s not what’s going to happen. So if you get to them and make them discover that it’s important to give yourself some time to relax, relief and have a proper listening and emotional experience it’s twice as rewarding. On the other hand, I don’t see this as a warm-up, as playing ambient/experimental music (both as a dj set or live performance) is my main core. Can you shed a bit of light on your own background in this style of music: How did you discover it, and what continues to attract you to it? I produce ambient and experimental music and listen to that daily too so I guess it’s a big part of my life, I don’t even remember how I discovered it. Just to give some examples, besides a lot of other genres, I was already listening to Meredith Monk, Jean-Michel Jarre, Laurie Spiegel and Pauline Oliveros 20 years ago. Any suggestions for our audience on how they should approach your set for us? I think they should come open-minded and with curiosity. Which ambient or experimental artists have you had on high rotation lately, and why? I recently bought Objekt’s Cocoon Crush, Dedekind Cut’s Tahoe which I really like. I’m also listening to Heinali, Jake Muir and J.A. Deane these days. Of course, there is a lot of ambient, experimental and electronic music that I listen to but would not integrate in a dj set as it just would not fit the story I want to tell, but that doesn’t mean I like it less. Grand River plays at Patterns of Perception alongside Nuel, Hysteria and Steve Duncan next Friday, March 29. Doors open midnight.

Growing up in one of the Netherlands' quieter nooks, Tammo Hesselink’s unwavering passion for music saw him spend countless hours of his youth in his attic, digging, researching and building up a profoundly deep knowledge and love of electronic music. Eventually, this singular passion lead Tammo out of his attic and into his local record store “Deeptrax”, where the guys behind the counter helped to refine his taste further, indoctrinating him to the sounds of Chicago, Detroit, Berlin and The Hague. Over time, Tammo very naturally found himself working at the store, where his taste continued to both deepen and expand, with a growing appreciation for a diverse range of sounds including UK-centred post-dubstep, leading to the distinctive, genre-bending approach he is known for today. As a producer, Tammo has developed an outstanding body of work under a range of alias’ since the mid-2010’s, first releasing via his own imprint “The Invariants” before seeing his music published on famed Dutch platforms Delsin Records and Nous'klaer Audio in more recent years. Although there may be variations in sound and approach between his projects, one constant is a solid sense for warm, resonant groove which filters through the many aspects of his music - from light-hearted arpeggiated synths, to organic, intricately programmed percussion. Tammo carries this same quality into his DJ sets, which has enabled him to take the stage at events such as Breakfast Club and Dekmantel Selectors, and also to become a resident at the now sadly closed De School. This rhythmically diverse mix for Patterns of Perception channels Tammo’s inimitable sound and musical insight, building from a deep, measured beginning, before gathering energy and momentum further into the mix. The result is a fiercely arresting 83 minutes of music that takes the listener on a winding narrative journey through varied and utterly compelling club music. Tammo's Links: SoundCloud Facebook Instagram Resident Advisor

The beautiful German word Tausendsassa (which translates to “jack of all trades” in English) feels like a perfectly apt term to describe the deep and wide-reaching artistic talent of Vivian Koch. Based in Berlin, her growing presence has been felt across the city - and the wider scene - since the inception of her interdisciplinary arts collective Olympe Fatale in 2017. Encompassing DJs, musicians, visual artists and designers, the collective found a fitting home base at the lauded and much loved Berlin institution Griessmuehle, where they hosted memorable performances from the likes of Cosmin TRG, Minor Science, Don Williams, Upsammy and VC-118a. As a highly skilled producer in her own right, Vivian’s distinctive voice is both rich and emotive. Finding a foundation in electro-driven percussion and rhythms, her music dives still deeper, diverging from standard club fare and embracing textured, melancholic synths and non-linear narrative storytelling. With releases on Don Williams’ A.R.T.less Records, and Danny Daze’s Omnidisc, Vivian has cemented her place as a breakout producer with a compelling story to tell. With Patterns of Perception 71, Vivian has taken a step back to piece together a textured, delicate ambient soundscape comprising of favourites, both new and old. Driven by a feeling that the world has remained as noisy and loud a place as ever - despite the recent chance to regroup and reflect - Vivian wanted to create a musical refuge of hope, calm and peace to inspire escape and rejuvenation. Composed of a palette of natural, experimental textures, delicate instrumentation and subtle, uplifting melodies, this mix is a beautiful, indelibly optimistic journey that absolutely delivers on its goal: to soothe the heart and mind through challenging times. Vivian Koch's links: SoundCloud Instagram Resident Advisor Olympe Fatale - Facebook Olympe Fatale - Instagram

Hardly a newcomer, Amsterdam-based producer and DJ, Eversines, has been working on the scene’s periphery for more than a decade. As a co-organiser of Dutch label De Lichting, he has truly immersed himself within music, garnering his own sound with a kinetic verve and dream-like quality. In 2019, the artist saw his first debut release with Wex Records, followed by a solo EP and an LP in collaboration with theremin player, Carolina Eyck, on Ye Yeh. More recently, he has teamed up with Kalahari Oyster Cult to deliver ‘Plooi’. In true Eversines form, Patterns of Perception 73 is a diverse compilation, comprised solely of the artist’s own music. Weaving his house-leaning productions with lucid, down-tempo beats, this mix conjures a longing for those beloved after hour moments, which for now, are safely guarded by our memories. Eversines' Links: SoundCloud Facebook Instagram Resident Advisor De Lichting - SoundCloud De Lichting - Bandcamp www.delichting.com/