postcard 03: hypnotic techno - part I

Continuing the theme of various threads of techno, we wanted to highlight some of the smaller labels we feature in the collection: Midgar, Sure Thing, On Board Music, and Oslated / Huinali Recordings. They stand out for their minimal, deep, and hypnotic sound that we love to become absorbed by and lost in.

Berlin-based Midgar Records has been home to a range of subtle and minimal strands of techno, with forays into broken-beat, poly-rhythmic and acid-tinged varieties. Home to hypnotic techno wizards like Wata Igarashi, Forest Drive West, and Ruhig, there is certainly cross-pollination with the Dutch styles of techno we previously mentioned, and a number of artists like Tammo Hesselink and Konduku were featured previously. The stunning and psych-influenced album art made by label head Severja (Jacopo Severitano) contributes to the whole experience. 

Midgar Records label showcase from MNMT Podcast:

Sure Thing is a Brooklyn-based label founded by Aaron J, featuring a handful of overlapping artists to Midgar and Nous’klaer, with an expansive, hypnotic, and “simmering” sound (as one bandcamp reviewer posted on VA2), which captures the experience of being enveloped by one of the VA releases so well. Don’t miss Seattle’s own 8circuit (fka Archivist) release, Psion, which also features two remixes from Claudio PRC. The label has a beautiful visual presence courtesy of artist Sofia Hjortberg.

Check out Sure Thing's Aaron J's Sustain-Release set from 2023:

Laura BCR’s On Board Music, takes a more hazy ambient tack to the hypnotic and minimal styles of techno, with albums that are simultaneously atmospheric and driving... music to get lost in on the dance floor or on the living room floor, headphones on and eyes closed. Here, too, you’ll find some familiar names like Polygonia and Na Nich, and as with Sure Thing, the label has a handful of Various Artists releases which feature up-and-coming and stalwarts alike, and a similarly stunning visual identity on the album artwork.

On Board Music hosts a residency on Refugee Worldwide -- this set from Claudio PRC is a divine decompression mix:

Oslated and its sublabel Huinali (“wet firewood” in Korean) hail from Jeju Island in South Korea, with a sonic palette solidly in the realm of ambient- and dub-infused techno and evoke the sounds of the natural world. While most of the label’s output has been digital, there have been a handful of releases on vinyl, which we’re fortunate to have a few of these limited-run releases to share with you. The records are something for all manner of moods and settings but shine late at night for the inward journey and daily decompression. 

For a taste of the Oslated sound, explore the Greatest Selected Works compilation:

listen in...

absorb records radio, featuring music from these fine labels:

Dig deeper...

check out the absorb collection of releases from midgar, sure thing, on board music, and oslated below: