There has been a lot happening lately in the wide world of dub and ambient techno, all across the globe from Northern Electronics to Silent Season and well beyond. But in the northwestern extremities of the United States exists a well kept secret, poised to blossom and expand into the world at large, called secondnature. An art collective and techno label with both feet planted firmly in the expansive environment of today’s most textural, hypnotic, and subtle dance rhythms, these artists, deejays and producers have been doing a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to Seattle’s modest–but extremely forward thinking–electronic music community and culture. Today it is our absolute pleasure to bring you just over an hour of tense, articulate mixing from one of the collective’s great talents: the inimitable Archivist.
Known for his bombastic and exciting live sets, with a unique knack for keeping feet moving and hearts engaged, (not an easy thing to achieve with deep, dense live techno performances) Archivist is heard here plying his massive skill as a DJ and selector. An extremely discerning curator with a vast and varied repertoire, from post-punk to doom metal to soaring ambient, here he dives deep into his passion for cerebral techno, the likes of which can be heard at secondnature’s various off-the-grid parties and raves. Also an accomplished drummer, he brings a masterful sense of propulsion and immediacy to the often needlessly heady flavor of techno that he champions. Add to this his impressive capacities as a professional audio engineer and sound technician, it makes a lot of sense that this is one of the most taut, polished mixes we’ve heard all year. Dig in.