Artefakt now team up with Maayan Nidam for a second part in their Collaborations series which is focused on live studio improvisations, capturing a raw energy and exploring new musical connections between the artists.
Artefakt’s De Stijl imprint presents a new EP by Metropolis. Metropolis, an alias of Nick Lapien—half of Artefakt. With his “No Reason” EP he reboots this guise and presents an unpolished and rough take of his wide techno repertoire. The A-Side includes two smokey warehouse-proof acidic techno jams, where title track No Reason on the B-Side leans more towards an off-beat EBM affair with vocals by Thuraya Shi. To round it off, Artefakt production partner Robin Koek delivers an immersive remix as Cyspe.
Collaborations is a new series curated by Artefakt on their own imprint De Stijl. Inviting friends and likeminded artists for extended studio improvisations crafting an EP based on live sessions. First guest is Claudio PRC, a close friend and familiar face in the deep techno scene. Both artists reside in Berlin and share a dedicated passion for atmospheric and immersive ambient and techno. Collaborations I features four jams combining the unmistakable strengths of both artists, resulting in a well varied pack of emotive techno with room for experiment.
Nick Lapien and Robin Koek’s latest collaborative album, Days Bygone, helps launch Delsin’s Interstellar series as they continue to explore beyond the dancefloor trappings of conventional techno to create a body of work steeped in mystery. Although not totally devoid of percussion, Artefakt shift their focus away from dominant drums and lean on the keys and pads to map out the landscape each track traverses. Sometimes furtive and suggestive, elsewhere pearlescent and diffused across great expanses, it’s these striking, sublime formations which define the atmosphere Lapien and Koek have created – a textured, dynamic exercise in techno as internalized listening music.
After launching their own De Stijl label last year, Artefakt are back on Delsin with Icarus, a sparkling new four track outing. Known for their intricate sound design and deep yet hard hitting grooves. Always serving up atmospheric music that is artful and filled with rich detail, they continued on their own path once again here. Starting with the smooth and hypnotic, stripped back grooves from Icarus. Followed by the cavernous and immersive ambient trip Ganzfeld Effect. The darker Vapour is still heady and meticulously crafted with deft little details, a rich sound field and supple techno drums getting you in the zone. Delphic then offers crisp breakbeats, dubby drums and electrically charged synths that are physical but emotional. It’s another perfect fusion of light and dark, thoughtful and physical techno from this ever impressive pair.
Artefakt returns to Semantica to present their second album entitled “Monsoon”. It would be fair to say that Artefakt have not succumbed to the pitfalls of “difficult second album syndrome”. In fact, “Monsoon” is arguably an even stronger and more entertaining set than their lauded 2017 debut on Delsin, “Kinship”. Its genius lies in the Dutch duo’s ability to craft atmospheric, dancefloor-ready techno cuts that prioritize mood and melody as much as bustling beats and rhythmic intensity. While their inherent grasp of atmosphere is best personified by the album’s opening and closing ambient cuts, it can also be heard in the broken techno hypnotism of “Inverted Forest”, the trance-influenced grooves and dreamy electronics of “Monsoon” and the yearning, early morning throb of “Vertigo”.
Tikita return with more of their deep and groovy techno, this time from Lapien, who is one half of Artefakt and a master of deep voodoo sounds. His ‘Brumal’ EP includes a remix from label mainstays natural/electronic.system. that completes a deep and powerful three track disc. Lapien s ‘Brumal’ kicks off with deep, swirling pads and punchy drums. It s soft and atmospheric techno with a dubby bottom end and cosmic moods that is soothing and warm. The natural/electronic.system. remix of ‘Moonset’ is simmered down into an absorbing ambient soundscape with rolling, rubbery drums deep down below. It s thoughtful mind music to get utterly lost in. Last of all, the original ‘Moonset’ is another richly layered and spacious techno groove, with gentle percussion over underlapping drums and synths smearing out in all directions. It s brilliantly expansive music for intimate dance floors.
Dutch live-act and DJ duo Artefakt return to Delsin Records with an intricately produced three track release entitled ‘Falling Into The Light’. Artefakt began releasing music together in 2012 and now boast a discography spanning Field Records, Konstrukt and Deep Sound Channel, not to mention regular appearances on Delsin where their debut album entitled ‘Kinship’ dropped in 2017. Returning to Delsin, the pair’s next outing once again demonstrates their ever-evolving sound and is an exciting precursor for the launch of their own label later this year. Rolling drums open the release in ‘The Blue Hour’ as murky synths join hazy atmospherics, making way for ‘Weltformel’ with its racing syncopated percussion and ethereal pads that ebb and flow throughout the mix. Finally, ‘Falling Into The Light’ combines springy kicks with crystalline melodies, metallic elements and rattling effects to conclude a mesmerising release.
Anagram Label follow up their ‘Phasing Faces’ releases with remixes from Efdemin, Lapien, Ryan James Ford and Terrence Dixon under his Population One moniker this December.
Artefakt come from the deepest branch of techno. The partnership of Robin Koek (Cyspe) and Nick Lapien (Metropolis, Rhine) have explored subterranean caverns, dense forests and unknown lands on labels like Prologue, Field and Delsin and their latest three track expedition on DSC continues that journey into the beyond. “Raid” is a near nine minute odyssey, a trip into shimmering cymbals, acid growls, placid lakes and ritualistic rhythms. The flip finds a breaking in the dense foliage: “The Radiant City”, a sanctuary of soaring strings, soothing pads and entrancing harmonies. “Lichtspiel” writes a different tale. Muted tones are ruffled by an industrial edge, the hand of man and the rise of the machine blended with a natural and organic warmth.
Dutch live-act and DJ duo Artefakt release their atmospheric debut album on renowned techno imprint Delsin. Known separately as Robin Koek and Nick Lapien, the pair first appeared on Field Records before follow up releases on Prologue, Delsin and Konstrukt. Kinship portrays a compelling narrative in a body of work that will undoubtedly keep listeners engaged from start to finish.
After a fine first EP on the label in 2105, Dutch duo Artefakt are back on Delsin with The Mental Universe. This four track EP again finds Robin Koek and Nick Lapien showcasing their knack for spellbinding grooves of voodoo techno, absorbing ambient and frictionless drum programming after other outings on the likes of Prologue and Field Records.
Berlin-based producer Lapien serves up an atmospheric three tracker on Rekids. Also known as Metropolis or one half of Artefakt, Nick Lapien’s last three releases have landed on Finale Sessions, Fred P’s Soul People Music and DVS1’s Mistress Recordings. Releasing on Rekids, the multifaceted Dutch artist’s next outing features three mesmerising cuts with the dusky ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ initiating the package using infectious hats, subtle sub-bass and an indistinguishable vocal that ebbs subtly in and out of the mix. ‘As It Is’ is the most robust number on the package with its undulating percussion and moody chords taking centre stage, until ‘Vexed’ concludes everything with gloomy pads, shuffling hats and echoing effects.
The excellent Field label embarks on a new mini trilogy of EPs that will “present a magical journey through modern-day trance.” First up in the series is Artefakt with their three track effort The Final Theory. Dutch producers Robin Koek and Nick Lapien make up Artefakt, and between them they excel at moody voodoo music on labels like Delsin. They open this latest EP with the title track, a deep, spacious house roller with subtle pads and gentle acid that perform slow motion acrobatics for nearly ten minutes. It is suspensory, dreamy music that works on the head as well as the heel. Moving Horizon is then less doleful and introspective but just as deep, with sweeping pads add a sense of scale, busy drums bring the dynamism and icy percussive sounds adding a sense of urgency. Last but not least, Solaris is a fatter, more physical groove with claps and gloopy bass, acid flashes and trancey pads all fleshing out a lush and deep electro workout. This is heavenly stuff that cannot fail to get inside your head and heart.
On the second part of his simultaneously released Something To Show You EP series, Nick Lapien moves further towards late night techno territory. This is evident from the very start, with opener “Searching” delivering the perfect blend of layered, undulating rhythms, spacey riffs, and hypnotic, early morning atmospherics. It’s there, too, on the cascading deep house synths and freshly baked grooves of “Moon”, and “Wild For The Night”, whose bold analogue bassline and yearning vocal samples propel the tracks forwards. Lapien heads for deeper territory on the flipside, with the sinewy pianos and locked-in rhythm of soul-flecked closer “It Ain’t The Same” providing the headline attraction.
Following a brief hiatus, DVS1’s Mistress Recordings label returns with its’ first release of 2016. Something To Show You is an expansive, two-part E.P fron Nick Lapien. There’s much to enjoy on this first part, which sees Lapien deliver trippy, late night workouts that sit somewhere between ultra-deep house and Detroit techno. It’s an atmospheric formula that works wonderfully, particularly on “Something To Tell You” – where bluesy vocal samples weave their way around a deep, locked-in groove – and the up-tempo bump of tech-house hustler “No Good”.
Introducing Broken Dreams, a new series of white label releases on Rotterdam based Pinkman label. First up is Metropolis, who returns with four Wave, Electro and Body Music hybrids. A quartet of tracks that draw on Lapien’s diverse catalogue, this is undoubtedly some of his darkest music to date. Acid, New Beat and Post-Punk influences bubble and churn throughout. Crisp beats crash, strings lament, vocals sigh and synth stabs squirm for an EP that refuses to conform to norms. A hoarse and harsh cry to open a new Pinkman chapter.
Some deep atmospheric techno and electro tracks from Nick Lapien under his Metropolis guise on Bliq. Comes with a remix from the enigmatic producer D5.
Dark machine music by Metropolis on the Pinkman offshoot label Charlois. The EP starts with the German vocalized protest song “Uberall Polizei, Nirgendwo gerechtigkeit”, an EBM inspired track which reminds us of the early 80s Belgium artists like The Neon Judgement and Nitzer Ebb. On the flip the riot continues with “Kriegdienstverweigerer”, a hypnotic neo-electronic jam with rattling synths, psychedelic baselines and a repetitive robotic vocoder on top. The EP ends with the title track “Unify”, a deep cold cinematic floor burner. Limited to 300 copies, with silkscreened sleeves.
The Hipodrome Of Music 