Microcastle Techno | Minimal | Tech-House 4 Items

microCastle’s first offering of 2024 welcomes Adrian Roman back to the label for his second artist showcase. Hailing from Spain, Adrian Roman first rose to prominence in 2021 with a string of superlative releases which redefined his sound, resulting in an aesthetic that was both cutting edge and effortlessly cool. F, nmully formed within the creative confines of his Castello studio, Adrian’s first microCastle project, 2022’s‘ Disturbing the Perception’ succeeded in showcasing his inventive approach to composition, while remaining club-effective, and in turn earning play from Aera, Fideles and Jimi Jules, amongst others. Moving forward the next eighteen months have proved to be impactful for the young Spaniard, recording standout projects for Azzur and Sum Over Histories, releases which continued to build on his creative acumen, while remaining in the playlists of underground tastemakers Ame and Dixon. With 2024 beginning with Adrian’s latest Sum Over Histories vehicle ‘Oratorical Ability’, the Spaniard now makes a welcome return to microCastle with a six-track showcase entitled ‘This Is What I Was For A Moment’. From the opening monochromes of ‘Le Sabbat’ Adrian’s craftsmanship reveals itself across this slow-burning piece, one where grating growls, granular flares and panoramic arps ultimately set the pace for the groove-centric ‘Customized Reality’. It’s here where Adrian puts a greater focus on the dancefloor, marrying hopeful vocal phrasing and silky chord stabs for a rejuvenating experience, while a drum-driven drop ultimately charts the course for a finale of deconstructed sonics and post-rave bliss. The haywire electricity of ‘Faces of Belmez’ finds the Spaniard once again flexing his creative muscles, as corrugated bleeps and cataclysmic rhythms provide a vast sense of space, creating the ultimate backdrop for distorted synths to propel choppy rhythms into dark underground passages, and perhaps onto some of the world’s most adventurous dancefloors. The collection’s midway point is marked by the hypno-architecture of ‘Mind Design’. Trickling reverberations and long sighs of tonal tension wade through its pulsating framework, with frayed effects and thumping rhythms submerged beneath a buzzing panoramic glow. Played by Ame and sitting as one of the project's most enigmatic tracks is ‘TAGDI’ (They Are Gonna Do It). Tinted with contemplative synths and guttural vocals, Adrian’s unique emotionality peaks here, as he crafts a low-slung, slow-building dystopian romance, all while weaving in cerebral manipulations for an unforgettable ride. The mist breaks instantly on the collection’s final piece, as your thrusted into the muscular grooves of ‘Fear Track’. Horrifying vocal stabs strike, leaving the gauzy purple skies of ‘TAGDI’ behind for a more robust romp, one where anabolic bassline, retro-arps and off kilter percussion bring the release to a feverish peak. A fitting conclusion to a diverse collection of music, one where Adrian creates a journey that speaks to the complexities of life against an immersive and challenging backdrop. Artwork: Maurcio Seidel

microCastle's final offering of 2023 welcomes Colossio and Luke Garcia to the label for their debut EP. Colossio has been a rising force across the Indie Dance spectrum for the better part of a decade. Based in Mexico and taking inspiration from krautrock, psychedelia and the golden age of Mexican cinema, the Monterrey resident has continued to open up endless creative avenues and furthered his boundless appeal with releases via Borders of Light, Calypso Records, Duro and Exit Strategy. Meanwhile, Spanish artist Luke Garcia has enjoyed similar success across his decade-long career. The Madrid resident has been praised for his borderless approach to production, in turn landing standout projects for Diynamic, Innervisions, Sum Over Histories and TAU. As occasional studio partners since the beginning of 2023, Colossio and Luke made their collaborative debut via Engrave Ltd with ‘Let Go’, a release which would precede a recent contribution to Innervisions ‘Secret Weapons’ Part 16. Now, continuing to build on their creative partnership, Colossio and Luke end the year with their microCastle debut ‘Amen / Ryen’. Played by Ame during the summer season, EP opener 'Amen' finds Colossio operating in solo capacity and taking square aim at the dancefloor. Full of rejuvenating energies, the Monterrey resident cleverly blends robust kick drums and electric grooves with swerving chord stabs and chanting vocals. Colossio’s creative attitude reveals itself further across the main break; with a hyperventilating build dropping out into a rush of main room alchemy, all laid out over a bed of percolating acid. Selection two ‘Ryen’ finds Luke Garcia crafting a feel-good indie-dance excursion that’s nicely suited for those uplifting club moments. Booming yet dreamy, its colourfully cruising hypnotism instantly commands your attention, through snatches of vocal fragments and siren-like synth flares, eventually culminating in a finale of rave-inspired euphoria. The EP’s halfway point is marked by the behemoth sized vibes of ‘Situation’. Here, Luke and Colossio masterfully synthesize their talents while breaking down boundaries to serve up a melting pot of hard-edged dance. Its pneumatic energy turns over quickly, flowing through a brutalist maze of mutated vocal gates and fiery rhythmic fractures, before reaching a hyperspeed collision of sonics for the ultimate high-octane drop. Rounding out the release is ‘My Body’ which once again finds Colossio and Luke combining their extensive forces. The cross-continental duo drive each other forward beyond their individual comfort zones for a mature club-effective record; one where thunderous beats, weighted rhythms and looping vocals prelude a collection-closing melodic finale. Artwork: Mauricio Seidel.

microCastle’s third offering of 2023 welcomes Ditian back to the label for his first artist EP. Splitting time between Buenos Aires, Berlin and Barcelona, the Argentinean artist has carved out a unique place in the electronic underground over the last half decade. With an immediately recognizable sonic signature, Ditian channels languages of varied musical landscapes, churning them into his own complex rollercoaster of intricate electronica. A sound that is equally at home on rebellious dance floors around the world or in the sweet spot of a late-night leftfield listening session. A short but meticulous discography reflects Ditian's choosy nature; with Exit Strategy, Innervisions and TAU serving as the primary landing spots for his musical output. Having remixed Ivory’s ‘Arpstairs’ for his microCastle debut last summer, a project which was followed by a contribution to Dixon and Ame’s Secret Weapons 15 collection to begin the year, Ditian now returns to the label with a four-track showcase entitled ‘Serpenta’.

"microCastle’s second offering of 2023 welcomes Ivory back to the label for his third producer showcase. Based in Milan, Italian artist Daniel Tagliaferri aka Ivory has been at the cutting edge of electronic music for the better part of a decade. Comparable to the path of his contemporaries, Daniel has found a way to create a personal universe by exploring electronic sounds, and ultimately finding his own place in the trend-driven state of underground dance music. Fully formed within the creative confines of his Milan studio, Ivory's third microCastle project ‘Persona’, follows on from 2021's ‘Light Through Water’, a seven-track affair which continued Daniel’s mission to create bold synthesizer symphonies from the tools of the club. As an evolution in his sound, the release was significantly more stripped-down and dancefloor-friendly than his label debut ‘No Scale Can Resize You’ yet continued to demonstrate and build on the Italian’s penchant for sophisticated sound design and memorable musical themes. Moving forward, 2022 proved to be a monumental year for Ivory, with the release of his debut album ‘Feelin’ sitting as the highlight, a release which was preceded by the immaculate EP project ‘Rain’. The year also saw the Milan resident gain further recognition as a DJ, as he continued to exhibit fresh programming along with thrilling pace and flow, in turn becoming an in-demand presence at major clubs and events throughout the world. Now, following a string of impressive remixes to begin 2023, Ivory makes a welcome return to microCastle with ‘Persona’.

EP opener and title selection ‘Persona’ is exactly the kind of confounding starting point that an Ivory project seems to relish in; one with a newly sprawling, saga-like story to tell. Unique in design and execution; its paranoid motifs, sci-fi vocal samples and perverse synth mutations are prophetic, all while maintaining a sense of urgency and spontaneity that astute dancefloors will appreciate.

Superficially, ‘Axis Mundi’ comes across as a classic chunk of Ivory bombast, but it exists in a markedly different sonic world, as multiple layers of rebounding rhythms, vocal trails and cinematic ambience get gently woven around a core of beefy grooves and cleverly coaxed chord stabs.

Meanwhile, the aptly titled ‘Sea Creatures’ operates on a more symphonic level, a provocative contrast to an extent, as Ivory’s marine design and dreamlike elegance conjures up utopian visions. Thickets of buzz swell and intensify across its nautical architecture, carefully reeling in the listener, before a thoughtful take on melody reveals Ivory’s creative attitude during an elegant finale.

As a much-requested track of Ivory’s DJ gigs, ‘Departures’ lands with a grandiose flair. Big, bold and magnificent; yet intricately crafted with perfectly contoured beats and serene meditative textures. There’s a strong sense of cruising across the first movement, allowing the listener to relish in the groove, examining phrases before leaving them behind for a smudge of fuzzy stabs and euphoric overlays. Balancing the mix, Daniel’s orchestral touches radiate throughout the production's final act, adding an air of sophisticated musicality to a mature no-frills arrangement.

Inspired by the limited HBO series of the same name, it is ‘Leftovers’ which sits as the anchor of the EP. Winding the release down in breathtaking fashion, its patient build and wispy harmonies tug at your heartstrings, progressing with a sense of intricacy and naturality that one would expect from the upper echelons of electronic music. In fact, it’s this minimalism, which at times has become a hallmark of Daniel’s more intimate work, and the brutally economical way in which he is able to wrench on the emotions with so little, that has distinguished his potency as an artist. A sound that delivers authenticity, it’s music which reminds us to simply be.

From the paranoid club realities of ‘Persona’ through to the heartrending qualities of ‘Leftovers’, this is a unique look into Ivory’s repertoire. Here, the infectious house music on which he’s built his career remains but also makes way for the space between the notes, and his melodic acumen is clear and gripping throughout."