Who are your favourite techno DJs??

[hoff]

I say DJs because I'm not talking producers. Techno is one of those genres where some of the legends have barely produced anything. That being said, feel free to factor in their contributions, but focus on their sets.

I recently have started listen to Hawtin sets. In the early days of my techno listening (4 years ago ish), I'd say some of my favourite sets came from Carl Cox, but Hawtin and a select few others have this insane ability to get you completely lost in their set. Very good flow and manipulation to the point where you don't always know what track is playing. A lot of other guys will put on a great set with great tracks, but it just isn't the same. I know this is cliche, but the only other guy who really does it for me is Dubfire. I saw him live at Digital Dreams festival in Toronto 2 years ago and man, what a set. He had the entire beach in the palm of his hand. Scuba also put on a great set that summer at a small venue in chinatown. Ironically, him dropping dios by dubfire and huntemann was the highlight of my night.

What about you guys? Who gets you going?? :eek3dance::dance:

[fat8ack]

Really digging Marcel Dettman at the moment.

[Catch22]

I really love Gary Beck and Hans Bouffmyhre. Two of my favourite DJs.

Love Ben Sims as well, DJ wise he's one of the best for me.

I like music that's got a bit of balls and no muckin about. Really enjoy Len Faki sets as that's real party techno music for me.

I'll be honest I think Richie Hawtin is one of the most over rated DJs in techno the now. Hawtin fans are pretty insufferable and they tend to think he is some techno god when he some shite minimal vibe going which is just crap in my eyes. There's a few DJs that use traktor well, but still don't use it to it's full functionality in my eyes. Chris Liebing I think has the right idea, but even then sometimes he's only got one track playing in his setup. Anyway, don't really want to get in an equipment debate. Just my 2 cents.

[Catch22]

Ironically, him dropping dios by dubfire and huntemann was the highlight of my night.

That's a coincidence my friend ;)

[disparate]

Silent Servant is probably the best techno DJ I've ever seen. Anthony Parasole, Pangaea, Untold, Klock, Dettmann, Marcel Fengler, Luke Slater, Eric Cloutier, Peter van Hoesen, Levon Vincent (arguably more of a house DJ but definitely has moments of techno brilliance), DVS1, AnD, Sandwell District (or even just Regis on his own) are also some of the best proper techno DJs I've seen playing and would always go out of my way to catch again. I'll add more when I remember them.

I've seen Dubfire and wasn't into it at all but know loads of people who love him, horses for courses etc, I'd always take a bit of classic Deep Dish over anything either of them have done since (ex-prog house fan coming through...) Scuba on the other hand I was a massive fan of around 2009-2011, not into his current direction but got several sets - probably everything up to and including his Essential Mix - that are firm favourites of mine.

[oddnumber]

Jeff Mills if you ever get a chance to see him live don't miss it...he delivers
Also Garnier

[disparate]

I've still not managed to see Garnier play a DJ set, everytime it's been some sort of hybrid live set or full live band sorta setup. Which is cool but I want to see him just rock it on the tables...

EDIT: nearly forgot Robert Hood. Seen most of the big Detroit guys but he'd always be my pick. Uncompromisingly fast and banging but still so much soul to his sets.

[C.Lukas1]

Adam Beyer is my fav.

I saw Garnier play for 6 hours a few months ago. He was great, a true journey....a very eclectic mix.

[hoff]

I really love Gary Beck and Hans Bouffmyhre. Two of my favourite DJs.

Love Ben Sims as well, DJ wise he's one of the best for me.

I like music that's got a bit of balls and no muckin about. Really enjoy Len Faki sets as that's real party techno music for me.

I'll be honest I think Richie Hawtin is one of the most over rated DJs in techno the now. Hawtin fans are pretty insufferable and they tend to think he is some techno god when he some shite minimal vibe going which is just crap in my eyes. There's a few DJs that use traktor well, but still don't use it to it's full functionality in my eyes. Chris Liebing I think has the right idea, but even then sometimes he's only got one track playing in his setup. Anyway, don't really want to get in an equipment debate. Just my 2 cents.

Well I'd caution judging a dj's based on their genre or style if it doesn't suit you. I personally love some minimal, not all for sure, but some. Hawtin definitely uses traktor and maschine at an advanced level. I don't think he's a god, I just have been enjoying his sets...

[Era 7]

I'll be honest I think Richie Hawtin is one of the most over rated DJs in techno the now. Hawtin fans are pretty insufferable and they tend to think he is some techno god when he some shite minimal vibe going which is just crap in my eyes. There's a few DJs that use traktor well, but still don't use it to it's full functionality in my eyes. Chris Liebing I think has the right idea, but even then sometimes he's only got one track playing in his setup. Anyway, don't really want to get in an equipment debate. Just my 2 cents.

i'm with you on this one. not particularly liking his style, but that is one thing. the thing that annoys me about him is that he often seems to using effects just because he can. i've listened to a few of his sets and often times they just don't seem to do anything for his mix but scream "hey, look at my signature delay".


personally i like david moleon. even though i found him through his productions, he is a decent DJ. 2 decks and a mixer. no bullshit, driving stuff with a little spanish influence. oldschool: probably jeff mills. don't now about him nowadays, but watching at his old performances with 3 TTs and a 909 just blows my mind.

[disparate]

I don't think Hawtin's the worst, last time I saw him he played some pretty solid techno. Even if it got quite monotonous after a while it was still decent really, better than a lot of DJs that everyone seems to love.

I guess I have a soft spot for him from Decks EFX & 909, the Plastikman albums etc but he's definitely not one of the world's most exciting DJs in the year 2013, although I'd also happily say the same about Mills, May, etc. Chances are I wouldn't go out of my way to see Hawtin anytime soon, would cost a lot of money and the crowd would probably be a bit shit.

[Mahatma Coat]

I saw Jeff Mills at Sonar in 2009, and even after 4 years, I think I've yet to see a techno DJ leave such an impression. I was so completely lost in the music and gobsmacked by his skills I went and bought some turntables the next week.

More recently I saw O/V/R here in Amsterdam, (James Ruskin & Regis), they completely blew the place up, everything from the darker minimal German style sounds to furious 90s UK breaks and industrial techno to finally finishing off with some classic hardcore tracks. Speechless.

[Adzm00]

I am annoyed, every time I've seen Jeff Mills he has been rubbish.

Anyway, in no order, Garnier, Ben Sims, Rolando, Carl Cox (regardless of you liking his style or not he is skilled as fuck, no one can argue that), Rob Hood, Derrick May, Slam, Christian Smith, DJ Rush, Dominik Eulberg, Paco Osuna, Marco Bailey (awesome tracks, rubbish at mixing quite a lot), The Advent, Jon Rundell

There are loads more of course :)

[Mahatma Coat]

+1 for Carl Cox, bit big room sounding for me these days, but there's no doubting the guy's skills; he's been there from the beginning too: legend.

Surgeon is shit hot as well.

Saw Rob Hood recently, and he was actually pretty garbage, seriously disappoint.

[disparate]

+1 for Carl Cox, bit big room sounding for me these days, but there's no doubting the guy's skills; he's been there from the beginning too: legend.

Surgeon is shit hot as well.


Ah yeah, forgot about Surgeon, definitely a favourite of mine. He veered away from harder techno for a while but now he seems to have got back onto it with a vengeance but with even more finesse and depth.

Adam I'm the same, seen Jeff Mills a couple of times and not enjoyed it at all, and heard bad reports from friends at times I've missed him - maybe he has good and bad days or maybe he just isn't my kinda thing?

Saw Carl Cox a few years ago, mediocre techno and mediocre mixing. Can't knock his old 90s 3/4 deck sets though.

[contra]

I'm just going to name a couple. Pfirter, D.A.V.E. the Drummer, Go!Diva, Sterling Moss, and Ant. There's a lot more, but this is good enough lol

[propertrax]

As far as DJs I've caught go, some of my favorite moments of techno have been from Jeff Mills, Marcel Dettmann, Dustin Zahn, Giorgio Gigli, Levon Vincent, Ben Klock, Chris Liebing, Kyle Geiger, DVS1, Robert Hood, Detroit Techno Militia, Ryan Elliott, Dubfire and Radio Slave.

Now, some I've caught only once, others quite a few times. Plenty more great sets, but these guys all left the most memorable impressions at some point or another.

DVS1, I have to say, is going to be Carl Cox/Liebing/Hawtin level one day as far as being a "household name," and I've got a good feeling he won't be one to water down and sugarcoat his sound like the former. He's just consistently excellent every time, and a genuine guy to boot. Probably one of my favorite DJs of all time at this point.

I finally got to catch Jeff Mills after a decade of trying in Atlanta last year. He was booked as the headliner of a...drumroll...psy-trance party. 3 decks, TR-909, 3-hour set. GODDAAAAAAAAAAAAMN. He really lived up and beyond expectations, especially considering I had seen so many bad moments in videos. He kept the pace, went deep, dark, nasty, and spent a good hour rinsing the rave classics of the early '90s (tracks from EPs like Mecca, Drama, Waveform Transmissions, etc). It was pretty much 100% his own material with a peppering of Hood, UR, and perhaps a few more. He worked the 909 like a total pro, and just ripped face. I don't think the psytrance wookies anticipated it, or quite understood what they were witnessing. Truly one of the more unique experiences I've had.

A month later I caught him at DEMF for the closing Wizard set...yeah, solid...but definitely didn't hold a candle to rave-party Mills in top form.

Dustin Zahn blew me away with a 7 hour set at Berghain last year. I wasn't sure what to expect from him, but I didn't expect to be dancing in the same spot losing my shit for 7 hours straight. His set was a proper ending to my trip to Berlin, for sure. But then Discodromo in Pbar really tied it all up...but that was on the house tip so I'll leave it at that ;)

I never really "got" the sound of guys like Giorgio Gigli prior to hearing him perform for 3 hours. I mean, I like that stripped down, almost-trance techno...but it's so hard to get away with here in the US that I don't really have that much in my collection. Well, he changed my perspective on it. The guy didn't even bring a hi-hat track in for a good 45 minutes. Perfect way to follow the 140bpm bang-bang of Robert Hood right before, too.

Levon and Ryan are both excellent hybrid DJs. They can do techno, house, breakbeats, weird, whatever. But they both tend to keep things within the techno rails thanks to their penchant for more muscular house. Levon's got a more "thoughtful" approach, tending to let tracks play for a long time and going a little weirder on the selections. Elliott just knows how to jack a crowd perfectly and nails track after high-energy track, Detroit-style. Also a blast to watch the guy--he knows how to have fun.

Dubfire surprised me not long ago. It wasn't the most unique techno, and the club was filled with Latino guidos, but daaaaaamn if I didn't dance my ass off for 3 solid hours. Maybe it was because I had been up for nearly 72 hours at this point and was just loopy as shit. I dunno, but it was awesome and I remember it very clearly, and was not high on any drugs, haha. ;)

Liebing has since lost his luster to me. He does what he does exceedingly well--big room "clean" techno meant to be layered up on a computer. It can be fun, and the first time will probably be like losing your virginity...e.g. pretty awesome, very memorable, but you'll probably get better from others in the future. The last few times I've caught him I know what to expect and usually move to the second room to hopefully find something fresh.

[Adzm00]

Dubfire is a prick though.

http://techtribal.com/dubfirepubliclyshamesfans/

[C.Lukas1]

Yeah he can fuck off. His live stream the from BPM the other night was lame. Zero crowd and the set was a snoozer.

[disparate]

I've seen him a couple of times and didn't enjoy it at all, just seemed like the worst type of dumbed down, big room, post-minimal sirens-and-drops techno. Shame as I quite liked Deep Dish :/

Will, I hear you on Giorgio Gigli though - I've not had a chance to catch him (thanks to my city's backwards licensing laws and fairly narrow-minded techno audience he's not the type of person who'd get booked here either) but every recording/podcast I've heard is great, pretty keen to catch him sometime although I'm guessing I'd have to go to Berlin, or at least London, to do so.

[Mahatma Coat]

Surprised at Dustin Zahn, his records seem pretty boring run of the mill tech-house/weak big room techno to my ears, but if he blew the roof off the Berghain then maybe I need another look...

Also never seen Gigli, though I've got quite a bit of Prologue stuff on vinyl, would love to check him out over an extended set.

[C.Lukas1]

Zahn is solid. I saw him open for Beyer last spring, great warmup set. His latest takeover on the CLR podcast is also worth a listen.

[Adzm00]

Surprised at Dustin Zahn, his records seem pretty boring run of the mill tech-house/weak big room techno to my ears

I think I have a remix by him and a track by him, im really not a fan of most of his stuff but any DJ can have a great set depending on how he performs and your mindset at that point.

[CASABLANKA]

i am very inspired by Carl Cox & Brodinski.