Milanese techno shaman MAIKE DEPAS travels from the dark to the dreamy side of the dance floor on his EP 'Euphoria' (out 24 November on The Innovation Studio)

'Techno emissary Maike Depas storms back onto the scene with 'State of Techno', a bold fusion of past and present influences set to reshape dance floors in 2023.' (Magnetic Mag)

'State of Techno is the Milanese producer's visionary work fusing 80's and 90's sounds through a modern lens creating an exhilarating release weaving through 30 years of underground club music.' (The Brvtalist)

On the back of the breaky Grand Prix 2049 anthem 'Midnight Ride', Milanese techno shaman MAIKE DEPAS (Michelangelo De Pasquale) travels from the dark ('We Move', 'Inner Voices' and 'Techno Appeal') to the dreamy side ('Midnight Ride' and 'Green Hornet') of the dance floor on his EP 'Euphoria', coming out on 24 November via The Innovation Studio. One foot in stoic Schranz techno of Chris Liebling's CLR, the other one in eschatological goa trance of Dragonfly Records, never going under 134 BPM, Depas strikes the perfect balance between dystopia and utopia. "This is my idea of what the ravers want to listen inside the club," Depas reckons.

"Euphoria has two sonorities: the dark vibe, and the dreamy one. This is my idea of what the ravers want to listen inside the club." – Maike Depas

With the complex arrangements of the past Depas-releases left out and the trusted workhorse – a custom-made pitch black Roland TR-909 from 1983 – responsible for doing the heavy lifting in the drum sections, 'Euphoria' is a beat-heavy affair that draws its relentless drive and rhythmic richness from merging polyrhythmic patterns merged with streamlined melodies and nifty vocal samples – such as the double entendre 'quiero jugar una horas mas' (Engl. 'I want to play one hour more') on the no-holds-barred hard trance number 'Techno Appeal', and the riveting juxtaposition of mesmerizing female vocals and handclaps of roaring crowds in hypnotic 'Inner Voices'.

"These demoniac figures resemble human transformation and the idea of achieving euphoria through esotericism." – Maike Depas

However, when it comes to Depas, there is always more to his music than merely being dead set on setting the dance floors on fire. The antler-wearing figures and witches' circles depicted in the artwork hint at Depas' invitation for the clubbers to let his music move them far beyond the physical world. "These demoniac figures resemble human transformation and the idea of achieving euphoria through esotericism."