Italian hard techno DJ-producer MAIKE DEPAS announces EP ‘Rave the Planet’ (out 29 February) ahead of MAIKE DEPAS 2.0 audio-visual makeover

‘Depas strikes a fine balance between raw energy and subtle melodic hooks.’ (DMY)

‘Throughout the pounding track [Midnight Ride], the Italian beatsmith expertly blends lush synths with intricate rhythmic components and gritty bass.’ (EDM.com)

‘Depas' approach to techno is a veritable melting pot of influences, blending sounds from the 80s and 90s with contemporary symphonic and cinematic elements.’ (Magnetic Mag)

Upon the return from the dark and dreamy regions of his previous EP ‘Euphoria’, Milanese hard techno DJ-producer MAIKE DEPAS (Michelangelo De Pasquale) announces new EP ‘Rave the Planet’, out 29 February via The Innovation Studio, ahead of MAIKE DEPAS 2.0 audio-visual makeover. Sending tremors through the electronic underground scene, Depas joins Kobosil and In Verruf in carrying the torch of uncompromising Berlin techno while keeping his feet firmly planted in the melodic 1990s trance of Push, Jam & Spoon, and Cygnus X.

Introducing his new heavy-duty fusion of face-melting techno and trance carrying ‘Go Hard or Go Home’ warning sign, Depas makes the crowd grind their teeth with a behemoth of an opener ‘Heartbreaker’ only to fill the dancefloor with dread on the shiver-inducing ‘Vortex’, a power move designed to set the scene for the title track’s fervent rave sermon delivered in a cyborg voice by Depas, followed by the erotic undertones of throbbing closer ‘Float Together’ including the blistering remix by the Italian DJ Amstra.

‘Rave the planet / Stay together / In techno we trust / Rave the planet’ - MAIKE DEPAS, Rave the Planet

At its core, ‘Rave the Planet’ is Depas’ personal paean to the true spirit of the original rave culture as represented by Lukas Havlik’s (Ludenworks) Luis Royo-esque artwork of a pulsating cybernetic planet of complex, interconnected nerve fibres wrapped around the Depas globe logo. “As a raver, you feel this sense of unity with community and it’s similar to a religion we’ve had for thousands and thousands of years,” Depas compares. “We are the planet, we are the culture, so both are the reflection of ourselves in the wider world.” For Depas, the concept of solidarity runs deep within techno culture. Coming right from the heart, Depas is driven by the opportunity to bring people together for one thing and one thing only: “Just for the love of techno and to celebrate the music in a club.”

‘As a raver, you feel this sense of unity with a community similar to a religion we’ve had for thousands and thousands of years.’ - MAIKE DEPAS

‘Rave the Planet’ is released in conjunction with MAIKE DEPAS 2.0, a tectonic audio-visual shift that entails a wide array of digital content as varied as DJ sets live streamed from Berlin’s Teufelsberg and other dystopian locations around Europe as well as enhanced PR-photos featuring cyberpunk-inspired outfits designed by Demobaza, a cyberpunk-inspired casual couture brand best known for their sustainable Dune X Demobaza collection. Over the course of upcoming metamorphosis from a flesh-and-blood individual into a mysterious CGI character, Depas is another step closer to revolutionising the dance music scene through the metaverse.