RA.884 Etapp Kyle

  • Published
    May 14, 2023
  • Filesize
    134 MB
  • Length
    00:58:27
  • From '90s trance to Skee Mask, this is a delightfully eclectic session from the Ukrainian techno star.
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  • Since emerging (to most of the world) on Ben Klock's Klockworks label, Ukrainian producer Etapp Kyle immediately caught attention of Berlin's techno cognoscenti, with a sound that seemed perfectly fit for the Berghain school: taut, slyly melodic and just the right amount of funky. Over the past ten years, he's refined his sound to a science, but also opened it up: his records on Ostgut Ton, particularly 2020's Nolove, showcase a mastery of sound and space. This is techno you can sit in and let wash over you. As a DJ, Kyle is generally associated with a functional, if atmospheric style of techno (and, more recently, electro), but on his RA Podcast he invites us into something of a different space. In a way, this mix represents the spirit of his productions, with a wide-open soundscape touching on everything from '90s techno and trance, including some goodies from Canada and Denmark, along with core electronic acts like Future Sound Of London, Autechre and today's modern electronica poster-boy, Skee Mask—BPMs and genres be damned. It's a mix that veers from melancholy to emotive to ecstatic, sometimes even silly, and it's a real pleasure, capturing one of techno's more creative and restless voices. What have you been up to recently? I've been spending some time in the studio making music which, hopefully, I can release soon but there is still a lot to do. How and where was the mix recorded? And can you tell us the idea behind it? The mix was recorded at my home studio in Berlin. This time I decided to make it completely in Ableton Live as the idea was to include some of my favourite music regardless of its BPM, style, age and even genre. Which was very challenging to put together, even in Ableton. To some extent, I had to edit almost every track I included and even recorded a synth to replicate the original sound of a track at some point in order to make the transition smoother :) What's one club or party that had a major impact on you as an artist? I played a house set at Panorama Bar recently and it had a tremendous impact on me both musically and personally, I'm really looking forward to being back upstairs soon. Since the pandemic started in 2020, you've only released one record. What caused your break from production and do you have any plans to go back to it soon? I'm not sure what was the exact reason, maybe a burnout, but before the pandemic, I started developing symptoms of depression and unfortunately it affected my production side probably the most. Then the pandemic hits and it got even worse. There were moments when I felt so lost that I actually started considering to quit it completely. Not that I didn't make any music at all but to finish a track around that time felt almost impossible. So I spent a lot of time trying to find the right treatment and taking good care of myself. I started seeing a therapist and despite my scepticism, it got a bit better by the end of 2021 when I started spending more time in the studio again. While slowly recovering one of my closest family members died and just a few months later the war in Ukraine starts—I was completely overwhelmed again but was trying to work as much as I could regardless of the conditions. Now it's been only a few months since it got significantly better and I finally started getting more productive. So as I said, hopefully I can put out some solo stuff soon. You play a lot more music than just straight-up techno on this mix. How has your DJing style changed or evolved over the years? It's a good question because I don't consider myself a strictly techno DJ. I love techno music and it's often a big part of my sets but there is so much more. I’m constantly discovering new horizons in music and limiting myself as a DJ to one particular genre wouldn't work for me, especially for listening situations like a mix or radio. Actually, I hope to never arrive while on this journey. What's one social or political cause you want the world to pay more attention to? Lots going on these days apparently but for me, the most disturbing and heartbreaking topic right now is the war in my motherland Ukraine—it simply doesn't leave the background of my thoughts. Sadly, it would take more than one Q&A to talk about it. From my experience of travelling around and meeting new people, I can say that many are very poorly informed about it or, worse, sometimes, completely misinformed. Believe it or not, but I often hear narratives of Russian propaganda even on-the-scene circles. And I don't think we are actually conscious enough about this horrific invasion and its potential to expand further. What are you looking forward to in the near future? I've been declining a good percentage of bookings this year as I wanted to focus more on production and I really can't wait to put that music out. Still, there are a few gigs I'm looking forward to playing including my Canada/US tour at the end of May.
  • Tracklist
      EK - Untitled Ligovskoï - Thessalonians | Field Records Autechre - Eutow | Warp Records Z - Uncle Mavis | TIP Records The Overlords - God's Eye (Heavy Duty Lionrock Vibe) | Arista The Uprising - You Can Wait (Northern Ambience Mix) | Hi-Bias Records Material - Mantra | Axiom Future Sound Of London - Expander | Jumpin' & Pumpin' Source - Levitation | Ohm Aloka - Digeridoo | Nehza Records Etapp Kyle - God's Breath Alarico - Tenzo | RX Recordings Skee Mask - Studio 626 | Ilian Tape Diego Hostettler - Back Jack Back | Kanzleramt DAVE N.A. - Young Night Mandalay - Not Seventeen (Futureshock Alternative Mix) | V2 One Dove - White Love (Psychic Masturbation) | FFRR Timeline - Time Sensitive | Underground Resistance Bassline - You've Gone feat. Lorraine Chambers | RMH Music
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