- What's a techno tool? Here are two great examples.
- They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the same goes for techno tools. One DJ's tool is another's set-stopping bomb, which means it's hard to find consensus on what makes some techno tracks tools. That said, current usage of the term generally applies to groove-led, easy-to-mix tracks that keep the energy steady without making any left turns. That describes 90 percent of modern techno, but in this era of mega-raves and white noise, great tools can be hard to come by. Touring techno DJs build their sets with these tracks, which makes the standouts especially appealing.
Super Sound Tool, a new label from Fiedel, has arrived to serve DJs looking for tools. Its first release presents two side-long tunes on a single slab of wax, cut at 45 RPM to allow for maximum volume. True to its word, Super Sound Tool #1 should appeal to every DJ who spins techno to busy rooms. Mode_1's "Return" is the more daring option, a bleepy, high-energy bomb that, despite its self-imposed "tool" status, could be the highlight of your next set. (The sections with a clap on every beat will go nicely with a strobelight going haywire.) That leaves Duncan Macdonald's "Not Everyone Feels The Same," a psychedelic acid workout with a few less breakdowns. Like the best tool techno, whether played in 2009, 2019 or 2029, Super Sound Tool #1 is a dance floor sure shot.
TracklistA Mode_1 - Return
B Duncan Macdonald - Not Everyone Feels The Same