TuneLab
Maceo Plex
for Cercle on Hudson River in New York, USA
Maceo Plex on a barge in the Hudson River, with the Manhattan skyline as his strobe light—because if you're going to play melodic techno for Cercle, you might as well do it while literally drifting between worlds. The vibe is sleek and futuristic, all cool blue lights reflecting on dark water, matching his signature blend of emotive synth work and muscular rhythms. This set operates at an average BPM of 129.3, but don't let that fool you; the journey spans from 114 to 171, with a harmonic base in 3B that lends a minor-key intensity to the progression.
The energy profile shows a dominant low-end at 0.54, providing a deep, techno foundation that allows his melodic elements to cut through with precision. His mixing is dynamic, weaving between deeper cuts and peak-time weapons, with the mid-range at 0.35 carrying the narrative weight of pads and arpeggios. The crate dig reveals his curatorial depth: Anthony Rother's 'Back Home' is a 10-minute opener of cosmic electro, setting a hypnotic tone.
His own 'Mutant Robotics' and 'Mutant Magic' showcase his talent for dystopian funk, while Madben's 'The Ceremony' offers a moment of tribalistic ritual. Photonz's 'The Weather' is a hidden gem of atmospheric techno, and the unreleased IDs keep us Shazam-ing frantically. It begins with the slow burn of 'Back Home', peaks with the robotic groove of 'Mutant Robotics', and closes on the upbeat note of Leonardo Chevy's 'Slightly Higher'—a tracklist that balances shadow and light over the New York water.