TuneLab
Truncate techno set in The Lab LA
Truncate's techno set in The Lab LA feels like a secret history lesson, where the rigid boundaries between 90s trance, hard house, and modern peak-time techno are gleefully dismantled. This is for the collectors who know that a great melody is a great melody, regardless of the genre tag on the record sleeve. The LA lab becomes a time machine, bathed in the glow of nostalgic rave stabs and driving kicks. Don't let the consistent 133 BPM fool you—this is a dynamic journey through techno's more melodic and energetic cousins, with 17 tracks firmly in the 12A key for a cohesive, driving energy.
The sound is overwhelmingly low-end focused (0.68), providing a pounding, physical foundation over which euphoric synth lines and iconic vocal snippets can soar. The mid-range (0.28) carries those memorable leads, while the high-end is kept in check to avoid fatigue. Mixing is robust and functional, often letting anthems like Rank 1's 'Airwave' play out in near-full to devastating effect. The track selection is brilliantly cheeky: opening with Groove Coverage's 'Are You Ready' is a statement of intent, while closing with his own 'El Sonido' brings it back to pure, percussive techno.
Blenk's 'Vibration' is a modern, driving tool, and the inclusion of Alice Deejay's 'Better Off Alone' is a genuinely brave and crowd-winning move. Folamour's 'Ça Va Aller' offers a disco-tinged respite, and Sash!'s 'Ecuador' remix is pure, unapologetic fun. The set starts with the trancey call-to-arms of 'Are You Ready', hits its emotional peak with the timeless rush of 'Airwave', and brings it home with the stripped-back funk of 'El Sonido'—a live set that celebrates rave's enduring heart.