ARTIST FOCUS: GESAFFELSTEIN

Another French producer - but a very good one. Born in Lyon, Mike Lévy started out by experimenting with synthesizers whilst taking vague inspiration from classic techno, and it's this creativity that's evident in his work. Having remixed various artists from Justice to Lana Del Rey, along with small releases on Turbo, the 28-year-old producer is on the brink of releasing his debut album 'Aleph' (that's Hebrew for 'Alpha').

There seems to be considerable hype surrounding the guy, which to my mind is perfectly justifiable. Whilst techno isn't normally my thing (I find it a bit too sparse and minimal... i.e. boring), Gesaffelstein takes the genre and makes it his own. That is why I fell in love with his first single from his debut, 'Pursuit.' How I met it, I don't know, but when I did, I certainly knew about it. It's ridiculously abrasive, chugging and throbbing with industrial precision. The drums are definitely key to this: they're huge. And the atmospheric rest in the middle just makes the return of the syncopated bass line even more powerful. The more you listen, the more it hypnotises.

Most recently, Lévy has released 'Hate or Glory,' which runs in the same veins as 'Pursuit'. But where the latter feels hypnotic, the former has a real edge. The sound is purposeful and driven, making excellent use of silence to heighten mood. And towards the end, the relentless hi-hat rolling and distortion make for a brutal climax. These two songs both remind me of Daft Punk, a fusion of 'Homework' and 'Human After All' - definitely a good thing to be reminded of.

Combine this with Gesaffelstein's dark image and intense art-house music videos, and he's managed to take dance music to the next level. It shocks and seduces, blurring high art with beats and distortion into something quite exciting. And this is what, in my eyes, makes a producer special. It's not just dance music, it's deeper than that, more intelligent.

The Aleph-male of techno.

DIGITALISM - LIFT EP

Although it may be a mere 3 new tracks, German dance outfit Digitalism's latest release is in my opinion one of their most refined yet. Having released 2 full albums, a multitude of remixes, and performed globally, the duo are riding the waves of the EDM boom, following in the footsteps of the likes of Daft Punk and Justice. With this EP, they have colloborated with 3 other artists - The M Machine, Steve Duda and Michael Diamond, and produced a varied and exciting little package for us. Firstly, "Lift" is the kind of uplifting chord-driven affair that you expect from these guys, the track features a wonderful breakdown midway through, before returning back to its full-blooded self. Following this is solid techno in the form of "Dudalism," which whilst repetitive carries a great weight, along with some wonderfully lo-fi violins. Then closing the EP, my favourite track, also featured here in its entirety. "Electric Fist" is supreme in its power. Combining a ridiculously epic organ riff with all sorts of glitchy electro madness, the effect is not dissimilar to Justice of old. But this isn't a copy by any means: it isn't as schizophrenic, but definitely more polished. This track has been on repeat. A lot. Their secret? Their distortion, of which they say "it's like a good batter, the only way to find out is to taste it."

All in all, this EP may be nothing more than 3 new tracks from the already well-established pair. But they re-affirm Digitalism's ability to not just blur the lines between indie rock and dance, but produce real club tunes. And they're all pretty damn good. In fact, one is fucking terrific.