Thanks to everyone who signed up for this newsletter. Substack is still a relatively new format for me so appreciate all of you jumping in. I’m really encouraged by the response I’ve gotten so far——super nice to be able to share music with people outside of traditional social media.
This post will be a bit of a shorter update. Things have been super busy recently on both the music and personal front (putting together a new studio mix, finalizing a new EP, and taking some time off to get married).
I recently sat down with the crew at Voltage Imprint for an extended chat about all things music, which is more of a long-form read if you’re interested. Had the chance to discuss some of the themes I brought up in my last post to the page, along with some of my influences, early days, new EP, 90s techno favorites, and more. Check out the interview here.
I also put together a new hour long mix for Voltage. The mix is a true dancefloor mix and a representation of the types of things I’m enjoying playing—favorite tracks of the moment, some new material from me, and of course some 90s tracks I’ve been digging that I’ll be posting to this page soon.
Full mix and tracklist here.
-Holden
Mark Verbos - No Function
Moody, driving cut from Mark Verbos. Really nice touch on the main theme of this one, digging the detuned oscillators on the lead synth paired with the destabilizing noise samples in the high end. 1999.
Max Duley - Raw
Trippy cut from Max Duly—lots of groove in the bassline and the percussion parts. Really feeling the way he plays with the reverb sends on the lead though, brings a ton of space to the rhythm. 1999.
DJ Dry - 030-313
Been feeling this one from DJ Dry—much deeper and floating in its vibe, but it’s got just the right mix of warm, enveloping synths with off-beat percussion. Easy to get lost in. 2000.
Kre - Untitled A1 (Numb 2)
Restrained, loopy track from Kre with lots of interesting synth mods happening throughout. Nice manipulation of a single synth tone, stretching it for all its worth. 1999.
Damon Vallero - Deep Diva
Heavily swinging cut from Damon Vallero—unsettling but kind of beautiful in the vibe it finds. Dark, foreboding synths but that vocal sample is searching for something more. 2001.
Mark Verbos - Baseline Shift
Intense, pressurized cut from Mark Verbos. Unrelenting drums and some crazy synth modulation—definitely gives off some shades of ‘Trim the Facts’ by PVH. 1999.
Antony Thomas - Apparition
Straight-up synth-driven cut from Antony Thomas. Great interlocking synth parts at the core of the groove, also really digging the way that hat on each downbeat slowly moves in and out of view. Subtle but effective. 1998.