TuneLab
Awakenings ADE 2021 - Tale Of Us
Awakenings ADE is where we go to feel profoundly serious about our techno choices, and Tale Of Us’s 2021 set is a sermon in the cathedral of melodic techno. The vibe is dark, industrial, and immersive, all smoke machines and laser grids cutting through a warehouse haze. This is peak-time, narrative-driven techno for people who like their kicks with a side of pathos. Technically, it’s a relentless march at an average of 128 BPM, dominantly locked in the dramatic, minor key of 12A.
The energy arc is a masterful build: starting with atmospheric tension, it layers driving basslines and haunting melodies before erupting into soaring, emotional peaks. The low-end is punchy and persistent, the mids are filled with evolving synthscapes and vocal snippets, and the highs provide cinematic sheen. Harmonic shifts are calculated, using keys like 4A and 6B to add variation without losing the hypnotic thread. For the crate diggers, Innellea’s 'Loss of Hope' is a perfect, brooding opener.
Tinlicker’s 'Perfect Mistake' provides a moment of anthemic, progressive house crossover, while ÐXS’s 'The Next Time' delivers a gritty, driving rhythm. Bryan Matthz’s 'Fly Over the Woods' is a deep, atmospheric cut, and Sian’s 'Let Yourself' offers a tougher, loop-based interlude. The journey begins with the ominous 'Loss of Hope,' climbs to the euphoric tension of tracks like Argy’s 'Magic Order,' and concludes with the grand, orchestral finale of 'Time' with Pete Tong and Jules Buckley.