TuneLab
Bart Skils
Awakenings x Drumcode ADE 2024
Bart Skils holding down the fort at Awakenings x Drumcode ADE 2024 is a rite of passage for any techno pilgrim. We're here for the relentless kicks, the smoky lasers, and the communal nod of approval, because sometimes you just need to be pummeled into a state of grace. The Gashouder or its equivalent is pounding, a cathedral of noise where the only religion is the four-on-the-floor.
With a BPM averaging 137 and a heavy reliance on the 12A and 3B keys, this is peak-time, driving techno. Skils' mixing is efficient and powerful, building energy through layered percussion and thunderous basslines without ever losing momentum, a textbook display of hard techno mechanics. The Peggy Gou 'D.A.N.C.E' edit is a cheeky, crowd-pleasing moment in an otherwise serious set, while Pleasurekraft & Atroxx's 'Ghost Land' delivers the kind of sinister atmosphere Drumcode thrives on.
His own 'Roll the Dice' remix is a hefty weapon. It kicks off with the alien vibe of 'Greg Notill - The Martians', reaches a fierce climax with tracks like 'HOF - We Won't Stop', and surprisingly winds down with the trance-infused nostalgia of Cosmic Gate's 'Exploration of Space' remix.