Sonic Groove Podcast

In this episode, two fellow New Yorkers, Adam X and Dave Sumner, aka Function, sit down to trace Dave’s path from growing up in a working-class environment in Brooklyn to the global techno scene. Dave talks about his parents moving the family to the NYC suburbia of New Jersey in the late 80s and those years as a teenager when he was DJing and running House Parties for his crew of friends right in the basement of their house.

Dave breaks down his own early 90s influences - from the Nu Groove, Joey Beltram, Frankie Bones, and Todd Terry records that shaped him to his days checking out the music at Limelight. He also shares his connection to Planet X, the local record store where he spent his time digging, and the story behind his first records on Damon Wild’s Synewave imprint.

The conversation goes into Dave meeting Karl O’Connor aka Regis, his time in Birmingham working for Integrale Record Distribution, and the reality of the late 90s NYC scene. Adam and Dave get into the "good, bad, and ugly" of those years - reflecting on a time when the city's rave and club scene was actually diminished and falling apart. They also share their shared experience on 9/11 and how the tragedy further shifted the NYC scene before Dave’s move to Berlin in 2007.

The episode also covers Dave’s multi-year run as a Berghain resident and his artistry with their Ostgut Ton label throughout the 2010s, his move over to Tresor as an artist and DJ resident in the late 2010s, and the return of Sandwell District, followed by the heavy loss of his close friend Juan Mendez (Silent Servant) in early 2024.

If you’re into the real history of this music, hit like and subscribe. Drop a comment with your favourite Function or Sandwell track.

Chapters and topics:

• Growing up in a working-class environment in Brooklyn

• Moving to the NYC suburbs in the late 80s

• DJing and running House Parties in the basement of their house

• Dave's early 90s influences: Nu Groove, Beltram, Frankie Bones, and Todd Terry

• Digging at Planet X and the Limelight era

• First records on Damon Wild’s Synewave imprint

• Meeting Karl O’Connor, aka Regis, and collaborating on many projects together

• Time in Birmingham: Working for Integrale Record Distribution

• The late 90s NYC scene: A time of decline

• 9/11: Shared memories and the aftermath in NYC

• Moving to Berlin in 2007

• Multi-year Berghain residency and his artistry on Ostgut Ton

• Moving to Tresor as an artist and DJ resident in the late 2010s

• Life and perspective during the Pandemic

• Sandwell District and the passing of Juan Mendez (Silent Servant) in 2024

• Thoughts on AI

 

🎙️ Host: Adam X

👤 Guest: Function

🎬 Recording & Post-Production: Patrick DSP @ https://NeptuneMastering.com / Neptune Studios

📺 Published by Sonic Groove Podcast. 100% Human.

 

🕊️ In Memory of Juan Mendez (Silent Servant) August 14, 1977 - January 18, 2024

 

🎧 Prefer audio? Listen to this episode on your podcast app:

https://sonicgroove.podbean.com/

 

#TechnoPodcast #Function #SandwellDistrict #OstgutTon #SonicGroove #AdamX #Techno #DaveSumner #NewYorkTechno #ElectronicMusic

In this latest addition to “Sonic Groove Electronic Music Podcast,” Adam X sits down with Simon Carter, aka Crystal Distortion, one of the main music makers behind the legendary illegal rave outfit Spiral Tribe. We start our discussion with Simon's entry into electronic music, his early music-making days as a member of Earth Leakage Trip on Hardcore imprints Moving Shadow and Rising High Records, and his subsequent involvement with Spiral Tribe. We then cover his collaborative projects with SP23 and R-zac, along with his solo work as Crystal Distortion.

We discuss Spiral Tribe's roaming events across England and the infamous Castle Morton rave, which had a massive impact on UK rave culture and nightlife, ultimately leading the UK government to pass the Criminal Justice Bill to stop illegal raves. The conversation then shifts to their years-long European rave tour, travelling in a caravan, throwing massive illegal raves, pressing records, and selling them directly to shops, many of which would later sell for large sums on eBay, long before rare techno vinyl became highly collectible.

The episode concludes with Simon's music-making adventures in the present.

Chapters and topics
• Simon’s introduction to house and techno music
• Early days of squatting and underground scene involvement
• Making music as Earth Leakage Trip
• Entry into Spiral Tribe and initial contributions
• Being called upon to produce early Spiral Tribe releases
• The Castlemorton rave and subsequent arrests of Spiral Tribe members
• How the event changed UK laws and the face of UK clubbing
• Simon heads to Berlin in 1992 after the Castlemorton rave
• Spiral Tribe members team up in Holland in 1993, working with Unit Moebius, and organizing events with I-F in The Hague
• Travelling through Europe in a caravan, throwing raves in the Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, and then settling in France for massive events
• Coming to America, performing for Drop Bass Network and recording for the imprint
• Selling SP23 records to support DJing and lifestyle
• The increasing value of early SP23 releases
• SP23 releases and activities in the present day

🎙️ Host: Adam X
👤 Guest: Simon Carter / Crystal Distortion
🎬 Recording & Post-Production: Patrick DSP @ https://NeptuneMastering.com / Neptune Studios
📺 Published by Sonic Groove Podcast. 100% Human.

🎧 Prefer audio? Listen to this episode on your podcast app:
https://sonicgroove.podbean.com/

#TechnoPodcast #SimonCarter #SpiralTribe #Network23 #SonicGroove #AdamX #Techno #CrystalDistortion #Rave #ElectronicMusic

In this Sonic Groove podcast, Adam X sits down with NYC techno legend Abe Duque for a fast-moving deep dive into five decades of club music, from early DJ roots to his defining 90s output and beyond.

Abe breaks down his Kirlian era, key releases on Sähkö and Disko B, and building NYC techno from the inside through Tension Records and the Limelight years. He shares stories from extensive European touring, scene politics, and the real backstory behind “The Blunt EP.”

The conversation shifts to the 2000s with the Abe Duque label, life in the studio as a producer and engineer, and his biggest crossover moment with Blake Baxter on “What Happened,” a mid-2000s anthem that remained in rotation for years. Abe also opens up about the Berlin chapter, family responsibilities, and how those shifts changed his path.

Today, he continues to shape the next generation through education and mentorship, teaching Ableton and developing new talent at 343 Labs in New York.

If you enjoyed this episode, like, subscribe, and drop a comment with your favourite Abe Duque record.

 

Chapters and topics

• Early DJ years and NYC beginnings

• Victor Calderone, Gene Lefosse, and meeting Patrick Pulsinger

• Limelight era and launching Tension Records (1993)

• Sähkö connections and Pansonic stories

• Scene politics and “The Blunt EP”

• Marriage to Sil Brokesch

• Studio work and DJ Hell’s New York Muscle

• “What Happened” with Blake Baxter and its impact

• Berlin period and family challenges

• Teaching Ableton, Dubspot, and 343 Labs

• Thoughts on the current techno scene

 

🎙️ Host: Adam X

👤 Guest: Abe Duque

🎬 Post-Production: Patrick DSP @ https://NeptuneMastering.com / Neptune Studios

📺 Published by Sonic Groove Podcast. 100% Human.

#TechnoPodcast #AbeDuque #TensionRecords #SonicGroove #AdamX #Techno #NYCTechno #ElectronicMusic

In this episode, Adam X sits down with Orphx to discuss over 30 years of their musical journey, from their early days of music-making and techno raving in Hamilton and Toronto, Canada, to their pivotal roles in the industrial, noise, and techno scenes over the past four decades. They explore key moments like their international live performances, their long-lasting friendship with Adam X, and their influence in the rise of industrial techno since 2010. The conversation also covers the current state of the scene post-pandemic, their creative process working together over the years, and their recent legendary improvised 8-hour live performance in Amsterdam with renowned artists. Dive in to hear their story and insights into the evolution of underground electronic music.

 

- The conversation begins with the meet-up of Christina Sealey and Rich Oddie, fresh out of high school, and their early days of music-making, which unfold into techno raving in Hamilton and Toronto, Canada.

 

- Connections to fellow Hamiltonian techno artists are discussed, including David Foster of Teste and Himadri, who recorded the legendary techno track “The Wipe” on Richie Hawtin’s Plus 8 / Probe label, along with Oliver Barkovich of Steel City Records.

 

- The focus then shifts to their decision to pursue the industrial and noise scene in the early 90s.

 

- The formation of Orphx in 1993, involvement in the industrial noise cassette tape culture, and their first official signed releases on Malignant and Hands in the mid-90s are explored.

 

- Moving into the 2000s, the conversation covers their musical endeavors and interests, including early international touring and the chance meeting of Adam X at Maschinenfest in Aachen, Germany, in 2008. Marking the start of a long, ongoing friendship and collaboration, with several releases on Adam's Sonic Groove imprint that helped propel them into the world of techno.

 

- The rise of industrial techno as a popular subgenre since 2010 is discussed, highlighting their notable success since then.

 

- Transitioning into the 2020s, the decline of industrial techno’s popularity post-pandemic, the current music scene, and their evolving artisty since the pandemic ended are examined.

 

- The conversation then shifts to their studio workflow, how working together as a partnership, shifting from friendship to romantic partners and back to friendship over three decades, has affected & influenced their creativity.

 

- Finally, they reflect on their legendary 8-hour improvised live performance at STOOR in Amsterdam with Speedy J, Surgeon, and Regis.

 

🎙️ Host: Adam X 

👤 Guest: Orphx

🎬 Recording & Post-Production: Patrick DSP @ https://NeptuneMastering.com / Neptune Studios

📺 Published by Sonic Groove Podcast. 100% Human.

 

#TechnoPodcast #Orphx #Hands #SonicGroove #AdamX #IndustrialTechno #CanadianTechno #EBM #TechnoLegend

In this episode, Mark Archer takes us on his journey through his illustrious career in the music industry, from his early days in Stafford, UK, where he first dipped his toes into DJing and production, to signing with Blue Chip Records with Dean Meredith and releasing music under various aliases, including as one half of Bizarre Inc. before departing from the group in 1989 to team up with Chris Peat and launch Nexus 21.

The discussion then leads into their new connection with Neil Rushton of Network Records, who arranged for them to travel to Detroit. There, Mark and Chris were invited to work in Kevin Saunderson’s studio, where they recorded music and released tracks on Kevin's KMS imprint. Mark shares how Nexus 21 quickly gained momentum in the early 90s, with new releases on the Network before eventually evolving into Altern 8 - a project that became one of the biggest forces in the early 90s UK hardcore rave explosion.

The conversation then continues into the vibrant hardcore rave era, with touring in the US and UK, working with major labels like Virgin Records, and experiencing the subsequent decline of the hardcore rave scene - his shifted focus to producing house music, forming Slo-Moshun with Danny Weaver, releasing solo music as Trackman in the mid-90s, and his collaborative affair with Shadow Child under their M.A.S.C. alias on Super Rhythm Trax in the late teens of the millennium.

 

- Mark’s early days in Stafford, UK, exploring DJing and production.

- Blue Chip Records signing with Dean Meredith; released music under various aliases, including as part of Bizarre Inc.

- Departure from Bizarre Inc in 1989 to team up with Chris Peat and launch Nexus 21.

- Connection with Neil Rushton of Network Records, leading to a trip to Detroit.

- Invitation to work in Kevin Saunderson’s studio in Detroit, leading to a release on KMS.

- Nexus 21 gained momentum in the early 90s with releases on Network and R&S.

- Evolving into Altern 8, a major force in the UK hardcore rave explosion.

- Toured in the US and UK, working with major labels like Virgin Records.

- Shifted focus to producing house music: formed Slo-Moshun with Danny Weaver.

- Released solo music as Trackman in the mid-90s.

- Collaborated with Shadow Child under the M.A.S.C. alias on Super Rhythm Trax in the late teens of the millennium.

 

🎙️ Host: Adam X 

👤 Guest: Mark Archer

🎬 Recording & Post-Production: Patrick DSP @ https://NeptuneMastering.com / Neptune Studios

📺 Published by Sonic Groove Podcast. 100% Human.

#TechnoPodcast #MarkArcher #Altern8 #Nexus21 #AdamX #ElectronicMusic #Trackman #Detroit #TechnoLegend