Published by Alessandro Violante on May 4, 2023
We’re in Rome, the city where the first Italian rave parties were held. In the meanwhile, years have passed and music has changed, but Rome is still considered a stronghold of the Italian rave culture.
That’s also where Key Clef was born. This deejay and producer active in Berlin started releasing music ten years ago with labels such as Love Blast, Trick Track Records, Delirio and, above all, with their label Ipnotica Erotica Rec., which first release dates back to 2019.
Their latest release, Ipnotica Erotica, was released on 29th March, and in its three songs, their rave parties background is clearly perceivable. In particular, there are two key elements here: on the one hand, the acid sounds influence and the use of old school sounds, especially of those iconic Roland gear sounds; on the other hand, the improvisation element, recalling both live performances and rave parties.
If the opener Ipnotica Erotica has clearly defined structures and patterns, Soffocare and, in particular, Esoteric Floor express at its best the concept of improvisation, chance and constant mutation applied to music, which is also typical of rave parties. What’s important here is evoking an experience.
In the past, the artist experimented a lot with an hybrid of techno and electro, a thing that can only be appreciated. Here, we find a powerful and a more essential sound conceived for dancefloors and for live performances.
Besides their releases and their dj sets, during the pandemic, the artist started ACXS, a community of artists producing and selling sample packs made using instruments provided by partnerships with professional audio gear brands. Besides Key Clef, this group includes artists such as Alessandro Adriani, Silent Servant, Neel, The Lady Machine, Marco Shuttle and many more.
That of Key Clef is a release suggested for the lovers of old school techno but also a good starting point to discover the career of this interesting artist.
Label: Ipnotica Erotica Rec
Rating: 7