Daniel Avery drops aphotic DJ-Kicks mix

Daniel Avery’s 2013 record, Drone Logic, is largely responsible for turning me into a dancer of deep, dark rooms. I had no idea that techno music could be so rich and colorful – and indefatigably so. Drone Logic, which arrived via Erol Alkan’s storied Phantasy label, just keeps going and going, evolving in deft gradations and with marked subtlety.

The release garnered Avery both renown and creative license, and today he’s added an entry to the famed DJ-Kicks mix series. Relative to Drone Logic, Avery’s mix is downright aphotic. It begins cast in darkness and continues in various shades of that darkness. Over 78 minutes, the producer seamlessly weaves together tracks and mixes from a cadre of underground techno’s most talented artists, including a brand new track of his own called “Space Echo”—hopefully a preface to much more Daniel Avery music.

A mix like this is best experienced in those aforementioned deep, dark rooms, but Avery does an exceptional job recreating the effects for your at-home listening enjoyment, too. He’s very cognizant of the effort required to embody that atmosphere:

“Electronic music is unique in that, whilst it has an immediate effect on the body, the culture surrounding it has the ability to run deep into your life. Whenever I’m in a club, I want to give myself up to music. This is the very thing that excites me the most. Witnessing a DJ create an atmosphere in a room from the ground up takes patience and effort from everyone present but when the pivotal moments hit, your watch stops ticking.” – Daniel Avery

Avery is dropping by the US for a couple shows next weekend: Friday 11/18 at Lot 613 in LA and then Saturday 11/19 at the Good Room in Brooklyn. If you’re able, check him out – there are plenty of pivotal moments, and your watch will stop ticking. Full track list below:

Daniel Avery – DJ-Kicks