Jenna Shaw is an Austin, TX based dj who focuses on techno’s hard, acid, and industrial side. Jenna persists to introduce harder, darker sounds to the local music scene in hopes of continuing exposure to the hard techno realm. Read more
Chloe Lula, a San Francisco-born artist who now resides in Berlin, is a multifaceted talent who works as a music journalist, DJ, and producer. Read more
Today is a big day within the electronic music scene, it’s the celebratory day for the beloved Roland 303 synthesizer! This famous synth has made its way into so many great tracks since its birth in 1981 that it’s almost impossible to say you have not heard some variation of the 303’s unique sound.Ā Whether you are into electro acid breaks, acid house or hard acid style techno we invite you to join us as we dive into the nuts and bolts of the renowned 303 as it continues to bless our ears.
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The Orange County based DJ/ Producer, founder of Acid Techno Cult, iambombsqvad brings high energy to the dance floor with this new mix.
Welcome class, get ready to dive straight into another techno sub-genre lesson with 6AM. On today’s slate, weāre going to learn about the wonderful world of acid. No, weāre not talking about the type of acid that will burn a hole through your wall, nor the type that will burn a hole through your brain and make you talk to aliens. Weāre talking about that 303, that screeching synthesizer, that classic, iconic sound that just screams, āRave!ā So put down the blotter paper and pull up a speaker as we take a look into one of the most quintessential sub-genres of techno, acid. Read more
Mary Droppinz has been catching the eye of labels all over. That’s no surprise to those that know her. She lives by a simple truth: music is an out-of-body experience. The artistās fascination with rhythm began when growing up in her native Omaha, Nebraska as a result of her fatherās seasoned skills as a drummer. She quickly started on the piano and carried that musical influence all the way to her current home of Los Angeles.
The artist recently teamed up with vocalist, Rowa, for a blistering breaks track “HOT PANTS”. The track is fused with acid and electro sprinkles for the ultimate escape into sound forthcoming on Insomniac Discovery. With upcoming bookings at Dirtybird CampINN, Lucidity Festival, a headline show at the Monarch in San Francisco, a continued residency at Discopussy in Las Vegas and more, Mary Droppinz is on direct course for the moon! The artist now shares more about her upcoming single and stellar ascendancy within the electronic and digital music universe.
Hey Mary! Welcome to 6AM, howās this year and Los Angeles treating you so far?
Stoked to be here! This year has been going good so far, letting the creative juices flow while balancing with some self care.Ā
What first got you hooked on electronic music, and when did you know you wanted to pursue it as a career?
When I saw Steve Aoki play in Cancun and went to Coachella in 2013, I thought the energy was so epic, Iād really been missing something like this in my life is what I thought! I decided to pursue it as a career in 2015 while watching a woman DJ for the first time and realizing it is possible. Being from Nebraska I hadnāt been exposed to dance music culture so moving out to California really expanded my mind. I listened to emo music and my dad’s favorite oldies at home.Ā
How would you describe your mixing style?
Unconventional, ambitious, and energy boosting.
As technology becomes more advanced, I think itās important to remember that in person connection is what keeps our species alive.
That’s what it’s all about, music is about bringing people together
Tell us more about your Twitch channel. What do you think is the biggest difference when you perform in person vs. when you perform online?
Playing on Twitch was the best thing I could have done when the pandemic hit, it gave me an outlet and also connected me to a supportive community that loves my music. Itās a really cool experience performing online, I highly suggest at least trying it, you never know who you can impact with your music and vibe. The difference is when Iām on twitch Iām engaging, sharing more about the songs I play and my life on the mic. When Iām performing in person, itās all about sharing myself through music and dance only. Nothing beats the real thing. As technology becomes more advanced, I think itās important to remember that in person connection is what keeps our species alive.
Whatās your most memorable show to date?
Thatās so tough, every show has a special memory. Most recently Iād say Desert Hearts New Years Day Rave in San Diego!Ā
Whatās the inspiration behind your forthcoming single, āHOT PANTSā?
I wanted to give tribute to the OG breakbeat pattern that I used called āHot Pantsā. I want to put breaks back on the map, especially from a womanās perspective here in America. I was also inspired by the operative vocals in Papua New Guinea by the Future Sound of London and I felt that my girl Rowa could nail it perfectly in her own unique way like she did. If you know me you know I love my 303 so of course there was going to be acid in there. Ultimately, I wanted to approach this track with a techno edge highlighting breaks as my percussion. All of it combined really created this heavy hypnotic spiritual experience, which is what music is for me.
I refuse to be boxed in as an artist.
Don’t expect the same thing from Mary Droppinz, she serves heat wherever she goes and whatever she plays.
Whatāre you looking forward to most in the future?
Iām looking forward to DJing more festivals and embedding myself into the culture on a deeper level. Also to collaborate with artists around the world and see what beautiful music we can make together.Ā
Anything else youād like to share?Ā
Iād just like to say stay locked. I’ve got more music coming out in the next few months that are genre bending but all still have my energy. I refuse to be boxed in as an artist so you can always expect something fun, fresh and different at my shows that are based off my feelings or curation for that particular party.
Since the dawn of the first āuntz,ā there has been an ongoing battle within the world of dance music about techno as a genre. In the ā90s, the term was often used as a mislabel for all dance music. Today, the debate continues on what it is, and people have created other terms for it such as ābusiness techno.ā However, most can agree techno is characterized by the use of a 4/4 synthesized kick drum (the āunā in the āuntzā), repetitive beats using various percussions, and heavy use of synthesizers. Now beyond that, is where things get tricky and you go into the wonderful world of subgenres. Don’t know where to start? Here are six sub-genres (plus tracks) to help you venture down the techno rabbit hole.
The rising German techno star, Patrick Scuro, is back on his own label Animarum Recordings together with the Californian techno queen Marie Vaunt. After the success of their last collaboration, “The Ritual,” the pair have produced a new single called “Creatures on Acid.” It is a mixture of a massive kick, driving arpeggio melodies from Scuro, and great acid and vocals from Vaunt.
