Following on from the creation of his Heldeep and OH2 labels, Oliver Heldens announces this week that he is launching a third label for his HI-LO output and cutting-edge techno from other artists. The name of the label is HILOMATIK, and it launches today with a release from the main man himself: ‘PURA VIDA’.
“A key point is that the label is focused on the more ‘musical’ side of techno” he says. “So while it’s mainly focused on techno, the music crosses boundaries with other genres as well. It’s a more ‘hybrid’ type of techno, what HI-LO already is. My number one goal with the label is to bring the melodic techno world and the more driving peak time techno world closer together. But on the other hand also mixing techno with house music, so the music can be quite intense but still incorporate melodic elements and some groove.” A few lucky fans already had a sneak preview of the label’s sound during ADE at Oliver’s Melkweg show where the second room was branded under the name of the new label.
A rip-roaring debut for the label, ‘PURA VIDA’ is full of strong melody and groove and hits hard. Taut metallic percussion sets the tone and lays down a tribal groove in the intro, before a deliciously slinky synth arpeggio bores its way into contention, ascending and descending mesmerically as the reverb level increases. We build; we drop; we receive thunderous sub-heavy kick drums once again. A haunting, dramatic breakdown lays on mischievous chimes and operatic vox before the kraken is unleashed once again after a tense pause. The arrangement is uncluttered, with no need for the kitchen sink to be thrown in when the lead riff is this addictive. The track has already been supported and played out live by artists like Solomun, Adam Beyer, Joris Voorn, Pan-Pot, Ida Engberg, Layton Giordani, Bart Skils, Wehbba, Ramiro Lopez, Tiesto, and Armin van Buuren.
But there’s more still in the form of the second track ‘TORNADO’, which will be released in just a week on February 3. ‘TORNADO’ takes a shuffling groove and old skool rave stabs and grinds them up against each other in a hard machine-funk style. Womps of dark texture pulse menacingly as the kick hammer away and the bass throbs, with a brooding breakdown taking us into darker, more twisted territory still.
Watch this space for further HILOMATIK releases from HI-LO and the cream of the techno world.
