- A record ten hours from the powerhouse duo sweeping techno, Chlär and Alarico.
- Here it is: after eight uncontested years, the RA Podcast has a new PB. Clocking in at over an hour longer than the previous holder, RA.530—no small feat, given that back-to-back ran for nearly nine hours itself—is RA.960, a set so herculean we had to absorb it in multiple sittings. At the helm are two of the sharpest DJs in the field, Chlär and Alarico, AKA Funk Assault.
Both commanding performers in their own right, sparks fly when the Swiss-Italian duo combine. The buzz surrounding their productions and label Primal Instinct is at fever pitch, and short wonder: when it comes to gritty, high-impact sets that barrel through multiple shades of techno, few are in their league right now. Fittingly, their RA Podcast was laid down at Watergate this March during one of Funk Assault's signature marathons (they'll do one more before the legendary club shuts, projected this time to break the 12 hour mark).
It's always an interesting phenomenon, voyeuristic almost, to take in a start-to-close set without dance floor bustle, hot flashes and—location dependent—cig smoke puncturing stale air. (If you're able to stand in the same place for ten hours straight, frankly, good job.) The pair ramp up incrementally, ripping through records with tenacity and verve, and the odd overeager flub only emphasises how much the place must have been rocking. We're informed that ID'ing the recording would probably take longer than playing it, which is fair enough, so no tracklist; fill in the blanks at your leisure.
As well as 150+ BPM stompers and extended groove wormholes, there's disco licks, zappy electro, '90s tribal, bassbin rattlers, runway-friendly ballroom, "Percolator" (it's always time) and, in something of a Funk Assault calling card, Faster Horses' edit of Kerri Chandler's "You Are In My System" galloping through the mix to set up a barnstorming finalé. As an encapsulation of a night out's full arc, RA.960 does the business—and best of all, you won't even need a trip to the bar for water. The gauntlet has been well and truly thrown down.
One year on from Minimum One Post A Week, how has life changed?
Firstly, the support we received for both the release and the label has been completely overwhelming. The demand for the project and our career grew exponentially, although we met a few bumps on the road. One of them being the misinterpretation of our sound. Because the song "That's The Funk Assault" became so popular, some started associating us with the hardgroove sound, which we clearly don’t identify with. Our sound is more stripped down and sound design oriented but it constantly evolves and we feel blessed that our latest ten-track album on Primal Instinct also met great support. It is a rarity to have such an open-minded community.
How would you say your relations with legacy techno artists are? Are there any who you've forged close relationships with, and if so, how have they influenced you?
We actually have not connected with old legends that much. Although many have been a big inspiration for us musically, we have found quite a few to be rather unapproachable. Fortunately, people like The Advent or Freddy K are the complete opposite of that. Not only have they pioneered with their sound or musical curation, but they also stayed curious and always kept an interest in the new generations and sound. We feel that learning from discussing, playing together and collaborating are priceless and much needed values in the scene!
How do you feel about the state of modern techno? Do you think it's in good shape? Is there anything lacking?
Aah, the tricky question! Honestly, despite what some say, the scene has never been in such a great shape. Yes, the scene can feel commercial anywhere you look, and yes, as part of the sound became global, a "one size fits all" approach took hold. There is indeed more noise nowadays, but the core of the scene values still exist—they even strengthen.
Regarding quality and authenticity, the challenge also resides in relationships. Probably the best way to fight commercialisation is to create a bridge between the old and new generations. Many purists hate on the scene from a distance, but how do you expect to effect change and spread the "right" values if you are not willing to engage with it? It is difficult to properly address these topics in a brief interview, but challenges can always be overcome.
If you know where to look, you will find an unprecedented amount of artists in their early 20s putting out groundbreaking music. It is crucial for the sake of modern techno to support and spread such sound, to set higher standards in terms of quality and break the gatekeeping practices of others.