5 Mag’s interview with Marco Lenzi drew out a ton of fans and admirers of Molecular Recordings, an essential label that has been providing DJs with quality techno since the mid-1990s. I don’t think Decoder was alive when DJ Bone made his label debut with one of Molecular’s early tracks, 1996’s Electronic Birth, but he’s fit in perfectly with that amazing catalog with a couple of standout records in Molecular’s recent revival period.

Following up is his second record in the label’s XX series, numbered XX 15. For people who know what the term “Midwest Techno” means and love what it sounds like, Decoder has that whole aesthetic on lock. The A1 track is sleek machine music with a bite, it’s heavy on the atmosphere and the first of several tracks driven by a tribalistic hydraulic stomp. This music is perfect if you ever find yourself dancing around, or through, a bonfire. A2 erupts at a breakneck pace with a bassline so rude it feels like it might pick a fight. Decoder’s music is raw and unornamented: it lets you see the seams. You can mentally put together how all of these parts are layered like reading a set of electronic schematics. There’s no great mystery in the raw materials — just the genius of how he manufactures them to sound so, so good.

⚪️ XX 15 Tracklisting

Decoder: XX 15 (Molecular Recordings / Digital)
1. Decoder - XX 15 A1 [MOLXX15D] (07:49)
2. Decoder - XX 15 A2 [MOLXX15D] (06:41)
3. Decoder - XX 15 B1 [MOLXX15D] (06:00)
4. Decoder - XX 15 B2 [MOLXX15D] (05:46)

⚪️ Disclosure Statement

This record was submitted as a promo.

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5 Mag Issue 211
Out January 2024

RESOLUTION: This was originally published in 5 Mag Issue #211 featuring Anané, Toribio, Black Eyes, Danny J Lewis, Beppe Loda and more. Help keep the vibe alive by becoming a member for $2/month and get every issue in your inbox right away!