Mikkel Metal

Mikkel Metal creates a sound that feels like it was recorded at the bottom of a very deep, very still lake. It is electronic music that breathes with a slow, mechanical pulse, where every snare hit sounds like a pebble dropping into water and every synth chord is a distant, glowing light filtered through a thick haze. It sits in that perfect middle ground between the dancefloor and the bedroom, never quite moving fast enough to be frantic, but never so still that it disappears into the background.

What makes his work distinctive is the way he integrates his background as an indie-rock guitarist into the rigid structures of techno. You can hear the ghost of shoegaze in the way his textures shimmer and decay, but it is all controlled by a philosopher's sense of restraint. The 'clicks and cuts' aesthetic of the early 2000s is present here, but it is softened by a warm, dubby soul that prevents it from ever feeling cold or academic.

Start with 'Close Selections' to hear the definitive bridge between his melodic sensibilities and his dub-techno foundations. It is an album that rewards deep, focused listening, revealing tiny rhythmic details and hidden harmonic layers that only become apparent when the rest of the world is quiet.