It’s unusual for us to open an artist’s portrait with a release, but this recent one was the moment Arsène Martinet became important to us:
In this release on FACE Æ, the quiet mysticism, the sacred pulse of the drums and the meticulously crafted world of sound totally transported us: it’s alive, immersive, it shares secrets only the soul can hear. It left a permanent imprint on us.
Hailing from France, Arsène Martinet has, in fact, always been involved in making music, since a young age. His journey led him through diverse genres before a transformative experience revealed his true calling: the hypnotic, psychedelic depths of techno. To celebrate this moment, our French shaman made another impressive release simply called “Calling“. It shows that his music carries a strong sense of storytelling, thinking also of his tribute mix to Seoul’s emblematic club vurt, capturing the venue’s unmistakable aura. Quickly, he joined the Aedi family, founded by Hypnus’ wizard, Michel Iseneld, accompanied by his Patreon community. Hidolas and Martinet became important figures of the label, which eventually led the latter to produce an incredible Memoir set, earlier this year.
In addition to being a DJ and producer, Martinet is also a skilled sound engineer, which explains the quality of the sound design, as well as his releases of top-tier tribal sample packs.
On his SoundCloud channel, he generously shares many tracks from his favourite artists: the passion for the music obviously runs in his veins, and we’re thrilled that he’s joined our chart series, with a selection as deep and tribal as you could hope for…
THEMATIC SELECTION
CLASSIC
Caimano Tribe – Snake Charmers [Hypnus Records, 2019]
Arsène Martinet: “Snake Charmers” is one of those tracks that, to me, embody everything deep techno stands for. A round, deep, and steady kick beautifully drives the laid-out percussion, while a slow and interesting progression, with top-notch sound design, brings an enchanting vibe.
DEEP
Hidolas – Inner Tunnel [Polën, 2025]
Arsène Martinet: The mark of an incredible artist, to me, is how he or she is able to communicate emotion through his medium. Take the time to give your full attention to this one, and I hope that, like me, you will feel the weight and power of this incredible piece of music. Thanks, Hidolas, I genuinely shed tears every time I listen to it, and I love it.
MENTAL
OPL & Worg – Retina [Lowless, 2021]
Arsène Martinet: In “Retina”, there is a droning presence created by the intricate patterns, which evolves at so many different levels. No matter where and how I listen to this track, it always gently creeps on me and makes me drift away.
DARK
Toki Fuko – Black Hole [Affin, 2022]
Arsène Martinet: I’m obsessed with Toki Fuko’s music since I first got into deep techno. “Narration”, the EP featuring “Black Hole”, was actually the first vinyl I ever bought, before I even heared it in full. I still remember the moment I switched to Side B: I was completely blown away, as if drawn into a “black hole” within myself.
EXPERIMENTAL
IB13 – The One That Is Many [Aedi Records, 2025]
Arsène Martinet: From fellow Aedi member IB13, this mesmerising composition features some of the best textured works I’ve heard so far. This track puts your mind and body into a state of limbo, giving you space for deep reflection.
DOPE BASSLINE
Korridor – Dyson Sphere [Hypnus Records, 2014]
Arsène Martinet: “Dyson Sphere” is a prime example of why Korridor is so talented. To me, this is the perfect symbiosis between a simple yet unusual structure and the complexity of sound design and rhythm.
DREAMY
Toki Fuko – Being Yourself [Lowless, 2021]
Arsène Martinet: The “Human Design” record is just a pearl and is one of those releases I’ve just been listening to all the time since I discovered it. It was hard to pick only one track out of it, so I chose the longest one, because I wish that this beautiful, spiritual and sonic journey would last forever.
TO START A MIX
Okgwa – Joseon Needle 조선바늘 [Self-released, 2020]
Arsène Martinet: To me, Okgwa is one of the most intriguing producers to have emerged recently. This beautiful, storytelling-driven collaboration with Tornadoe is, to me, a perfect opener for a mix. The ambiences, textures, effects, and tension draw you in completely and let you wonder what is coming next; this is everything I love in an introduction.
FOR THE PEAK TIME
Formant Value – Rota [Lowless, 2023]
Arsène Martinet: Here, Formant Value delivers one of the biggest “I can’t stop my head from convulsing” tracks. The groove is just pure insanity, while having some of the cleanest and most controlled mixing I’ve ever heard. Every single element fits so well into this masterful concoction, full of questions and answers between all the different rhythmical layers.
BONUS – TOPIC BROUGHT BY OUR GUEST
INSPIRATION
Huun Huur Tu – Ekki Attar [World Village , 2010]
Arsène Martinet: Sonically-wise, in a genre as rich as deep techno, I think drawing from diverse inspirations is essential to crafting something unique. One of my personal touchstones is the legendary throat-singing Band Huun Huur Tu. I hope this will bring you as much joy as I get when listening to them. I highly recommend listening to the whole album.
WRITING BY: ARSÈNE MARTINET & CEDRIC FINKBEINER | 13 NOVEMBER 2025