Well-known in our community, Clarence Rise from France represents all that we love in the scene. Particularly humble and honest, he stands out as one of the most gentle individuals we have encountered, in the vein of other pure souls such as Claudio PRC and Van Morph. In the French language, we have a perfect expression to describe him: “C’est une crème”, which, when translated into English, would convey a similar meaning as “He’s a real gem”.
His radiant aura shines through before anything else, which is why we mention it at first. Yet when turning to the artistic realm, we can affirm loud and clear that his unwavering passion for music is evident. It exults in the creative field, through strange cosmic machines that he endlessly plays with, and listening-wise, by devoting most of his time to exploring and supporting music. From such deep dedication came a great bag of releases since 2014. They crafted an honourable collection that lurks on the dark side of the force and aligns with his favourite sources of inspiration: the dystopian cinema, the new wave from the 80s-90s and the hypnotic techno aesthetic.
Such references make his productions particularly interesting as you can imagine, and if you don’t know him, we leave you with no other choice but to explore his whole discography, full of personality. In particular, we recommend that you start digging from Dysfunction EP on Chez Kito Kat, which, for us, marked his debut as an accomplished producer. If you are also in for a mix, we suggest trying his Dark Underground mix, for its deep storytelling and impeccable game of tension.
With a university background, Clarence Rise is also brilliant in conversations, as part of his natural elegance, while showing a certain punk side that you may notice in some of his choices below…
THEMATIC SELECTION
CLASSIC
Claudio PRC – Echoes [Prologue, 2012]
Clarence Rise: More than a classic, this is the track that forever drew me into the vortex of deep and hypnotic techno. All the ingredients are reunited for a one-way trip into this style where addictive pads, round and precise kicks and dark basslines come together. The piece’s long introduction is like being taken by the hand through the mirror. Everything about this track is perfect: the progression, the balance of elements, and the ambience that lets the imagination wander into a multitude of oneiric spaces.
DEEP
Neel & natural/electronic.system – Percussiva [Tikita, 2018]
Clarence Rise: I love the entire discographies of these two projects. Behind them stand exemplary artists and worthy representatives of the hypnotic techno scene. Yet this track released on the Moroccan label is a raw diamond like no other. Ultra-repetitive, shamanic, even incantatory, I’ve rarely heard a piece that anchors us so deeply to the ground, making us one with the earth. So, ultimately, I want more!
MENTAL
SHXCXCHCXSH – NMHNMHNMNMH [HEM, 2012]
Clarence Rise: Shortly after discovering the Prologue label and Claudio PRC’s album “Inner State“, I’ve got another slap in the face with this unpronounceable name. I’ve been keeping a close eye on every release from the Swedish duo for more than a decade. It was this track that drove me to dig even deeper into this style, in search of far more tortured and darker aspects (I could very well have put it in the next category) and above all, extremely hypnotic and mental. Serious challengers such as Shifted and Sigha’s 2012-2013 work came next.
DARK
OAKE – Tiharire [47, 2019]
Clarence Rise: I hesitated with the more dance-able track “Telane” from the same EP, released on Tommy Four Seven’s British label. Yet “Tiharire” is one of the most intense musical exhilarations I’ve experienced this decade. There is so much coldness, sly and desperate shadows within the same work. You cannot come away from listening to this track without being affected. It perfectly illustrates my adoration for “desperate music”.
EXPERIMENTAL
Emptyset – Point [Subtext, 2011]
Clarence Rise: In my opinion, all Emptyset tracks could have been included in this category, as they all play a central role in sonic experimentation. Master of sound design and torturer of machines, the Bristol-based duo opened the doors to other spheres of electronic music, taking me by the hand into the darkness, which I am very grateful for! I chose “Point”, released on their second album, for being perhaps one of their most accessible tracks.
DOPE BASSLINE
Singular Anomalies – Hartle Hawking [Evod Music, 2023]
Clarence Rise: It is very difficult for me to fill this category and choose THE best bassline: should I focus only on music where the bass plays a dominant role and can characterise the track by itself, or should I consider the impact of the whole low-end presence? In all cases, I finally picked a recent work, unlike the rest of the chart. “Hartle Hawking”, from Singular Anomalies, mixes everything I could want from a bassline: the hypnotic repetition, the slight modulations on the filtering, and a presence capable of making the heart jump out of the chest on a big sound system!
DREAMY
Daniel Avery – Endless Hours [Phantasy Sound, 2021]
Clarence Rise: Here is a track that could have also easily been included in the last category of this chart, as I frequently concluded my sets with this exceptional piece, leaving the audience in its final elevation. This is the perfect tune for the body to unwind, for the eyes to shut, and for the mind to travel indefinitely. Daniel Avery proved one more time how virtuous he is in making the soul vibrate.
TO START A MIX
Simone Giudice – Pace [Semantica, 2022]
Clarence Rise: Starting all my sets with an ambient part is my way to showcase my genuine love for the electronic music genre.So it’s difficult to just pick one piece. I could have named a large number of tracks produced by Warmth, or works from Maria W Horn, but I will honour the Italian scene with Simone Giudice. More than a great ambient producer, with sublime albums on Affin and Semantica, he’s for me “an artisan of contemplation.” “Pace”, in particular, is perfect to start a mix, combining the beauty of atmospheres with a very heavy progressive kick, announcing fury.
FOR THE PEAK TIME
Kangding Ray – Doppler Shift [Figure, 2021]
Clarence Rise: I can’t make a chart without mentioning a Kangding Ray track at least once. The fusion of hypnotic techno’s dancefloor-oriented elements with sound design techniques influenced by Doppler effects (hence the name) is simply fantastic. The meticulous attention to detail and top-notch production quality result in bringing the listener close to a trance-like state: I can personally testify to it…
BONUS – TOPIC BROUGHT BY OUR GUEST
TO END A MIX
BLNDR – Les Fantômes De La Côte (Acronym’s Horizontal Dancefloor Mix) [Intervision, 2018]
Clarence Rise: I originally nominated this track in the “Dope Bassline” category, but it’s not for this unique feature that it gets all its credit. This Acronym remix is an ode to travel, starting from reading the name. A poetic aspect oozes from every pore of this track. Now six years old, it still drives me crazy every time I play it. The intertwining of pads, leads and that paradoxically punchy bass, provoke a range of emotions that is rare in the business!
WRITING BY: LUCAS RELDNAM & CEDRIC FINKBEINER | 1ST MAY 2024
