When names like Luigi Tozzi, Deepbass, or Svarog appear on a tracklist, there is an implicit guarantee of quality. Their years of experience in sound design ensure a level of polish that listeners recognise before hitting play. Underrated, CTAFAD from China is, however, one of them. This year in particular, his mastery of the craft reached undeniable heights with “Fundamental Frequency” and “Soar” on his sublabel GSXS (an offshoot of his Shanshui imprint). If the originals weren’t enough, the remix edition of “Soar” is also an essential masterclass in atmospheric techno.
This consistency isn’t an accident, but rather the result of a very long evolution. Well before he was sculpting these surgical techno landscapes, he was cutting his teeth on a guitar, tearing through Beijing’s early punk scene in the late 90s. In 1999, he began his dedicated study of electronic music, later morphing into a prolific 8-bit pioneer, who used Game Boys to pump out glitchy, high-energy compositions. Many of our legends, including Donato Dozzy, Wata Igarashi, Kangding Ray, and VRIL, also shared this fascination with video game music.
In 2002, CTAFAD founded Shanshui Records, which became a cornerstone for Chinese electronic music, releasing dozens of records for other artists as well as his own. He then launched GSXS to house his more recent atmospheric techno works. In China, he has also been a score composer. Whether scoring avant-garde theatre or exploring experimental electronics under previous monikers, his work has always been defined by a refusal to stay static. By the time he relocated to Japan to launch CTAFAD, his style had matured into the deep, “ultrasonic” minimalism that is currently at the forefront of atmospheric techno. As a person, he’s very humble and elegant: a man of passion, who prepared the chart below with lots of care.
THEMATIC SELECTION
CLASSIC
Alec Empire – The Backside Of My Brain [Mille Plateaux, 1994]
CTAFAD: Gradually intensifying. Warm. Time seems to move through space. Every time I hear this track, it pulls me back to the very first time I encountered it, around the year 2000. That was when I had just begun exploring abstract and more artistic forms of electronic music, and perhaps it was this moment that shaped my personal preference for this sound. The textures are soft yet elastic, with clearly defined layers. Each element sits perfectly in relation to the others. Every part loops, interweaving into a constantly evolving forward motion.
DEEP
Marc Leclair – 236e jour [Mutek, 2004]
CTAFAD: Akufen released only one album under his real name, Marc Leclair, serving as a final statement. This track brings the entire narrative of the record to its peak. Within its brightness, steady drums and interwoven basslines establish the core rhythm. Crisp snare accents, combined with drifting synthesisers, create a rather raw form of atmosphere; quite different from approaches that rely heavily on reverb to construct space. This is precisely where the value of old-school producers lies.
MENTAL
Acronym – Yggdrasil [Semantica, 2015]
CTAFAD: Acronym’s music always feels extremely pure to me; there isn’t a single unnecessary sound. His entry point into concepts is remarkably precise. The inner momentum of Yggdrasil is incredibly powerful; within six minutes, it feels as if an entire army surges forward with unstoppable force. Behind the music lies a high level of technical mastery.
DARK
GAS – Zauberberg 2 [Mille Plateaux, 1997]
CTAFAD: GAS AKA Wolfgang Voigt consistently merges techno rhythms with a neo-classical ambient sensibility. The grainy, analogue-like textures stand out prominently. Gradually, you begin to perceive the rhythm as background, while the atmospheric elements unfold like an epic cinematic narrative. You can also trace earlier forms of the GAS concept through the “Electric Ladyland” compilation series.
EXPERIMENTAL
Acronym – Profit At The Expense Of Earth [Semantica, 2018]
CTAFAD: Experimental exploration acts like a preservative; it keeps music alive and ever-renewing. The development of new sonic textures is always central to the creative process. Acronym pushes a cold, austere aesthetic to its extreme, much like the title suggests. It also invites listeners to think beyond the music itself.
DOPE BASSLINE
Daniel Avery – A Mechanical Sky (DJ-Kicks) [!K7, 2016]
CTAFAD: This period of Daniel Avery’s work feels like a transitional phase, as if moving into deeper interiority. The sound palette turns inward, all in restraint, while melodic elements become intentionally blurred. The bassline in this track expands and contracts fluidly with the progression. Through this phase of his work, I was also introduced to much of the deep techno that was emerging at the time.
DREAMY
Voices From The Lake – Circe + S.T. (VFTL Rework) [Prologue, 2012]
CTAFAD: This track is profoundly tranquil, like walking alone through a forest. It is entirely enveloped in melody, appearing and disappearing, shifting between motion and stillness. There are no flashy effects; it essentially relies on two *core tools”: delay and reverb. This rework combines two separate pieces, and through this fusion, you can sense the duo’s strong emphasis on continuity and flow within the music.
TO START A MIX
Kid606 – Act Yr Age [Mille Plateaux, 2001]
CTAFAD: This track stands out distinctly within Kid606’s diverse discography. Metallic click-like sounds unfold gradually, while delay transforms the rhythm into something resembling droplets falling from a height. The bass is clearly processed in reverse, giving the whole piece a mysterious atmosphere.
FOR THE PEAK TIME
Neel – Visione [Spazio Disponibile, 2024]
CTAFAD: From the very beginning, the track launches into a fast-rotating rhythm and hypnotic repetition. The transitions between sections are tight and efficient. Neel demonstrates precise control over sound design. Energy is compressed into the low end, while noise and cymbals act like a fuse, ready to ignite at any moment.
BONUS – TOPIC BROUGHT BY OUR GUEST
IN DREAM
Aphex Twin – Tha [Apollo, 1992]
CTAFAD: Aphex Twin is one of the most important artists to me, especially his debut album “Selected Ambient Works 85–92“, which stands as a rare example of fully mature electronic music as art. In the second track “Tha”, faint spoken fragments, synthetic strings, and single-note tones, combined with heavy reverb, construct a warped sense of time and space. Within this dream, his music makes me feel as if machines themselves are alive and blooming.
WRITING BY: SUN DAWEI & CEDRIC FINKBEINER | 7 MAY 2026