True Techno Podcast

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The Psychology of the Reset: Juheun’s Mission for the Underground

Juheun’s trajectory is a study in creative survival. After over a decade performing as DJ Tranzit in the American house scene, he faced a choice: continue playing tracks he didn’t like to satisfy a commercial bottle-service culture, or return to the “faceless” roots that originally defined his love for electronic music. His return to techno was a reclamation of mental health and artistic clarity, a move away from the “noise” of social media influencers and toward the raw, mechanical soul of the machine.

“With so much noise these days coming at us from social media, influencers, and AI… it’s very easy to get lost and forget why we are here in the first place. It’s always been very important to stay grounded and focus on the music. Sometimes the easy way out is to follow trends, but that doesn’t do anything for you in the long run.”

This grounding is maintained through a rigid discipline system. In an industry that demands constant output, Juheun relies on a “dialled-in schedule” to prevent the burnout that comes from constant comparison. He views the studio as a laboratory where he controls electricity—converting vibrations into futuristic frequencies. Yet, he is quick to identify the trap of repetition; for Juheun, innovation isn’t just about adding new sounds, but knowing when to strip everything back to its fundamentals.

“Learning to become a good producer is knowing when to stop, and knowing when its time to shift gears or even give up on an idea. One of the best studio tips I’ve gotten is to start deleting parts and pieces when you hit a dead end. Even just muting channels and stripping it all back down to its fundamentals have done wonders.”

Juheun’s perspective on the “business layer” of the industry is equally uncompromising. He views the current ecosystem as one that has devalued the art form through over-accessibility. From over-produced events with “a million lasers” to the “AI-generated slop” infiltrating playlists, he sees a desperate need to return value to the music itself. His solution is a structural reset: raising the cost of music to force a more curated, appreciative relationship between the listener and the artist.

“We need to bring value back to music. I think its time to raise the prices on music a little. Even doubling the cost of a single song from $0.99 to $2.00 can make a huge difference… if we are not taking care of the musicians and producers who create the music, then we would be left with nothing but generic AI generated slop.”

His mix for True Techno 106 is an extension of this mindset—a pursuit of “timeless techno” that stands apart from the peak-time trends. By weaving his own unreleased live IDs, like ‘Lets Dance’, with the deep, hypnotic selections of Phil Berg and Modeselektor, Juheun provides a glimpse into a future where the music—not the brand—is the catalyst for connection. It is a reminder that once the current bubble bursts, the underground will remain, sustained by those who were there for the right reasons all along.

“Techno has always been a bit mysterious to me. Back in the day, it was a song title and an obscure name… it was really just about how hot the record was instead of the reverse. This is what makes it so special. Listen to the music first.”

Tracklist

Civil Servant – Into The Unknown (Juheun Remix)

Troy – Ishi No Medama (Original Mix)

Regent – Arcane (Original Mix)

Toobris – Tomorrow is Gone (Original Mix)

Modeselektor – Blockchain (Original Mix)

Juheun – Lets Dance (Original Mix)

Hertz, Oscar Escapa – Eternal Groove (Original Mix)

Khabiar – It Depends ON (Original Mix)

Oscar Sanchez – Selective Memory (Original Mix)

Phil Berg – Sappho (Original Mix)

Frank Biazzi – Open Your Eyes (Juheun Remix)

Kulage – Nord (Original Mix)

Simone Zino – Momentum (Original Mix)

Klint – Calibre (Original Mix)

Listen to all editions of True Techno 

True Techno FAQ

Which tracks did Juheun use in his True Techno mix?
Juheun’s mix features a blend of high-precision techno including his own remix of Civil Servant’s ‘Into The Unknown’, his unreleased live track ‘Lets Dance’, and his remix of Frank Biazzi’s ‘Open Your Eyes’. The set also incorporates tracks from Modeselektor, Phil Berg, and Oscar Sanchez.

What is Juheun’s philosophy on the current state of techno?
Juheun advocates for a return to the “faceless” roots of techno, where the music carries more weight than the brand or social media presence. He believes in bringing value back to music by potentially increasing prices for digital singles to support independent artists and curb the influence of generic, AI-generated content.

How does Juheun approach studio production and sound design?
Juheun employs a rhythm-centric, tactile approach using hardware like the Moog Sub 37. He treats synthesizers as tools to control electricity and convert it into frequencies, often stripping tracks back to their fundamentals when a creative wall is hit to maintain a raw, hypnotic sound.

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Ilona Maras – True Techno 105: Discusses Her Hive Residency and Narrative Energy

Ilona Maras anchors this edition of True Techno, showcasing the clinical technicality and raw emotional weight that have fuelled her trajectory through the underground. Based in Zürich and maintaining a residency at the influential Hive club, Maras provides an exclusive look into her creative process following her recent EP on MJA the Vision. Her sound – a sophisticated blend of Eastern melodies and raw acid textures – has earned her the backing of industry heavyweights like Richie Hawtin and positions her as a definitive voice in contemporary techno.

For Maras, the evolution from a hobbyist to a central figure in the scene was a gradual realisation of purpose. The transition occurred as she noticed her focus shifting towards the minutiae of performance and the psychological impact of the booth. “It wasn’t one big moment, more a quiet realisation that kept getting louder over time,” she reflects. “I noticed how deeply I cared about every detail, every transition, every reaction from the crowd. At some point, it became clear this wasn’t something I did for fun after work; it was how I experience the world.”

The Hive Residency: Illona Maras Technical Education

The Hive in Zürich serves as both a creative anchor and a testing ground for Maras’ output. Her residency has required her to navigate diverse time slots and floors, a process that demands an acute level of crowd empathy and technical adaptability. This experience has shaped her ability to work a room without relying on cheap tropes or forced energy.

“You can’t force energy in that space; you have to read the room and build it slowly, earn trust step by step. It taught me that sometimes less is more, and that people will go with you if you’re honest, not if you’re trying to impress them.” – Ilona Maras

This grounded approach extends to her high-pressure performances, including playing a set at Street Parade while seven months pregnant – a moment she describes as a powerful convergence of her personal life and professional commitment.

MJA the Vision and the 90s Techno Influence

Her latest work on MJA the Vision, released on 06.03.2026, leans into the contrast between tension and release. Inspired by the industrial geometry of the Prague train station, the EP captures a specific 90s techno aesthetic while maintaining the modern clarity required for big-room impact. Maras describes the production as an exercise in intuition over calculation.

“The EP is very much about contrast, tension and release, control and letting go. I got inspired while visiting Prague; I was in a room overlooking their beautiful train station, and something about that view gave me a strong 90s feeling. It made me want to recreate a bit of that 90s techno vibe in my own way.” – Ilona Maras

Honesty as a Production Standard

Since her debut on Get Physical with Existe, Maras has prioritised instinct over perfectionism. This philosophy has seen her tracks championed by Richie Hawtin and released on labels including Volta, We Are The Brave, and Filth On Acid. By refusing to “customise” music for specific labels, she has maintained a cohesive identity that bridges the gap between underground depth and peak-time function.

Her focus now shifts towards her own imprint and a commitment to innovation that ignores the saturation of the modern trend cycle. “I’d love to push even more into innovation… and to ignore the noise around me as much as possible,” she says. “Every time I manage to do that, those tracks usually work the best.”

As Ilona Maras continues her tour cycle, True Techno 105 serves as a testament to an artist who values real connection over fleeting metrics. Her sound is built for high-intensity immersion, striking the balance between visceral, dancefloor-focused energy and complex melodic progression.



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Ilona Maras True Techno 105 Tracklist

1. Ben Sims – Snapshot 99 (ANNE Remix V1) [Hardgroove]
2. Sola Contagio – Mutatio 02 (Original Mix) [Ketra Records]
3. Ktrsx – Apocryphal Orchestra (Original Mix) [SLASH]
4. Vinicius Honorio – Piano Thing (Original Mix) [Mind Medizin Records]
5. Joey Beltram – Energy Flash (Original Mix) [R&S Records]
6. dogheadsurigeri – Lead Astray (Original Mix) [SLASH]
7. Josh Wink, Size 9, Marco Faraone – I’m Ready (Marco Faraone Extended Remix) [Factory 93 Records]
8. Akona – Acid Diva (Extended Mix) [OFF Recordings]
9. Gockel – Push the Pace (Original Mix) [Special Series]
10. Ilona Maras – Midnight Talks (Original Mix) [MJA The Vision]
11. Clif Jack – Konnekting Your Mynd (Original Mix) [MJA The Vision]11.
12. Ilona Maras – Walking the Clouds (Original Mix) [MJA The Vision]
13. KI/KI – Don’t Stop (Emotional Mix) [SLASH]
14. DVS1 – Black Russian (Original Mix) [Klockworks]

Discover all True Techno episodes here

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How Simone Zino Translated Milanese Underground Grooves to Detroit’s Legendary KMS Records

Milanese producer Simone Zino is cementing his status as a heavyweight in the contemporary techno circuit this March 2026, dropping his highly anticipated Back To The Old School EP on Kevin Saunderson’s legendary KMS Records. Fresh off a Beatport #1 chart-topper with “Signals” and a massive 2025 that saw him tear through Joseph Capriati’s Metamorfosi at ADE and join the prestigious Tempo Management roster, Simone Zino is bridging the gap between his classical roots and peak-time dancefloor artillery.

For an artist with nearly two decades in the trenches – Simone Zino is cutting his teeth with a 2008 residency at Bolgia and sharing stages with titans like Len Faki, Nina Kraviz, and Chris Liebing – cracking the code to a Detroit legacy label required looking inward. Rather than adopting an artificial persona, Zino leaned heavily into the stripped-down, hypnotic tension that defines his native scene.

“Growing up in the Milan underground shaped my approach to techno a lot,” Zino explains. “Over the years I developed a language focused on groove, raw drums and a balance between energy and soul. That connection between machine-driven rhythms and human feeling is something that always fascinated me in Detroit techno. When I started refining that approach in my productions, the connection with KMS felt very natural.”

Following up a massive #1 hit can paralyze a producer, especially when the next release is stamped with the KMS logo. Yet Zino bypassed the anxiety of the sophomore slump by isolating himself from industry noise.

“Honestly I didn’t want to think too much about the pressure of following a #1 record,” he says flatly. “For me the focus was simply staying true to my sound and respecting the identity of KMS. So instead of chasing another hit, I concentrated on groove, raw energy and that classic Detroit feeling that inspired the EP.”

The Architecture of Tension

Zino’s background in piano and composition acts as a hidden skeletal structure within his current 142 BPM, floor-oriented output. He recently collaborated with fashion designer Chiara Amico, seeking to visually represent his sound through a lens of “industrial elegance” – metallic textures paired with sharp tailoring. This visual ethos mirrors his studio process perfectly.

“I like the idea of combining something raw and industrial with something elegant and precise. In the EP I tried to translate that concept into sound: metallic textures, strong drum grooves, but also clean structures and attention to detail. It’s that balance between rough energy and refined sound design.”

While the aesthetic leans industrial, the classical training still demands an outlet. Simone Zino achieves this through micro-arrangements rather than sweeping lead lines. “Even in percussive, floor-focused tracks I try to bring subtle harmonic layers in the background,” he details. “It can be small chord stabs, atmospheric pads, or tension in the arrangement – just enough to satisfy that musical side without taking away from the groove.”

Despite the “Old School” moniker of the EP, Simone Zino isn’t relying on banks of dusty analog hardware to emulate the past. He embraces a modern digital workflow to achieve his gritty textures.

“For this EP I mostly worked digitally,” he reveals. “I like taking a single sound and reworking it through sampling techniques—manipulating it, layering it, reshaping it. That’s a method I’ve been using a lot lately, and it lets me honor the old-school spirit in a fully modern workflow.”

Simon Zino: Escaping the Algorithm

As the co-founder and curator of ROOM360, Simone Zino strictly defines the parameters of his environment. There is a distinct division in his mindset when crafting a deep, hypnotic journey for his residency versus engineering a peak-time weapon. “When I produce for peak-time, I focus on energy and impact – strong drums, driving basslines, and immediate tension,” he notes. “For ROOM360, since I curate it myself, I go for a more groove-driven journey, but in general I produce mostly what I actually play – around 90% of the time.”

This commitment to authenticity insulates him from the highly curated, social-media-driven “Business Techno” circuit. His focus remains entirely on subcultural rebellion. “I always focus on the music first, not trends or clicks,” he asserts. “My sets and residency are about creating a journey, exploring underground sounds, and keeping that raw, rebellious energy alive – away from the usual social media formulas.”

That raw energy translates globally. With a return tour to India scheduled for March 2026, Simone Zino points out the stark differences in global dancefloor dynamics. “I found a very genuine approach to clubbing in India—people there are open, curious, and fully present on the dancefloor.”

As Back To The Old School prepares to hit the digital shelves, it serves as more than just another notch on a booming discography. For Zino, the project operates on two distinct levels.

“I see it as a bit of both,” Simone Zino concludes, reflecting on his dual intentions. “It’s an homage to the roots that shaped me, but also a personal statement on the energy, groove, and rawness I think techno needs to keep alive today.”

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Born in Christchurch and raised near Mannheim, DJ Cringey’s relationship with music was never passive. It was curated, designed, sequenced.

While other kids handed out sweets at birthday parties, she burned mixtapes, complete with intros, sketches, and hand-painted covers. Even then, the instinct was clear. Control the journey. Shape the mood. Tell a story.

“I learned very early on that I love curating music and building tension,” she says. “Most of my mixtapes had an intro, then they really moved through genres. Ending with something completely wild.”

Growing up near Mannheim placed DJ Cringey close to one of Europe’s most influential club ecosystems. Time Warp culture, serious dancefloors, and access to global selectors formed her education. She wasn’t there to be seen. She was there to listen. Three nights a week, sober, absorbing everything from house and gabber to drum and bass and techno. The city also offered something else. An experimental fringe where sound, design, and humor collided.

“That openness and sense of playful experimentation is also where the idea for my artist name DJ Cringey comes from,” she explains.

Berlin didn’t change her instincts. It sharpened them. Deep immersion in experimental parties around 2017 and 2018 expanded her sense of what electronic music could be. Spaces where seriousness and absurdity coexisted. Where sound functioned as ritual rather than performance. Where the floor mattered more than the persona.

Her early DJ sets reflected that freedom. House parties where genres collapsed into each other. Donk into techno. Hip-hop into rock. A mixing style that felt deliberately wrong, but worked. The nickname DJ Cringey stuck long before she ever touched professional equipment.

“That chaos can be beautiful if it’s done right,” she says. “But context matters.”

As her career professionalised, so did her approach. Today, the rule-breaking is more deliberate. Less shock, more control.

“My style is actually less cringe and more straightforward now,” she says. “Fewer drops, and if there are drops, they’re more epic and intentional.”

The philosophy remains intact. Respect the room. Read the floor. Randomness only works when it makes sense.

“You can’t be arrogant and just play crazy things for yourself,” she says. “At the end of the day, part of the job is making people feel good and connected.”

Parallel to music, DJ Cringey built a serious career in graphic design, working with electronic artists like Alignment and major German rap names including BHZ, Yung Hurn, and Ski Aggu. When she moved to Berlin in 2019, those two worlds finally collided. A challenge at a party to “prove it” behind the decks became her first booking. Borrowed gear. No safety net. Immediate clarity.

From there, momentum came fast. Festivals. A signing with Hyperdreams. In 2025, a move onto Teletech’s roster. Her sets, whether in clubs or on massive stages, maintain a clear through-line. Narrative first. Energy second. Ego last.

“Storytelling is extremely important to me,” she says. “I usually start slow, build towards a peak, and at the end there’s often something cute, funny, or unexpected.”

That balance becomes even more visible in Hard Candy, her duo with best friend TOXIMAMI. Where solo sets are focused and serious, Hard Candy is playful and chaotic.

“It’s pure joy on stage,” she says. “Funny, wild, bouncy.”

Her debut mixtape Cringey Core, released last year, captured another side entirely. Produced during an emotionally intense period, the nine tracks functioned as self-interrogation as much as club material. Collaborations with Fanny, DJ Kirby, Sky Leon, and Polizei anchored a sound that was raw rather than polished, honest rather than performative.

Her latest release under Hard Candy with Odymel, featuring her own vocals on ‘Fitness’, hinted at where things are heading next. In 2026, that direction becomes explicit. Don’t Date Rappers is a long-gestating project designed to bridge electronic music and rap, using real collaboration rather than surface-level crossover.

“Instead of using Splice vocals, I want to work with people who can really write, sing, and rap,” she says. “Electronic producers and rappers who are masters of their craft.”

It is less about genre fusion and more about infrastructure. Connecting worlds that exist side by side but rarely speak. Curated with the same instinct that once shaped childhood mixtapes.

On massive stages, that underground spine remains intact. Adaptation is practical, not ideological. The goal is still to lead people somewhere unfamiliar without forcing it.

“I love it when I can sneak in tracks people don’t expect and guide them there emotionally,” she says. “When people say it felt like a journey, then I know it worked.”

Once shy, hiding behind pitched vocals, DJ Cringey now stands firmly inside her own voice. Fearless, genre-fluid, and deliberately unconcerned with rules for their own sake. The same kid who painted mixtape covers is still present. Only now the canvas is global, the system louder, and the story sharper.

Check out all True Techno editions here

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Lola Kay’s relationship with music was never passive. It was lived, absorbed, and embodied long before she ever stood behind a booth.

Growing up in Minsk, Belarus, Lola Kay‘s childhood unfolded inside theatres rather than classrooms, shaped by the backstage corridors where her mother worked and where atmosphere, tension, and emotion were constructed night after night. Drama, sound, and silence all had purpose. At the same time, she was already dancing, learning intuitively how rhythm moves the body and how music alters mood. That early immersion taught her something foundational: music is not decoration, it is architecture

As a child, Lola Kay was introspective and self-directed, spending long stretches alone with records and artwork. Electronic music arrived early, not through trends but through curiosity. Digging became instinctive. The raw energy and strange aggression of The Prodigy left a lasting imprint, a first encounter with electronic music that felt unruly, physical, and alive. It was less about genre and more about sensation, something she would later return to again and again.

Dance became her first profession, and with it came a deep study of musical cultures. Classical, jazz, swing, and the lineage of artists like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong were not abstract references but living histories she felt through movement. Each dance style demanded immersion into its cultural context, its era, its emotional code. Music was never separated from place, time, or identity. That obsession with understanding where sound comes from still underpins her approach today, whether she is producing or layering four decks into a single evolving narrative.

Her DJ sets are built with the body in mind. Groove dictates structure. Energy dictates pacing. Tracks are not standalone moments but emotional blocks that create tension, release, and continuity. Theatre remains present in her work, not as spectacle, but as cohesion. One atmosphere runs through the entire set, a full-circle arc where nothing is accidental and nothing is wasted.

Leaving Belarus was never romantic. Growing up in a post-Soviet environment as a free-spirited, open-minded young woman came with friction and constraint. Escape was not a desire but a necessity. Barcelona became her exit point almost by chance, following visits that revealed a city driven by openness and rhythm, and an unexpected opportunity to open a dance school. The city gave her space to exist, to experiment, and to begin carving out an artistic identity on her own terms

Community became central to her rise. Collectives were not branding exercises but survival structures. House of (S)PUNK, founded by Perrine aka La Fraîcheur, was pivotal. It was the first time someone truly believed in her as a producer and pushed her to release music. That belief translated directly into action, resulting in her debut EP and a clearer sense of artistic direction. Alongside this, her involvement with YO-YO allowed her to exist unapologetically as a queer artist, prioritising FLINTA lineups, safety, and genuine community over industry optics.

Stylistically, Lola Kay resists rigid definitions. Mental techno, hardgroove, Detroit, and 90s and 2000s references appear not because they are fashionable but because they carry the emotional weight she is searching for. Her mixing is architectural, using multiple decks to layer texture, rhythm, and atmosphere into something hypnotic and primal. Berlin looms large in this evolution. It was the first place where techno fully made sense to her, where intuition aligned with sound. The city did not teach her what to like, it confirmed what she already felt

Her influences extend beyond records to the people who sustain the culture. Artists like DVS1, Luke Slater, and Efdemin matter not only for their sound but for their commitment to the scene. DJs such as Steffi, Lady Machine, Paula Koski, Bashkka, Philippa Pacho, and Isabel Soto continue to shape her understanding of what it means to give back while pushing forward.

Visualisation is central to her process. Before a set, before a recording, she imagines the space, the crowd, the emotional temperature of the room. A single mood is chosen and followed with discipline. This is why her mixes feel transportive rather than scattered. They are designed to take the listener somewhere specific, even if that destination remains undefined. The venue matters. So does the city, the weather, the time slot, and her own internal state that day. Final playlists often come together hours before she plays, once the environment has been fully absorbed.

Production remains deliberately minimal. A laptop, mobility, freedom. While she dreams of one day building a professional studio, she values the ability to create anywhere, guided more by emotion than equipment. That emotional clarity became especially pronounced on Run Lola Run, a turning point EP inspired by the iconic German film but rooted in self-encouragement. It marked the moment she stopped searching and started moving decisively toward the sound she wanted to represent. Once the direction was clear, momentum followed

Inclusivity is not a slogan in her work, it is lived experience. As a queer woman navigating a male-dominated industry, she encountered enough resistance to harden her resolve. Those experiences forced independence and confidence, but they also reinforced the importance of support systems. She is acutely aware that belief from others made her career possible, and she sees giving back as a responsibility, particularly to voices that are still marginalised within electronic music.

Her advice to emerging artists is uncompromising. Learn the roots. Know the history. Techno and house were born in queer spaces, and their raw energy still carries that lineage. To ignore that context is to hollow out the music itself. Preservation and education are part of the work, not distractions from it.

At its core, Lola Kay’s vision of the dancefloor is almost spiritual. She wants people to meet themselves there, stripped of self-consciousness, free, seen, and connected. In her ideal room, the crowd breathes as one organism, phones down, conversation gone, replaced by ritual and shared emotion. It is not spectacle. It is communion.

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