DJ Morgan | True Techno 102

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© 2025 True Underground. All rights reserved. DJ MORGAN, PRODUCER AND FOUNDER OF HARDNRG.COM – ONE OF THE FIRST MAJOR ONLINE PLATFORMS TO PROMOTE HARD HOUSE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, SHOWCASING EXCLUSIVE SETS FROM LEADING ARTISTS AROUND THE GLOBE. His own productions and DJ mixes blew up his international profile, seeing him tour extensively and earn a reputation as a highly influential figure in the early US hard dance movement. “When I went to my first rave, it all came together – a scene developing before my eyes, opening me up to entirely new ways of thinking about music,” he recalls. The 1990s US dance scene was raw, experimental, and fiercely inclusive. “Everyone was welcome. Positive vibes came in, and out went the punk rock and industrial angst,” says DJ Morgan [https://soundcloud.com/djmorgan303]. While Europe evolved into a vast festival culture, America’s underground stayed stripped-back and communal. “Out of a thousand records, you might find twenty or so dedicated to harder styles,” he remembers. The arrival of early internet record hubs like Juno Records and Banging Tunes finally gave him access to the European records that would later inspire his mission. In 1999, DJ Morgan launched HardNRG.com [https://hardnrg.com/], one of the world’s first free online mix platforms – years ahead of SoundCloud or Mixcloud. “The goal was simple: get mixes from the best artists across Europe to ravers for free, and help spread the music across America.” The site became a global hub for hard house mixes. It featured some of the era’s biggest names, including Andy Farley, Anne Savage, BK, Captain Tinrib, Dynamic Intervention, Lisa Lashes, Karim, Lisa Pin-Up, Nick Sentience, Rodi Style, and Superfast Oz. Building on that success, DJ Morgan co-founded Lotek Records, releasing tracks from Defective Audio, Dynamic Intervention, Pranksterz, Rubec, Chris C, and Madam Zu while producing his own material for Lotek and releases on Kaktai & DIP Records, including No Law, Unknown Technique, and Severe Trauma, rooted in harder-edged trance and NRG. DJ Morgan helped pave the way for the early hard dance scene in San Francisco. “We started a club night and threw several underground parties while helping others in the scene put on events,” he explains. “Many of our DJs went on to play across North America and internationally. I had a great run of it myself, playing regularly across the US and Canada, and as far as the UK, Finland, Japan, and Australia.” In parallel, he built a career in the video game industry, working with Activision, Sega, EA, and Blizzard on projects for major franchises including Command & Conquer and Warcraft. “My background in music allowed me to immediately speak with audio designers and engineers to hit the ground running,” he says. Now based in Thailand, Morgan has returned to DJing with a renewed focus, performing across Techno, Hard Techno, Hard Trance, and Psy-Trance. [https://www.trueunderground.one/techno-podcast-archive/] “I play what I like, rather than chasing what is popular. This way, I’m playing the music I love and am excited to share with everyone.” With upcoming gigs in Bangkok, before heading to Pattaya and Phuket, the former US hard house pioneer continues to connect with audiences by combining the underground energy of his past with today’s global hard dance revival. Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/djmorgan303 [https://soundcloud.com/djmorgan303] Instagram @djMorgan303 [https://www.instagram.com/djmorgan303] Website: www.djMorgan.com [https://www.djmorgan.com] The post DJ Morgan | True Techno 102 [https://www.trueunderground.one/dj-morgan-true-techno-102/] appeared first on True Underground [https://www.trueunderground.one].

DEAS – Raw, Hypnotic and Pure | True Techno Podcast 107

© 2025 True Underground. All rights reserved. DEAS ON RESISTING INDUSTRY COMMERCIALISATION In an exclusive interview for Change Underground [https://change-underground.com/deas-the-polish-techno-purist-keeping-it-real-in-a-hype-driven-world/] Polish techno producer DEAS (Karol Mozgawa) addressed the commercialisation of modern club culture and discusses his hardware production methodology. In this exclusive feature for true techno podcast 107, broadcasting from his studio base in Krakow, Poland to the global underground community. Greek-born and Poland-based, DEAS has carved an uncompromising path from local residencies at Smolna and Tama to international stages including Awakenings, Extrema, and E1 London. With a sonic footprint spanning CLR, ARTS, and Planet Rhythm, his output remains fiercely rooted in hypnotic grooves, live hardware interaction, and an uncompromised artistic vision. We sat down with DEAS to talk analogue obsession, the evolution of his sound, the expansion and occasional dilution of the global techno scene, and why authenticity still matters more than follower counts. HARDWARE JOURNEYS AND ONE-OF-A-KIND GROOVES DEAS has long held a reputation as a dedicated hardware specialist, though his relationship with machinery is more collaborative than dogmatic. While software plays a functional role in his workflow, the driving energy of his music stems from the tactile, unpredictable feedback loops of physical gear. He approaches music production not as a rigid programming exercise, but as an unfolding journey where the final track acts essentially as a natural side effect of the physical process. This hands-on methodology yields tracks and DJ sets with a distinct, lived-in texture; hypnotic, precise, yet continually inventive. It is groove-focused techno built for long-form dancefloor immersion rather than instantaneous algorithmic satisfaction. His recent Drifted Off EP on ARTS showcases this ongoing structural evolution, weaving spoken-word elements and subtle melodic layers into his signature driving atmospheres without altering his core artistic trajectory. Rather than attempting to reinvent the wheel, his studio work focuses entirely on introducing sharp internal surprises while staying true to an idiosyncratic musical vision. THE SCENE: GROWTH, SPECTACLE, AND SOUL The global expansion of techno has undoubtedly broadened the audience for underground sounds, a reality DEAS acknowledges as a major benefit for emerging artists and independent labels. However, this mainstream saturation brings an inevitable compromise: the transformation of club culture into visual spectacle. Across international circuits, events increasingly prioritise sensory distraction over sonic depth, shifting the focus away from the music itself. This commercial transition forces electronic music figures into a compromise between performance and digital marketing optimization. DEAS rejects the contemporary pressure to treat music as an optimized commodity, drawing a clear line between the responsibilities of a creator and those of a digital marketer. “My approach to art in general is not focused on constantly trying to make it ‘sellable’,” he notes. “I am not a content creator; I see myself as an artist. An artist creates what they feel… they don’t ask the audience what they expect from them.” This strict boundary dictates how he reads crowd energy across different territories. While some international hubs lean heavily into the curated show, others preserve the raw musical connection that initially defined the subculture. FAKE THINGS AND SCENE AUTHENTICITY This tension forms the thematic core of his Vibrations EP on Planet Rhythm, highlighted by the pointedly titled track “Fake Things.” Released in early 2026, the project lands amidst ongoing industry debates regarding inflated social metrics, bought followers, and the rise of the manufactured profile. While DEAS leaves the track open to individual interpretation, the critique of a scene dominated by artificial engagement remains apparent. Despite the distortion of booking ecosystems by digital algorithms, he notes that experienced promoters are increasingly looking past superficial data. Metrics do not guarantee real-world ticket sales or dancefloor command, a reality that offers a baseline of hope for authentic talent. For emerging producers looking to establish themselves within this dense landscape, his perspective remains resolutely anti-formulaic. “It’s not a matter of giving anyone advice,” he states. “I do what I do because I can’t live any other way. So if you feel that kind of inner need, then go for it.” This intrinsic drive remains critical, particularly as studio craftsmanship and stage command demand fundamentally different technical strengths. LOOKING FORWARD The future of the genre relies heavily on localized resistance to corporate curation. DEAS finds inspiration not in major festival trends, but in independent collectives establishing intimate events in unconventional spaces, alongside the specialized developers building new production tools. For those seeking an entry point into his catalog, his work on Chris Liebing’s CLR or the hypnotic structures of “Geeks On Hubbard” serve as ideal foundations; best experienced with minimal external distractions, letting the machines dictate the narrative. In an era dominated by superficial noise, his focus remains entirely on the preservation of a grounded, analogue path. It is this refusal to compromise that ensures his grooves continue to cut through the industry layout. Check out other True Techno episodes here. [https://www.trueunderground.one/techno-podcast-archive/] FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What does the studio work of Deas focus on? Rather than attempting to reinvent the wheel, his studio work focuses entirely on introducing sharp internal surprises while staying true to an idiosyncratic musical vision. What is the perspective of Deas for emerging producers? “I do what I do because I can’t live any other way. So if you feel that kind of inner need, then go for it.” [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "NewsMediaOrganization", "@id": "https://www.trueunderground.one/#organization", "name": "True Underground", "url": "https://www.trueunderground.one/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.trueunderground.one/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-tu-logo.png", "width": "512", "height": "512" }, "sameAs": [] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.trueunderground.one/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "True Techno Podcast", "item": "https://www.trueunderground.one/techno-podcast-archive/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "True Techno Podcast 107: Deas", "item": "https://www.trueunderground.one/deas-raw-hypnotic-and-pure-true-techno-podcast-107/" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "NewsArticle", "mainEntityOfPage": "https://www.trueunderground.one/deas-raw-hypnotic-and-pure-true-techno-podcast-107/", "headline": "DEAS – Raw, Hypnotic and Pure | True Techno Podcast 107", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.trueunderground.one/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Copy-of-soundcloud-covers-53.jpg", "width": "1024", "height": "1024" }, "datePublished": "2026-06-05T10:00:00+01:00", "dateModified": "2026-06-05T10:00:00+01:00", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Senior SEO Journalist", "jobTitle": "Senior SEO / Dance Music Journalist" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://www.trueunderground.one/#organization" }, "description": "Listen to true techno podcast 107 featuring Krakow-based producer Deas. Explore his raw analogue philosophy and critique of electronic music commercialisation.", "about": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Deas", "additionalName": "Karol Mozgawa", "knowsAbout": ["Techno Music", "Electronic Music Production", "Analogue Synthesizers"] }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "True Techno Podcast 107" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "PodcastEpisode", "name": "True Techno Podcast 107 - Deas", "episodeNumber": "107", "description": "Polish techno innovator Deas confronts industry commercialisation, algorithmic validation, and the loss of dancefloor authenticity.", "partOfSeries": { "@type": "PodcastSeries", "name": "True Techno Podcast", "url": "https://www.trueunderground.one/techno-podcast-archive/" }, "actor": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Deas" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What does the studio work of Deas focus on?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Rather than attempting to reinvent the wheel, his studio work focuses entirely on introducing sharp internal surprises while staying true to an idiosyncratic musical vision." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the perspective of Deas for emerging producers?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "“I do what I do because I can’t live any other way. So if you feel that kind of inner need, then go for it.”" } } ] } ] The post DEAS – Raw, Hypnotic and Pure | True Techno Podcast 107 [https://www.trueunderground.one/deas-raw-hypnotic-and-pure-true-techno-podcast-107/] appeared first on True Underground [https://www.trueunderground.one].

Yesterday55 min

Juheun – Robotic Soul & Underground Philosophy | True Techno Podcast 106

© 2025 True Underground. All rights reserved. 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 1. Civil Servant – Into The Unknown (Juheun Remix) 2. Troy – Ishi No Medama (Original Mix) 3. Regent – Arcane (Original Mix) 4. Toobris – Tomorrow is Gone (Original Mix) 5. Modeselektor – Blockchain (Original Mix) 6. Juheun – Lets Dance (Original Mix) 7. Hertz, Oscar Escapa – Eternal Groove (Original Mix) 8. Khabiar – It Depends ON (Original Mix) 9. Oscar Sanchez – Selective Memory (Original Mix) 10. Phil Berg – Sappho (Original Mix) 11. Frank Biazzi – Open Your Eyes (Juheun Remix) 12. Kulage – Nord (Original Mix) 13. Simone Zino – Momentum (Original Mix) 14. Klint – Calibre (Original Mix) Listen to all editions of True Techno [https://www.trueunderground.one/techno-podcast-archive/] 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 [https://www.instagram.com/philberg_/], 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. { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [{ "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.trueunderground.one/" },{ "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Techno Podcast Archive", "item": "https://www.trueunderground.one/techno-podcast-archive/" },{ "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Juheun - True Techno 106", "item": "https://www.trueunderground.one/juheun-true-techno-podcast-106/" }] } { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "PodcastEpisode", "name": "True Techno 106: Juheun | Robotic Soul & Underground Philosophy", "headline": "Juheun Delivers a Raw, Hypnotic Masterclass for True Techno 106", "description": "Juheun takes over the True Techno Podcast 106, delivering a mix of raw, hypnotic energy. The Arizona-based producer discusses the psychological shift from commercial house back to the underground roots of techno.", "keywords": "Juheun Techno, Underground Techno Mix, True Techno Podcast, Phoenix Techno Scene, Techno Production Philosophy, Moog Sub 37 Techno, Peak-time Techno 2026", "image": "https://www.trueunderground.one/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Juheun2.jpg", "datePublished": "2026-04-14", "about": [ { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Techno", "sameAs": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Techno" } ], "partOfSeries": { "@type": "PodcastSeries", "name": "True Techno Podcast", "url": "https://www.trueunderground.one/techno-podcast-archive/" }, "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "True Underground Editorial Team", "url": "https://www.trueunderground.one/contact/" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "True Underground", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.trueunderground.one/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-tu-logo.png" } }, "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.trueunderground.one/juheun-true-techno-podcast-106/" } } { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which tracks did Juheun use in his True Techno mix?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "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." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is Juheun’s philosophy on the current state of techno?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "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." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How does Juheun approach studio production and sound design?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "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." } } ] } The post Juheun – Robotic Soul & Underground Philosophy | True Techno Podcast 106 [https://www.trueunderground.one/juheun-true-techno-podcast-106-robotic-soul-underground-philosophy/] appeared first on True Underground [https://www.trueunderground.one].

15. apr. 20261 h 0 min

DJ Morgan | True Techno 102

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1 month for 9 kr.

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