Legendary techno masterpieces that go down in history. Recommended albums you should listen to at least once.

Phase 4Jeff Mills

Jeff Mills – Phase 4

Waveform Transmission Vol.

1, a signature work by Detroit-born Jeff Mills, is said to have laid the foundation for modern techno.

Its hard, metallic beats pounding at high speed evoke a thrilling sensation, as if you’re racing through a city of the future.

What’s remarkable is how, within loops that may sound mechanical, there’s actually subtle variation and a funky soul.

The nickname “The Wizard” is no exaggeration.

It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that without this album, contemporary techno might never have been born.

Surrender yourself to this steel-clad groove.

Over the IceThe Field

The Field – Over the Ice ‘From Here We Go Sublime’ Album

This is the debut album by The Field, the solo project of Axel Willner from Sweden.

Released on a prestigious German techno label, it garnered widespread acclaim, with critics hailing it as “the best masterpiece of 2007.” Its hallmark is an inventive technique of extracting tiny snippets from songs by artists like Kate Bush and layering them many times over.

Fragments of electronic sound glitter like a kaleidoscope, creating a vast, soothing sense of weightless drift.

It makes you feel as if you’re traveling through an endless landscape, while somehow evoking a strange sense of nostalgia.

Letting yourself be carried by the waves of repetition, you may find it helps you forget the noise of everyday life—such is the charm of this album.

NilAutechre

Autechre – Nil

This is a work by Autechre, the English duo known as leading figures in the IDM genre.

Released in 1994, this album is regarded as a landmark that opened the door to a new phase of their creativity as their first fully original studio album.

Its gently warm ambient tones seem to mirror the world portrayed on the cover photo of Turkey’s majestic nature.

Alongside the gracefully flowing melodies, the meticulously crafted beats that surface from time to time leave a strong impression.

This exquisite balance creates a soundscape that will surely reveal the profound depth of electronic music.

On a quiet night, why not set out alone on this sonic journey?

Circe + S.T. (VFTL Rework)Voices From The Lake

Circe + S.T. (VFTL Rework)

This is the self-titled work by Voices from the Lake, the duo of Italy’s Donato Dozzy and Neel.

It features a distinctive sound with no explicit beat, delicately layering natural noises like water droplets and wind.

The acoustics feel as if you’re listening from the bottom of a quiet lake, offering a deep immersion that can make time seem to stop.

As you surrender yourself to the music, there’s a curious sensation that your thoughts are gradually set free.

It may be the perfect album for stepping away from the rush of everyday life and quietly journeying through a world of sound.

Q LoopBasic Channel

Q Loop

When it comes to techno, Germany always comes to mind.

In Germany, the label Basic Channel was founded in 1993.

Their release BCD embodies a distinctly German hardness and mystique, with a unique sense of weightless drift that rises from deep bass and reverberant echoes.

It’s perfectly refined techno music.

It’s solitary dub techno you can dance to, even with simple melodies and few elements—definitely give it a listen.

DrpPlastikman

Drp (Remastered)

Plastikman’s album Sheet One, known as a masterpiece that rewrote the history of acid techno.

It’s said that Richie Hawtin from Canada completed it in just 48 hours, and its undulating TB-303 basslines leave a powerful impression.

Within the repeating beats, the sound image shifts gradually, evoking a sensation like being guided into deep meditation.

The provocative artwork modeled after LSD tablets also sent shockwaves through the scene at the time.

Expressing the heat and tension lurking within such minimal sonics is no easy feat! Be sure to turn off the lights and fully immerse yourself in its one-of-a-kind sonic world.

I Wanna Be There (Edit)Model 500

Model 500 – I Wanna Be There (Edit)

A historic masterpiece by Model 500 that electrifies with a space voyage crafted by the Godfather of Techno! This is the first studio album released in 1995 by American artist Juan Atkins, unveiled with absolute confidence.

Its release on a prestigious Belgian label also speaks to the intensity of the techno scene at the time.

Minimal, repeating beats and airy, floating synth tones remain endlessly pleasing—listening feels like your consciousness is drifting to the far reaches of the galaxy.

A record whose sound still resonates futuristic after all these years, gently stirring the listener’s heart.