20 techno tracks that knocked 2016 sideways

What a year it’s been for techno, we’ve had everyone from Robert and Lyric Hood to Ben Klock representing on the cover of Mixmag and witnessed some unforgettable sets at clubs and festivals around the world. At the heart of every set are the tunes that really capture the crowd’s imaginations, the ones that make you turn to a mate and say, “What the hell is this?!” before you totally lose yourself in the music. Every year there are tracks that become ubiquitous, that change the landscape, touch the very core of your soul or all of the above and more. Here we’ve assembled a small selection of some of the tracks that have made 2016 such a brilliant year in this realm of music.

Featured on the debut release from Afterlife, the label which belongs to Tale Of Us, this is one of several unbelievable slammers from SHDW & Obscure Shape, some of which have featured in the techno page in Mixmag. This one obliterates dancefloors thanks to its melodramatic swathes of synth and the searing atmosphere that builds and builds until the tension simply explodes – and so does everyone on the dancefloor.

It was difficult to choose between this and D&P’s other huge remix of Tiga’s ‘Planet E’, both have slain dancefloors this year and both are absolutely killer remixes. In the end we went for this one, purely because of that groovy bassline. Dense & Pika are masters of splicing techno with rave and deep grooves, it’s a winning formula that has made them architects of some of the year’s biggest hitters.

As one half of Minilogue Sebastian made a huge impact and he continues to crush it as a solo artist. Full of depth, ‘Windmaker’ is a hypnotic, life-enriching slice of techno that’s been channelled from the universe itself via a man who practices zen meditation. This is an instant classic that has caused thousands of ravers to break out in goosebumps over the past year with everyone from Papa Sven to Adriatique giving it the love it deserves.

A killer from Kompakt’s superb Speicher series. This time Patrice Bäumel gets our hairs standing on end with a carefully produced belter. The atmosphere is a combination of light, uplifting melodies and that gnarly arpeggiated synth, which is, essentially, this track’s signature. It’s a slow burner, but when it kicks off… Whoosh, bye bye roof.

Another Afterlife cut that shook the foundations of the techno world this year. Those haunting vocals really make this the special track it is. A simmering, moody atmosphere, galloping beats and rousing build up have made this a winner time and time again, check the intro to Tale Of Us’ set at Time Warp for evidence of its power.

A guided meditation to the pounding beat of techno… Makes sense, we guess. Cosmin’s track isn’t exactly relaxing, but it definitely has the potential to send you on a journey inward. The heavy beats act as a great support for the vocal instructions, which talk you through all the steps towards a calming meditation session. A brilliant juxtaposition, and a tune that has done a lot of damage this year.

Speicher strikes again! Sven Vath has been smashing the crap out of this tune all year and understandably, it has that magical combination of power and drive with the kind of build up that teases you to the point where you are about to implode with anticipation... The arp slowly grows and grows and grows… and then it drops. POW! Game over, dancefloor destroyed.

Dax J has emerged as one of the heroes of the UK techno scene. With widespread praise for his releases, including Album Of The Month in Mixmag in March 2015, he’s kept up a high level of quality and consistency for quite some time. ‘Invisible Man’ is a great example of what he does; hard-hitting, groovy and mysterious with echoes of rave in its DNA. Tip of the hat to Dax, this crushes each and every time.

Moudaber's rework of Sasha’s beautiful original is masterful, converting his track into a ‘hands-in-the-air’ chunk of techno euphoria. One of those tracks you can throw into your set at peak time, to lift everyone up to the stars and beyond.

Glasgee’s legendary Slam duo get to work on Hawtin’s 1993 classic and produce a deadly offering. This track looms over you like a massive great beast ready to raise hell on all and sundry. The build up provokes feelings of raw tension and after a couple of minutes or so we’re shoved into the deep end with a series of snare rolls. After that the bass comes flying in and we’re off. Get ready for the diabolical second half, organised chaos never sounded so good.

Belgian don Charlotte De Witte has put out some solid releases this year, and ‘My Feeling’ one of the biggest tracks to have popped out of her studio. She samples the infamous Junior Jack tune from 1999, flipping it on its head and turning it into a tough, mesmerising slice of technoid funk. When you get that first breather at two minutes you know what’s in store, and she builds the energy perfectly, unleashing the fury a full minute later.

Since moving from her home in the US to Berlin, Avalon Emerson has been on a steep upwards trajectory and this EP marked a milestone moment for her. All three tracks are killer, but the emotional depth of ‘The Frontier’ makes it one of the year’s best techno tearjerkers. With juddering beats and bass at its heart, the pace is high and this’ll rouse any dance floor into a state of love and light.

DJ Deep crushed 2016 and this EP on Deeply Rooted was one of his highlights. ‘Surge’ is rolling, and absolutely impossible to resist. The groove permeates deep into the recesses of your brain, snags itself onto your neurons and refuses to let go. Everything about this track makes it a winner; crisp production, high energy, gripping and simple yet progressive. Already a stone cold classic.

Spooky vibes emanate from this Ostgut Ton favourite. It’s 10am at Berghain’s Klubnacht, the dance floor is heaving with sweaty naked bodies and this comes on, sending chills down your spine. Unforgettable memories. Simple, haunting and deadly. It’s one of those that will continue to have a ghostly, yet devastating effect for years to come.

Donato Dozzy and Neel launched their own label this year and ‘Second Tempo’ was one of the tracks on their debut release. It’s a magical, almost unassuming slice of techno which submerges you in its watery depths. At almost 10 minutes in length, it’s one of those tracks you can listen to over and over again and never get bored of. Voices From The Lake is a project that has unleashed some incredible techno since its inception and this is one of their best.

A firm favourite across the board, this was played by so many of the techno world’s top dogs. Thunderous and straight out of the darkside, this has creepy horror flick vibes dripping out of it. Listening to this at home alone at night might well have you locking all the doors and checking under your bed for demons, it’s that level of eerie. Shlømo’s careful approach means this simmers steadily before he turns up the heat and sends temperatures soaring up to boiling point. Serious business.

Carl Cox blasted this out several times during his final run of Revolution nights at Space this summer. It’s one of those behemoths that career into a club, flattening the dancefloor and leaving its melody ingrained in the minds of all who encounter it. Soundtrack to the dawn of the apocalypse.

Found on his label’s various artists compilation (which took Comp Of The Month in our June issue) this is a jovial cut by NYC maestro Function. Layers of analogue chirps and bleeps dance around the top end, while sweet pads add to the beauty of this track. The beats are crafted with precision, giving this its knockout punch. A perfect combination of strength and beauty.

This is pure rave. The swirling synth riff that forms that foundations of ‘Sensation’ is straight of a Blackburn warehouse circa 1989. For that very reason it has the power to crush clubs and festivals the world over. Hearing this destroy the terrace at Space will stay with us forever. Wait for the drop… Simple, but highly effective.

Rugged business from Avalon with her second entry in the top techno tunes of the year. This one comes from another dimension to wreck havoc on planet Earth. The beats stomp along at high velocity, while dirty, twisted synth lines and a warped female vocal clip both add an air of menace. Released late in the year, this one’s going to carry on smashing up 2017 and beyond.