In Session: Shed

As Shed, though, his unparalleled techno compositions have lit up the rave in a different, more articulate way and this is where most will be accustomed with his craft. After trying his hand at several different occupations including painting houses and serving with the army, it was around 2004 that Shed started working at Hardwax and releasing music via several esteemed imprints.

To start with, stables like Delsin and Solocaction acted as a homebase for his productions but his turning point musically was when he showcased his debut album via Ostgut Ton, a techno institution that was in its early stages alongside Pawlowitz. The album was called 'Shedding The Past' and it was an apt title for a producer who wasn't born straight into this world.

From there, he became fully affiliated with the imprint and club, releasing there regularly and playing in both Berghain and Panoramabar. His immersive, industrial sounds became synonymous with the highly celebrated German scene but they always came loaded with a melodic, serene and controlled sense of euphoria. Tracks like 'Boose Sweep' from his first album and the breakbeat masterpiece 'Leave Things' from his second Ostgut offering 'The Traveller' both hit hard. They rely on a strict melee of kick drums, but the underlying sense of light breaking through is what makes his music stand out.

Aside from Ostgut Ton, Pawlowitz found an affinity with 50 Weapons and Monkeytown and his new album 'The Final Experiment', which arrived via the latter last month, is some of his most assured and thought-provoking material to date. As is common with such a multi-faceted artist like Shed, you never really know what to expect and that, of course, is the beauty of it.

For his In Session debut, though, he's gone techno and he's meant it. It's a definitive rollercoaster of his sounds with broken beats, hardcore kick snare combos, quintessential ambience and a devilish sense of dread that drives everything forward. One of the best In Sessions of the year and one we'll be playing for a long time to come.

Funster is Mixmag's Deputy Digital Editor, follow him on Twitter