per pleks
TECHNO AS POLITICS
His view of global electronic culture is shaped by privilege and caution. “First of all, I feel blessed to be able to see and experience so many different and diver- se parts of the techno scene worldwide. I personally
language we all understand, no matter where in the world we are, is music.”
feel that the one mutual
Yet he resists naïve idealism. He warns against the manipulations of online discourse.
“What really challenges me are politica- lly motivated campaigns or cancel culture within the music scene, that is not based on facts or are used to gain publicity for their own benefit. Techno is and has to be political at any time, but the community should also be cautious of wrong-motivated campaig- ns.” For him, politics is essential, but so is discernment.
Discipline and Flow
PER PLEKS doesn’t romanticize inspiration. His process is built on daily practice.
“Creative flow is not linear from start to finish. It comes in waves, can stay for days, and then disappear for weeks. To me, the importance lies in showing up at the studio every day and starting to work on music, regardless of the creative flow. This teaches discipline but also makes room to learn new skills and improve on technical things you may not look at in a hyper creative phase.”
TRENDS, FOR HIM, ARE NOT THREATS BUT LESSONS.
“I love analyzing trending music and learn what made this stand out against all the other music that’s being released every day, and breaking down a track to its key elements and understanding the magic that made this specific track a trend can significantly improve one’s music-making process. However, I do not follow a specific formula just to meet expectations. If a song works, it works. Trying to create music based on a specific formula limits your authenticity and ability to overcome your own barriers.”
In my opinion, this is one of the most revealing parts of the interview. It shows PER
idealistic, a rare combination in electronic music. Many artists either
inspiration as something mystical or dismiss trends as
“sellout culture.” He does neither. He treats creativity like training for a sport; you show up, build discipline, and trust that flow will come and go. At the same time, he looks at trends with curiosity instead of fear, which makes him sound both humble and sharp.
romanticize PLEKS as both pragmatic and
This duality, discipline without rigidity, openness without compromise, is what makes him stand out. It says a lot about why his music feels alive, never locked in one formula, but also never careless. It’s thoughtful, rooted in process, yet always open to surprise.
In performance, his philosophy is equally uncompromising.
“Catching the crowd’s vibe is a key skill here that is necessary to be able to build a set to match the room’s energy and lift it to the next level.”
Yet his vision goes beyond clubs and festivals. A confessed gear nerd, he has been experimenting with cameras and aesthetic filming in unique, often hidden spaces.
“Together with my team, I’ve built a concept of a DJ set in combination with aesthetic filming in very unique and unseen places.”
“The craft of DJing is more than pressing play or playing a set that’s planned from A to Z. It comes from selecting songs and bringing records to the event that people cannot find anywhere else besides your set. I select the tracks based on how they make me feel. My vision succeeded when I made people dance, everyone had a great time, and after the set they texted me about the track IDs.”
LOCAL INSPIRATIONS, POLITI- CAL ECHOES
Recent years have brought him to Kyiv, where the techno community persists despite the ongoing war.
“The Ukrainians are suffering from a war aggressor for so many years now, and still manage to have a supportive and living techno community. The people have so much positivity. This experience and the common global tension lead to some political hints in my upcoming tracks.”
That direct connection between lived struggle and sound underscores his conviction that techno must remain a political force.
“If you count yourself as part of the techno scene, you should be a political activist too. It can be on big topics around the world or
Awareness, respect, and courage to stand up for others are key elements why the techno scene is so great and will be great even when mainstream trends move on.”
His reflection carries weight because it bridges two realities: the dancefloor as a sanctuary and the world outside it as a battlefield. The joy of a rave in Kyiv, despite war, is not escapism; it is a declaration that culture endures, and that resistance can be danced into being. For PER PLEKS, techno’s vitality depends on remembering this truth.
just in small, day-to-day situations.
THE ROMANCE OF WAREHOU- SES
“To me, the whole myth of the early age of electronic dance music is very fascinating and a huge inspiration as a musician, but also as part of the techno community. As someone who’s trying to change and shift my form of art constantly, I still feel a deep connection and respect for the roots of the music and the artists that were the pioneers of that music.”
THIS IS NOT JUST AESTHETICS, BUT BIOGRAPHY.
“I grew up and still live in an area based on steel production and coal mining, so within the warehouse rave aesthetic, I’m able to connect my core memories of driving through my hometown with
I make and the vibes that I find the best.” The connection has become collaborative:
the music
“My team and I have worked out a concept of a visual and audio experience within the most extraordinary places we can find and get access to. It’s worth keeping an eye on that in the near future.”
PER PLEKS’ words draw a clear line between discipline and freedom. For him, inspiration is not something to wait on but something to earn through daily practice. By showing up in the studio, even on days when the spark is absent, he creates the conditions for growth. Discipline, he argues, does not kill creativity; it sustains it, allowing him to be ready when inspiration strikes. In this way, his approach mirrors the larger ethos of techno itself: one that emphasizes structure and repetition, leaving space for sudden, transformative moments.
At the same time, he does not shy away from confronting the forces shaping today’s scene. From the rise of “TikTok techno” to the generational clashes between underground roots and com- mercial expansion, PER PLEKS insists on holding onto authenticity without dismis- sing the new. He sees trends as lessons rather than threats, opportunities to dissect what makes certain records resonate, while refusing to reduce his own music to formulas. For him, reinvention is not just marketing; it is survival, the lifeblood of underground culture.
And running through all of this is his conviction that techno must remain political. His time with the Kyiv rave com- munity, thriving in the shadow of war, left a lasting impression. That lived strug- gle, combined with his own background in post-industrial landscapes, anchors his conviction that activism and awareness are non-negotiable components of cultu- re. For PER PLEKS, the future of techno is not simply about sound; it is about respect, resistance, and the courage to stand for something, even as the scene shifts. That stance, more than any track or trend, is what keeps the warehouse spirit alive.
169
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200
