This February, the prodigal producer is back with a new EP, “Disco Inferno 01,” which launches his eponymous label.
We haven’t heard much from I Hate Models since the release of his “Intergalactic Emotional Breakdown” EP on ARTS in November 2019. Other than a collaboration with Louisahhh for Possession, a Remco Beekwilder remix and a few online sets, the usually prolific French artist had made himself rather silent in the past year. Though, this February the prodigal producer is back with a new EP, “Disco Inferno 01,” which launches his eponymous label. It gives us a taste of what he has been working on, while setting a promising precedent for what is yet to come.
The three powerful tracks are an enthralling introduction to the world of the Disco Inferno label. They are imbued with I Hate Models’ unique approach to music composition, challenging the conventions of the techno genre to deliver a listening experience that wields a resolutely cinematic approach to storytelling. Interestingly, the EP does not feature any remixes or collaborations, which places the artist’s vision center stage and thickens the mystery around what we can expect to hear on the label in the future.
“Two Steps From Heaven,” the EP’s colossal 9-minute introductory track, is drenched with the uplifting energy of trance, while its unabated kick irresistibly draws us into the punk frenzy of hard techno. It features surprises at every turn, in a narrative-driven soundscape that brilliantly rejects a simplistic and linear conception of techno. I Hate Models masterfully navigates across a wide range of sonic influences, to create a bustling cohesion where a careful manipulation of structure keeps the track consistently riveting and fit for the wildest dancefloors.
In the dreamy chords that elevate “Sad Groove” to blissfully transcendental heights, the emotional quality of “Disco Inferno 01” is revealed. Its producer emerges as a romantic figure, akin to a new-age Baudelaire, by conveying a melancholy that embraces the intensity of human passion. While lyrics lament “I’m falling, all in for you,” the frantic beat urges ravers to push through with the cathartic power of dance. “Lazy In Hell” concludes the EP with a heavy and physical take on hard techno that further celebrates the liberating fervor of rave culture.
-Théophile Gatté
Check out Dirty Epic music recommendations here.
Listen to our podcasts here.
Find out more about our Events here.
