MAIKE DEPAS 2.0 ‘Rave the Planet’ EP Review: Dystopian Techno That Matters

Artists interpret the world around them and express it through their medium; it’s what they do. And with so much in flux these days, it’s no wonder why some artists are seeing a bit more of the dystopian in the human race’s day-to-day life. It’s a common interpretation, but what about the expression? How can artists portray a post-apocalyptic future meaningfully beyond just the one-dimensional dustbowl aesthetics of pop culture?

Who Is MAIKE DEPAS?

Enter Maike Depas, a trailblazer setting new standards in electronic music with his ambitious project, ‘Rave the Planet.’ Through this latest EP, Maike is taking us on a journey, live-streaming from the ruins and remnants of Europe, with Berlin’s Teufelsberg serving as the opening act. It’s a blend of innovation and homage as he nods to the pioneers of techno and trance while charting a course that’s all his own. This project is breaking the mold, redefining what it means to experience electronic music by marrying sound and spectacle in a revolutionary way.

Maike’s vision extends far beyond the music. 

Starting in 2023 and looking into 2024, he’s on a mission to bring his unique narrative to life, using Europe’s hauntingly beautiful landscapes as his stage. These performances are more than just DJ sets; they’re cinematic masterpieces, complete with a storyline that’s as compelling as the tracks themselves. Each element, from the dystopian-inspired outfits crafted by Demobaza to the carefully selected locations, is part of a larger narrative. 

Why ‘Rave the Planet’ Matters

Why does ‘Rave the Planet’ matter? It represents a bold step forward in challenging the conventions of electronic music, pushing the boundaries of what is possible within the genre. Maike Depas’s innovative approach, combining his fresh sonic influences with visually striking DJ sets in dystopian European landscapes, introduces a new dimension to electronic music.

The importance of ‘Rave the Planet’ lies in its ability to redefine the boundaries of electronic music. Maike Depas’s innovative approach, melding groundbreaking soundscapes with the stark beauty of post-apocalyptic Europe, ushers in a new era for the genre. 

‘Rave the Planet’ matters because it encapsulates the essence of innovation, offering a future vision that challenges our perceptions and elevates the electronic music experience to new heights.

EP Breakdown

Heartbreaker

The EP has a strong start, with the texturally-dense and brooding track ‘Heartbreaker.’ With an already uptempo start as its foundation, the distorted and slow-evolving synths expand over the top as the energy and tension grow.

The track’s back half sees a vocal introduction, brought in low in the mix as if goading you to lean into the track’s raw intensity. Over time, it shifts and morphs into more stuttery effects during the transitional moments in the song, making you second guess what it’s been saying this entire time. 

Vortex

The energy is instantly ramped up with the second track of the EP. But even as the momentum builds, we are sucked back through time as the synths and sequences harken back to dance music origins in the 90s. The rich and warm tones that were so iconic of that era of dance music can rip to the foreground of this trance, slowly intertwining as the track builds toward the finale. 

A winding and full-frontal synth eventually marks the track’s primary element. Its sliding delivery adds a new and syncopated groove to the driving techno groove that hammers away underneath it all. But this lead does not stay long,as it retreats to the backdrop once more as the track works its way to the outro. 

Rave The Planet

The third track of the EP takes on a bit more of a melodic bent, with more delicate synths working their way through the upper registers of the mix. The track is kept fresh with a melancholy vocal phrase ‘Rave The Planet’ from whence it gets its same. 

The vocal comes into its own during the breakdown, where the short phrase is elongated into the full message, which plays just long enough to reset the mood before the drums begin to build up once more and drops into the driving finale of the track. 

Float Together

‘Float Together’ takes on a much more intense driving to it, largely in part, at least to our ears, from the snare drum playing slightly earlier creating a much darker and aggressive groove. This is complemented by the blasting high-end synths in the top end, which also creates a raw and industrial intensity that is not matched by any other track on the EP.

The breakdown though is far sparer than any other moment on the track, allowing complete focus to be on the haunting and robotic vocals.  

Float Together (Amstra Remix)

Amstra, the moniker of 25-year-old Italian DJ and producer Stefano Tidona, brings a transformative touch to the remix of “Float Together,” infusing it with an industrial darkness that starkly contrasts the original’s lighter tone. Once airy and ethereal, the track now commands with a steely grip as Amstra weaves in relentless, gritty percussion and haunting synths. 

The result is a compelling soundscape that embraces the shadows, taking listeners through a more brooding, reflective version of the original melody while maintaining the track’s essence.