late to the party #4: Dark Machine Funk
06-11-2025
Founded by Irish born Kerrie Anderson who is currently Manchester based, this label is one with one of those "perfect" names, one which is a combination of words many have used to describe techno itself rather succinctly.
2021
Kerrie - Inner Space Pt. 1 (DMF001)
A1 Phantom Self [5:26]
A2 Humanizing [5:48]
B1 False Idols [5:33]
B2 Object of Desire [5:11]
Kerrie - Inner Space Pt. 2 (DMF002)
A1 No Imitation [5:52]
A2 Pavlovian Response [6:39]
B1 Social Climber [6:41]
B2 Inner Space [6:19]
Starting with Phantom Self, the first of this two part (for now?) series with its lovely metallo-rubbery textures. Bouncy, crunchy, futuristic, retrofuturistic, and very insistent upon itself in a wonderful way. Really fun, experimental and psychedelic but not in the loose, drippy way one may typically associate with the modular "psychedelic" vibe or the selfindulgences one may find in so-called "sound design techno". Humanizing is also imminently danceable and makes use of some nicely restrained but sample-and-hold-y type riffs to it as well. False Idols may be the easiest to put into a mix of the four, but this is not at all a bad thing. Closing number Object of Desire has some deeeeeelightfully paranoid vocal something going on along with some Detroit-school electro percussion... and some FM work evoking some of Autechre's abstract moments but used in a decidedly catchy manner, this number in particular may appeal especially to the heads who are fans of Kraftwerk, classic Detroit, and weirder Autechre, but also anyone who wants something new in techno with one foot in the past and the other in the future.
The second volume is decidedly more electro-y in some of its approach though at the same time, the relentless constant pulsing undercurrent throughout draws the throughlines between techno and the synth gurus of the 1970s like Klaus Schulze and Jean-Michel Jarre. Social Climber has a little slight tranciness which coupled with the piece's name suggest a little tongue in cheek, playful jab at commerciality from an artist who keeps things both fresh and true to her roots. The percussion in the cut have some cool design to them and immediately following, Inner Space has some very neat things happening with the rhythmic feel in much of the drum programming, constantly chugging despite not being possessed of a monolithic four-to-the-floor. The feel is one of a balloon being blown up and sucked back in back and forth, with mayhem threatening to unfold but never quite reaching the fore. Favourite tracks here are the bookending numbers, though really the whole EP is great.
2022
Kerrie - Beauty in Industry (DMF003)
A1 Beauty in Industry [6:18]
A2 Machine Operator [5:53]
B1 Desert Power [5:36]
B2 Forged [5:22]
Opening with the title cut, Beauty in Industry just does that and continues Kerrie's ongoing project (at least as far as her works on this label are concerned) of bringing electro/techno farther and farther forward into new corners. Closer Forged has a cinematic quality to it and I can imagine it in the middle of someone's set. My favourites on here, however are Desert Power and Machine Operator
2023
Kerrie - It Takes Grit (DMF004)
A1 It Takes Grit [4:59]
A2 Low End Behaviour [5:08]
B1 Count On Geiger [6:17]
B2 Glitch the System
The titular grit is on display from the get go with the title track both in the more obvious sense of the distorted sound design and the relentless chug. Count on Geiger is the most "corroded" feeling of the four and while all are strong, my favourites are Low End Behaviour and Glitch the System, the former for its use of interweaving melodic/bass parts, the latter for its sound design.
2024
Kerrie - Right to Freedom (no catalogue number)
1. Freedom [5:52]
2. Right [4:39]
3. Equality [4:32]
4. Empowerment [7:05]
A fundraising EP for medical aid for Palestine, Right is a dark number which recalls Kraftwerk's Hall of Mirrors and my favourite of the four. All four are nice but feel more like interludes more than dancefloor material.
Head Front Panel - Tactile (DMF005)
A1 Panama [4:25]
A2 Tactile [7:44]
B1 Surdo [5:08]
B2 Them [5:16]
The first thing on the label not by Kerrie herself is this EP from John "Head Front Panel" Heckle a.k.a. Hek, a techno producer/DJ from Merseyside, England. Panama All four tracks bring the energy and vibes, but my favourite of them would have to be the second piece, Tactile which is well named for its heightened emphasis on sound design, and Surdo is close behind with what feels like a grittier take on a classic Robert Hood vibe.
2025
Kerrie [b/w] Dynamic Forces - K-llab-01 (DMF006)
A1 Dynamic Forces - Moralism [5:06]
A2 Dynamic Forces - Moralism (Kerrie Remix) [5:19]
B1 Kerrie - Good Intentions [4:57]
B2 Kerrie - Good Intentions (Dynamic Forces Remix) [5:37]
The second release on Dark Machine Funk to not feature Kerrie (exclusively) is this first installment of a series called K-llab where Kerrie will be working with producers she likes. The inaugural entry features her collaborating with Italy's Dynamic Forces (a duo also known as B R 1 0 0 2, featuring the talents of Bruno Ruggieri and Bruno Ruggieri, who are also both in a trio with Gigi Galli called Rovina) who produce industrial techno. The piece they contribute to this single, Moralism is a real stomper which sounds a heck of a lot like Damon Wild's Rotary (RR002), but is also heavily rooted in the grittier, tougher, more distorted works of the early days of '91-'93 era Underground Resistance or one of Surgeon's more Detroitier early pieces. Kerrie's remix reinforces this and really calls to mind the lines of X-102 (Curse of the Gods by X-103 (B1 on Thera (AX-103)Real Life (B1 on H&M's Drama EP (AX-006)) or Jeff Mills' solo career in this phase and one could very easily imagine it being mixed alongside the likes of Phase 4 or Berlin from Waveform Transmission Vol.1(Tresor11) ). Kerrie's original contribution opening the B-side continues her energetic arpeggiated electrotechno goodness with Good Intentions. Dynamic Forces' remix maintains much of Kerrie's fastrolling bassline but then from about 1:09-2:51 feels like a remix of Joey Beltram's Forklift, at which point it adds a pad which floats around until about 3:50. All in all, there's some good material on here but the highlights are Kerrie's remix of Moralism and the original mix of Good Intentions. So why not use the latter pave the road to Hell, I mean drop in your set for the dancefloor.
Check out the label here
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