Motorcity mayhem
Whether you’re into Detroit, dub, electro, industrial or the more melodic strains of techno, it is of no consequence here. We corralled the best names in techno this year for you and you voted in your droves for your favourite.
This list wasn’t quite as long as both our best house DJ/producer polls; however, there were still plenty of names to whet the most sparse and Germanic of musical appetites.
Click through the gallery to discover the best techno DJs and producers of 2017...
The MusicRadar Best in music tech awards 2017 are brought to you in association with Softube - Tools for the Audio Professional
5. Perc
With his third album, this year’s Bitter Music, Perc Trax boss Ali Wells has firmly established himself as a leading light of modern British techno.
Minimal and subtle yet also hard-hitting and intensely political, Wells’ music mastefully straddles the divide between headphone listening and club impact – the latter element epitomised by his relentless, energetic live sets.
As a label boss too, he continues to prove himself to be one of the countries most reliable curators of rising techno talent.
4. KiNK
Over the course of the past decade, Bulgarian producer KiNK has risen top of the techno pile by playfully absorbing, tweaking and reworking the tropes of classic four-to-the-floor club music.
New LP Playground is is the best example yet of that formula – a sly mix of European, UK and US techno influences, all effortlessly mashed up into a collection of infectious, club-ready bangers.
His creative, hardware-centric live sets are rightly regarded as some of the best in the business too.
3. Nina Kraviz
Russian DJ Kraviz’s slow ascent to world domination has continued throughout 2017. Her excellent Fabric mix, released at the tail end of last year, did nothing but strengthen her reputation as one of the most dexterous selectors in techno, and this year’s run of singles on her own Trip label has further cemented her production prowess too.
It’s her infectious energy behind the decks that really sets Kraviz apart though – we challenge anyone to watch her rocking out mid set and not feel instantly in the mood to party.
2. Florian Meindl
For his excellent, hard-hitting 2017 album Time Illusion, the Berlin-based producer threw himself fully down the modular rabbit hole, building himself a creative hardware setup of Eurorack synths, samplers and sound manglers.
The change in approach has brought a new energy to his productions, and his new modular-centered live show is a must-see for fans of cutting edge techno.
1. Carl Cox
There are many out there that expected 2017 to be the year Carl Cox announced his retirement. With his legendary Space residency coming to an end as the club closed its doors last summer, perhaps the British DJ legend would be hanging up his headphones for good?
Fortunately, this wasn’t the case, and Cox’s instantly recognisable smiling face continued to pop up at clubs and festivals around the globe. His presence and skill behind the decks is still peerless – let’s hope he keeps it up for many years to come.
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“Michael Stipe said it was his favourite dance album – he used to put it on and then write his lyrics for REM to it”: Rave icons Utah Saints on their legacy, sampling Kate Bush, and the challenges of making their debut album
“They're French. I would say it's a kind of techno prog band”: Elvis Costello reckons that the Brooklyn warehouse gig he saw Justice play was “one of the great shows I've ever been to”
