Kaufmann – Tuffi [Truesoul]
Rising talent Kaufmann debuts on Truesoul, Adam Beyer’s more melodic techno label, with her two track EP ‘Tuffi’, out now. The Berlin-based producer/DJ, revered Fusion festival regular and founder member of Dazed State techno collective, is a proponent of dark minimal techno with industrial ebm and spacey psychedelic elements. Previously releasing on Stil Vor Talent, Global Underground, Senso Sounds, Einmusika, Subios Records and more, Kaufmann brings her best dark game with some contrasting lighter shades to ‘Drumcode’s little brother’.
‘Tuffi’: the title track starts with bounding techno beats and a hooky high bubbling synth melody like a mantra weaving through arresting breakdowns with heart-stopping drops marked by a funky vocal shout – but stalking under the radar and increasingly emerging are metallic industrial synth stabs, distorted hoover sounds and doppler FX, a more sinister dystopian side to the story. It’s a track of two beautifully crafted halves both of which will propel ravers dancefloorwards in droves.
”Tuffi’ taps into my melodic side. I wanted to create an uplifting track that gives you that floating sensation on the dancefloor while still delivering a punch of energy. In the production, it was all about blending the melodic main synth line with elements that retain a techno edge. I utilized extensive automation on the main synth to inject movement and life into the track.’ Kaufmann
‘Weird Flex’: a subtle rumbling beat, industrial SFX and growling reverb usher in machine-like phrases, urgent and dark like signals from a dysfunctional off-world planet – disjointed stabs, bites of tune, what sound like unsettling robotic processed vocal samples sung through didgeridoos – with multiple breakdowns and one humdinger with a sustained build before the drop, and subsequent compulsive dancing in clubs far and wide.
‘To complement ‘Tuffi’, I wanted something offbeat and quirky. I chopped up a vocal, ran it through a vocoder plugin and built an FM synth line around it, giving it a slightly wonky feel. I dedicated a lot of time to perfecting the glide between notes to make sure it felt just right.’
