Stef Mendesidis is one of the best live acts in techno. Few approach the form with the combination of rigor and raw intensity that he does. Mendesidis has, over the last decade plus, developed an exceptional command of hardware synths and sequencers, bringing to life a fully-realized sonic world that is all his own. Beyond the impressive feat of exclusively performing live, Mendesidis’ tracks are, top to bottom, brazen and thrilling showstoppers. From the rough edged perfection of his early Klockworks EPs through to last year’s label-launching EP on his own Exaiter, Mendesidis never misses. On “Exaiter 01” he even has a track titled, simply, “Techno.” What can we say? He’s earned it. Sera J steps back in the booth. A Mutual Rytm affiliate, Sera J’s productions throb with heart pounding urgency. In his solo tracks and many collaborations with ANNĒ, the Greek artist hits with surgical accuracy and a barely-contained wildness. BASEMENT resident LYDO finds the throughline between expansive, meditative lushness and pulsating, seismic techno. An artist of remarkable range and unalloyed vision, LYDO’s clarity of vision and carefully-attuned ear have made them a standard bearing in NY and beyond.
The Carry Nation once described their approach as “truly reliant on the dancer. Without them one is only an organizer of sounds, which is something very different.” For anyone who has witnessed them in the field, this would be an understatement. Their sets seem to alchemically bond the dancefloor and the DJ into one unified organism. Over the last few years, they’ve rightly been recognized as one of the best duos in house music today. They’ve played STUDIO many times, and each time they bring the room to the heights of ecstasy. We welcome them back. AIDA steps into the room for the first time. Fusing her Iranian heritage and Canadian roots, AIDA reflects an musical upbringing defined by forest raves, renegade parties and DIY activism in her hometown of Vancouver. She carries that energy forward, both in her own sets and as the founder of Apranik Records, which draws heavily from the Iranian Woman Life Freedom movement. AIDA balances these hard-earned political convictions with the life-affirming necessity of a good night out. In her own words, her sets always balance “escapism and release.” SENERGI also makes his debut. The Barcelona-born, Berlin-based DJ is the founder of queer party Fairies, the “rave fantasy" that focuses on Hi NRG and similarly unabashed dancefloor modalities. In his own words, his sets are “hot and iconic,” unified in libidinous thrust and saturated colors.
