Award-winning Australian DJ/Producer, Claire Hardman is back, with a blistering bite of unadulterated techno genius, straight from the thriving Stockholm techno scene, of which she is one of the leading lights.
Devil’s Hand EP, available on 19th April, is the debut release from Claire’s pioneering new label Hardman. It’s only fitting that Devil’s Hand should be the first of the many exciting releases already in the pipeline at Hardman, a misogyny-free take on how techno should be released and a futureproofed model of how things can be.
Straight from the get-go, Devil’s Hand announces itself to your eardrums with a bass beat so banging, that you’d be forgiven for thinking Lucifer herself is pounding her fists on your door, ready to take you somewhere dark…deep down underground. Driving machine synths add to this satanic soundscape and by the time the hi-hat kicks in, you’re already across the River Styx. A truly eerie, exorcist evoking piano line fills the room, transfixing you on your musical journey. The Optimuss Remix gives clear nod to the early sound of The Prodigy; the acclaimed Nizhny Novgorod producer adding a new dimension to Devil’s Hand whilst staying true to the relentless dark drive of the original track.
On the other side, both literally and figuratively, Spitfire kicks off with a joyously bouncing bass, soon joined by a deep synth drone reminiscent of that famous plane’s engines, and a wicked acid twitch funk line. This is a track that keeps giving, getting even better with each new element introduced. The Alan Morales Remix completes this four-track techno masterclass, Mexico’s very own hard techno maestro taking the Spitfire back out of the hanger and changing the flight settings to full-on attack.
Claire Hardman explains: “Devil’s Hand came from a pretty dark place. At the start of 2022, just as the light started to appear at the end of the pandemic tunnel, I broke MY hand, hence the title! On the other hand, Spitfire is about the determination and resilience to keep going even when you’re in a bad place. I’m a very spiritual, positive person, so Spitfire is about and having hope; on e of the key tenants to a productive and happy existence. As an EP, Devil’s Hand shows the light and the dark in life. The yin and the yang. Without the darkness, how can you appreciate the light?”
Of her collaborators on Devil’s Hand EP: “I’m a big fan of both Optimuss and my good friend, Alan Morales. Both have a great sound and are very talented, so I was over the moon when they came on board to do the remixes. I think they are fantastic interpretations of the originals.”
