Todays XLR8R download is not for the faint of heart. With previous releases on labels such as Truncate and Blank Code, Minneapolis native Mike Gervais has steadily become a force to be reckoned with in the Midwest techno scene, delivering deep and raw techno cuts that always hit the spot. For his latest EP titled On My Own, the SYSTEM label boss drops three driving techno tracks, starting with the brooding atmospheric title-track “On My Own” and ending with the dramatic minimalism of “Relax.” Drawing from the cold and heavy corners of the techno globe, Gervais sets sail into the dark abysses of ambiguity with “Relax,” only to be greeted by gushing synths, thunderous claps and a bass heavy beat. Gervais always seems to pull at all the right strings, letting the tension rise until the journey is so intense that we have to rely on Gervais to confidently leads us through to the other side.

Relax