Guest Selector: Setaoc Mass

Manchester-born Sam Coates, aka Setaoc Mass, credits his hometown for his introduction to techno music. Now based in Berlin, the young DJ and producer is making a name for himself with his own muscular, otherworldly brand of techno, as well as heading up his own SK_eleven imprint (SK11 being the postcode of Coates' family home just beyond the outskirts of Manchester).

Coates' most recent EP, the four-track collection Cycles, was released last month; ahead of his date at The Art School with Animal Farm on 14 January, we spoke with him about some of the stand-out records in his collection.

What's your favourite song or track from your childhood?

Think it has to be The Beatles' Octopus's Garden. I remember the cassette never left my player for a very long time. I was only young, maybe eight or nine years old.

Which track always inspires you?

Probably something non-techno related like Ludovico Einaudi. All his music is really inspiring, emotional and hypnotic to me.

The best tune to open a set with?

To be honest, I usually start most of my sets with some ambient or bleeps. Talismann's track Russia has been used many times to open a set.

What record do you like to listen to at home?

Probably Aphex Twin's album I Care Because You Do. I'm always coming back to this album and listening to it over and over, never getting bored. 

Tell us about an obscure gem in your collection?

Carl A. Finlow's Anomaly, probably... not that obscure, but it is definitely a gem.

What track do you wish you'd produced/written?

Can I quote Aphex Twin again?! Vordhosbn is one track I definitely wish I'd produced, it's got so many different elements which would all sound amazing on their own, and when they're combined, it's like living in another world.

What was one of your favourite tracks to come out in 2016?

AWB – Ecliptic [Antigone x Shlømo remix]. This track is just pure techno, and shows how good this year was for techno.

Tell us the last track you had to look up with Shazam?

I just had a look through my Shazam history and found Susumu Yokota's Azukiiro No Kaori. There's so much good music by this artist.

What kind of music might we be surprised to find you listening to?

Hmm...couldn't really answer that, although I do generally like to listen to a lot of classical music. I don't know much about the genre, I just love the sinister sound.

Finally, what is your all-time favourite techno track?

James Ruskin – Work [Steve Rachmad remix]. I just recently started playing this again in most of my sets; two absolute pioneers of techno and two of my heroes. This track really brings them together. The original is just as great as the Rachmad remix.