Luke Slater: From Mute To Mote Evolver

There are still a fair few DJs knocking about who can say they were there when acid house kicked off - many of them now corporate oiks, the likes of Tong and Oakenfold and their ilk. Then there are those like Luke Slater, who have remained dedicated to exploring all the textures and sounds of electronic and dance music, quietly building on their reputations while blowing minds and shaking asses on the dancefloor. From his early start as a DJ at the seminal Troll in London, through a successful relationship with indie giants Mute, to the recent formation of Mote Evolver, an online and on-demand record label and distribution company, Slater is one of the UK's techno pioneers.

His most recent compilation was number 32 in the Fabric mix series. Slater's mix was a welcome barrage of harder techno sounds - he set out to make an upfront, tough mix, reflecting one of the main strands in the sounds he is playing out at the moment. Featuring tracks from his own nom-de-beats, Planetary Assault Systems, and modern acts like The Juan Maclean, he balanced warmer Detroit rhythms against tougher, more tech-y beats.

Slater's own productions have shown a diverse and often experimental approach to electronic music. From 2002's fantastic, spooky I Can Complete You, right back to his early releases on Djax and Peacefrog, which subverted and played with the conventions of Detroit and acid, his approach to production is one of experimentation and exploration, while his DJ sets retain a crowd-pleasing, solid consistency.

His recent electro offering, the Head Converter EP, signaled a possible return at some point soon to the live approach he attempted after 2004's album Alright On Top, featuring the vocal talents of The Aloof's Ricky Barrow. He is due to play Access, one of Edinburgh's premier electro clubs, on 16 Mar. Expect a mix of the tougher side of techno and his own more experimental tracks - with a wealth of his own material to draw on, and the diverse range of artists on Mote / Evolver, Slater is sure to be bringing a bag packed with only the choicest cuts. Get yourself down there to see one of techno's true originals ply his trade.