Dummy Mix 226 // Aquarian

Aquarian is a longtime member of the UNO NYC family, having debuted on the adventurous label back in 2012 with his 'Obsidian' EP. Unlike your Gobbys, your SFV Acids, and your Dutch E Germs, Aquarian makes something less abstracted than many of the UNO roster. His stuff is more out-and-out club-minded, piecing together hardcore, acid, and jungle to make a hard, heaving version of techno. 

With a new, self-titled EP due out with the label next month, we tapped Aquarian for our latest Dummy Mix. His selection takes in techno and electro, mostly, but it makes a few sideways journeys into the more techified territories of grime, with tracks by Mumdance and Rabit rubbing shoulders with Boddika and Underground Resistance.

We caught up with Aquarian over email to get the lowdown on the mix.

How's tricks?

Aquarian: "Silly rabbit, tricks are for kids. They're good! I'm stoked that the fall is here, and have been watching a lot of The X-Files."

How did you get involved with the UNO crew?

Aquarian: "A mutual friend sent some of my tunes over to Charles [Damga, UNO boss], and he got in touch. It's funny because I was using a new email for my productions, and I didn't check it very often as there wasn't too much going yet. I remember opening the email and seeing his email a from month prior. We didn't meet in person, until about six months later when I got back to NYC."

Your music is a lot more out-and-out club-geared than a lot of other releases on UNO. But what do you listen to when you're trying to unwind?

Aquarian: "Good question! Lots of indie rock like Grizzly Bear, Tokyo Police Club, The National, Patrick Watson Bon Iver, some jazz and film scores here and there. Electronic wise, Four-Tet, Floating Points, Mount Kimbie, Sepalcure, Nosaj Thing, Praveen, Seekae."

Pick a favourite track from the mix!

Aquarian: "I love pretty much all the tracks on the mix, but Hodge Amor Fati is a monster, as well as Doctor Jeep's And Again / Eccies mashup. Also Objekt's rework of Timora is among my favourite things he's done."

What's your horoscope saying today?

Aquarian: "I don't read horoscopes, but I recently had a fortune cookie that read 'Your love for music will become an important part of your life.' Not bad, eh?"

Tracklist:

01. Lurka Nah So 
02. Kevin McPhee CC-XX-YY-NNNN
03. Creepy Autograph Back Ally
04. Wiley And Again (Doctor Jeep E-Mix) 
05. Mak & Pasteman Foundation 
06. Blackwax Phobia
07. Hodge Amor Fati  
08. Head High Hex Factor
09. Aquarian Haven't Got a Name 
10. West Norwood Cassette Library Drop (Knowing Looks remix)
11. Rabit Thug Rotorvator
12. Mumdance Take Time (feat. Novelist)
13. Aquarian Artifact
14. Aquarian Bad Feeling
15. Clouds Teenage Boy 
16. Randomer Stupid Things I Do (New School Mix)
17. Boddika Boddika's House 
18. UR The Mighty Asteroids of Jupiter 
19. Call Super Timora (Objekt remix) 
20. Regis Rites 
21. Traumeur Slow Run (Aquarian remix) 
22. Aquarian SOMA (Throwing Snow remix)

UNO NYC release the 'Aquarian' EP on October 21st 2014 (pre-order).