microcastle's second offering of 2021 welcomes Radeckt to the label for his debut EP. Based in Copenhagen, the Danish DJ has carved out a unique place in the electronic underground. His colourfully catchy synth leads, exotic percussive arrangements and tough, dancefloor minded grooves have made for a sound that is all his own. Adopting the moniker just over a half decade ago, Radeckt has enjoyed a five year creative swell, earning the praise of electronic music tastemakers such as Ame, Adana Twins, Echonomist, Innellea and more; while AEON, MoBlack and TAU have served as landing spots for his transcendent sound. Having gotten the year underway with his latest TAU vehicle 'Corroded Mind', Radeckt now makes his microcastle debut with 'Illusions of a Romantic'.

Spread across four tracks it is the title selection which sets the tone for the release. Radeckt expounds his lavish future vision here, with obsessive rhythms and hyperspace melodies blanketing titanium beats and monolithic grooves. A recent favourite of Echonomist, it's raw dynamism and intergalactic design provide a much-needed dance floor curveball for the more adventurous selectors out there. Beneath the powerful tidal waves of 'Illusions of a Romantic' lies the droney, dystopian realities of 'Shattered Tension'. A dizzying dance floor slam powered by a ten-tonne kick drum and exhilaratingly unpredictable synth leads. Packed to the hilt with drama, its adventurous spirit is something Radeckt relishes in, as he flexes a darker side of his studio repertoire, and in turn nails that rare compositional balance of being constructed with minimal parts but sounding absolutely gigantic.

Continuing on a shadowy monochrome are the wintry qualities of 'Unintended Reflection'. A brooding exchange of melody and texture where themes of isolation, introspection and hope get translated by arcane rhythms, percussive splashes, and machine gun style grooves. Foreboding and vaguely industrial, it's a composition that further cements Radeckt's elusive vision, as desolate beginnings morph into a meditative, consciousness-expanding conversion of musical ideas. It's thrilling pulse proves to be the perfect prelude for the collection's closer, the whimsical sound art that is 'Rebellious Konkubine'. A boundary-pushing jaunt that breaks preconceptions and made-up minds, making Radeckt's music such an addictive pill to swallow. Designed for the more astute dance floors and headphone aficionados alike, its rebellious nature concludes a characteristically expansive set of sound stories from one of Denmark's rising musical mavericks.

Radeckt creates a fascinating sonic ecosystem over the course of 'Illusions of a Romantic', a striking four track odyssey that never settles into any tangibly recognizable genre templates, and looks into the mind of an artist who masterfully balances rich production with fire-starting spontaneity.

Mastered at Calyx Berlin