Photo:Kasia Zacharko

Artefakt have released Chimes At Midnight, a new single on Sound of Berlin.

At the root of Nick Lapien (a.k.a Lapien) and Robin Koek’s Artefakt project is a shared love for melancholic, hypnotic voodoo music. Their sound is pensive with deep, rich textures; while long track lengths give the Dutch duo an expansive framework in which to make small changes of texture and tone, creating cerebral, balanced atmospheres that absorb and engage. “Sometimes we just take a short element, like the sound of a falling drop of water, and from this recording we extract the rhythm and use it as a starting point,” they say. “It’s a very organic way of creating new material.”

After a period of self-reflection, the Lapien and Koek returned in 2019 to launch a label with a new EP. De Stijl serves as a platform for their musical explorations and those of their close friends. The imprint’s inaugural EP, Far and Wide, a lesson in dancefloor-ready techno, preceded Monsoon, Artefakt’s second album, this time on Svreca’s Semantica Records.

“Chimes At Midnight” is a modern electronic hypnotic techno track with introspective melodies and a bassline that is both groovy and gentle. The track feels open-ended and creative, a kind of instrumental storytelling where new drum patterns float in and out. Expect seven minutes of gorgeous inertia.

For more information on Artefakt, check out their XLR8R podcast here.

Tracklisting

01. Chimes At Midnight

“Chimes at Midnight” is available now.