- An essential voice in the evolution of techno.
- For nearly as long as there's been techno, there's been Luke Slater. The English artist also known as Planetary Assault Systems got started in the late '80s, just a few years after having his mind blown by a cassette copy of Street Sounds Electro 1. In the nearly 30 years since then, he's proven himself a true chameleon, and an extraordinarily prolific one at that. He’s donned different identities (Clementine, L.B. Dub Corp, The 7th Plain, among many others) and different styles (techno, ambient, breakbeat, vocal synth pop) on dozens of albums, EPs and DJ mixes, inspiring countless fans and fellow producers in the process. But techno has always been his main mode of expression, and his favored guise for that sound is Planetary Assault Systems, the alter-ego behind classic records on Peacefrog and recent highlights on Ostgut Ton. Indeed, Slater still brims with ideas that can only be expressed in this form, something that's obvious from his storming club sets, and in his latest opus, the 20-track Arc Angel. On a recent morning in Berlin, Will Lynch checked in with Slater ahead of his album release party at Berghain.
Tracklist7th Plain - T Funk States
Planetary Assault Systems - Function 4