10 Live Acts with a focus on minimal and microhouse (Part 1)

It’s time to fully immerse yourself in the music. Here are 10 amazing Live Acts in the minimal techno and microhouse scene (Part 1)

Welcome to a world where pulsating beats and hypnotic melodies reign supreme. In the vast realm of electronic music, there exists a captivating subculture that blends intricate rhythms and subtle textures with a touch of ethereal magic on the spot, transporting listeners to alternate dimensions, where time slows down and every note becomes a brushstroke on the canvas of sound.

Prepare to embark on an inspiring sonic journey as we unveil 10 Live Acts with a focus on minimal techno and microhouse. Join us as we explore the immersive landscapes created by these talented performers, who seamlessly blend innovation with tradition, leaving an indelible mark on the electronic music scene. Let’s find out more about them and their work.

Alexis Cabrera

Alexis Cabrera‘s performances are exclusively live, using modular systems, drum machines, synths, singing and adding vocals on the fly. Throughout time, his productions have been published by labels like Atipic, Little Helpers, Kumquat, Get Physical, Savor Music, Point Of View, Epilog, Momentz, Moss Co, Raum…Musik, Mindshake Records and Mulen, among others.

Born in Argentina and now based in Spain, Alexis is addicted to freeform experimentation, reimagining his own productions as they morph and warp into something entirely new each time he performs. He’s also the co-owner of Fun Records alongside Barem, focusing on releasing freestyle jams with techno and house elements.

soundcloud / facebook / instagram / bandcamp / discogs

Amorf (Cristi Cons, Vlad Caia, Mischa Blanos)

Renowned for their mesmerizing live performances, Cristi Cons and Vlad Caia aka SIT team up with neoclassical pianist Mischa Blanos under the Amorf moniker, bringing forward a distinct and immersive sonic universe. Built around intricate minimalistic percussion loops and trippy piano melodies, their sound is sometimes lush and deep, other times harsh and raw, yet each time they perform they take the audience into a dreamy state of mind.

So far, the trio released 3 EPs on Amphia and an extended 3×12″ LP on Cezar’s Understand, while their remix for Paul St. Hilaire & Rhauder definitely counts as a rare collectable these days.

facebook / Instagram / discogs

Ciphr (Max Jacobson, Christian Thomas)

Chicago-based artists Max Jacobson and Christian Thomas aka Ciphr love to experiment with house and techno music, creating immersive live sessions or driving DJ sets while also running Tied Records. Their music will always take you on vivid journeys through psychedelic realms while the stripped-back grooves and twisted effects will grow roots in the dancefloor.

Aside from their own venture, the duo also published some of their productions with Honne Music, Ubiyu, Kina Music, Kosmophono, Saint & Don’t Music, Daydream, Tzinah, Constant Sound, and Visionquest. Listen to feeder sound 316 live with Ciphr below:

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DoubtingThomas

French-born artist Aurelien Riviere aka DoubtingThomas has been steadily growing a reputation for himself since the ’90s, experimenting with a wide spectrum of genres, from ambient, downtempo, trip-hop and jazz to breakbeat, house and techno. By incorporating his own field recordings into his productions, he is able to create the ethereal and melodic sounds for which he’s becoming more widely acknowledged.

Among the labels he collaborated with we find Eastenderz, Dokutoku, Ubiyu, Subtil, Gaazol, Little Helpers, No Time For Love, Magnetic, Metroline Limited, Organic Music and Mayak. Enjoy his live set recorded at Folklor in Switzerland in the form of episode 392 of our podcast series:

soundcloud / facebook / instagram / bandcamp / discogs

Faster

Working and living in Bucharest, Faster is widely known for his adventures in the international electronic music scene, having numerous performances and releases under his belt. His discography contains collaborations with many underground pioneers and his music is constantly released by relevant vinyl labels, such as SCI+TEC, Chelsea Hotel, The Rabbit Hole, Muted Noise, Hourglass Ltd, Drumma, Atipic, No Time For Love and Unic.

For a few years now, he’s managing his own imprint Ruere Records where you can find his own works as well as timeless EPs from Costin Rp, Brind, Priku, Crihan (under his Discret Popescu alias) and Dubtil.

facebook / instagram / bandcamp / discogs

Floog

George Gavanescu’s solo career under the Floog alias was warmly received and strongly supported by the underground electronic music community worldwide from day one, as his solid experience as a producer and selector has been proven many times before, especially when we talk about the well-known Premiesku live act alongside Livio & Roby.

Among the labels he collaborated with we find Lied, Atipic, Eastenderz, Enfasi Records, Hoarder, Mulen, Desolat, Visionquest, Vatos Locos, Why So Series, Tier, Botanic Minds, Bleu Ciel and Berg Audio. Listen to feeder sound 345 live with Floog, recorded at Sunwaves 27:

soundcloud / facebook / instagram / discogs

Haokah (Madalin Voicu, Alexandru Paicu)

Haokah, one of the most intriguing live projects hailing from the wonderful Romanian minimal scene, is brought forward by Madalin Voicu and Alexandru Paicu from Iași. Their love for raw analog sound led them to experiment with different types of hardware and machines, always delivering top-quality releases with labels like Kapture, Vivus Records and Fake Society.

Exploring the limitless possibilities of modern electronic music, the duo also dispatched a split EP alongside Simone Adinolfi on his No Rush imprint, delivering a journey around various states of consciousness, from the more aligned and lucid ones to the most clouded and obscured.

soundcloud / facebook / instagram / bandcamp / discogs

Lapte & Miere (Alcalina, Bogdan)

With Alcalina and Bogdan at the controls, Lapte & Miere is an exciting and mysterious project that delves deep into the captivating realm of minimal techno and beyond. With an unwavering passion for electronic music and meticulous attention to detail, this endeavour seeks to explore and showcase the very essence of the genre with a healthy dose of psychedelic, ambient and experimental added to their flow.

soundcloud / facebook / instagram / bandcamp

Noha

Owner of Nabuco Records and co-owner of Panick Panick!, Noha has been in the game for quite some time now, always delivering inspiring live performances, DJ sets and timeless productions. Aside from his ventures he also worked with labels like Point Of View, Tied, Low To High Records, Constant Black, Second Step Limited, Universal Consequence, Moss Co, Tartouffe, All Inn Records, Lazare Hoche and Berg Audio.

Find out more about him and his vision of electronic music from this Take 5 interview.

soundcloud / facebook / instagram / bandcamp / discogs

Skiclub Toggenburg

Swiss duo and live act Skiclub Toggenburg are well-known for their distinctive, powerful and rolling style with a fine touch of avant-garde. For a good while, their music was created in their home and studio Musigburo Toggenburg, a 150-year-old cracky house with a wood-fired oven, heaps of gear, instruments and lovely modular synths.

Among the labels that published their distinct organic sound we find SonicView Records, L.E.T Music, Vandalism Musique, Tiefgang Recordings and LOK Recordings.

soundcloud / instagram / bandcamp / discogs

Stay ahead of the game and discover 50 ROminimal & micROhouse record labels to follow in 2023, listed in Part 1 & Part 2.

Words by: AndreiB

*the copyright for the photos belongs to their respective owners and publishers