NUDE115: Holldën

Miguel Duarte aka Holldën is a techno DJ and producer from Portugal.

He began playing in 2001, inspired by a common love of techno among his friends, the Algarve rave circuit and regular outings at local clubs, where he studied up close some of the greatest techno acts in the world.

Following a lengthy hiatus from the music scene, he resurfaced in 2016 to found his own imprint Kuiper Noise. Later he designed and hosted The Outpost, a techno radio show aired on Radio Solar FM. His own releases have been featured on labels such as Labrynth, Decoy, Affekt, Sample+Hold, Out-Er, Rhod, TMM, etc, and his music has been remixed by the likes of Temudo, Patrik Skoog, Astronomy Domine or Fixon.

Kuiper Noise is the Portuguese label from Holldën, which is the main vessel for his own productions. Miguel has been making a strong impression with esteemed labels having recently released on Pan-Pot’s Second State, Paul Ritch’s Quartz Rec and Ricardo Garduno’s Illegal Alien amongst others.

It starts off in style with the title track “Infinity Pools”, which immediately reveals its honest approach to body-moving aesthetics from the first chords. Heaving and dropping in a dynamic choreography of modernity and fundamentals.

Today, he joins the NUDE Techno podcast, with an hour of Techno. Listen to it below on SoundCloud & Mixcloud. If you are feeling this series, then please consider supporting it on Mixcloud Select.

Sum up this podcast in 10 words…
Moon race sound mohawk goes through viking dream blender. Word.

What’s your personal favourite track on it?
Loving Regent’s “Cohv” at the moment. So carefully crafted, yet so bold and effective.

What’s the special ingredient in this mix?
Hope in unreasonably high doses.

Tell us about your next EP?
That would be “Infinity Pools”, coming out on my label Kuiper Noise this month. It’s been a while since I released something there, so it’s quite an occasion. I had a run-producing a few groovier and looser tracks, and I thought they belonged on Kuiper Noise, itself a place for experimentation. I’m saving my darker, harder stuff for other labels later this year.

What have you got coming up?
A few beers with my best friend, whom I haven’t seen in weeks. Musically speaking, you’ll find out soon enough. I’m not in a position to divulge yet.

And finally, do you have a special message for our readers?
Sure. Don’t take shortcuts to the places you love the most. You can’t build a character with ready-made concoctions. Mistakes are needed to achieve enlightenment and success is better when taken in a succession of humble triumphs.

Tracklist

1. Pearson Sound – Gristle [Hessle Audio]
2. Marcel Fengler – Verson [Suara]
3. DJ Dextro – Resonance Field [Suara]
4. Stockholm Syndrome SK – You Like It [Uncage]
5. Sathurnus – Lack of Expression [Krad]
6. Regent – Simulation [Arts]
7. Azan Caro – Madworlds (François X Remix) [Bipolar Disorder]
8. Holldën – Slacker [Second State]
9. Orion – Komainu [Absence Of Facts]
10. Audio Units – The Fermi Paradox [Newrhythmic]
11. Grindvik & Sylvie Maziarz – Light Storm [Second State]
12. _asstnt & Roll Dann – Emergency Break [MindTrip]
13. Arnaud Le Texier – Axe [Children Of Tomorrow]
14. Measure Divide – Green [Clergy]
15. EAS – Elected Pain [Clergy]
16. Kobosil & Somewhen – Hora [Planet X]
17. DisX3 – Shattered Part 2 [Out Of Place]
18. Aahan – Are You Feeling Oppressed (feat. The Dag) [Monnom Black]
19. Regent – Cohv [Arts]
20. Orion – Jammed [Absence Of Facts]
21. Kashpitzky – Reckless [Be As One]
22. Hertz Collision – Hush [Voxnox]
23. François X – Shame Stare [XX Lab]
24. Coyu – Adiós Peseta [Suara]
25. Zenker Brothers – Focus on Positivity [Ilian Tape]
26. Regent – Efficient [Arts]
27. Alexander Kowalski – Taking Back the Dawn [Be As One]
28. Holldën – Infinity Pools [Kuiper Noise]
29. Cri Du Coeur – Twinpeak [Arkham Audio]
30. Holldën – Boyhood [Sungate]
31. Holldën – Night Was Anew [Illegal Alien]
32. SHDW & Obscure Shape – Innocent Voices [Suara]
33. D&S – Desolation [Arts]
34. Ambre Nuit – Abuse [Genau Recordings]