DYSTOPIAN TECHNO: SABUKARU MEETS MAIKE DEPAS
“To me, music is the highest form of art. It exists without shape — a sacred abstraction flowing from a higher dimension.”
There’s a tension in Maike Depas’ music — a collision of elegance and fire, of classical rigor and techno chaos. Born and raised in Milan, shaped by the structure of its understated beauty and the wild rebellion of Berlin’s underground, Depas isn’t just producing techno — he’s sculpting sound into something cinematic, spiritual, and uncompromising.
A Composer at Heart, a Rebel in Spirit
Maike’s origin story isn’t about overnight discovery or a viral breakout moment. It’s about dedication. Raised in the disciplined world of classical piano and composition, he speaks of melody like a sacred language — one he later fused with the visceral power of techno
“The emotional power this genre holds was overwhelming. It completely transformed me”
That transformation birthed a sound defined not just by BPMs and basslines, but by narrative. His tracks feel like soundtracks for imagined films — dystopian yet divine, futuristic yet grounded in centuries of musical form.
Between Milan & Berlin: Form and Fire
The environment is everything. For Depas, Milan offers structure — aesthetic codes, discipline, a love for form. Berlin is its chaotic counterforce — raw, unpredictable, and filled with permission to break the rules.
“I need both: one gives me form, the other gives me fire.””
It’s in this duality that Maike’s identity thrives. His music isn't just produced — it’s curated, emotionally engineered to reflect the tension between opposing worlds.
Tokyo Nights: A Sonic Portrait of Sacred Rebellion
His recent EP, Tokyo Nights, is a testament to this duality — a work that channels the contrast inherent in Japanese culture: serenity and speed, tradition and rebellion, restraint and intensity. The title track is steeped in emotion — a neon-lit night ride through emotional isolation and spiritual reconnection.
“Tokyo is a symbol of transformation. Every time I come here, I feel a strong spiritual connection.”
The EP plays like a love letter to Tokyo, not as a place but as a feeling — ephemeral, futuristic, fragile.
Sound of Nothingness: The Next Chapter
Exclusively for Sabukaru, Maike announces his boldest release yet: Sound of Nothingness, out June 19 via his label, The Innovation Studio Records. A four-track descent into pure techno chaos, the EP strips the genre to its emotional and rhythmic core — no fluff, just fire.
“This is the rawest, most emotional form of hard techno I’ve created so far”
The title track receives a powerful remix by German techno heavyweight Tham, marking a collaboration between two forces pushing the genre forward. Alongside it, Maike hints at a major upcoming release, Don’t Phonk With Me on one of the world’s top labels, ARTCORE Records.
The Sacred Task of the Artist
Throughout our conversation, one idea recurs: the artist as a bridge between the physical and the spiritual.
“Artists are like modern-day shamans, living between two parallel worlds: the everyday and the divine.”
In a scene often defined by surface and spectacle, Maike Depas offers depth — not just in sound, but in philosophy. His techno isn’t made to entertain; it’s made to move, to haunt, to heal.
See you on the dancefloor
Maike Depas is more than a DJ or producer — he’s a composer of the void, a sound sculptor of emotional extremes. As his sound continues to evolve, so does his reach — toward the sacred, the cinematic, and beyond.
Don’t Phonk With Me - ARTCORE OFFSónar 2025 Vol.2
Don’t Phonk With Me, his debut release on Indira Paganotto’s ARTCORE Records. Tapping into phonk, hard groove, and hard dance aesthetics, the single flips the script on Depas' techno-driven style without giving up an ounce of impact. ‘Don’t Phonk With Me’ lands today on Indira Paganotto’s brand new Artcore Records VA – Sonar Edition, which can be found on streaming services everywhere.
