Ron Morelli

Ron Morelli, a DJ and producer hailing from Brooklyn, NY, is best known for his influential work at the helm of L.I.E.S. (Long Island Electrical Systems) and its sublabel Russian Torrent Versions. A ‘90s vinyl aficionado, Morelli cut his teeth working at the legendary East Village A-1 record store before venturing into his current endeavors. His labels are renowned for releasing a diverse array of lo-fi techno, gritty house, and acid tracks, but Morelli’s own creative output extends further. Working under his own name and through collaborative projects like Ghost-202 (with Svengalisghost) and Two Dogs in a House (with Jason Letkiewicz), he navigates the murky waters between raw house, sharp-edged techno, industrial, and noise. This latter element is especially prominent in his recent album A Gathering Together, released on Hospital Records—a powerful, abrasive force brimming with distorted textures, harsh dynamics, and fragmented techno rhythms. It’s a bold statement of his wide-ranging musical influences and experimental spirit, a trait that also permeates this mix.

STM 166 is a broad collection of music spanning various eras, blending new and old tracks across genres like minimal-wave, power electronics, industrial, illbient, and more. Unlike Morelli’s earlier Boiler Room set, this mix doesn’t aim to ignite the dance floor but instead delves deep into the experimental side of music. It’s spontaneous and diverse, yet it maintains a cohesive thread throughout in both mood and sound. Several sonic themes recur throughout the mix: grimy synth lines, lo-fi production, and hypnotic repetition—binding the collection together so tightly that it almost feels like a massive, singular LP. Those looking for hysteria or dramatic highs may find themselves disappointed, as the emotional tone remains subdued, imbued with a gritty elegance that invites deeper exploration. It’s almost paradoxical that a mix featuring artists like Haus Arafna, The Klinik, or Blood Music can feel calming, but in a peculiar way, it does. The journey through the mix includes many peaks and valleys, featuring five unreleased gems from L.I.E.S. artists—Beau Wanzer, Inhalants, Florian Kupfer, NGLY, and Nenad—before it gently fades into a pairing of Dead Shall Have Not Died in Vain with Robert Ashley’s Purposeful Lady Slow Afternoon. An ending that feels indisputable, even if you wish it could continue.

In the records

Louis Soutter’s transcendental work Lunes et petites lunes tournez, celebrated as one of the greatest pieces of outsider art (Art Brut), could serve as a fitting visual counterpart to Morelli’s abstract, mind-bending mix. In Soutter’s piece, the tremors of modernity and a strangely playful backdrop filled with singular, moving objects offer a broad and insightful perspective on the nature of true longevity, reality, and creativity. Similarly, Morelli’s mix is a tapestry of unexpected sonic turns and surreal moods, flowing seamlessly across different decades and musical landscapes to create a unique, final collage.