STM 100 - Dadub

The creators of this mix are Daniele Antezza and Giovanni Conti, collectively known as Dadub—a duo of Italian electronic music artists and mastering engineers based in Berlin. Dadub began as a solo project by Daniele Antezza in 2008, but he was soon joined by Conti, who at the time was working on interactive digital art projects. Conti brought with him vast knowledge of hardware and software, and the duo quickly became immersed in production. Both members work at Artefacts Mastering studio and are connected to the Stroboscopic Artefacts label, where they have released four EPs and their critically acclaimed debut album, You Are Eternity. Influenced by King Tubby and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry's mix board experiments, Dadub seeks innovative ways to merge old production formulas with new technical possibilities and sound construction modules. Their sound is particularly focused on low frequencies, deep hypnotic atmospheres, and intricate beats—both Daniele and Giovanni are drummers. By combining elaborate techno rhythms with dub/ambient sound textures, Dadub crafts audio structures that could be described as monumental. Their dynamic and powerful live performances have been showcased internationally at Sonar festival in Barcelona, Melt! festival in Germany, and in clubs from Berlin to Moscow and New York. It’s clear that audiences will be hearing a lot more from this prominent duo in the near future.

Following Dadub’s recent recordings for Boiler Room, Resident Advisor, and Electronic Explorations, Secret Thirteen is proud to present their latest powerful selection in celebration of our 100th mix. Dadub’s selection is an indirect reflection of many of our previous mixes, as it carries a wide range of stylistic motifs, ranging from techno, IDM, and experimental to ambient, world, and contemporary music. “The selection encompasses different historical moments of electronic music evolution, from the first futurist experiments (Russolo's composition was created in 1914) to contemporary approaches,” says Dadub. The duo has connected 48 tracks to form a sustained, almost two-hour mix, using music to express a wide range of emotions. Although the selection is deliberately eclectic, Dadub finds alternative ways to connect even the most capricious tracks, effectively masking the tension between pieces. The spectral content is constantly changing, smoothly reshaping its trajectory—it balances between formless compositions and rhythmic sound architecture. Dadub uses diverse audio layers to form completely new structures and harmonies, constantly expanding sonic constructions. They have dubbed and overdubbed this mix using their new effects setup, a feedback system with a vintage analog mixer and a couple of dirty delays. It’s important to note that this mix includes many records that have evolved from or are strongly related to dub. Among the sublime works by such notable talents as John Cage, William Basinski, Demdike Stare, Jan Jelinek, Rhythm and Sound, and Retina.it, the listener will also hear four pieces from the Dadub catalog. Two of Dadub’s unpublished experimentations were cut from their performance at Berlin Atonal Festival 2013.

All in all, Secret Thirteen Mix 100 is a picturesque and carefully planned audio expedition. It is like an expressive and emphatic Untitled piece by Hans Hartung, painted in a gestural abstract style where sketchy, improvisational, and somewhat chaotic composition reveals an underlying refined tension between line and color. Hartung worked in the Informel manner, and his vivid calligraphic brushstrokes explored the principles of harmony and proportion, much like the Dadub recording. The duo was passionate about creating an immersive emotional sound experience, following their instincts and revealing a more sensitive side in this invitation to journey through light and darkness. As Einstein once said, “Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.”