STM 189 - FOR.

FOR. is an emerging Hungarian industrial/techno duo comprising Ábris Gryllus and Miklós Farkas. Their debut album, Next to 21 Tons of Chemical Waste Right Now, slated for release in 2016 on the Hungarian label Farbwechsel, offers a striking blend of heavy, ominous beats and anxiety-laden soundscapes, all crafted with an impressive subtlety and precision. Their sound is predominantly the product of improvisation, rooted in obscure and abstract aesthetics. Gryllus and Farkas draw inspiration from the paradoxical loneliness of urban landscapes, fine art, and the pulse of club culture—an amalgamation that gives rise to the gritty, rusted sonic identity of FOR.

Secret Thirteen Mix 189 represents a shift in pace from our recent selections, delving deep into the industrial and techno spheres, while exploring the liminal spaces in between. The mix is primarily composed of FOR.’s own tracks, interwoven with works from artists they admire, such as Varg, Damien Dubrovnik, Orphx, and others. This mix serves as a litmus test for the duo, a way to explore how their music resonates within a broader context and to experiment with new directions. For listeners, it’s a fitting soundtrack for embracing the eerie stillness of a city in summer, providing an outlet for the restless energy that accompanies it. The mix unfolds gradually, with murky soundscapes and the relentless hum of machinery, slowly building tension. As the mix progresses, it intensifies, culminating in a cathartic peak of power electronics, before descending into a dark, relentless techno landscape. The aggressive beats and hypnotic monotony create a sense of dislocation, pulling the listener away from the immediacy of the present. The journey concludes with an ambient piece from Ábris Gryllus—a melancholic, reflective touch that lingers after the rave’s end.

FOR.’s mix can be likened to Peter Alexander’s Lawndale, an aerial painting of Los Angeles. In the painting, a familiar urban landscape is rendered unrecognizable and alien, as the viewer is forced to see it from a new, disorienting perspective. Similarly, Secret Thirteen Mix 189 takes the familiar elements of industrial and techno music and recontextualizes them, transforming them into something both unsettling and strangely beautiful.