5 AM Subway Dance; Uninhibited, As If Under His Spell: Ignez - SMV014 [Somov Records]
The new release from Somov Records features four remixes of Ignez original tracks, reimagined through the perspectives of Rødhåd, Sterac, Ø [Phase] and Mathys Lenne.
words by Natasha Cornelissen.
cover art: SMV014 by Ignez [Somov Records]
At 5 a.m. on January 31, I found myself on a platform in Brooklyn dancing uninhibitedly while Ignez performed a masterful live set to my left. Under his spell, I relinquished control and watched the crowd as we moved together in a trance. Once the music quieted, I stepped down and felt overcome with emotion, knowing I’d just experienced one of my best sets of 2026 – and it’s only February.
Still buzzing from the night, I was even more excited to see a new release on February 6 from the Dutch DJ’s label, Somov Records. The EP,SMV014, features four earlier Ignez recordings remixed by Rødhåd, Sterac, Ø [Phase] and Mathys Lenne. Offering their reimaginations of the original tracks, these artists transcend his signature sound into new dimensions.
Hailing from The Netherlands’ coast, Ignez drew inspiration from the undulating waves and rolling sand dunes of his environment. Influenced by the harmony of the natural world, his minimalist, driving techno possesses a mesmerizing quality that turns the dancefloor into a space of introspection and catharsis. This transformative essence invites listeners to dive deep into a personal ether and emerge with an unlocked mind and open heart.
Through this latest project, the featured DJs are also immersed into this cosmos and expand it through their own vision, bolstering a collaborative spirit that speaks to the community roots of techno. Resultingly, the five artists bring audiences along on an exploration of transposed identities.
Are you ready to follow along the journey? Read the track-by-track review of SMV014.
Face (Rødhåd Remix)
Commanding movement, the pulsing bass strikes with fervor as shimmering cymbals crescendo into a fluid melody. Oscillating synths and a whistling overtone evoke rippling water and a balmy breeze. As the track progresses, the atmospheric sounds intensify while sharp high hats cut through the undertones, overlaid with haunting siren calls. Like the tide, the melody rises and falls before dissolving into the conclusion.
Clearly inducing the oceanic imagery central to Ignez’s identity, “Face” (Rødhåd Remix) conjures the passage of a seaside storm: growing vigorously and cycling through phases before eventually settling back into mist.
The original track, released in 2021, has a lighter and earthier quality; this latest version by German DJ Rødhåd reflects a characteristic balance between deep tones and emotive textures. Through WSNWG, his Berlin-based label and studio, the two artists have collaborated on several projects that demonstrate a collective narrative where darkness meets iridescence.
This release provides a conceptual continuation. Murky depths and expansive horizons lay the foundation for chaos and resolution, mirroring the multifaceted qualities of coastal environments and the inherent dichotomies of the natural world.
Dawn (Sterac Remix)
Commenced with a punchy bass, this track locks into an extended tone before breaking into a playful melody bedazzled by computerized accents. Clapping kicks create excitement while syncopated synths bring funk, producing an overall invigorating atmosphere that begs to be danced to.
As the verses develop, the melody bounces between its grooveline and accents, inducing a composition that flows in circular motion. Like a looping roller coaster ride, the track propels through vivacious energy until jerking to a stop.
This remix by Sterac, based in Amsterdam, represents his affinity for sound design that’s both ambient and precise. The computerized motifs provide a futuristic quality while the funk-inspired bassline maintains soulfulness, producing an overall sensation of lighthearted euphoria.
Ignez’s version from 2021 originated these groovy rhythms and alternating components, but where that track has a delicate intonation and brooding feel, Sterac’s feels effervescent. His cut embodies the lively spirit of dawn, filtered with light and bubbling with opportunity.
Ethereal (Ø [Phase] Remix)
From a paradox of heavy and light, twinkling effects materialize that tease a dainty melody, intercepted intermittently by eerie croons that gradually become more prominent. The trance-inducing, forceful pulse commands attention while a flitting overtone whispers imperceptibly.
With a particularly bare composition, the tension between these incongruous moods becomes the hypnosis; there’s a subtle unease that lingers between what's anticipated versus what’s experienced. And as it evolves, the track leans into this agitation, challenging listeners to embrace the mounting uncaniness.
This enigmatic parallel peels back a layer of meaning within the title, which in itself sets a preconception of inherent luminosity. Here, however, there’s a liminal essence, establishing an otherworldly quality that’s actually a bit spooky.
Known for gritty, minimal sound, the London-based Ø [Phase] shows off his haunting world-building for his take on the Ignez original, which is comparatively incandescent and evocative. Through this, the DJ subverts expectation, pushing against the definition of ethereal to encompass something darker.
Tavisupali (Mathys Lenne Remix)
Fluid drip-like sounds echo over a smooth, rolling heartbeat, leading into a primordial melody with added dimension from the buzzing overtones and crystalline accents. This texture builds an expansive space, evoking an ancient call from deep inside a cavernous environment.
On his remix, French-born Mathys Lenne demonstrates the intense and embodied rhythms that guide his artistic identity. With its unity of openness and compression, the track leads listeners into a sensory cave, subsequently transporting them into the bottomless depths of their inner selves.
Ignez’s cut from 2024 utilizes murmuring vocals and sharp bell effects that similarly inspire a meditative, introspective state. Lenne’s version, however, possesses a more rudimentary feel, arousing a sense of absorption into the earth and a return to humanity’s ancient origins.
Stemming from the Georgian language, tavisupali (თავისუფალი) translates to free, significant within local rave communities for its embodiment of all-encompassing liberation. Channeling this meaning, the EP’s closing track resolves a passage through the natural elements that delves into a figurative and spiritual core. Maintaining the groove-heavy aspect integral to the project, it awakens the soul through a palpable mind-body connection on the dance floor.
Reflecting the ebbs and flows inherent to the natural world, SMV014 establishes a ruminative voyage that transitions from one environment to the next. Surviving an ocean storm and feeling the bliss of morning light, then navigating darkness to find spiritual return in a cavern: this passage of time and space opens a portal into an exploration of the self.
In this collaboration between five artists, the auditory experience is built through an amalgamation of perspectives. Through this collective narrative, the project elevates beyond a single voice to feel all-encompassing. As these various compositional styles and motifs interact, they become connected through a singular purpose: introspection and release through dance.
The EP clearly presents the power of minimal techno in connecting with individual personhood. After delving into this curation of remixes, I look forward to hearing more from Ignez, who’s presenting five new tracks through Somov Records on SMV015, launching on March 27.