No one performs like Richie Hawtin does. The pioneering Detroit figure has crafted a style all his own, hallmarked by live, improvised, minimal techno. On Friday, January 22, Hawtin took the decks at Exchange LA in Los Angeles for the first leg in the official Essential Mix Live series in North America. The historic performance boasted two hours of his cerebral brand of techno, delivered to a packed crowd at 2am in the morning.

Now the set has been officially broadcast on BBC Radio 1 for the world to hear. It’s a monstrous performance, wielding cuts from the likes of Pig & Dan, Joy Orbison, Tunnel and more. With Hawtin, however, it’s not so much about the tracklist, but the way in which he performs the selections. His approach is both fluid and organic, deconstructing tracks on the fly and incorporating new, hand-programmed drum sequences on top. It’s an enthralling combination, and one that can now be relived through his new Essential Mix.

Listen back to Richie Hawtin’s Essential Mix Live on BBC Radio 1.

Photo credit: @wearenightowls

Tags: essential mix, Richie Hawtin

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