As soon as you hear the propulsive, pared-down sound of Klienfeld & Malt’s “Believe,” you know that the New Yorker is a man with techno in his bones. Klienfeld refers to his own approach as a “stripped down Detroit” kind of feel. In fact, that’s part of what drew Alexander Technique—whose Drop Ready Records is releasing the three-track Believe EP on May 9—to Klienfeld in the first place. “I first saw Klienfeld DJing at an after-hours warehouse party and he was playing the sickest techno,” he recalls. “I went up to him when he was playing ‘Strike’ by Jimmy Edgar and we became friends instantly. I asked if he made music and when he said yes, I had to put him on my label.”
In that spirit, “Believe” is all about the beat, but it also offers no shortage of sonic atmosphere. Klienfeld’s blend of texture and momentum is probably what’s gotten him the admiration of DJ icons like Danny Tenaglia and Todd Terry. But you don’t really need to hear anybody else’s opinion of Klienfeld in order to get into “Believe.” All you have to do is listen and let the track take over.