Techno is officially becoming mainstream. Labels like Drumcode and DirtyBird have helped the genre become accessible, and the techno formula is being cracked down to a science. Booming bass. Hi-hats on hi-hats. Occasional melodies. Did I mention booming bass?

The latest production team to try techno out for a ride? MSTRKRFT. The duo have released their techno track “Buffalo Fat” for their new label ORO Records. It released last Friday, and our impressions are….mixed.

The track does everything right: the production is crisp and all the sounds are well mastered and engineered. Yet, it comes out feeling cold. It’s a perfect track to play at the peak of an Ultra Megastructure set, designed for massive speakers. It’d make a good fit at any techno set at a major music festival, really. But, throw this in a playlist of top techno tracks and it becomes just another track in the crowd. It feels temporary, a surprise given the duo’s timeless music from the past.

We’re curious to see if MSTRKRFT continues down this techno trail, and if they do, we hope to hear a bit more variety and innovation next time.

Listen to “Buffalo Fat” below: