Berlin-based producer LUCA DRACCAR plunges listeners into a chiaroscuro trip on his new four-track EP The Dark Side, fusing Italian melodrama with the steel-toned precision of Germany’s club capital. Built for the late-night slot yet rich with narrative detail, the record proves that techno can bleed feeling without sacrificing punch.
Arriving on the heels of festival appearances at Koko, Roskilde and Sónar, the EP marks a milestone in Draccar’s decade-long journey from Milan’s illegal-rave circuit to Berlin’s high-definition sound systems. Each track unfurls like a chapter: ‘Bad at Love Since Forever‘ pairs a plaintive piano motif with overdriven subs; ‘Outlaws Division‘ rides serrated synth stabs that wouldn’t feel out of place in a Charlotte de Witte set; ‘Reckless Flower‘ lets neo-romantic arpeggios bloom over swirling noise; and closer ‘Branded Your Brain‘ smoulders in dub-techno haze before detonating into a cinematic Drop.
“I wanted techno that shows its scars,” Draccar explains. “A record you can dance to at 3 a.m. but also replay alone and find new bruises.” That tension—vulnerability wrapped in industrial muscle—gives The Dark Side its bite, inviting both catharsis on the floor and reflection in the comedown. 
With tight mono-compatible lows, airy highs and just enough saturation to keep the waveforms angry, the EP is primed for Funktion-One rigs while rewarding headphone deep-dives. DJs hunting a peak-hour statement piece will jump on ‘Outlaws Division,’ but the whole release reads like a four-chapter novella—equal parts sweat, sorrow and Swagger.
Follow Luca Draccar:
Website – Instagram – Facebook – Soundcloud – Spotify
