What’s In Your Toolbox?: Rinzen

Check out Rinzen's 6 must have tracks ready for the dancefloor!

May 1, 2023 at 1:31 AM PT

Artists will never come unprepared to a party. They always bring a toolbox packed with tracks that are truly dance floor destroyers. “What’s in Your Toolbox” features artists’ secret weapons, aka, the tracks they don’t leave out of their USB. In this installment, cinematic techno artist Rinzen gives us his top tracks.

Rinzen is a techno DJ and producer based in Los Angeles, California. He’ gained a reputation for his dark and atmospheric soundscapes, blending deep, hypnotic rhythms with ethereal melodies and haunting vocals. Rinzen draws inspiration from a range of influences, including classical music, film scores, and experimental electronic music, and his productions have been released on notable labels such as mau5trap, Yoshitoshi Recordings, and Desert Hearts Records. In addition to his solo work, Rinzen has also collaborated with other artists in the techno scene and has performed at major festivals and clubs around the world. With that being said, here are Rinzen’s top 6 tracks that he always keeps in his toolbox.

Maetrik – “Crush On Me”

This is some very old Maceo Plex. I dropped it at Stereo Montreal back in February and for me it was one of the highlights of the set. I love all of Eric’s work, but there’s something really special about the old Maetrik stuff. The swing to the drums, the tension, the vocals. Just great club music!

Rival Consoles – “Sudden Awareness of Now”

One of my favorite songs of all time. I consider it a great victory if I can work it into a set, considering its 141BPM and mostly ambient. The chord progression is so emotional, and combined with its cavernous reverb, it’s quite a sound. I’ve always wanted to be on the dance floor when I’m playing it so I can hear what it really sounds like in a big room.

Mano Le Tough – “I See Myself in You”

Mano is such a gifted producer and I love his ability to make a peak-time track that is simultaneously slow and moody. Something you wouldn’t consider to be a peak-time track, but then you hear it played the right way and you realize its potential.

Mathew Jonson – “Kissing Your Eyes” (Tale Of Us Remix)

So this is an older remix from Tale Of Us. Pre-melodic techno era when they were making just really groovy house-oriented music. Even still, the track stands out from their catalogue at the time for being a bit faster.

Shall Ocin – “Colapso”

I wanted to pick something really current, because it is important for me as well to be playing very fresh material. This new one from Shall Ocin is everything I love from his work: driving and intense, yet with a sense of strangeness to it.

Red 7 – “I Lost My Shoes On Acid”

This is a vinyl-only track I first heard a couple weeks ago and instantly fell in love with. The groove, the power of the sample. I must credit the discovery to my friend Jared who showed it to me (he insisted I credit him actually, ha!). PS: if anyone has a WAV or 320 of this one, please send it my way.

Connect with Rinzen:

Facebook | SoundCloud | Twitter | Instagram | Beatport

You can enjoy Rinzen’s top choices along with a ton of other amazing music and artists at Desert Hearts Festival Los Angeles May 6th and 7th.

Desert Hearts Festival, one of North America’s most celebrated boutique electronic music events, has released the star studded lineup for its 2023 edition taking place at The Torch at the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on May 6-7.

The experience will transform the grounds of The Coliseum into a full-scale Desert Hearts Festival takeover, featuring the signature Desert Heart stage, top of the line sound and lighting, art-cars projection mapping, live painters, and world-class musical talent. This special urban event follows the lead of DH’s ten year tenure of taking over unique venues around LA with its City Hearts series.