Max HeyraudTruncate opens up about his enduring, raw techno sound, the evolution of club music, and the impact of trends and social media on club culture, offering sharp, unfiltered reflections on his two decades in the game and the future of dance music.
Truncate is an artist and label whose name carries significant weight within techno circles. If you’re into raw, jacking, forceful, yet funky techno, he’s arguably one of the most formidable figures in the genre for nearly two decades. Throughout this time, his sound has remained remarkably consistent since his very first release under the Truncate name around 2010, marking a shift from his previous moniker, Audio Injection. This transition ushered in the sound he’s now synonymous with.
Terms like “bomb,” “weapon,” “killer,” and other abrasive descriptors are frequently used when discussing David Flores’ music, and rightfully so. Truncate’s tracks have been relentlessly destroying dancefloors and are consistently in the hands of the right DJs. While his jackin’ techno style has defined him, he has also managed to stay eclectic and creatively evolve over the years. His work often references the classic sounds of Chicago’s seminal labels like Trax and Ghetto Mania, evoking an essence of timeless, effortless music.
Although his music is generally simple, as any producer knows, creating simple techno at the level of quality and consistency that Truncate does is incredibly challenging. This makes him a favourite of the world’s best DJs, including legends like Jeff Mills, Luke Slater, DVS1, and Ben Sims, his collaborator in the ASSAILANTS project, among many others.
The LA native has never been one to shy away from expressing his opinions on techno trends, movements, or changes within the industry. This interview is no exception, as we caught up with the living legend to hear his thoughts on the current state of techno. And true to form, he doesn’t hold back.
Your sound and musical aesthetic are so easily recognisable and have remained consistent for many years, yet you’ve managed to stay versatile in your output. Would you agree with this, and if so, what would you attribute that to?
Yes, I agree, I have a specific sound, and I think that all comes from my past musical influences, which always stick with me. But I usually try to add some sort of different element or feeling to my tracks when I see fit. I still stick to mostly making club-ready tracks, so that could also stifle my creativity, which I’ve been trying to break free of lately. So, we’ll see what happens!
I know that at the beginning of your career, the name Truncate was just for the label, and you had planned to stay anonymous. Do you have any desire to release music anonymously now?
Funny that you bring this up because I have a little side project that I’ve been wanting to start… obviously, I can’t say what and when, but I guess we’ll just have to see.
You’re part of the duo ASSAILANTS with Ben Sims. How did you guys first connect?
Ben and I first really connected back in 2012 when we had a couple of gigs together in Japan. It was my first time out there, and we spent some days together hanging out and connecting on a personal level. Pretty much from that trip forward, we stayed in touch and spoke about collaborating more often, which led to many B2B gigs together and the eventual move to start “ASSAILANTS” and the label Obscurity is Infinite.
How’s the techno scene in LA at the moment? Are you keeping tabs on it?
The scene in LA is going strong at the moment. On any given weekend or weekday, you will have many parties with out-of-town and local headliners. I host a party series called OBSERVE, which I do together with my friends Drumcell and Oktaform. We also work very closely together with local promoters, so we definitely have our finger on the pulse of the current scene.
Pre-pandemic and post-pandemic techno scenes feel like two very different ecosystems. Do you think things are starting to balance out now?
Honestly, I still see a big divide in the current scene. While techno is probably the most popular it’s ever been, I see a big disconnect with what’s more genuine vs. what mostly everyone sees on social media. We tend to get too caught up in viral moments and videos of influencer DJs, and that seems to cloud our reality of what the techno scene should be. I still get to play lots of gigs in proper club environments where the music comes first, and that is refreshing. But I feel there’s still a little bit of disconnect with the big festivals and smaller events. I’d like to see club-goers focused more on the music rather than hype fads that come and go. I hope to see things balance out in the near future.
You previously spoke about high-production parties being “sensory overload,” and mentioned that sometimes “you don’t pay as much attention to the DJ” at those events. This trend seems to be progressing. Do you envision a move back to a more stripped-back club approach soon?
That kinda goes back to the last question about the scene balancing out… I don’t really see it going away anytime soon, and it seems to be getting worse. Party-goers think big production festivals are what an event should be like, rather than stripped-back, dark clubs. Long-format DJing isn’t really a thing anymore, and I said before I still get to play these sorts of events, luckily, and it’s not all doom and gloom (yet?). It’s basically up to the artists and promoters to push for less “sensory overload,” but how do we go back? It’s like flying first class and then having to go back to a middle seat in the back of the plane.
You’ve been outspoken about your disdain for social media’s influence on club culture. Do you see any signs of improvement, or what would need to shift for things to change?
I haven’t seen much improvement, to be honest. It feels worse than before. We have to constantly be online promoting our music or upcoming DJ gigs. We have to show that we have a full schedule of gigs to show how in-demand you are. Always constantly showing your “personality” online to connect with your fans. It just doesn’t feel genuine to me. I wish I had an answer on how to fix it, but I don’t think it will ever go away.
You’ve also voiced your dislike for hard techno. I feel like it might be reaching a plateau. How are you feeling about it these days?
Yes, I know the boomer in me isn’t a fan of “hard techno,” but lately, I’ve started to care less about it, and I don’t pay attention to it anymore. Trends come and go, and I’m no longer letting myself be bothered by what the kids enjoy and what’s popular. Hard techno will eventually die, and something new and worse will come along, lol. I’m just gonna stick to what I like to do and let the kids have fun. If they follow me for my music, then great, that’s what it’s all about.
Richie Hawtin recently said that minimal could make a comeback. What do you think about that, and how would you feel if it did?
Most of my friends and colleagues are dreading the comeback of minimal because if you were around back then, you know that it dominated the scene and is basically what hard techno is to the scene now. When things become too popular, they become watered down and boring. I’m not saying I’m completely against it, as the drop in BPM could be a nice reset that we need. There are plenty of new producers out there who will take the essence of minimal and elevate it to be something more current and exciting. If it does come back, I’m really curious to see what happens… but definitely be ready for a lot of bad pop minimal tracks, lol.
Your label has long been a consistent space for raw and authentic techno, and you’ve been releasing a lot of music lately, including work from new artists. Do you think the scene is healthy in that regard?
Yes, I think so. When I opened my label up to new artists, I realised there are a ton of new producers out there that are hungry and wanting to be heard and get their music out there. It’s nice to see so many young artists who actually care about the music and not just clout. People seem to be genuine and want to make music they love, and not only do it for gigs. It’s refreshing to see.
What advice do you have for up-and-coming producers and DJs trying to break through the noise today?
Be real and genuine. I’ve said this many times. Be yourself, be genuine about it. Don’t copy someone else’s style because it’s popular. We already have an Alarico, Marcal, Temudo, etc, don’t try to sound like them. Bring something different to the table, but also be yourself. It’s okay to be influenced by other producers, but don’t just be another copy of them. If your music is good, people will follow.