Maeghan Donovan, known simply as ‘Maedon’, has delivered several striking productions over the past few years. While much of her work has been released on Sonic Groove Records, the American artist has also founded her own label, Rant & Rave Records. It was under this banner that she unveiled the EP “Cease & Resist” in 2023.

Maedon’s sound remains uncompromisingly hard and furious, deeply rooted in the Techno pulse of Berlin’s underground club scene. While her music often blends these influences with EBM and Industrial elements, a dark, relentless form of Techno remains her signature. The EP carries traces of her earlier work, with jagged Industrial textures skillfully interwoven among the pounding beats. This tormented and merciless Dark-Techno is sure to captivate and energize dance floors worldwide. (Rating:7).

Listen to “Growing Pains”:

https://maedon.bandcamp.com/track/b1-growing-pains

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-Techno, Hard-Techno.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Ex.Hale is an Italian solo-project driven by Francesco Presotto. The artist released several productions in a short lapse of time. “Abstract Blue” is the first work he released for Sonic Groove and was released by the end of 2022.

Content: Ex.Hale definitely stands -together with Maedon, for one of the hardest projects active under the Sonic Groove wing. It’s a dark and hard expression of Techno music with a few EBM influences and Acid bleeps on top.

+ + + : This is how underground Techno has to sound; a naughty and perverted sound driven by furious kicks. I like the low sound vibrations and the passage with Acid-like bleeps. The last cut is another attention grabber for its ghost-like sensation.

– – – : Not the most accessible Techno format but definitely one for the darkest, Berliner, Techno parties.

Conclusion: Four tracks of pure adrenaline.

Best songs: “Expression Of Self”, “Covered In Dust”.

Rate: 7½.

Label: www.sonicgroove.com / www.facebook.com/Sonicgrooverecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Hard-Techno, Techno-Body, Industrial-Techno.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: This work resulted from the collaborative efforts between Maeghan Donovan aka ‘Maedon’ and Adam Mitchell aka ‘Adam X’. While Adam X is running Sonic Groove Records this album has been released by Tresor Records.

Content: If you know the work of both artists you for sure can have an idea about the sound featured on this album. It’s a hard and dark Techno style infused by Industrial sound treatments and some EBM elements. It sounds pretty straight forward and sometimes a bit tormenting because of the cold blasts.

+ + + : I’m not surprised about this collaboration. Partners in crime and lovers, Maedon and Adam X are inviting the listeners to a true Technoid cataclysm. Maedon is known for her hard and merciless style which you rapidly recognize while I guess Adam X injected a retro-like element. Linear and furious, this work stands for non-stop danceable vibes. The opening piece “Breath In It” sounds by far my personal favorite one.

– – – : I got the feeling the work is getting a bit predictable after a while.

Conclusion: Maedon-X is a kind of damaging and perverted Techno sound for dungeon dancefloors.

Best songs: “Breath In It”, “Corrupt Pigs”, “Subterranean Caverns”, “Subliminal Messages”.

Rate: 7½.

Artists: www.facebook.com/maed0n /  www.facebook.com/AdamXsonicgroove

Label: www.tresorberlin.com / www.facebook.com/tresorberlin

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Behind Maedon is hiding American female artist Maeghan Donovan. Now based in Berlin (Germany) her sound can be defined as hard, merciless, Techno-Body Music. She got in touch with Sonic Groove owner Adam-X who released her debut EP “Against His Will” in 2019. She next released the EP “Escape To Berlin”. Earlier this year Maedon unleashed her debut full length “Now I Am Become Death” which only confirmed the powerful sound of this artist. This interview is a way to introduce you to the muscled Techno universe of Maedon. Maeghan Donovan is not only a great producer but also an interesting person.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: How did you get contaminated by Electronic music? And tell us a bit more about your music background and former experiences like Pulsewidthmod?

Maeghan: I became hooked to Electronic music at a very young age, my oldest brother who was a Senior in Highschool when I was in Kindergarten gave me my first tapes. The first two were typical Girl-Pop music. The third tape he gave me was the hook, line, and sinker for me; Depeche Mode “People Are People”. From there on my musical journeys were very diverse over the years,  but I always returned to Electronic-Dance music. 

As for my musical background, I started playing the piano when I was 5 years old and sang in choirs. I went to college for Classical Piano Performance but decided to drop out to pursue building a studio of my own and producing. 

From 2005 to 2014 I spent time learning the ins and outs of synthesis and recording. My first show as my former moniker, Pulsewidthmod, was in 2014. At that point, all my productions were focused more on Pop music but my first shows were playing for Dance parties. I became hooked after my first real rave that I played.

In 2016 I went on my first tour that coincided with my first visit to Namm in Anaheim, California. A few months later, I released my first physical album on cassette tape, “Entelechy”, and booked a 2.5 month coast to coast tour. The music was vocal-centric, Minimal/Dark-Wave. While I was on tour I realized I didn’t really enjoy playing shows where I was performing structured songs and singing. At the end of each set, I would play a more Live PA style. It wasn’t quite Techno, but it was definitely Dance-worthy and that was the time that I focused all my energy on producing music for clubs.

In April of 2018 I released my first 12” on Detroit Underground. In September of that year I moved to Brooklyn, NY. In December of 2018 I played Synthicide and when I was finished with my set I walked from the dance room to the bar and low and behold, who was standing there? Adam-X! We spoke for over two hours that night. He had given me really good feedback on the promo for my Detroit Underground release, “Serpentine Servitude”. It was really cool because he was unaware that I was a female. That’s how I wanted it a the time, I didn’t want my music to be marketed or pushed because I was a woman. I wanted the music to stand on its own. I wore a hood for most of my press shots so it wasn’t obvious that Pulsewidthmod was a woman.

That night at Synthicide, Bossa Nova Civic Club, Adam expressed to me to send him tracks. It took me till the end of April the following year to send him my new productions. He heard my tracks and immediately signed me. As many people know, we are now a couple. This happened after the release of my first Sonic Groove release, “Against His Will”. 

Q: I’m always wondering why there’re less female- than male artists active in the music scene, but especially in Electronic/Industrial music. Do you’ve an explanation and how does it feel to be active in this ‘men world’? 

Maeghan: We live in a world ruled by men, not women. This mentality trickles down into every aspect of society. The entertainment industry is ruled by men and the world of technology has always been a male driven vocation.

I grew up in a world where girls played with Barbies and wore pink and boys grew up with Transformers, and GI Joe and wore blue. (I could care less about barbies, I much preferred transformers and Casio synthesizers.) Because of technology, the world has changed exponentially. Being an Electronic musician means not only being a musician, but being an engineer and a producer. 

Synthesizers are in many ways a very nerdy thing to get into. To the unacclimated musician, they can be somewhat difficult even to get your head around. As a synthesist, you almost have to have an interest in both physics and electronic engineering. As a girl growing up in the 90s, these sorts of things were not marketed to girls. Being a woman, it took breaking the usual societal norms to break into being interested in things that weren’t meant or marketed towards women. 

I felt very alienated to a degree and singled out. Promoters were almost always men. They don’t expect for a girl to make music that appeals to them. They don’t expect that a girl even knows what she’s doing. I would play many opening slots. All this gave me fuel to push myself harder, make my music harder, make it darker, to always strive to outdo myself with each passing show. To sum it up, being a woman making music that was almost entirely a male-centric genre, it pushed me to make music that was harder and darker than all the boys.

The best feeling in the world in a way is the reactions I would get from male promoters. At one party I clearly remember the promoter coming up to me halfway through my set saying to me, next time you play for us, we will give you a prime spot. The funny thing about this story, the same promoter booked me for another party; when it came time to make the poster I asked what my time slot was just to make sure. It’s not worth my time or effort to take my gear out to a show where I’m getting paid the equivalent amount as someone doing door. They didn’t keep their promise so I backed out.

I value what I do and I deserve to get treated with respect.

With all this said, things have changed a lot now. Women along with Transgender, and non-binary artists are being heavily pushed. Because of this, I now feel comfortable letting my personality shine through publicly. I don’t hide behind a hood anymore because I don’t need to, my music stands on its own. My music got me to where I am today, not being the ‘token’ female on the all male line-up.

Q: I can easily imagine your move to Berlin, meeting other artists and visiting clubs must have had a serious impact on your artistic activities. What makes Berlin that different from the rest and can you tell us a bit more about the spirit of this town? 

Maeghan: I moved to Berlin on March 15th, 2020  two weeks ahead of schedule and only two weeks after returning from playing Tresor for the first time. The Berlin that I know is the locked-down Berlin. That being said, Berlin has had a very positive and dramatic influence on my music and music production. 

What makes this city different is the fact that this city not only respects artists but much of the economy has been built around the club culture. Last year Berlin clubs were declared to be a cultural institution to safeguard their future in the time of lockdown. As an artist, this mentality serves as a huge sense of security. Where I come from, being an artist was a constant struggle. I would live day by day, week by week, doing my best to make my rent. Many times I had to sell gear to make up for the difference to pay my rent. 

I refused to let my art suffer for the security of a paycheck. I would live off of bagels or spaghetti so I could spend time working on my craft. This was difficult in itself because those around you, including roommates, would look down on me thinking I was being irresponsible. For me, being irresponsible would be denying myself of pursuing my craft.

Here in Berlin, the cost of living is not nearly as high as it was in Brooklyn. This is another aspect of this city that really helps artists thrive. I am here because I am an artist. If I want to stay here, all I need to do is to continue doing what I always have minus the worries and guilty feelings of being a ‘responsible citizen’. This is something artists around the world should feel everywhere. 

Meeting other artists is the cherry on top with Berlin. I’ve made many friends and for the first time in my life, I feel like a member of an amazing community. Living in Berlin truly is, living the dream.

Q: Adam Mitchell introduced Mædon as one of the hardest projects signed to Sonic Groove. I think you just are the ‘hardest’ one but what do you try to express by your music and especially the debut album “Now I Am Become Death”? 

Maeghan: My music being hard is a result of two things: first, my life experiences, second, we live in a world that’s severely fucked up. “Now I Am Become Death” continues on with the same theme as “Against His Will” and “Escape To Berlin”. I express the atrocities of those who hold the power and rule the world. The title track of the album, “Now I Am Become Death” was started as a more Techno-Body Music track where I sampled Oppenheimer. The quality of the recording from his speech wasn’t sitting well so I decided to say it myself. This is how it morphed into being a more straight up, hard Techno track. My vocals became the lead.

We live in a world where we are ruled by madmen. People follow orders by those in command, and it causes death, repression, pain, suffering … so my sound and this album is me literally saying “Everything is Not O.K.”. That was another track that I originally had a vocal sample of Dave Chappele saying ‘The worst thing to call someone is crazy … maybe the environment is a little sick’. My sound has always been a musical expression of me screaming ‘I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!’ As time goes by, I’m just getting louder expressing this sentiment.

Q: How do you look back at this album? What have been the main difficulties and eventually challenges in the writing- and production process? And what are you personal criteria to say a track/album is finished? 

Maeghan: This album was written and recorded during the thick of the pandemic when lockdown was in full effect. It was very difficult to complete because there were no shows to play. Playing shows is a vital part of not only the production but the source of inspiration. 

 As I look back on it, I see it as an album created in the darkest and hardest of times as an artist. There was an overwhelming fear that club culture might not return. It’s also an album that’s a demonstration of my transition from being known as an EBM artist to being more versatile with making Techno in general. There’s some Hard-Techno in there, some Rave, and some Acid.

Outside of producing dance music when no one is dancing, the hardest challenge to a degree was making the music in a small space entirely in headphones. When I moved here, I came with only the essentials. My monitors and sub were sold because they weighed too much to bring with me from Brooklyn. I also ended up living with Adam in his studio flat because finding a flat during the pandemic was not an option.

So, I made do setting up in Adam X’s kitchen, mixing and cooking up beats, listening through cans. I really look forward to the future where Adam and I can find a suitable flat here where I can rebuild a studio. 

Q: A last question about your live sets. Do you’ve specific/favorite tracks/artists you’re always playing? How do you prepare a live set and do you notice significant differences between the places and clubs you’re playing? 

Maeghan: I am mostly booked as a live artist so my preparation for gigs is literally making new tracks. The more shows I play, the more new material I get to choose from. The main difference between the places and clubs I’m playing now is this, I’m playing and being booked to play in amazing clubs and parties. Last fall I got to play in Basement and this was such an amazing experience. I also got to play in LA for the first time ever in a proper underground warehouse. This year I look forward to playing in many world renown clubs and parties.

I am beginning to Dj now too, I find it to be very fun. I love being able to play tracks of many of my favorite artists a few of which are Perc, Ansome, Joe Far, Mickey Nox,  Sawf, Anfs, Phase Fatale, Dasha Rush… oh yeah, and Adam-X. Every DJ set I play always includes Sheer Insanity or Sensory Overload.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Hard-Techno, Techno-Body.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: After having released two promising EP’s Maeghan Donovan aka ‘Maedon’ strikes back with her debut album. “Now I Become Death” features nine songs.

Content: Maedon holds onto her devastating Techno power she already illustrated on previous EP’s. This album stands for hard-hitting Techno music with a dark touch on top. The tracks have been achieved with EBM sequences, harsh noises and spoken samplings. The devastating kick injects a constant power to the work.

+ + + : Sonic Groove owner Adam Mitchell (Adam-X) once introduced Maedon as one of the hardest projects from the label. This American artist only confirms this statement, her music being pure sonic adrenaline. The album is driven by hard, merciless kicks and devastating sequences. I like the rather EBM-driven sequences running through “Everything Is Not OK”. I also want to mention the title track for the impressive canvas of noises and effects. This woman stands for a merciless and enraged sound!

– – – : Speaking for myself I would have liked to hear Maedon injecting a bit more EBM elements to her album. It would also have brought a bit more diversity to the composition becoming a bit too similar after a while. But you don’t hear me complaining when listening to dance stuff like this.

Conclusion: Maedon stands for ‘the muscles of Sonic Groove’. This is dancefloor terror.

Best songs: “Everything Is Not OK”, “Now I Am Become Death”, “What You Want – Rüdersdorf Trip”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/maed0n

Label: www.sonicgroove.com / www.facebook.com/Sonicgrooverecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Techno-Body, Industrial-Techno, Dark-Techno.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Sonic Groove is celebrating its 25^th anniversary with a compilation featuring 12 tracks. Set up by Adam Mitchell –better known under the Adam X moniker, the American label –now based in Berlin (Germany) became a visionary company mixing Techno music with darker/underground genres like EBM and Industrial music.

Artists: The Source Experience, Max Durante, Orphx, Diagenetic Origin, Panacea, Meadon, Rhys Fulber & Portion Control, Crystal Geometry, Monolith, Adam X, Dasha Rush, Realmz.

Content: The compilation brings familiar projects from the label together; from ‘earlier’ artists such as Max Durante, Orphx, Diagenetic Origin, Dasha Rush and Realmz… to artists who joined Sonic Groove during the past few years like Rhys Fulber, Crystal Geometry, Maedon… The common thread between all artists is Techno music, which they each mixed with a darker influence. The most surprising track is a collaboration between Rhys Fulber (Frontline Assembly, Delerium, Conjure One ao) and Portion Control.

+ + + : This compilation first of all is a way to discover the great label roster of Sonic Groove while it remains one of the very few labels, which welcomed artists mixing Techno music with darker genres. Sonic Groove has been a pioneer and still remains a reference today. When you hear Rhys Fulber together with Portion Control composing a true Techno-Body-Music song with harsh vocals on top, you get an idea what this label stands for. So far I can see the featured artists have composed an exclusive song for this sampler, which makes it only more interesting. I have a preference for the Industrial-Techno style of Crystal Geometry (one of the newest projects on Sonic Groove), but I also have to mention the rough exposure by Diagenetic Origin, the Dark-Techno approach from Panacea and a more explicit track by Dasha Rush. Adam X remains another attention grabber and who better than the label owner he stands for the sound of his label: Industrial-Techno!

– – – : I don’t have real regrets, but some extra artists and tracks would have been cool.

Conclusion: This sampler serves as a perfect shop window to give you an idea about the sonic strength and visionary style of the label. I can only express respect for what this label has accomplished so far.

Best bands: Crystal Geometry, Rhys Fulber & Portion Control, Diagenetic Origin, Panacea.

Rate: (8½).

Label: www.sonicgroove.com / www.facebook.com/Sonicgrooverecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Techno-Body, Industrial-Body.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Maedon (Maeghan Donovan) last year released the promising debut EP “Against His Will”. The American artist now strikes back with a new work featuring three songs while we might expect her debut album for early 2021. The EP title is for sure inspired by her stay in Berlin (Germany) where she recorded these tracks during the quarantine.  

Content: Maedon moves on producing merciless Techno-Body music, which is driven by murderous, beating kicks. The songs have been recovered with a true sonic arsenal of industrial noises and spoken samples. Metallic sound treatments are accentuating the icy sphere hanging over this work.

+ + + : Sonic Groove owner Adam Mitchell (Adam-X) last year introduced Maedon as one of the hardest projects from the label and this new EP only confirms that statement. This girl brings furious Techno music, which has been roughly mixed with elements of EBM and Industrial. There’s a perfect fusion between all different elements creating a sonic osmosis. There’s something to say about the three cuts, but I have a preference for the opening piece (cf. “American Dream”) while the last one (cf. “Pandemonium”) is another cool song.

– – – : I think that Meadon is even able to do better; maybe by adding some extra little details and variations on top of her work. I’m really wondering how her debut album will sound-like!

Conclusion: Meadon confirms her writing skills to compose icy, perverted Techno music; and I mean it as a compliment!

Best songs: “American Dream”, “Pandemonium”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/maed0n

Label: www.sonicgroove.com / www.facebook.com/Sonicgrooverecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Minimal EBM, techno-body, industrial-techno.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Behind Maedon is hiding American female artist Maeghan Donovan. She got some experience with dark-techno under the ‘Pulsewidthmot’ moniker and now set up Maedon. “Against His Will” is the official debut record released on Adam Mitchell’s label Sonic Groove.

Content: Forget about easy clichés girls can’t make rough music! Maeghan Donovan brings hard and unpolished techno-music driven by solid EBM bass lines. The tracks have been achieved with industrial sound treatments and fine bleeps. The EP features 4 hard-hitting cuts of EBM-minimalism!

+ + + : There’s an impressive sonic welfare running through this work. The sound production is voluntary unpolished and brutal, which mains emerges from the kicks, but the work is accomplished with an impressive sonic canvas of industrial noises and fine bleeps. I also like the way the tracks have been constructed, moving towards transcendental breaks. The icy sound treatments are brilliant, reinforcing the tormented sphere supporting this production.

– – – : The rhythms are somewhat linear, which is not that surprising for this kind of production, but Maedon abuses a bit of the rough format. 

Conclusion: This is not techno music for the clubs, but a format for dungeons and dark cellars; this is a perverted techno format I like!

Best songs: “Illusion”, “Special Report”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/maed0n

Label: www.sonicgroove.com / www.facebook.com/Sonicgrooverecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com