Who's Octave One
Techno is in the genetic pulse of the Octave One brothers. Hailing from Detroit, Lenny and Lawrence Burden have been vanguards of the genre since its early innovation and continue to set the standard for dance floors. Their electrifying live performances showcase to audiences just what techno is made of: the synthesis of man and machine. The duo’s astounding array of analog gear, a mighty rig they call “The Mothership,” acts as a vessel of funk grooves, house riffs, and irresistible rhythms as they take dancers on a trip through musical literacy. With each live set, the formidable force accomplishes a feat few can conceive of in the studio, and even fewer are able to recreate live. This is why Octave One is techno’s unrivaled live act.
The 2023 release of Octave One's Never On Sunday album on their own 430 West Records marks a seminal moment in contemporary techno. It exhibits the brothers’ fluidity in electronic music, laying down a fresh blueprint for future artists. Ahead of its release, the sought-after singles “Tiers” and “The Bearer (Brother’s Burden Mixes)” are proving their versatility on the global dance floor with addictive fervor. Never On Sunday is a multimedia exploration into melancholic breakbeats, anthemic vocals, and ambient soundscapes that marks a modern rebirth of techno’s experimental soul. Featuring ten video shorts written and directed by the Burdens, it reaffirms their project as an all-encompassing, expansive experience in digital form as it is live. More in demand than ever, Octave One’s success is built on over three decades of artistic evolution that’s captivating a new generation of devotees.
Octave One’s club classics have come to define several decades of dance music. Lenny and Lawrence made their legendary debut as Octave One in 1990 with the titanic anthem "I Believe" on Derrick May’s Transmat label and alongside other techno originators like Juan Atkins on the Techno 2: The Next Generation compilation. By 2002, they were selling over one million records worldwide with the hit single “Black Water” and being regularly supported by the likes of Little Louie Vega, Danny Tenaglia, Jeff Mills, and Richie Hawtin. Octivation (1991), The “X” Files (1994), and Foundation (1995) are among the early records that garnered Octave One critical acclaim. All three landmark releases were pressed on 430 West Records which, including its Direct Beats imprint, the brothers established in 1990. Both label and sub-label served as major outlets for other groundbreaking masterpieces and artists throughout the ‘90s. The Burdens’ influence as tastemakers permeated genres and united a diverse range of electronic music styles, which is evidenced by their broader collaborations and pseudonym projects.
Inventing their own sound equipment early on, Lenny and Lawrence have always been multidimensional virtuosos who push the envelope of how techno can be expressed and experienced. Their ongoing collaborations and natural inquisitiveness allow them to access rare creative venues. For one, techno is a family affair for the Burden brothers who collaborate foremost with their younger siblings Lynell, Lance, and Lorne. The clan’s stratospheric rise attracted prolific remix requests from Claude VonStroke, Dave Clarke, Underground Resistance, Massive Attack, Groove Armada, Orbital, to Luke Slater and his Planetary Assault Systems moniker. While the Burdens’ various projects explore the boundaries of sound and space in real-time, they’re also concerned with the intersection of music and visuals. In 2006, alongside their Random Noise Generation alias, Octave One presented Off The Grid—a full length CD and DVD project in partnership with Tresor Records. Preceding the age of YouTube, this concept paved the way for the rise of essential platforms such as Boiler Room. It’s the format that inspired the next generation of artists, granting visual access to the duo’s coveted performances in never-before-seen detail.
Octave One’s latest album, Never On Sunday, expands on their alias of the same name and continues the videographic facet of their interdisciplinary pursuits. What’s more, it’s a visionary piece that challenges the limitations of techno in order to discover the point at which contrasting genres and popular dance culture converge. This process started years earlier when the brothers began deconstructing pillars of funk and soul, culminating in the new classics “Jazzo/Lose Myself” (2015) and “Just Don’t Speak” (2016), which feature original “Black Water” vocalist Ann Saunderson. The duo also delved into fusing their live set with the distinguished Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra in a monumental performance conducted by Stephen Hussey. With countless sold-out shows during their last world tour in promotion of the highly successful Love By Machine (2016) and headlining Rock in Rio with Carl Cox and 909 Festival with Jeff Mills, we can expect great things from Octave One in the future. Heradling forth a renaissance in electronic music exploration, the Burden brothers are redefining the boundaries of what it means to be a modern musician
The 2023 release of Octave One's Never On Sunday album on their own 430 West Records marks a seminal moment in contemporary techno. It exhibits the brothers’ fluidity in electronic music, laying down a fresh blueprint for future artists. Ahead of its release, the sought-after singles “Tiers” and “The Bearer (Brother’s Burden Mixes)” are proving their versatility on the global dance floor with addictive fervor. Never On Sunday is a multimedia exploration into melancholic breakbeats, anthemic vocals, and ambient soundscapes that marks a modern rebirth of techno’s experimental soul. Featuring ten video shorts written and directed by the Burdens, it reaffirms their project as an all-encompassing, expansive experience in digital form as it is live. More in demand than ever, Octave One’s success is built on over three decades of artistic evolution that’s captivating a new generation of devotees.
Octave One’s club classics have come to define several decades of dance music. Lenny and Lawrence made their legendary debut as Octave One in 1990 with the titanic anthem "I Believe" on Derrick May’s Transmat label and alongside other techno originators like Juan Atkins on the Techno 2: The Next Generation compilation. By 2002, they were selling over one million records worldwide with the hit single “Black Water” and being regularly supported by the likes of Little Louie Vega, Danny Tenaglia, Jeff Mills, and Richie Hawtin. Octivation (1991), The “X” Files (1994), and Foundation (1995) are among the early records that garnered Octave One critical acclaim. All three landmark releases were pressed on 430 West Records which, including its Direct Beats imprint, the brothers established in 1990. Both label and sub-label served as major outlets for other groundbreaking masterpieces and artists throughout the ‘90s. The Burdens’ influence as tastemakers permeated genres and united a diverse range of electronic music styles, which is evidenced by their broader collaborations and pseudonym projects.
Inventing their own sound equipment early on, Lenny and Lawrence have always been multidimensional virtuosos who push the envelope of how techno can be expressed and experienced. Their ongoing collaborations and natural inquisitiveness allow them to access rare creative venues. For one, techno is a family affair for the Burden brothers who collaborate foremost with their younger siblings Lynell, Lance, and Lorne. The clan’s stratospheric rise attracted prolific remix requests from Claude VonStroke, Dave Clarke, Underground Resistance, Massive Attack, Groove Armada, Orbital, to Luke Slater and his Planetary Assault Systems moniker. While the Burdens’ various projects explore the boundaries of sound and space in real-time, they’re also concerned with the intersection of music and visuals. In 2006, alongside their Random Noise Generation alias, Octave One presented Off The Grid—a full length CD and DVD project in partnership with Tresor Records. Preceding the age of YouTube, this concept paved the way for the rise of essential platforms such as Boiler Room. It’s the format that inspired the next generation of artists, granting visual access to the duo’s coveted performances in never-before-seen detail.
Octave One’s latest album, Never On Sunday, expands on their alias of the same name and continues the videographic facet of their interdisciplinary pursuits. What’s more, it’s a visionary piece that challenges the limitations of techno in order to discover the point at which contrasting genres and popular dance culture converge. This process started years earlier when the brothers began deconstructing pillars of funk and soul, culminating in the new classics “Jazzo/Lose Myself” (2015) and “Just Don’t Speak” (2016), which feature original “Black Water” vocalist Ann Saunderson. The duo also delved into fusing their live set with the distinguished Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra in a monumental performance conducted by Stephen Hussey. With countless sold-out shows during their last world tour in promotion of the highly successful Love By Machine (2016) and headlining Rock in Rio with Carl Cox and 909 Festival with Jeff Mills, we can expect great things from Octave One in the future. Heradling forth a renaissance in electronic music exploration, the Burden brothers are redefining the boundaries of what it means to be a modern musician
