Exploring the Deep/Minimal Tech House Revolution: Kolter, Breakbeats, and Chunkers

House music, or a specific subgenre, is evolving. This change partly traces to DJOKO changing his name to Kolter. Under his previous name, the Cologne native was synonymous with a deeper Tech House strain in the mid 2010s, a modified version of the original early 90s sound, typified by LFO Vs Fuse ‘Loop.’ An early example of the diversion from the DJ’s style is the unofficial bootleg of 808 State ‘In Yer Face.’

In winter 2020, I found a Kolter track, ‘Keep It Clear’, a throwback breaks track with 80s samples. By winter 2024, he has a Beatport No.1 with Luuk Van Dijk, a bouncy 90s influenced House tune featuring the ‘Kicking in the Beat’ vocals. Another top Kolter track is ’15 Minutes Of Fame’, a mix of Electro, Oldskool Rap, and House with 303 acid stabs, far from the smooth sounds of DJOKO.

We need to fill the gap between 2020 and 2024. In 2020, we remember watching DJ livestreams on Facebook, especially the traveling DJ, SUAT, who took his show on the road with his controller on a harness over his shoulders.

But it wasn’t the Hawaiian shirts or the outdoor mobile DJ approach that caught my attention. It was the music. Suat described his track selections as CHUNKERS and Deep Techy Rollers, which now translates as the latest Deep/Minimal Tech House on Beatport. It becomes intricate when you listen to a few ‘chunkers’ in this category.

Some have a deep sound, blended with Garage and Sci-Fi soundtrack strings. Others sound like 1992 Prog House, suitable for a remix of DOP’s ‘Groovy Beat’ or Gypsy’s ‘I Trance You.’ Some sound like Bump ‘I’m Rushing’ (I know I’m rushing just a little bit fast) or Liberation ‘Liberation’ (MLK samples), like the current Beatport No1 by Kolter and Luuk Van Dijk.

I’m not a DJ or producer, so I’m not privy to what inspired a subset of House DJs to explore 1992 prog house tunes. However, it’s fair to say some of the most fun and creative output stems from this genre. My research indicates it has a lot to do with Terry Francis, Colin Dale, Steve Lawler, Fabric, and the Hot Creations label.

In the Beatport Minimal / Deep Tech, the top ten has a variety of sounds from the 130BPM ’15 seconds of Fame’ to the 132BPM fierce, stabby ‘Nutralize’ by Gaskin to the Speed Garage-like ‘Rave Culture’ by Sydney Charles.

Charts reliably gauge popularity. A new chart by Kolter in the Minimal / Deep Tech Beatport category features Kosh’s ‘Come On’, a pure breaks track with rave stabs, scratch samples, 303s and a police siren effect!

Recent tracks in this category are outstanding, including Job De Jong ‘Its A Dream’ and The Trip ‘Love Struck.’ Both feature breakbeats, the former, a laid back groove and the latter a ravey piano led number.

Some of the top labels in this genre include Moxy Music, EastEnders, PIV, Shall Not Fade, and Whoyostro. This is not an exhaustive list. Some acclaimed Deep/Minimal Tech artists are SOSA (UK), Robbie Doherty, Josh Baker, and Tre Reynolds.

This style offers versatility. You can start slow and gradually build up intensity. You can experiment with traditional 4×4 rhythms and breaks, or simply play at fast or slow tempos.The versatility of this style allows DJs to create dynamic and engaging sets, seamlessly transitioning between different tempos and rhythmic structures.

The popularity of this genre is evident in the diverse range of releases from both established and up-and-coming artists. As the scene continues to evolve, we can expect to see more innovative and boundary-pushing tracks that push the boundaries of Deep/Minimal Tech House. The future looks bright for this vibrant and ever-changing corner of the electronic music landscape.