Spencer Hardwick

A lifelong fascination with how human beings respond to sound inevitably led Spencer Hardwick to techno. After studying it for many years, the Portland-based artist now offers his own compelling interpretation of its artistic philosophy.

Experimental yet true to form, Spencer’s style of electronic music teases out a cerebral tangent between lush, progressive atmosphere layers and artful, atonal noise. Groove remains paramount throughout, however. This keen balance between what techno is and what it can be serves as a north star — not only for his output as a producer, but also for his record label and event banner, VAST.

It’s hard to put your finger on how Spencer fuses commonly disparate sonic elements to yield a whole greater than the sum of their parts. Perhaps that’s because it starts with something else, something far below the surface. Spencer is driven first and foremost by a desire to help build and push forward the community that has formed around this music. Pure intention will always shine through in art, no matter how it’s executed.

For a glimpse of techno’s future, look no further than Spencer Hardwick. He’s not alone, after all. His curious approach as a DJ and label runner has earned him the support of many of the scenes most respected names