Valentino Mora - Hailstorm
The wealth of talent emerging from the hypnotic techno scene has become undeniable in recent months. One such talent is incredible Valentina Mora, whose low-end ragas have been entrancing audiences for a decade now. Their early releases on IDO showcased a very distinct, solemn style of tech house-meets-ambient that continued as a throughline. Jumping forward, Mora opened accounts with labels like Non Series, Spazio Disponibile, and now Hypnus Records as they start ticking off the who's who of deep techno imprints. The latest release on the aforementioned Hypnus injects a new level of depth to a small yet stacked catalogue of record bag mainstays.
Hailstorm, released in April of 2026, is a concise 2-tracker that relies on lush floral atmospheres to create a sense of wistful unease. Rather than sticking to Hypnus Records' legendary sound, Valentino Mora removes any percussive dance floor activation. Both tracks sit similarly within a beat, a floating beat, a no man's land. Each track feels like a void of blissful stillness, with the opener 'S-Bahn' relying on a graceful drone to anchor the track in reality. More of the same can be heard on the title track, only this time the music has a bit more body, as new elements and micro-rhythms are generated through clever sound design, providing a much more uplifting energy. Aside from this, the arrhythmic heartbeats of bass providers, grounding repetitiveness, wild, organic wooden percussive thwacks, and dance, are unrestrained. Noisy bleeps echo, swelling, while subtle tones, spiced with noise, provide fleeting melodic lines.
Valentino Mora's debut is an exercise in restraint. In effect, this record is a distillation of the deepest and most ambient aspects of dance music. It's a showcase of what can be achieved without drums. Instead, micro rhythms are created through sound design, call-and-response, and auditory hallucinations. The record comes across as almost Balearic in feeling as it not only captures the hostile concrete structures of the city, but also the chilling winds of a beautiful Nordic beach. And while the record is entrenched in the heavy fog of atmospheric heaters that release it, it manages, without aggression or overindulgence, to create a pocket in which it resides.
Label: Hypnus Records (2026)
Valentino Mora - Hailstorm
