When techno crossed the Atlantic and made its way to the UK, it was embraced, further pioneered, and expanded upon by a few key artists. One of them, most notably, is Luke Slater, who stands as one of techno’s most chameleonic enigmas – shifting through the variants of the genre with euphoric clarity. From his beginnings as a resident at Heaven’s Soundshaft night Troll in London in 1989 and his involvement in the early outdoor rave scene, Luke has been responsible for some of the most celebrated and richly textured techno of the ’90s, quickly becoming one of Britain’s emerging talents with seminal releases on Peacefrog, NovaMute, and Djax-Up-Beats.
Over the succeeding years, his many forms and guises unraveled, releasing an array of music under his L.B. Dub Corp, Planetary Assault Systems, and The 7th Plain projects for the likes of Ostgut Ton and his own Mote-Evolver imprint – not to forget numerous leftfield excursions under various other monikers and countless remixes for Depeche Mode, Madonna, Octave One, Joey Beltram, and Kenny Larkin. His rich, full sound became as evident in his productions as it did in his mixing, where he showcased his ability to chop up, blend, and rework his Detroit-influenced roots with contemporary sounds that transpired throughout the ages.
Over the past three decades, Slater’s sound has been honed across the globe several times over, boasting residencies at the likes of Berghain alongside appearances at every major club or festival imaginable – from the Dutch forest settings of Dekmantel to Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. His live performances, particularly Planetary Assault Systems shows, have become legendary experiences, with his “Temporary Suspension” live tour running for two years and cementing his reputation as both a studio innovator and a compelling live performer.
In the latest phase of his career, Slater has channelled fresh energies into projects old and new. The revival of some of his most notable aliases has found much acclaim in the form of multiple albums, EPs, and remixes. Collaborations such as Egopoint, where the choreography of Staatsballett Berlin’s first solo dancer accompanied a composition by The 7th Plain, found him on the fringes of experimentation. Meanwhile, newfound concepts such as the live performing project LSD (a collaboration between Dave Sumner [Function], Steve Bicknell, and himself) have captured the imagination of fans past and present.
2020’s Berghain Fünfzehn album exemplified Luke’s absolute craftsmanship while remaining at the forefront of electronic music, forging new compositions by chopping, looping, tweaking, and deploying sounds from the Ostgut Ton back catalogue. This creative approach continued into his BBC Radio One Essential Mix that same year, finally bestowing the long-awaited two-hour showcase that demonstrated his enduring relevance to new generations of electronic music fans.
The following years saw continued evolution across his various aliases. His 2021 albums Say It Loud and Sky Scraping on Token demonstrated Planetary Assault Systems at its most elemental, with Resident Advisor including tracks in their year-end round-ups. These releases drew from both studio material and components recorded during acclaimed P.A.S. live shows, celebrating the formative environments of clubs and festivals with unashamedly upbeat energy.
After a five-year hiatus, 2024 marked the return of L.B. Dub Corp with Saturn to Home on Dekmantel, featuring collaborations with deep house legend Robert Owens, dub techno pioneer Paul St. Hilaire, French electro icon Kittin, and Alex from Baal & Mortimer. The album incorporated live drumming for the first time in Slater’s career, celebrating the cultural ferment that shaped his path while paying tribute to figures like Eindhoven street philosopher Arnol Kox, whose motto “Only The Good Times” became both a track title and a philosophical touchstone, remixed by Burial for a limited edition vinyl pressing.
Mote-Evolver continued its influential run, with 2024’s Deep Heet Vol. 5 marking the label’s 70th release, alongside collaborations with Dubfire on The Dissent EP. The 2025 Reassembled compilation showcased Slater’s continued ability to attract top-tier collaborators, featuring reimagined Planetary Assault Systems tracks from Oscar Mulero, Len Faki, Chlär, Rene Wise, and Slater himself, proving his ongoing relevance and influence on contemporary techno. From here, the enigma continues to unravel as he cements his legacy within contemporary electronic music.
