CHOLE | CU TECHNO 06

Ōtautahi, New Zealand might not be the first city that comes to mind when thinking of hard-hitting techno, but for Chole, it’s always been fertile ground.

New Zealand DJ and producer Chole delivers a high-energy mix for Chole CU Techno 06. Broadcasting from Ōtautahi, the rising artist showcases her signature fast and stompy sound shaped by the local underground scene. The exclusive set captures the raw energy driving her rapid ascent across South Island dancefloors.

Growing up in the 03 area code, Chole found herself surrounded by an active arts community that rewarded exploration. She began learning classical instruments at the age of seven. This early education taught her the rigid structures and complex theory behind music composition. That classical foundation now underpins the heavily pulsing, 4×4-driven sets she commands today.

“Music is a beautiful blackhole, possibilities are infinite.”

She credits this early training with giving her the necessary vocabulary to articulate complex sound structures. This analytical approach separates her methodology from typical electronic music workflows.

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Her introduction to hard techno happened entirely by accident during a stint in Dunedin in 2023. A friend played a Lily Palmer set recorded live at the European Space Agency for Drumcode Radio. This specific performance completely altered her musical trajectory.

“It was so new to us, we had never heard anything like it in New Zealand, and that was it, there was no going back.”

This discovery ignited a passion that rapidly accelerated her career from a bedroom hobbyist to a mainstage festival act. The CU Techno 06 recording perfectly encapsulates this intense transition period.

By late 2023, Chole realised the domestic nightlife landscape was finally primed for her specific take on heavy dance music. Her first public gig at a university bar delivered an electric response. That debut performance confirmed the heavy artistic direction she was already exploring.

From the university circuit, she quickly transitioned into hosting student radio. This platform gave her the vital space required to experiment and refine her sound palette weekly. High profile bookings at Rolling Meadows, Hidden Lakes, and Two Minds Festival soon followed.

Operating in these high pressure environments turned crowd reading into an essential art form. Her contemporary sets carefully balance hardgroove, hypnotic rhythms, and relentless stompy techno. She curates tracklists specifically to manipulate tension while maintaining strict loyalty to her underground aesthetic.

Ōtautahi Underground Music Scene

The distinct underground community in Ōtautahi has been highly formative for her artistic development. Prominent local acts like Keepsakes, Ebb, and Hang the Saints heavily inspired her approach to live performance and studio production. These established names proved that strict technical precision could seamlessly coexist with aggressive, raw energy.

HAVEN acts as the standout club night for the city. This specific event series provided Chole with a professional template for building crowd intimacy and managing extreme dancefloor energy.

“The energy, the atmosphere, the intimacy of the nights is always so chaotic but in the best way possible. Everyone who is there are THERE. No phones, not videos, just pure movement.”

Her direct musical influences are highly evident in the fast, groovy, stompy identity she broadcasts. International producers including Jay Lumen, Wehbba, Efesian, and Mac Declos provide her core sonic blueprint. She heavily targets the perfect mechanical balance of a driving bottom end beneath highly rhythmic, spinning percussion.

Chole builds her selection process entirely around wave building and physical momentum. She layers dark atmospheric intros alongside heavy kicks to establish tension early. Switching energy abruptly mid set keeps the central groove alive and unpredictable.

Moving from mixing into original production was the logical next step for her progression. Designing a unique sonic signature allows her to stand apart in an increasingly saturated digital market.

“Creating art that’s unique is what defines me as an artist, following my instincts, seeing where it takes me. It’s also my way of giving back to the community, sounds for everyone to express themselves to.”

Her Euro Freq Radio show on RDU serves as a critical conduit for European style hard techno. She actively educates regional audiences while concurrently expanding her own broadcasting reach. This positive local reception constantly reinforces her trajectory and opens new doors for international collaboration.

Chole looks forward to expanding her current ambitions significantly. She intends to release her debut original music soon. She also plans to explore adjacent genres including breaks and dub techno.

“A real artist is someone who always stays true to themselves. Ones who value depth and intention will always create authentic art which is appreciated.”

Operating as a young female producer within a geographically isolated scene forces a unique perspective on her output. Her distinct voice carries serious weight for regional representation within a heavily overlooked domestic market.

Chole relies entirely on instinct, technical precision, and raw energy to operate as one of the standout undiscovered hard techno talents emerging from New Zealand in 2025.