I find the transitions between musical elements to be the key to making electronic music compelling.  There is a sexy mathematical element and certain geometry to the progression of rhythm that Techno expresses in subtle ways.  Many progressive DJs choose one tempo for an entire mix.  This is a very safe, yet unadventurous way to mix.  Anyone can make a loop but the true expression happens in not only the selection of those elements but also in the transitions between them and the gradual evolutions through time.

Menno De Jong has a podcast that I’ve been following for a while.  In his Intuition Podcast #019, he opens it up with a remix of “In For The Kill” by La Roux that smacks the tempo all over the place while maintaining a smooth and danceable feel.

Starting off with an Aphex Twin sounding ambient pad, deep bass tones and slowed down vocals, the track merges into the realm of drum and bass with filtered drums jumping in at 160bpm and the vocals at around 80.  Then, during the crescendo, the drums switch to half-time and then get faster and faster and faster until a slower kick comes in at around 130 bpm.  A few measures after this, the vocals jump back in at 130 as well.  This gives the feeling of the drums slowing down and the vocals getting faster while staying in sync.  For a mathematically minded DJ like myself, it’s quite a treat for the mind and ears.