Pantha du Prince & the Bell Laboratory^DE/NO

Along with several other producers in this year's line-up, Hamburg's Pantha du Prince (aka Hendrik Weber) arrives at this year's MUTEK on the back of enviable international hype for his second album, This Bliss. And once again, the attention is warranted. Weber's brand of minimal techno is often distinguished by its sense of refinement, an ornate, moody, sometimes gothic elegance most other techno artists forego. Though he maintains several side projects (Glühen 4, Panthel), Weber is a producer who opts for quality over quantity. He released his first single in 2002 and did not return again till 2004 when his debut album, Diamond Daze, was issued. The bulk of his remarkable reputation rests on a streak of work that has filtered out since 2005: two singles, a Depeche Mode remix, and the singular This Bliss.