How Guy Mantzur and Chicola build depth in modern melodic techno

Guy Mantzur and Chicola have always treated collaboration like a conversation between worlds. Their new EP, Neon Bible, released on Sasha’s label Last Night on Earth, captures that dialogue perfectly. It’s deep, hypnotic, and emotionally charged without losing its precision. Central to that sound is their use of Raum and Replika XT, two tools that gave the track its shape and sense of movement.

Both producers have built careers on control and atmosphere, and those instincts come through clearly here. Raum helped carve out a spatial identity for the synths, allowing melodies to drift but never blur, while Replika XT added a rhythmic pulse that kept the reverb alive inside the groove. Instead of layering for size, they used space as an instrument, giving every element room to breathe while maintaining the tension that defines their shared sound.

For Mantzur and Chicola, these choices were about designing emotion. Raum became a way to build dimension and contrast between sections, while Replika XT glued those shifts together with movement and texture. The result is a record that feels alive, balancing clarity and atmosphere in a way that reflects their years of shared trust in the studio...

The post How Guy Mantzur and Chicola build depth in modern melodic techno first appeared on Native Instruments Blog.

View the full article