Maceo Plex

Eric Estornel is known by many different names, but what they all share in common is an approach to house and techno that yields uncommonly deep results. Born in Texas in 1978, Estornel got his start recording shadowy minimal techno as Maetrik in the early 2000s, around the same time he founded his Ellum Audio imprint; in the mid-2000s, he dipped his toes into woozy electro as Mariel Ito. But it’s as Maceo Plex that he’s found his greatest success—and no wonder. Launched in 2009, with records on labels like Crosstown Rebels and Kompakt, the project unites the stealthy grooves of underground techno with the crowd-pleasing appeal of Ibiza’s biggest clubs. The result is a sensual strain of atmospheric electronic funk that’s propelled by powerful basslines and streaked with suggestive vocals.