The mysterious French producer I Hate Models first broke onto the underground techno scene with the release of his 2015 debut Persephone, an onslaught of crunchy, industrial-tinged techno. But it would be his penchant for ripping up the genre rule book that made him stand out from the crowd, embracing acid, EBM, rave culture, and psychedelics in his future productions. Growing up in Paris, the producer took the usual teen route of music exploration, embracing hip-hop, metal, and punk before chancing across a remix EP that changed his perspective. Embracing dance music, and techno in particular, I Hate Models started to produce his own brand of hard-edged, industrial techno, delivering his first single in 2015 for Dutch label Obscuur Records. The following year however, he made his mark on the scene, with the release of Warehouse Memories via Italian label ARTS. The mixture of murky techno, acid, thundering kick drums, lush pads, and even vocals, proved a marked difference from the straight-ahead techno that flooded the scene. Two more EPs -- The Lost Tapes and 500 Lesbians in Irak -- followed, once again breaking down the genre's barriers. 2017 saw him return with a slew of releases for the likes of Monnom Black, Voitax, and Khemia; remixing ABSL and Depeche Mode, while also becoming a go-to DJ, regularly playing sets across Europe. The following year saw the release of two more EPs -- Midnight Cults on Khemia and his debut for London's Perc Trax, Spreading Plague -- while also delivering a nearly-ten-minute techno workout for a split single with Umwelt on his label Rave or Die. ~ Rich Wilson