Artefakt

Pioneering the Poetics of Hypnotic Techno

Early Life and Education

The foundation of Artefakt lies in the technical and artistic synergy between its two members, both hailing from the Netherlands.

Robin Koek was born in 1987 in the Netherlands. A true scholar of sound, Koek’s trajectory was defined by his time at the HKU University of the Arts Utrecht, where he earned a Master of Arts in Sound Design in 2011.

• His background in music technology and “artistic systems” allows the duo to transcend standard club music, treating tracks as immersive, spatial environments.
• Nick Lapien (known professionally as Lapien) also grew up immersed in the “Dutch West Coast” sound, influenced by the raw, hardware-driven techno of labels like Bunker and Crème Organization. Before the duo’s formation, Lapien established himself as a versatile producer, working across the spectrum of house and techno under various monikers like Metropolis and Nepal.

The two crossed paths at university, discovering a shared obsession with analog hardware and the emotional potential of repetition. They began collaborating in 2012, merging Lapien’s rhythmic swing with Koek’s intricate sound-system design.

The Trajectory: From Underground Roots to Global Reach

Artefakt’s rise was slow and deliberate—a “slow-burn” success that mirrored the music they produced.

The Delsin Milestone (2015–2017)

While they had released tracks on labels like Field Records, their signing to the legendary Delsin Records signaled their arrival on the world stage. Their 2017 debut album, Kinship, was a watershed moment. It moved away from the dancefloor “tool” and toward a narrative-driven experience, earning universal acclaim for its ability to be both club-ready and headphone-introspective.

Global Presence and “De Lichting”

By the late 2010s, Artefakt had become staples at the world’s most revered techno institutions, from the concrete halls of Berghain in Berlin to the forest-bound Labyrinth Festival in Japan. In Amsterdam, they became core members of the De Lichting collective, a group of local artists dedicated to a DIY, collaborative approach to electronic music. This collective became a vehicle for their more experimental leanings, as seen in their 2021 album, Days Bygone, which explored breakbeats and melancholic ambient textures.

Artistry and Innovation: The Hypnotic Philosophy

Artefakt is widely credited with popularizing a specific brand of techno that values texture over volume.

• Production Style: They are masters of the “evolving loop”—a technique where a simple pattern is modulated so subtly over ten minutes that the listener loses track of time. This is achieved through a heavy reliance on analog synthesizers and modular gear.
• Collaborative Philosophy: Beyond their own releases, they have contributed to the evolution of the genre by collaborating with artists like Svreca (on his Semantica label) and influencing the “Deep Techno” movement that has dominated European club culture throughout the 2020s.

Challenges and Cultural Impact

The primary challenge for Artefakt has been maintaining artistic purity in an era of “business techno.” As the genre moved toward high-speed, high-energy trends on social media, Lapien and Koek remained steadfast in their commitment to a slower, more contemplative sound. This refusal to chase trends has solidified their legacy as “artist’s artists”—producers who prioritize the longevity of a piece over immediate viral success.

Quick Reference: Notable Works & Discography

The Legacy of the “Artifact”

Today, the duo continues to push the boundaries of what electronic music can be. Robin Koek balances his time as a music technology tutor at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, ensuring that the duo’s technical precision is passed down to the next generation. Artefakt remains a reminder that in the fast-paced world of EDM, there is still a profound power in the slow, the steady, and the hypnotic.