Belgian techno don Marco Bailey lands on Watergate with a debut that’s guaranteed to intrigue as he leans into electro territory, grabbing rerubs from Extrawelt & Biesmans while he’s at it. DJ, producer and label chief, his is a storied career that spans three decades, and it’s long been evident that Marco’s enthusiasm and passion remains resolute. He closed 2021 with the release of his sixth studio album Surreal Stage, an ambitious, introspective body of work that dropped via his booming imprint Materia. His own label aside, his discography is stacked with cuts across eminent labels Second State, ARTS, Bedrock Records, as well as being one of the first artists to debut on Carl Cox’s seminal INTEC. While it’s techno that he’s become firmly associated with, his adeptness in the studio isn’t limited to the nuances of one genre and this is a rare opportunity to showcase a different side to his musicality. ‘The Spirit’ floods in first, almost immediately engaging listeners as it ebbs and flows with complete abandon. If the promise of electro grabbed your attention, it’s ‘From My Mind’ that delivers and sticks in your mind - from the heavy synth bassline to the soaring ascendant melody, and distorted, robotic vocals. ‘Pulse’ slaps and packs plenty of punch power as it snakes its way through with dominating, ascendant chords. German duo Extrawelt and Belgian export Biesmans step in with rerubs of ‘From My Mind’, and firmly grip some of the elements which make this electro excursion so memorable.