If you’ve been anywhere near a proper techno floor lately, you’ve probably felt that shift. The sound is getting bigger, harder, and more unapologetically festival-ready without losing its edge. Eli Brown has been right in the middle of that movement, and his latest cut, “It’s Like That,” lands exactly where it needs to.
Released on Insomniac Records, the track sits at the crossroads of techno and trance with a clear big-room attitude. It’s the kind of record that doesn’t ask permission. Driving four-four energy, rolling low-end, and those sharp, detuned leads that cut through a system all come together to push the pressure higher. The vocal chops and MC-style shouts keep the energy moving, changing pace just enough to stop it from becoming one-note. It’s peak-time music designed for the moment when the room is already locked in and ready to go further.
Eli Brown has built a reputation on this exact approach. Coming out of Bristol’s dance scene, he’s spent years refining a sound that feels both underground and massive at the same time. Support from heavy hitters like Carl Cox, Green Velvet, Fisher, Claude VonStroke, and Annie Mac helped put him on the map early. Annie Mac even made one of his tracks the “Hottest Record In The World” on BBC Radio 1 more than once. That kind of early radio heat, combined with admiration from his peers, opened doors quickly.
His collaboration with Calvin Harris under the Love Regenerator banner (the “Moving” EP) showed he could operate at the highest level without diluting what makes his productions work. And while he’s always been known as a strong producer, he’s equally committed as a DJ. The 2019 Come Together World Tour took him through Asia, the Americas, and back to Ibiza, proving the records translate live.
“It’s Like That” continues that trajectory. It’s the second single from his forthcoming debut album Panic Attack, following the earlier track “Electrify.” The production keeps the focus on movement and impact rather than unnecessary layers. You get the galloping bass, the riding hats, the acid-tinged runs, and those vocal elements that give the track its attitude. It’s built to work in a club or under festival lights without needing much translation.
The wider techno scene right now is full of artists pushing harder tempos and bigger drops while still holding onto the darker textures that made the genre compelling in the first place. Brown sits comfortably in that space. His records feel current without chasing trends, and “It’s Like That” is another clear example of that balance.
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What do you think of Eli Brown’s latest direction? Does “It’s Like That” hit the way his earlier work does for you? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
