Melodic techno keeps finding new ways to lift a vocal hook without losing the hypnotic pulse that keeps a room moving. Calgary producer and DJ Nick Proof just did that with his remix of Elevate, the Disco Fries track featuring Mintd and Kayrae. The original already had lift. This version leans into the darker, more cinematic side of melodic house and techno that has been filling festival tents and after-hours rooms all year.
Nick Proof brings his signature melodic techno sound to the record, stretching the groove so the track can live both in a peak-time set and in a longer, more atmospheric mix. You get the rolling low end and tight percussion that define current melodic techno, plus the kind of evolving pads and filtered motifs that keep Melodic House interesting after the first drop. It is the sort of remix DJs reach for when they want the familiar hook but need something that actually develops instead of just repeating the radio structure.
The connection makes sense. Nick has cited Disco Fries as an early influence and mentor, and he has already released on Liftoff Recordings, the same home as the original Elevate. That original dropped in early June 2026 and quickly found radio and playlist support. Turning it into a club-ready melodic techno cut is a logical next step for someone who has spent the last few years moving from future house and progressive house into deeper, more driving territory.
Nick Proof’s own story started in April 2020. Out of work during the first lockdown in Calgary, a coworker offered to teach him to DJ. Livestreams, a festival date, and filmed sets in scenic Alberta locations followed the same year. In January 2021 he opened Ableton and started producing. The range he listed then—electro house, future house, progressive house—has since tightened around tech house, deep house, and now a clear melodic techno identity. His site and Spotify bio put him at the intersection of melodic techno and tech house: memorable vocals, hypnotic grooves, late-night energy.
He has played Badlands, Satellite, Hard West, Freezer Burn and a steady run of Calgary clubs, plus charity events supporting local kids’ programs. Releases on Blanco Y Negro, High Five, Daxsen, Glitchworld, Roller Blaster and Liftoff have helped him pass 1.5 million Spotify streams and land in the top 3 percent of artists on the platform. That is a lot of ground covered in six years, and the Elevate remix feels like another marker that the sound is settling into something distinctive.
Melodic techno and melodic house are having a strong 2026. Afterlife, Anjunadeep and Drumcode-adjacent records keep dominating Beatport’s Melodic House & Techno chart because they give DJs both emotion and function. A well-made remix of a proven vocal record sits right in that lane. It gives selectors a familiar title they can announce and a version that actually works at 125–128 with the darker textures people expect now.
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What do you think of Nick Proof’s take on Elevate? Does the melodic techno direction fit the original for you, or do you still want the brighter Disco Fries version in the set? Drop it in the comments.
