This record features “Into the Shadows” twice – once as the main track, then again as “Into the Shadows Acid.” The second version takes the initial idea further, building on a feeling of unease and things left undone.
Borna Libertines, an electronic musician from New York City, dives deep with “Into the Shadows,” a track surfacing September 17, 2025. It’s a shadowy journey through inner worlds – those tunes born only within the artist’s imagination, forever unspoken.
“Into the Shadows” grabs you right away – it’s about those tunes artists start yet abandon, melodies haunting their thoughts. Because of this focus, Borna joins others in making electronic music less about dancing and more about what happens inside when someone creates.
This track arrives as a pair: “Into the Shadows,” alongside its remixed counterpart, “Into the Shadows Acid.” One version stands as the main idea, while the other twists it, heightening feelings of unease and lingering tension.
Borna builds stories through song, mixing bleak futures alongside raw feeling. Lyrics such as “Metallic hearts beat in exchange / Pulse is heavy, beats like rain” quickly conjure up a world of machines and steel. Visions of people “dancing in the dark, insane” under “black electric skies” recall late-night Berlin techno – those times nearing dawn where joy melts into unsettling thoughts, becoming one strange pull.
A tune stuck within, never quite released – that feeling drives the song. It speaks to the ache when inspiration circles endlessly yet stays unrealized. Anyone who makes music knows this well; we all chase after echoes of songs that slip through our grasp.
Borna favors a mood instead of sticking to patterns. Their work skips typical loud noises alongside expected crescendos. “Into the Shadows” builds suspense by piling on sounds alongside how space feels within the song. Lyrics hint at a restless beat – one that avoids predictability, leaving you constantly unsettled.
Borna clearly knows where techno comes from, evident in the inclusion of an acid take on the track. Lately, people have been revisiting that classic sound – those bubbling 303 basses alongside relentless rhythms – as artists blend history with modern ideas. Offering both cuts lets you hear the core themes shaped by distinct sounds; one feels shadowy and spacious, whereas the other is raw, built on tangible equipment.
It’s interesting where Borna fits into things, being an artist out of New York. Everyone talks about Berlin when it comes to techno, however New York actually boasts a long story with the sound – think back to the nineties raves, even now at those warehouse gigs. Artists here seem to inject a certain toughness into their electronic work; they aren’t afraid of harsher sounds or heavier feelings, likely because the city itself just doesn’t let up.
The music evokes swirling fog exhaled, silence that roars back, then a jolt like lightning. It feels like letting something out, a sonic release. Repeated lines – “Into the shadows deep we go” keeps returning – echo how techno works; it doesn’t need surprises, instead building intensity through small shifts, drawing you further within.
If you dig Phase Fatale, Regis, or Ancient Methods, this record – “Into the Shadows” – will resonate; it’s shadowy techno steeped in industry yet feels deeply individual. Borna doesn’t just mimic bleakness, instead injecting a raw, revealing honesty into each track.
So, does this actually work when people are experiencing it? Techno really comes alive from the mix of carefully made tracks alongside what happens right then – studio perfection meeting raw, in-the-moment vibes. You can almost see “Into the Shadows” fitting perfectly within a long DJ set; its moodiness unfolding gradually, drawing listeners into a trance.
“Into the Shadows” doesn’t try to please everyone; instead, it simply is. While many musicians chase popular tastes fueled by streams and charts, Borna made something bold – a song that asks you to really listen. Strangely enough, what isn’t played feels like the most important part, shaping every other sound within the music.
“Into the Shadows” offers a first glimpse into what makes Borna’s art tick, immediately revealing a unique sensibility. It keenly focuses on atmosphere, how sounds affect our minds, and moreover techno’s potential to convey intricate feelings. Emerging from New York’s electronic landscape, this record marks Borna as an artist worth noting – one who dares experiment with shadowy realms, choosing creative ambition instead of easy popularity.
This tune nudges you to think about the melodies stuck in your head, those projects left unfinished, notions lingering at the edge of thought. It’s more than simply a dance song; rather, it explores making things – how what we envision differs from what actually comes out. Despite tackling big ideas, “Into the Shadows” works, offering something to feel alongside something to ponder.
-Borna Libertines
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