Sandwell District
SANDWELL DISTRICT
“We don’t write music, we make it.”
Sandwell District are one of techno’s most uncompromising and influential collectives. Formed in the early 2000s by Karl O’Connor (Regis) alongside Dave Sumner (Function), and closely associated with Juan Mendez (Silent Servant) and Peter Sutton (Female), the project emerged as an artistic offshoot of Regis’ seminal Downwards label. From the beginning, Sandwell District positioned themselves in opposition to commercial dance music, prioritising artistic integrity, experimentation, and collaboration over trends or spectacle.
Their reputation was cemented with a series of releases that culminated in the now-canonical Feed-Forward album in 2010—a record that sold out instantly and became a touchstone for modern techno. Yet the same volatile energy that fuelled their creativity also led to a bitter collapse. Internal conflict, fractured relationships, and a dramatic final breakdown—most infamously at Fabric—resulted in a decade-long silence. Few expected Sandwell District to ever return.
That silence ended with End Beginnings, an album that marks both a reunion and a reckoning. Older, arguably wiser, but no less outspoken, O’Connor and Sumner reconnected after years apart, driven by the belief that Sandwell District was more than the sum of its parts. The project’s revival was also shaped by the tragic passing of Juan Mendez in early 2024. His visual work had always been central to the collective’s identity, and End Beginnings stands as both a continuation and a tribute—named after an artwork Mendez was developing before his death.
Musically, End Beginnings reconnects Sandwell District with their underground roots while expanding their scope. Drawing on Motor City techno, European industrial, and post-Berghain intensity, the album balances raw dancefloor power with cinematic depth and home-listening introspection. Tracks move fluidly between acid psychedelia, tribal rhythms, hypnotic minimalism, and widescreen electronic composition.
The album was created remotely between London and Berlin, with a renewed focus on collaboration and balance. Long-time allies and new contributors—including Simon Shreeve, Mika Hallbäck, Seth Horvitz (Rrose), and Sarah Kranz—helped shape the final work, reinforcing the collective spirit that has always defined Sandwell District.
Never nostalgic and never complacent, Sandwell District return not as a legacy act, but as a living, evolving force. End Beginnings is proof that their vision remains vital—an affirmation that true techno, rooted in risk, friction, and intent, still has something urgent to say.
