Techno doesn't get much rawer than it does with Karenn. But much like a rock star's expertly crafted bed-head, a lot of care and skill goes into getting things rough around the edges. Arthur Cayzer (Pariah) and Jamie Roberts (Blawan) are both acclaimed solo producers.

Over the past few years few producers have caused as much commotion as Blawan. His label associations—Hessle Audio, R&S, Clone Basement Series, Hinge Finger—speaks volumes. But it's his percussion that speaks loudest. Jamie Roberts is a former drummer, and his intricately programmed tunes seem to bear out this history. Quite simply, Roberts hears things a tad differently than the rest of us.

It's clearly resonating in many different quarters. Roberts' early release with Hessle has endeared him to the UK bass contingent, a world where he's had perhaps his two biggest hits—the R&B diva sampling white label "Getting Me Down" and the unlikely sing-along "Why They Hide Their Bodies under My Garage." Erol Alkan, Simian Mobile Disco and Tiga have also recently fit tunes of his on mix CDs. A move to hardware in the studio has led to frequent collaborations with The Analogue Cops and Pariah, the latter of which he performs with as Karenn.

Before they teamed up they were known for the kind of mutated bass cuts that were everywhere at the turn of the decade. But perhaps more important than the evolution of their musical style is the way their workflow has changed: where before they were both working mostly with software, as Karenn they ditched their laptops in favor of an unruly assemblage of machines. They say they haven't looked back.

The London-based pair – who’ve both released through veteran house and techno label R&S, and share a particular love of the latter genre – started the Karenn project in 2011, with a three-track release on their own label, ‘She Works The Long Nights’. The label’s fourth (following records by Sunil Sharpe, Pariah & Midland, and the aforementioned first Karenn EP) release is again a Karenn release and sounds more restrained than the horror 4×4 Blawan has been making of late, both solo and with The Analogue Cops, but still packs plenty of punch. Oh, and as is usually the case with these two, the track titles are excellent: ‘A Room Full of Fuck All’ in particular.

What would count as a comprehensive electronic production studio now comes on the road with them, and it's in the live space that Karenn have really set themselves apart. For Karenn, a hardware-based live setup is an exercise in restraint—as much about what it can't do as what it can.