If there's one thing Motorik! Records knows, it's techno! The Sydney electronic music label and collective is known for its focus on underground techno and rave culture. We're stoked to sit down with Patrick Santamaria from the label as he takes us through his top five timeless techno classics. Check out his picks below.

Want to boogie until the early morn to the sweet sounds of techno and beyond? Catch The Late Show With Motorik! every Friday in June at The Lansdowne Hotel, as part of the venue's 100 Year Celebration. Grab your tickets below!

Words by Patrick Santamaria (Motorik! Records):

Techno never stands still - it's always looking forward, pushing into the future by its very nature. Here are five timeless techno classics that capture that spirit - each one marking a moment in techno's story, and even Motorik's small part in it. Whether it's hypnotic minimalism, raw machine funk, or pure euphoric transcendence, these selects aren't relics condemned to dusty shelves; they're still slamming in modern sets and inspiring new sounds every day. From Berlin basements to Detroit warehouses to the ecstasy-drenched fields of Australian doofs, these tracks are proof that realness never goes out of style.

Zombie Nation - Kernkraft 400

Starting off with a bit of a wild card. Controversial even. Kernkraft 400 emerged from the Munich underground (released on DJ Hell's Gigolo Records) and somehow ended up being chanted by millions of football fans around the world. Most tracks that reach this level of meme-ification get trashed as novelty-but Kernkraft lives on... just. Honestly, it's got to go down as the biggest riff in techno history. We had the honour of hosting Zombie Nation at Motorik a few years back, and when he dropped Kernkraft, it was a truly psychotic, "how is this real?" moment.

Itch-E & Scratch-E - Sweetness and Light

A pure, unadulterated slice of XTC and NRG from Sydney's own Itch-E & Scratch-E (Paul Mac and Andy Rantzen). Released in 1994, Sweetness & Light signalled the dawn of the Australian rave scene emerging from the proverbial primordial soup. Blissed-out and banging in equal measure, it rightly snagged the ARIA for Best Dance Release-where Paul Mac famously thanked "Sydney's ecstasy dealers" in his acceptance speech. Yes. Another huge Motorik milestone came when we had the honour of giving this track its first-ever vinyl pressing. A moment that'll live forever in our hearts.

Light Year - Moderation

Another Sydney anthem, this time from the early 2010s, Moderation was one of the last releases on the iconic Bang Gang 12"s imprint. It's a masterclass in minimal maximalism - just a handful of elements, but hypnotic, anthemic, and totally pumping all at once. Rare to find a track that balances all that so effortlessly. And another Motorik shoutout: we had the honour of releasing the remix pack as one of our very first projects on the label. Jordan went on to conquer the indiesphere with his band Neil Frances, while Mikey became a Berlin techno mainstay under the name Jensen Interceptor. It's always cool to see how these deep cuts launch careers that ripple across scenes and continents.

MMM - Donna

Totally unclassifiable and without comparisons. It's a bit disco, a bit electro, and a whole lot mental. Released way back in '97 on their own MMM imprint, Errorsmith and Fiedel's underground classic hasn't aged a bit - in fact, it still sounds like the future. A true Berlin original. Honestly, I'm not sure if these guys are taking the piss or being totally serious. Either way, stay till the end for the spectacular modular synth meltdown. 

Underground Resistance - Jupiter Jazz

You can't compile a list of techno classics without dipping into Detroit. A hypnotic voyage helmed by Detroit's legendary collective Underground Resistance, Jupiter Jazz is as pure a cosmic techno journey as it gets. Released in the late '90s, it perfectly captures the visionary, uncompromising spirit UR has carried since day dot. If anyone tries to tell you techno is soulless, just play them Jupiter Jazz.