Karenn: How 'Grapefruit Regret' redefined the duo
· re:union Radio editorial · 2 min read
Karenn, the analog duo of Blawan and Pariah, forged their most distinctive sound yet with the album 'Grapefruit Regret'.
Few techno projects are as consistently dedicated to hardware purism as Karenn, the collaboration between Blawan and Pariah. With their album 'Grapefruit Regret', Blawan and Pariah released their first full-length album in 2019.
At a glance
- Karenn is the collaboration of Blawan and Pariah, started in 2011
- The duo produces and performs exclusively with analog hardware
- 'Grapefruit Regret' is their debut album, created during a Berlin summer
From DJ circuit to their own label
Blawan and Pariah met through the shared DJ scene and initially released separately via R&S Records, before founding their own imprint Works The Long Nights under the name Karenn. After a hiatus of about five years, the project returned in 2019 with the EP 'Kind Of Green' – released on the newly founded label Voam.
Eight tracks from a Berlin summer
Immediately following in November 2019 was 'Grapefruit Regret', the duo's first full album: eight compositions created during the summer months in Berlin. Unlike previous releases, Karenn deliberately focused on drum machine elements for the first time here.
Analog setup as a trademark
What sets Karenn apart from many other techno acts is their consistent avoidance of software in the studio as well as on stage. The duo's live setup in 2020 consisted of devices from manufacturers such as Boss, Eventide, Electro-Harmonix, Elektron and Strymon – a combination of loopers, synthesizers, and effects processors.
Still active
Even after 'Grapefruit Regret', Karenn remained active: in 2020, the twelve-inch single 'Music Sounds Better With Shoe' was released, whose A-side originally came from a 2014 Boiler Room set by the duo. You can read more about hard, analog-driven club music in our overview of current hard techno releases and new dark techno releases.
FAQ
Who is behind Karenn?
Karenn is the collaboration of producers Blawan and Pariah, founded in 2011, who met through the shared DJ scene.
Source: Wikipedia: Karenn, accessed on 25.09.2026.
