Exhale brings together two of contemporary electronic music’s most distinctive voices, uniting the sonic worlds of Batu and Donato Dozzy in a collaborative album that explores the space between techno, experimental sound design and immersive listening. Rooted in a shared spirit of curiosity and experimentation, the project celebrates the meeting point of two unique approaches while creating something entirely new.
Although each artist has developed a singular musical identity, their paths first crossed in Japan in 2019, where a mutual admiration for each other’s work sparked the idea of collaborating. That connection deepened through a surprise back-to-back set at Draaimolen Festival in 2023, where their instinctive chemistry behind the decks hinted at the possibilities of a studio partnership. Those ideas finally took shape in February 2025, when Batu travelled to Donato Dozzy’s studio in Rome. Working instinctively and allowing ideas to evolve naturally, the pair created the foundations of what would become Exhale.
The collaboration thrives on the contrast between Dozzy’s deep knowledge of hardware synthesis and Batu’s intricate software-based production techniques. Rather than blending their styles into a compromise, Exhale embraces the dialogue between them, allowing each producer’s musical language to remain distinct while constantly informing the other. The result is an album that feels both deeply connected to their individual artistic identities and greater than the sum of its parts.
Across eight compositions, Exhale moves fluidly between hypnotic techno, richly textured ambience and adventurous rhythmic exploration. Tracks such as “Flicker”, “Off Axis” and “Spiral” reveal the balance between Batu’s dynamic rhythmic structures and Dozzy’s immersive, atmospheric approach, while pieces like “Swarm” and “Drift” dissolve the boundaries between their individual styles altogether. Throughout the record, intricate percussion, evolving synth work and carefully sculpted tension create a sense of constant movement, one of the defining principles behind the album.
Opening with “Emergence” and concluding with “Bloom”, the album frames its more rhythm-driven passages with expansive, melodic compositions that highlight another side of the collaboration. Even in its most ambient moments, Exhale maintains a strong sense of momentum, reflecting both artists’ shared fascination with music that is always in motion.
Bridging influences from techno, bass music and experimental electronics, Exhale is an instinctive and deeply immersive collaboration that showcases the strengths of both Batu and Donato Dozzy while exploring new creative territory together.
