How Humanoid helps Perc Push the Limits of Vocal Processing

Perc has become one of techno’s most enduring figures, steering his Perc Trax label while maintaining a demanding international schedule.

With live shows set for France and Switzerland and DJ bookings across Europe, South America, and Canada, his presence remains firmly global. This period also marks a shift for his label, with a visual rebrand launching alongside his latest body of work. We sat down with him to talk through what this new phase means, from the studio to the stage.

Central to the new release is our Humanoid plugin, which Perc has leaned on to reshape vocals and drive experimentation across his latest tracks. Its role in sculpting the alien tones of “Gravity Drop” and the fractured textures that are blended throughout the EP highlights how it pushes his hybrid workflow further. In our conversation, he shared how Humanoid has become essential in both the studio and on the road, and how it ties into the forward-thinking ethos that has always defined Perc Trax.

Soft Launch arrives October 17th on vinyl and digital, building on the momentum of his 2024 album The Cut Off. The three tracks capture the balance of hardware precision and software flexibility that defines his current approach, with shifting layers and unpredictable edges. The title track has already become a fixture in his sets, while “Tonight” and “Gravity Drop” showcase the range of ideas driving this new chapter.

Perc interview

As you’re balancing hardware and software, how does Humanoid fit into that workflow without breaking your flow?

I generally record my vocals into Ableton Live as cleanly as I can and then I experiment with plugin chains to process the vocals and move the sound of the vocals away from the natural sound of my voice and towards something more alien and abstract. 

Humanoid is a key part of this, sometimes I look for a preset as a starting point and other times I start with a default blank preset I have and then work through each module of Humanoid, slowly moving the vocal to where it gives me the emotional feeling I want from it, not just lyrically but also sonically with the pitch, timbre and formants of the vocal.

When people first hear Soft Launch, both the lead single and the EP as a whole, what do you hope they notice about how the track moves and evolves?

The track is built around the interplay between three key elements; the kick drum, the main percussion loop and the strings chords that give the track it's emotional edge. Each part is filtered and gated through the track to give each element  it's moment to shine. Each element also moves into the background at other points in the track. 

I hope people realise that it's a piece of music that ebbs and flows rather than just another looped tool track for DJs. The other two tracks on the EP are more to do with unexpected combinations of sounds. Jabbing broken beat drums, vocals processed with Humanoid to dislocate them from their original source and swooping synth pads. The whole EP is about experimentation, processing and surprises.

Can you give an example of a moment on Soft Launch where Humanoid pushed a sound into a place you wouldn’t have reached otherwise?

The main vocal on the third track 'Gravity Drop' was extensively processed with Humanoid, it gives the vocal an alien feel whilst maintaining it's human origin. 

Whereas the vocal on the second track 'Tonight' is kept close to its original sound the 'Gravity Drop' vocal is taken to a completely different place thanks to Humanoid.

How do you integrate a plugin like this alongside outboard gear in your hybrid studio?

Generally it's used for post-processing once the vocals have been recorded into Ableton Live. Still, sometimes I will use a hardware processor like one of my Culture Vultures or my Looptrotter Sa2rate 2 to dirty up the vocal outside the box before it goes back into Humanoid so that Humanoid has more to work with in terms of the overall harmonics and heaviness of the vocal.

Sometimes after the Humanoid processing the vocal might go back out again to another hardware saturation device or EQ, just to add a bit of analog grit and warmth to the extreme digital processing of Humanoid.‍

Do you think the future of techno will lean more on hybrid tools like Humanoid, where precision and unpredictability coexist?‍

Yes, the flexibility, precision, and recallability of plugins make them very useful when producing. I recently completed a long tour of South America. 

I was away from my studio for about 3 weeks, and having tools like Humanoid in my laptop was essential to my creativity, taking me far beyond what can be achieved with the stock plugins of my DAW.

How does your philosophy on tools tie into the bigger vision you have for your label, Perc Trax?

It's just about having more creative and reliable tools for experimentation at your finger tips. So much techno these days is made of bought loops with very little additional processing, so anything you can do to differentiate yourself from people buying pre made loops and putting them together like a Lego set has to be embraced.

I want myself and the producers on Perc Trax to push their own music and what can be done with techno to the outer limits of the genre. Techno is a genre that is built on experimentation and just making safe tracks that will keep the dance floor moving but offer nothing innovative or creative is something I've always tried to avoid in my own productions and with what Perc Trax releases.

Thanks to Perc for taking the time to walk us through his new chapter. With the Soft Launch EP arriving October 17th on Perc Trax, a full run of live and DJ sets ahead, and a label rebrand underway, there’s plenty to look forward to from one of techno’s most trusted voices.

Humanoid has been central to this release, giving him the flexibility to bend vocals into entirely new forms and bring another layer of experimentation into his hybrid setup. It is this balance of precision and unpredictability that keeps his work evolving, whether in the studio or on the road.

If you want to explore the same creative possibilities, check out Humanoid hear what it can do in your own sessions.