TENSAL Vinilo y CD

Review: Spanish label Involve hits release number 40 and continues to grow old disgracefully with some face-melting techno from a fine crew of miscreants. Regal's 'Undisputed' is a pilled up old school techno banger with flashy synth work, while DJ Emerson's 'Xtc' is just as intense but this time from the synth patterns, acid and banging drums which all coalesce into a thrilling ride. Tensal's 'Metaverse' is edgy and unsettling with its nerve stabs, fractured vocals and unrelenting kick drum power then Asstnt's 'La Linea' closes out with 90s white knuckle techno and filthy guitar riffs in amongst the action.

Review: Tensal's take on techno is a perfect blend of heady soundscapes and potent drum programming. He brings that to Arts collective to kick off his 2024 in typically excellent fashion. He opens his account on this one with the pulsing basslines and zippy synth textures of 'Virgo' before 'Molecular Base' heads down a darker rabbit hole full of late night allure. There is more of driving and linear feel to 'Black Annis' which locks you into a meditative state and ready to gaze on at the passing synth loops and last of all 'Chromatic Aberration' ups the ante with more frosty synths and cosmic synth tension as busted techno drums loops below.

Review: Hector Sandoval has achieved much over ten years of releasing, gracing labels like Soma, Modular, Kynant and Arts alongside his own self-titled imprint, but now it's time for him to connect with the mighty B Pitch Control. The New Land Order more than matches the sense of occasion, finding Sandoval in especially urgent mood and matching stadium-sized techno pressure with an abundance of inventive hooks. 'Misandei' has a punchy, electro tint to the synth work, while 'Mors Tua' whips up a nightmarish loop and fires off precision-tooled industrial clangs and crashes. 'Jugoplastika' is a similarly fiery eruption of dark-side synth riffs, and then 'Kodex' chills the scene with a snaking slice of dystopian electro.

Review: Tensal has quickly established his self-titled label as a place to find fresh and innovative techno. The Spaniard now returns with some of his own wares in the form of this M EP. 'MA1' is an off balance stomper with psychedelic synths rippling over the hard-assed drums. 'MA2' is more raw with fizzing leads ticking your inner ear and dark stomping drums down low. 'MB1' brings percussive flair to the mix with more loose limbed drum funk and all of the above is combined on the dark and intense closer 'MB2' to make for another very useful EP.

Review: Inguma Records hits the mini-milestone of a 10th release with Cognitive Drop, a powerful various artists affair with four top talents all offering up one tune each. Tensal's intense opener 'Collusion' builds through twisted synths and frenzied pads until thunderous drums land to carry it away. Leiras opts for a much more minimal sound with pulsing synths over slipper rubber drums on 'Sensitive Data. Tuber's 'Rapid Eye Movement' is dark, tense and tunnelling techno for brain frying 5 am sets and last of all, Svreca shows his class with his smoother liner techno roller.