Minimal / Tech House Recommendations January 2011

Review: A taster for the trio's forthcoming third album, Horizontal Structure, this single sees Von Oswald and collaborators Max Loderbauer and Sasu Ripatti (aka Vladislav Delay) further explore the notion of merging dub techno with other, previously unconnected styles. "Restructure 2" is a swirling, atmospheric piece, its languid, low-tempo groove accompanied by some tastefully spacey guitar playing and mellow jazzy vibes. It's understated, studied and about as far removed from Maurizio's "Ploy" as one can get, but yet it still retains much of the same cavernous production sound. The choice of remixer, Mala, is also surprising as it eschews Von Oswald's techno habitat in favour of dubstep. That said, the Digital Mystikz producer has a credible string of releases for DMZ, Tectonic and Soul Jazz, and like the Basic Channel producer, fully understands the power of the bass. There is also some subtle referencing to the time that Van Oswald first rose to prominence through the use of 'Intelligent Techno'-era melodies and the ambient outro, but Mala's remix is all about the tumbling drums and tribal, swinging rhythms.

Review: Och pops up on Baby Ford's PAL SL imprint after a solid debut on Autoreply's offshoot Stuga Musik. Although the producer behind the Och pseudonym remains mysterious for now, his early productions have garnered support from such esteemed figures as Ame, Norman Nodge, Gerd Janson, DJ Sneak and Anthony 'Shake' Shakir, and this latest 12" is, in our humble opinions, Och's best yet. The standout track here hogs the entirety of the A Side, with "Bombay Bedbath" characterised by some beefy drums and a drowning, late night soul vocal which complements the rolling groove. Flip over for two wonderful B Side obscurites, namely the rich ambient textures of "Interlude Intuitive" and twinkling piano lines and moody atmospherics of "Out Of Key In". Top release.

Review: You have to feel sorry for Booka Shade; the Get Physical dons released a perfectly good album earlier this year in More! which rightly or wrongly will always get compared to their genre defining 2006 opus Movements. Still at least they have enough status to call on some heavyweight remix action whenever they deem to grace the world with a twelve inch release. Here "Regenerate" gets embellished with some added techy dynamism by the biggest P's in the business, Popof and Panpot. The former opts for a jilting tech house throb akin to a Dirtybird B Side whilst the latter's is something much more menacing thanks to the expert implementation of Elsieanne Caplette's breathy tones.

Review: Having recently bagged the award for "Best Ibiza Newcomer 2010", and riding high on a wave of support for his remix of Blagger on Ripperton's Perspectiv label, Diynamic mainstay Stimming returns home. And this time, he's got company... Exactly one year ago, Stimming bought us the exquisite 'Funk With Me'. A production, created together with South African talent Lazarus Mathebula. Having become firm friends, an invite was extended to Lazarus to come to Hamburg and spend time in the studio. Once again, the result of those sessions is outstanding. With "Change", and through the vocals of Lazarus, both artists have built a musical bridge linking Hamburg and Johannesburg. A beautifully exotic production, as we have come to expect from Stimming, with an added African touch. Completing the EP are three brand new Stimming productions for you delectation. Musically outstanding, with his trademark 'out there' touch. This is yet another Stimming release, not to be missed. Enjoy!

Review: In the last couple of years, Bristol's long-running NRK label has successfully reinvented itself as a home for solid tech house and European deepness. This is in thanks in no small part to the efforts of label boss Nick Harris, who has immersed himself in production in order to drive the imprint forward. Harris contributes a remix here, re-casting the Detroit-influenced "You Called" as a dubby late night groover. The killer cut, though, is Wadsworth's original version of "Crushed", a strung-out, late night chunk of dancefloor paranoia that benefits from a bassline that sounds like it's submerged in a flotation tank.

Review: Way before the world had fallen in love with the decidedly mind-altering riffs and rhythms of "Geht's Nocht", Roman Flugel was making a name for himself under the Roman IV pseudonym. It was way back in 1995 that he made his debut with "Altes Testament", a classic chunk of Detroit-influenced tech-house that was only the second release on Playhouse. A second 12" followed - featuring the brilliant "Green Tea" - but then little else from Flugel's Roman IV moniker. This new four-tracker for Running Back, then, promises to be something of a treat. In many ways, the German label is the perfect home for Flugel's Roman IV exploits. Famed for releasing long, loopy deep and tech-house epics - think Mark E, Move D and Radio Slave - Running Back will no doubt have been delighted to secure the services of their big-hitting countryman. "La Paloma", then, promises much - and delivers. The title track itself is a hypnotic delight - a ten-minute epic that works all-manner of barely-audible samples (distant bells, jazz samples, crackly pianos) into a weighty, late night tech-house groove. But there's plenty more to enjoy, too. The decidedly trippy "Lucy" wraps dubbed-out chords around a relentless subterranean bassline, while "Sa Celenta" takes a leaf out of Mark E's book by focusing the action around a lazy disco loop and bassline. Welcome back, Roman.

Review: Some wonderfully throbbing deep/tech house from the 8bit camp. Justin Drake enjoyed a fine 2010 - his remix of vintage house jam reissue "Champagne Dancer" by Schatrax which was on permanent rotation at Juno HQ, and here he teams up with British producer Kevin Griffiths for a three track EP that opens with the rolling groove of title track "Nightmoves". The chunky chords and expertly chopped vocal elements mark "Bom Bom" as a lesson in how to strike the balance between deep and danceable house music, whilst "Two" rounds off the release with some fluid percussion - one for the tech house fans among you.

Review: Miguel Manzano might not sound the most Mancunian of names but his debut for Popular People's Front off shoot Special Ops might as well be transported directly from the turntables of some unnamed warehouse space on the outskirts of Manchester circa 1988. "Raw Onion" is a glorious exercise in raw acid fuelled house music energy, delighting with its subtle dramatic orchestral turns, abrasive bass textures and the ever present relentless acid wobble all underpinned by loose percussion and throbbing beat. The flipside sees Manzano indulge in perma retro niceness Chicago style with the Jack For Daze edit a tougher version filled with plenty of phased effects and rave whistles amidst a procession of slick 808 kicks.

Review: An essential part of the German Techno scene for more than fifteen years now, Johannes Heil is now in better shape than ever. With his eighth studio album "Loving", Heil draws both a modern and traditional balance of his life from and for the music, and thus sets one of the undisputed musical highlights this year. vWith this exclusive remix package, Cocoon Recordings is even topping that one: the Mainz-born Bülent Gürler aka Butch is known as one of the most versatile German Tech House producers, at least since his club smasher "No Worries". In his version of "The Ace", the perfect open air hymn for the modern House generation is emerging from a flute-like summer harmony. An essential contributor to the British Techno scene since the beginning of the nineties is Mark Broom. His Soul Mix of "Loving" combines the melancholy of Detroit techno with Ibiza House dubs and powerful handclaps, forming an intensive homage to the sensuality of the dance floor. Last not least, Gregor Tresher is celebrating the return of the melody with his remix of "Twentythree", after having released some stricter records for Break New Soil and Drumcode. The digital edition of the Loving remixes is completed by three more revisions: Amsterdam-based Bart Skils massively stresses the bass membrane with his pumping version of "Loving", while Mark Broom is pushing further into the depths of the Balearic Dub surge with his second Soul Mix. With "Seeded", the Cocoon Club House duo C-Rock/Matthias Vogt aka Motorcitysoul is finally exploring the occasionally menacing deepness of the House area with vibrating percussions and disco strings, just in the manner of their releases for Simple Records and Ibadan. After all, love wants to be shared.

Review: Although Dusty Kid and his friend Emmanuele Marascia
are based on the beautiful and quiet island Sardinia they
have recently put out a couple of raw and punchy techno
anthems on imprints like B:Pitch Control, Boxer and of
course Systematic. Where Dusty Kid is temporarely
leaving this path, impressively rediscovering the spirit of
real rooted house rhythms, Marascia walks the techno
path much more consequently and delivers a
compromiseless piece of techno tones which smashes
your brain through a wall of stones! Watch your speakers!