Back catalogue: All genres

Review: No whimpers, all bangs... Monika Kruse's Terminal M brings another four Richmonds our way, as the label celebrates its silver anniversary (25 years) of releasing. Ignacio Arfeli and Kaspar bring Portuguese fire and German glaciations to a unipolar techno A-side each, with 'Never Look Back' shooting a hideous glower at Orpheus especially with a "don't you ever look back" jet-breakage of the sound barrier, precipitating a massive techno drop, of course. A felt sense of continuation is heard on the strobing 'Masterpeace' by Chris Bekker, before 'Alhalma', where Drumcomplex and Frank Sonic lead us to a cruddy close.

Review: Paris label Positive Future release positive music for positive people, but that doesn't hold them back a bit from concept-releasing V/As about future dystopias! "Once upon a time in a dystopian future", so the liners go, "humans are winning the battle against a zombie invasion" by fighting back, somehow, with their vinyl records (it's not stated explicitly, but we presume this means by playing them). "To defeat them forever and avoid a wicked future, DJs will have to join forces for a big party with every human still left standing." Of course, before the zombie plague, as far as sonic warfare went, military-grade sound design had been sanctioned for government use only, and the recording industries had precious little involvement. That all changes with producers Aline Brooklyn, Krol, Briki, Samuel Jabba and P.O., each of whom have reproduced and mass marketed their very own subsonic, antiviral weapon, of which there are four classes: A1, A2, B1 and B2. We choose B2, 'The Night', an instrument whose unsettling, garbled vocals and spine-tingling melodies make for, in our view, the best sonic zombie-away spray.

Review: Binar's fifth outing looks to a selection of talented remixers to add their own spin to some stylish techno originals. First, it is Decka's 'Alignment' that gets reworked by Efdemin, who we haven't heard from for a while but are glad to do so now. He flips it into a straight-up and smooth techno pumper with fuzzy pads softening the edges. Next, Amotik brings some urgent synth pulses and hunched-up drum funk to 'Remains Mystery' and The Lady Machine remix of 'Run' is all fat, drunken synths tumbling about with jacked-up drums and analogue hits. Jeroen Search brings some signature future cosmic energy to his take on Border One's 'Organoid.'

Review: A record that explores deep, hypnotic rhythms with a strong tribal and mystical undercurrent, the latest Siamese Twins records pushes the boundaries of what is possibly in eastern influences underground techno. Side-1 opens with 'The Golden Triangle', an atmospheric introduction that feels cinematic, setting the stage with ambient textures before giving way to movement. 'Lens of Time' follows, locking into a deep, primal groove where rolling percussion and rich low-end create an entrancing effect. On Side-2 'Mekong' leans into tribal mysticism, blending ancient rhythmic patterns with a modern pulse. The production is detailed yet raw, drawing from rich percussive layers. 'Ruak' closes the EP with pulsating bass and deep, rolling rhythms, channeling Eastern influences into a hypnotic techno flow. A powerful release from Siamese Twins Records, driven by Sunju Hargun's distinct vision.

Review: If there is one planet we would like to spend some time on, it's Planet Rhythm. For techno lovers, it is one of the finest out there thanks to its consistently high quality, fad-free output. Kaiobarssalos is next to add to the cannon with this uptempo and stripped-back EP. 'Fatia' is all twisted and unsettling synth motifs, 'Lupulo' gets glitchy and 'Not About' is packed with unresolved loops that keep you on edge, and last of all some of the pent-up pressure is released through the more smooth but still banging deep techno trip that is closer '80's Moove'.

Review: Shalom Aber's Be As One label has done a one job of evolving from its earliest sounds in the tech house realm into a place for more refined and sophisticated techno. Kashpitzky's new offering very much fits in with that MO and opens with 'Elevate' which is a trip minimal cut with rising synths that make it feel as if you are forever speeding up. 'Silver Ball' is like a hall of mirrors with synth reflections everywhere and the Phase remix lays it down with a more rooted low end. 'For The Vision' is an unpredicted but brilliant jungle closer.

Review: Kerrie's latest proprietorship is the Dark Machine Funk label, to which the Irish DJ and producer brings the weirder ends of techno. Proudly presenting the new K-llab series, Kerrie is here heard partnering with some of her favourite ever artists, offering a fresh take on the sounds and creative processes of each collaboration. Here the collab of choice is Italian duo Dynamic Forces, known for their heavy, old-school-leaning, industrial-influenced techno. The latter artist's 'Moralism' leads the charge with an unsettlingly slippery wonky techno tune agog with stinger plucks resembling horror movie pizzicati, while Kerrie's own 'Good Intentions' betrays perhaps less felicitous outcomes, utilising consequent, spirally leads and all-encompassing synth buzzes of the sinister variety.

Review: Returning with their second EP on their self-named label, the Kilotoni series is said to be the work of renowned techno artists, plucked from the archives, but whatever, it's a a fierce resurgence of headstrong acid techno that feels both classic and vital. Side-A opens with 'Track , a minimal yet powerful stormer driven by a thick, rolling acid bassline that commands the floor. 'Track 2' follows up with a heavier, more stomping affair i a dangerous, sci-fi-inflected ride where the acid line buzzes with an incessant, hypnotic edge, pushing the energy to the brink. Turn to Side-B and 'Track 3' hits with alien sound design and raw 90s acid techno energy. It's a slice of nostalgia, yet the strong modern production keeps it razor sharp and club-ready. Closing things out, 'Track 4' shifts gears into a groovy, fun techno jam that retains the otherworldly atmosphere but brings a lighter, more playful bounce to the mix. A heavyweight EP that perfectly captures acid techno's gritty essence while pushing it into new, futuristic spaces.

Review: Kop-Z reveals that he first encountered the term 'A Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamic System' in a book costing L2 in a Manchester junk shop. It is a term to describe humans as systems constantly battling entropy and the world's challenges to survive. "But we're also systems that work together, creating art and music," he reflects, appreciating the contrast between opposites like day and night, love and hate. His work merges autobiographical field recordings, looped vinyl and childhood video games with kinetic programming systems that are all influenced by jungle, footwork, noise, rave, post-punk and reggae. The result is a rich fabric of sound that blends human experience with machine chaos.

Review: Kr!z from Ghent, Belgium wastes no time getting to the pointihis latest batch of heavyweight club tools is built for impact and every track hits with precision. Opener 'Defeat The Purpose' kicks things off with a writhing, acidic synth line that coils around thundering drum machine work, setting a relentless tone. It's stripped-back but deadly, fine-tuned for peak-time hypnosis. 'Chrome Dust' takes a funkier turn, its rolling groove and tightly wound percussion making it a surefire body-mover. Playful yet commanding, it balances raw intensity with just enough fluidity to keep dancers locked in. The title track, 'Ipso Facto,' is all about movement, its low-end bounce and sharp drum transitions reflecting Kr!z's DJ instinctsieverything lands exactly where it needs to. Closer 'Equilibrium' ups the energy one last time, filters opening wide over a punchy, rolling rhythm. It's no-nonsense, high-grade techno from a producer who knows exactly how to work a system.

Review: The third in Exitus Records' lightyear spanning V/A series, we again hear six new, boundary-pushing new ones from six satellite artists of the present day Berlin techno scene. Opening chord cascade 'Figure Eight' by Pink Concrete contrasts sharply to tunnelling techno-body suite 'The Dream Of Motion' by Krow, signalling several more tuff propulsions to come: most notably Sayid K's 'No Lights', a balmy nightscape from the newcomer, where digital zaps initially double up as hi-hats.

Review: Kike Pravda is back on his Senoid Recordings outlet with a new album one year in the making. The eight cuts find him further hone in on the essentialness of techno with nice hardware textures and that lived-in analogue feel that always elevates things. 'The Chaos Of Silence' is an intense opener with loopy bells and dark bass, 'Sequential' sounds like a futuristic factory floor at peak production and 'Late In The Night' is classic deep space afterparty minimalism. A proper album that covers plenty of ground.

Review: You might say the clue is in the name, but as well as bearing a nice selection of differently cut beat action, this double album from French/Syrian producer Ahmad Qatrami aka Konalgad on New York's Dance Data label, is also a nicely cerebral affair jammed with celestial adventures for mind as well as feet. It refuses to get stuck in any stylistic rut, from the cloud-like ambience of 'REM' to the brooding bass and dubby stepping of 'Subzero Experiment' and the simmering shimmer of 'Dots To Dots', half digi-dub thump and half subtly filtered junglist trimmings, it keeps on giving something new right to the end. Konalgad apparently translates as "the universe of tomorrow" in Arabic, and this artist definitely has a bright future to match his already quite impressive track record.