Review: Minimal Wave has put together a special 18th-anniversary reissue of its first release, namely Oppenheimer Analysis's self-titled EP. It now comes on limited and hand-numbered 180-gram vinyl with a poster and makes just as much of an indelible mark as it did almost two decades ago. It has been rather elusive since then and features the original remastered version of 'The Devil's Dancers', some tracks from the pair's 1982 cassette 'New Mexico' and two previously unreleased tracks that are all presented as a tribute to the late Martin Lloyd, one half of Oppenheimer Analysis, who passed away back in 2013.
Review: Always coming with the juiciest and most forward-thinking takes on 140 music and bass culture, Zhu's White Peach operations have been setting the benchmark for many years. And this reissue is a kindly reminder of their consistency and future-focused nature. Originally released in the summer 2020, it's now rebooted on lush yellow vinyl and, from the stunning Indian strings on the skin-scorching opening title track to the last rippling bleep from the finale track 'Renegade', the sounds remain as ahead of their time.
Review: Orbe's Absolute Zero on Non Series Records offers a thrilling dive into underground, sci-fi techno that keeps you locked in from start to finish. The title track, 'Absolute Zero,' sets the tone with its menacing, hard-hitting beats, layered with an alien, sci-fi edge that feels otherworldly. It's the kind of track that grips you with its intensity. '20kv' follows, delivering a relentless, percussive assault that adds even more weight to Side-1. On Side-2, 'Spark Gap' is a heavy, tension-filled builder that delivers a powerful punch. Finally, 'Bronze' wraps things up with a sick, soundtrack-like vibe, offering a cinematic close to this intense collection. Fans of hard, sci-fi-infused techno will enjoy Orbe's ability to craft tracks that are both intense and detailed.
Review: The fourth release on Amotik's AMTK+ label delivers two tracks from Orbe Records boss Fernando Sanz, aka Orbe, whilst Room Trax honchos and the appropriately hyped Angioma & Blanka serve up a similar couple as their collaborations continue. On Orbe's side of things, we're shown the producer's hypnotic leanings, with 'Inverted' powerfully, but subtly, sliding and scurrying away through an especially wompy but also minimal soundscape, and 'Exelon' providing sequential movement of a similar kind. Angioma and Blanka's 'Mindset' induces a parallax shift, supplanting overt textures for pure, roomy gestalt combos of womper kicks and knockout echo-hits. Finally 'Bottomless' digs to bedrock, eking an almost unbreathable sound out of miles of sonic-esoteric, haxan soil.
Review: This fresh tech platter from Fur:ther Sessions came with a note in Latin, "Vivendum Est Ut Ea Libertate Utamur, Quae Prosit Amicis, Noceat Nemini" which translates as 'We Must Live To Enjoy The Freedom That Can Benefit Our Friends And Harm No One.' It's a great mantra, and these are great tunes that will help you do that. ORBE brings mind-melting and dubby depths with 'Delta', D-Leria's 'Fortepiano' is another sub-aquatic deep techno roller and Magna Pia then gets more edgy and intense with unsettling synth lines and a groaning bassline. Hakan Cepni closes down with another elastic and loopy techno hypnotiser in the form of 'Celestial Pulse.'
Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen - "Tonight In Belfast" (feat Mike Garry) (11:58)
Orbital - "Belfast" (David Holmes remix) (12:03)
Review: Poet, librarian, Mancunian, father, husband, uncle, brother. Mike Garry is many things to many people, but tonight, Matthew, his voices guides our eyes upwards, inviting us to stargaze to one of Orbital's most emotionally resonant and timeless pieces of rave noise. Belfast Revisited would be one way to describe it, taking some of the classic and unmistakable elements of that anthem and turning it into something new. First and foremost freshness comes with the spoken word addition - a thoroughly positive, passionate and amorous declaration of unending love that could feel jarring depending on whether you always felt 'Belfast' was reflective and slightly melancholy, or not. Gone too are the breaks, replaced now by stadium-sized four-to-the-floor turning what was once the end of the night walking home at dawn into something that sounds way more 11PM at the concert.
Review: Ready to take a deep dive? Some long lost Orca dubs resurfaced on Deep Jungle last year and here comes the reissue. One of Kosheen co-founder Decoder's earliest projects, Orca's ripples date back to around 92 and seminal labels like Lucky Spin. Here we have a few reloads and few unreleased moments from that era. Highlights include the wonderfully rushy 'Spacetek' with its bellowing pads and springy beats and the didge-blasting wobbler 'Skylab' but the whole EP is fantastic. Have a whale of a time.
Review: Since its relaunch in 2017, Deep Jungle has been killing it by serving up previously unreleased tunes from the 90's next to represses of select rarities and new tunes in the vibe of the classic 93-96 era. Here we have Orca ensuring we all have a whale of a time (hey, hey) while lost in the precision-tooled breaks and snares, hits and lunging basslines of 'What Kind Of World.' 'Camyx' is a more trippy sound with liquid synths shimmering and raga vocals during the beatdown. 'Echoes' is a driving and physical workout with high seed loops and minimal pads.
Review: Multi Culti introduces Orchid's vibrant tribute to Spain's trance era on this album which merges Balearic allure with a rejection of modern techno's commercialism. Orchid, isolated in a psychedelic-deprived nation, yearns for the cultural fusion of sex, power, love, and sweetness found in Spanish-speaking music scenes. Techno Valencia beckons listeners to immerse themselves in a nostalgic journey, evoking the soulful resonance of a bygone musical era. Through exploration of archival sounds, Orchid resurrects the essence of pure musical expression, inviting a return to a time when music was deeply felt-a testament to passion and fun in an age of commercialisation.
Review: Robin Ordell's Nameless Salesmen EP on No Time County Records delivers four tracks of futuristic techno, showcasing the hot new German label's knack for innovative sounds. Side-1 starts with the title track 'Nameless Salesmen,' a tribal tech house piece with rhythmic intricacies and a driving beat. 'Phrase Shaper' follows, blending 90s-inspired techno and house with a touch of psychedelic flair, creating a nostalgic yet fresh sound. Side-2 features 'Level,' which incorporates elements of 90s trance and Goa trance into a mid-tempo groove, offering a nostalgic experience. The EP closes with 'Rotor,' a techy, flighty track that propels listeners with its energetic and dynamic rhythms. Nameless Salesmen EP shows Ordell's ability to fuse various influences into a cohesive, forward-thinking techno release.
Review: A bold exploration of genre-blurring sounds with the eclectic influences and innovative approach of the London-based quartet. Comprised of c-se, Linus Barry, Nico Rocco, and Teigan Hastings, oreglo infuse their music with heavy rock riffs, drill-inspired percussion, breezy reggae vibes and more, creating a melting pot of diverse sounds that reflects their upbringing in London. The latest track from the EP, 'Peck,' is a sprawling seven-minute odyssey that captures the feeling of being pecked on the cheek by a crush, juxtaposing cool exterior with exploding inner emotions. Throughout the EP they explore themes of alienation, identity, and love, reflecting on their journey from adolescence to adulthood in the vibrant city of London. Featuring previously released singles like 'Levels' and "]'J.A.C.K.,' as well as four new tracks including 'Comet' featuring Bel Cobain, 'Not Real People' is a sonic tapestry that highlights oreglo's growth and diverse musical interests. Despite being together for just over a year, oreglo has already made waves in the music scene, winning the 2023 Lambeth Sounds Emerging Artists x Cross The Tracks competition and performing at prestigious events like the Steam Down-curated World Island event. With their debut EP, oreglo solidifies their status as one of London's most exciting emerging acts, offering a fresh and dynamic sound that defies categorization.
Review: The second instalment of Brownswood Recordings' Remix Editions series features two dancefloor hitters; one from new kids on the block Izco & Reek0 and the other from sub-bass heavyweight Coki. Each producer turning their hands to a remix from a different track from Oreglo's debut EP, 'Not Real People', both efforts turn out to be massive. Izco and Reek0's version of 'Levels' opens the proceedings with a stargazing march, fusing motifs of amapiano, carnival and UK jazz. Coki's flipside is much more dubious, working in a much lower dubstep register, and filtering Oreglo's original 'Opedge' jazz instrumentation into a mnemonic groundwork for a grime-caked heater.
Se Mi Rompi Non Ci Sto (instrumental version) (3:31)
Se Mi Rompi Non Ci Sto (extended dub mix) (5:32)
Review: 'Se Mi Rompi Non Ci Sto' ('If I Broke, I Didn't Know') was the breakout single of Italian circus performer and personality Lara Orfei. Known as a TV actress before branching into music, Lara was in turn a branch on the Orfei family tree, an Italian dynasty of circus showmen and ringmasters. Perhaps due to her commitment to carry the tented family torch, Orfei's time as a musician was hardly successful, and this has in turn resulted in original copies of this record becoming hard to find, and expensive to buy. That all changes with this Thank You reissue, which tracks Orfei's haunting, trapezoid voice against clarion pianos and "oh, oh, oh" emphatics. A brilliant instrumental also bedazzles the B-side.
Scandal (Dan Andrei Diminished Horror remix) (8:08)
Hole Black (7:12)
Review: Orli is back with what we think is a first EP in almost a year but it was worth the wait for minimal fans: the three originals on Scandal for the Daro label all hit a perfect sweet spot between abstraction and club clout. 'Where Is Your Identity' layers up bleeping phone tones and spoken word snippets with crisp and snappy tech house drums. 'Scandal' is deep, loopy and long legged though packed with subtle cosmic details and then comes a deft minimal rework from Dan Andrei's Diminished Horror remix. Last of all is 'Hole Black' which rocks back and forth on its heels with jazzy hi hats and twanging bass.
Review: There are not very many labels that are as successful and revered in electronic music as Mood Hut is, coming up with gem after gem after its inception in 2012. 'Water Seeds' by Oro Azul offers four tracks that range from sub-aquatic, mellow and relaxing to tribal percussiveness that really takes things to another level. A little more chilled out than their normal output, perhaps, but certainly not a massive departure, there are some serious island vibes here.
Review: Any long-time underground devotees will know that Romania is most often associated with ornate minimal and tech but there is a sublime deep house vibe to this inaugural outing from the Chameleon label. 'Royalties' is a delightfully dreamy cut with balmy pads swirling over rubbery, rolling kicks. 'Vishwar' is another elongated and drawn-out pleasure with undulating grooves and melodies intertwining in hypnotic fashion. The epic 12-minute plus 'Royalties' (Paul Walter remix) has an upright, militant feel to the marching drums. All three of these are classy outings.
Review: Minimal murkery wrapped up in untitled mystery, 'A/B' sees French experimentalist Orree lay down two beguiling pieces of stripped-back bass brutalism. 'A' hits like a twisted instrumental grime cut that's been through the washing machine too many times. Rippled, clean and totally out of shape. 'B' has also been through the same process but then also marinated in high levels of diesel for a sleazier, oily and intoxicating experience. Limited so don't sleep.
Review: This compilation is a sonic tapestry woven from the threads of diverse electronic soundscapes, each track carefully crafted to evoke the liminal space between dreams and reality. It's an invitation to immerse oneself in a world of intricate textures, hypnotic rhythms, and evocative melodies, where the boundaries between genres blur and the music takes on a life of its own. Jonny Rock's 'Legenda' sets the tone with its purposeful groove, its driving energy balanced by a sense of introspective depth. Thanksmate's 'Take A Chance' adds a meditative touch, its gentle melodies and atmospheric textures inviting contemplation and reflection. Dobao's 'Oceano' plunges into a deep, liquid dimension, its swirling synths and hypnotic rhythms creating a sense of weightless immersion. Giammarco Orsini's 'Whirlwind' picks up the pace, its pulsating energy and infectious groove propelling the listener forward. Hiver's 'The Frontier' explores the tension and release of electronic landscapes, its dynamic shifts and evolving textures keeping the listener on the edge of their seat. Sam Goku's 'Lucid Oscillation' closes the compilation with a sense of ethereal beauty, its airy melodies and floating notes leaving a lingering sense of wonder.
Review: Daniel Ortiz is a friend of the Blind Vision Dubs label and has really come correct here with its latest limited edition, strictly vinyl-only release. 'Back & Forth' kicks off with dancing sci-fi melodies over a punchy deep house beat that is fresh and future-minded. 'Different Perspective' is another intergalactic tech house trip with evocative lead synths and melancholic pads. 'Inverzhen' gets a little more jacked up and percussive but retains a special cosmic energy and 'We Could Have It' then lays down thudding kicks with eerie melodies to close out a very handy EP.
Review: Legendary Berlin techno label Tresor welcome Oscean for a standout debut EP. Oscean is a collaboration between Argentinian scene-leaders Sebastian Galante, also known as Seph, and Andres Zacco. They bring a propulsive sound and dense arrangements across the four cuts. Each one moves fast, with 'Feral' having scraping textures and rubbery drums racing onwards, 'Spacion' riding on a supple drum line that bubbles and boils and as a searching synth pans about the mix and 'Austraal' ends in Millsian style with electronic funk buried deep in its bones. It is the scuffed up broken beats of opener 'Spiral' that wins us over the most, though.
Review: Osmose's Deep & Dub EP on Smokecloud delivers a diverse selection of deep house tracks with a unique flair. Side-1 opens with 'Mystic House,' which blends a vintage 70s sound with a loose rhythm section and smooth organ feel, creating a delightful, jazz-infused atmosphere. 'Afternoon DUB' follows, reimagining the late 70s classic 'Afternoon Delight' into a dub version that adds a fresh, rhythmic twist. 'GSK (Guitar Sax Keys)' fuses jazz, funk, and house, showing a seamless blend of genres that keeps the groove dynamic and engaging. Closing the EP, 'Live Magic' is a late-night, atmospheric groove that's both soft and sexy, perfect for winding down. Overall, the Deep & Dub EP is a journey back in time with each track offering a distinct and enjoyable experience rich in 70s inspired nightlife.
Review: Conoley Ospovat's 'Transcontinental Trip' on Continental Drift captures a lush, bass-driven vibe that's both grounded and explorative. The title track kicks off with a jazzy, rhythmic pulse, setting a warm atmosphere that flows into the loose drumming and field recordings of 'Hold On,' evoking the understated style of Ricardo's Sei Es Drum. 'Sunbreaks' showcases Ospovat's melodic touch with a moody, layered groove, while the EP closes with the hazy, atmospheric 'Pacific Coast Rain'ia sparkling finish to an EP that bridges ambient textures with club-ready energy.
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