Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Hydraulix Records continues to push the boundaries of ravey techno with Va03, a four-track EP that transports listeners back to the early '90s warehouse scene with its infectious energy and relentless beats. Side 1 kicks off with Acerbic's 'Deep In Your Mind,' a heavy sci-fi pounder that channels the essence of early '90s techno rave vibes. With nods to the big Belgium sounds and a prominent Hoover sound, this track is an instant banger that commands attention on the dancefloor. Following suit, Minor Dott's 'What You Callin Acid' delivers a menacing and sinister atmosphere, characterized by its mechanical and demonic undertones. It's a track that exudes raw power and intensity, perfect for those craving an adrenaline-fueled sonic experience. On Side 2, Andreas Kraemer & Shadym team up to bring us 'Reflect,' a percussive and loopy journey through hardcore rave sounds. The track pulsates with energy, immersing listeners in a hypnotic groove that's impossible to resist. Finishing things are Dave The Drummer & Phil Kershaw's 'Bassline Sunset,' a big room rave techno anthem that hits all the right notes. With its infectious bassline and euphoric atmosphere, this track is destined to ignite dancefloors worldwide. Each track on this EP offers a unique sonic experience, making it a must-have for fans of the early 90s rave scene.

Review: Acid Sessions Vol. 3 is another white-knuckle journey into the world of acid with five top talents in the field all pushing their own limits. Acidulant opens with "Serpentacid' featuring hypnotic 303 grooves and relentless energy, then Sarufaromeo & Papaverhof deliver 'Acid Nihonshu' which blends atmospheric depth with chaotic acid vibes. G303 takes you beyond with 'Live Long and Prosper,' an interstellar anthem filled with cosmic acid and resonant grooves. Paul Renard closes with 'SO36' which is all about the fat rhythms and powerful dancefloor drive. Long live acid is what we say.

Review: The Danza Nativa label is fresh off the back of a fine fifth birthday celebratory 2 part compilation but wastes no time getting back to business. Alderaan is the man in charge with his second for the label and 'Transition' kicks off with some mad LFO business melting your mind. Psyk remixes it into a more paired back and spooky subterranean techno prowler. With 'Vortex' there is yet more nocturnal menace with ticking hi-hats seeing rhythm as squelchy, unsettling sounds peel off the beats. 'Futurismo' closes down with a gurgling lead line and distant sci-fi sounds that complete this most futuristic EP.

Review: Danza Nativa is rightly celebrating its fifth anniversary recently and now follows up the first part of its anniversary compilation with part two, featuring tunes from across a broad spectrum. The first side delves into tribal rhythms and strident synths with Amandra keeping it stripped back and minimal and Dino Sabatini going deep and dubby on 'Danza Tribale'. Polygonia and Plants Army Revolver then set your mind free to wander among lush sound designs and captivating rhythms that head deep into a humid and futurist jungle.

Review: Fabric Originals releases the collaborative EP of Irish-born DJ, producer, and label owner Mano Le Tough and electronic musician and DJ Perel. This EP marks the second release in the label's new series, 'Future Memories,' which pairs a "legendary" producer with fresh talent, with the aim of safely bridging the ideas of generations (heaven forfend the new generation reject the old ideas!). 'Entertain Us' brings progressive house synth eighths to wonderstruck female vocals, while Perel and Tough share respective solo contributions on the B-side: 'Homage' is the self-described electrance love song written for a secret love object, while 'Infinite Scroll' indulges the contemporary screen-mirror percept, with sloshing sound effects and slow-burn builds suggesting that an embrace of the impending technological infinite need not necessarily amount to a doomscroll.

Review: O aka Phase delivers a powerful punch with the 'Living Proof EP', a high-energy techno release that keeps the momentum strong from start to finish. The first side kicks off with 'Shape Shifter', an intense and hard-hitting track that drives forward with relentless beats. Next is 'Number Zero', which adds an eerie, futuristic vibe with its dark groove and sharp, addictive rhythms, pushing the boundaries of techno. On the other side, 'Living Proof' brings in more melodic elements, balancing the EP's energy with techy precision, while 'Deluge' closes things out with an unstoppable tribal pulse, offering a raw, primal edge. Each track has its own distinct personality, making this EP a dynamic, exciting listen for anyone into heavy, forward-thinking techno.

Review: The exceptionally named Panty Soaker Sound System bursts onto the scene here with a powerful debut EP on their own self-titled label. 'Hormones' marks the inaugural outing and is a track that ignites the floor while exploring self-empowerment and inner desires. It has picked up early praise from Honey Dijon and is a full-throttle and steamy, erotic house sound that is sure to become a bit of a winter anthem. The EP includes three acid-infused original mixes, followed by the Prosumer HorMoans Remix which is a dark stomper with prickly 303 lines and a heavy groove. For those craving a harder vibe, the LUXE Dark Room Remix delivers a broken-beat reimagining with high-energy that takes you to new heights.

Review: Long-serving Italian producer Marco Passarani continues his newly minted Studiomaster label project with its second instalment, serving a quintet of typically floor-focused jams on 'The Temple' EP. Arguably best known for being one half of the looped-up disco duo Tiger & Woods, Passarani is also known and loved for the more techno-tilted offerings he turns out from his hometown of Rome. His latest work sits somewhere in between his two trademark sounds, starting with the throbbing sleaze of opener 'The Empty Temple', with its purposeful bass, paranoid synths and dirty vocal whispers. The fierce, snare-driven rhythms of 'Night Walker' power grubby bass and glistening synths, while the descriptively titled 'Rotten Disco' offers a brilliantly wonky glimpse of future Italo. The distorted percussion and jagged bass of 'Dirty Hands' are aimed squarely at the floor, while the storming closer 'Cheater's Smile' bangs as hard as nails to complete a suitably stirring and tightly produced set.

Review: There is a great sense of techno classicism to this new outing on From 0-1 by Jason Patrick. His Back Channel Communications EP draws on early pioneers like Jeff Mills to lay down sleek linear grooves that voyage non-stop through the stars as mind-melting synths and melodies peel off the beats. That is the case with the opener 'Amalgamation' while 'Conspire' does the same but in even deeper fashion with rubbery drums packed together tightly and keeping the pressure high. A JX-216 remix brings a little more texture and funk and 'Enveloped' then hunkers back down into a minimal techno landscape that has the energy of a frozen tundra in the dead of night.

Review: Planet Rhythm is a highly prolific label whose quality levels never dip, all while staying true to a signature sound that is classical and fad-free. The SP Series has furthered its reputation and now hits a tenth edition with Portuguese legend and 30-year scene veteran A Paul at the helm. His opening gambit is a mental deep techno workout with prying bass precision, 'Utopia' gets more unsettled with twitchy stabs and FX and 'Hardcell' unfolds at warp speed with tightly woven layers of synth and bass. There is no let up on closer 'Constrain' which balances minimalism with sophisticated sound design for a pure deep techno trip.

Review: Hard techno bastion Perc has invited a bunch of peers to remix some of his own tackle for his Perc Trax label and the results are as abrasive and arresting as you might expect. 'Full Goblin (Mac Declos remix)' is a fast-paced cut with industrial decay and growling machines keeping you on edge, Peder Mannerfelt remixes 'Static' into mechanical, electro-tech loops with a jarring but beautiful harp loop up top. 'UK Style' gets a Million remix that takes the drums into overdrive and last of all is the big, brash techno throb of a Bad Boy Pete remix lit up with ravey stabs.

Review: UK techno punk Perc was making hard techno way before it became as trendy as it is now. His Perc Trax is a great reserve of such sounds and now he adds to that with another eye-wateringly raw and direct new outing with a bunch of high-octane remixes. Ophidian kicks off with brutal drum funk and caustic synths, Vera Grace fires all sorts of synths across the face of a rooted, rolling low end and Acerbic brings video game sound effects and hammering drum funk. There is no let up with Zisko Ceremonial's closer which is fast-paced and urgent.

Review: For the seventh V/A EP to be released by the label, End Of Perception welcome four new artists aboard their fleet; Orbe, dc11, Viels and Peryl. Each artist bringing a respective techno cogjammer to the record, the sound laid out throughout is nonetheless thoroughly misty and wayward; 'Raster' and 'Caduta Nel Vuoto' both sound like probing rovers navigating the treacherous topsoils of some far-off darkened exoplanet without breathable air; the B-side moves more subterranean, its grooves toothier and clearer-headed, as though we'd found a pocket of oxygen under a rock, yet also unfortunately the the object of predation by a wriggling, scuttling alien that's made said rock its home.

Review: Phooka, aka Francesco Maddalena, is the co-founder of Concrete alongside Maurizio Cascella and a respected producer. He has released music on his own label and collaborated with labels like Diffuse Reality, Warok Music and Blackwater and here offers up two originals. 'False Flag' is a deep, meaningful techno cut with sparse elements making for an eerie vibe over a loopy, floating rhythm. 'The Rug Pull' is just as dubby and murky with shards of light and texture occupying your mind. Remix duties on this release are handled by Sweden's Anthony Linell, the renowned Northern Electronics label boss who is known for his work with Adiel on Danza Tribale and he shows his class once more with two more sublime soundscapes.

Review: Unknown artistic exigencies from Planet Rhythm, on a new techno EP sunny-side-down flip of Groove Armada's 'Superstylin''. On the word-playing 'Super Groovin'', MC M.A.D.'s unmistakable vocals are lent an extra filling-out, as tranches of dub-technical motifs outpour from the centre mix. 'Just Won't Do It' eases up on the productive accoutrements, reducing the mix to a sustenant piping of 4x4 kick and organic pulsation, though the track makes ironic reuse of the acapella from Tim Liken's 'It Just Won't Do' in the breakdown.

Review: Interruption Records 007 delivers four techno monsters, each track a distinct force within the genre. Side-1 opens with Punto's 'La Trampa,' a heavy pounding techno workout that brings no-nonsense, big sounds to the forefront. Following is Marcio M's 'Spacetime Stone,' an ominous builder with rising energy and a catchy vibe that keeps the momentum strong. Flipping to Side-2, Acerbic's 'Way Of The Underground' introduces alien-sounding retro techno, evoking rave nostalgia with its unique blend of sounds. Finally, Phazegenerator's 'PartyLine' offers a loopy, underground track that's a strong DJ tool, perfect for driving the dancefloor. Powerful and diverse, this blend of heavy beats, rising energy, and nostalgic elements ensures the techno party will not stop.