DJ LIFE Vinilo y CD

Review: Welcome label head DJ Life sticks his head above water for this compelling EP of high inapt but stylish tech house tools. There's swing, grime and hints of garage to the opener 'Clam Zone' as well as plenty of deft little designs that bring it fully to life. 'Goblins March' is perfect heads down stomping tackle while 'Hotdog Technology' leaves planet earth and takes us on a trip through spaced out landscapes full of neon colours and melted metal. Last but not least is 'Adventurers Backpack' which is a psychedelic mix of prog, techno, trance and god knows what else that rounds out a superbly colourful and characterful EP.

Review: Since debuting on Echocentric Records in 2019, DJ Life has giddily hopped between labels (Dansu Discs, Gestalt Records and Distant Horizons included), leaving in his wake a string of psychedelic breakbeat workouts and sci-fi techno treats. There's a similarly trippy, retro-futurist feel to the producer's Craigie Knowes label debut. Check first the deep space techno star shower of the faintly foreboding 'Fluorescence', before luxuriating in the throbbing, far-sighted dancefloor hypnotism of 'Hexed', where undulating, mind-altering electronic motifs and shimmering synth chords catch the ear. Over on the flip, 'Digi Maze' is an acid-fired nod to classic ambient techno, while 'Limestone' is a sweaty but intergalactic psychedelic techno treat of the sort Psychick Warriors ov Gaia used to do so well.

Review: Neptune Discs specialise in progressive downbeat, upbeat and acid convections, and as a label theme themselves after forgotten marine kingdoms. Though Poseidon has thrusted his trident at us here, there's actually a fourth track/prong on this tenth edition in the Dutch label's V/A catalogue, adding extra implosive impact to an already power-packed depth charge. Standouts here, in our estimation, have to be the faster currents of the bunch, taking shape as Tifra's 'Headspace' - whose breath-of-life melodic sequencings and CPAP pads allow us mammals a moment to come up for air - and DJ Life's 'Carapax' - whose gnatty lead buzz is like a desiccant for contaminant waters.