VIL Vinilo y CD

Review: 'Moon Chords' aren't just any old chords; they're the diatonic delights singularly emitted through the mitts of none other than the Portuguese producer Vil. The artist's latest EP plays back in the fashion of something not unlike a four-track lunar probe; opener 'Summer Loop' pairs hard industrial techno grooves with a stylistic smidgen of hip house and electro, while the title track follows up with a deeply hypnotic hyperventilation, with every sound sci-fi'd and tuned in key. Fireground's version of the A1 is nothing less than horrifying, while closer 'The Rtm Is Burning' warns us of the ends of techno, with its tuplet kicks (not 4x4) signallng the imminent crashing and burning of our trusty lunar spacecraft.

Review: Portugal's HAYES label clocks up a fifth EP here and once again takes us deep into a world of supple but subversive techno. It is a mix of artists who serve up the sounds with VIL's dancey 'Dothejazz' layering minimal synths and drums with potent bass rumbles. Norbak & Temudo then rock you back and forth on your heels as drunken synths evoke and adapt to the icy groove on 'Cloud Seeding.' VIL & Temudo then pair off for the more twisted 'Pampomaniac' and Quelza closes down with 'Arnold,' a whacked-out and skeletal techno rhythm that borrows from early jungle.

Review: Since launching in 2021, the Ohm Series has brought us swathes of immersive dub techno works from the Scandinavian perspective. With artists like Thor attached to earlier instalments, this VA run comes with an assurance of quality which maintains on part six. Whether it's the billowing clouds and minimal house shuffle of 'Syntax' by Sirko Muller or the fluid techno pulse of Shcuro & Vil's 'Fluxus', this is a masterclass in the style from artists who know how to evoke those tundra-like soundscapes within a sophisticated dance music framework.

Review: If you like your techno high speed and laced with a sense of urgent futurism then you'll love the opening cut of this new EP from top shelf pairing of Secure and Vil. It rides on a wave of optimism with buffed metal drums and amped up chord stabs that keep pushing you onwards as wet finger clicks and muffled vocal sounds finish it in style. 'Recoil' is another brilliantly lightweight rhythm that floats above the dancefloor while 'Chime Dub' very much nails you to it with its hefty low ends and percolating sense of darkness. Last of all comes 'Rumble The Funk' (Blasha Allatt remix) for another funky techno jaunt.