Juno Recommends Minimal / Tech House: April 2024

Review: Past Moves III is the final instalment of the vinyl-only series served up by Berlin's ever-well-curated and cultured Sushitech label. It is another essential 12' that packs in plenty of heat from the long-time UK favourite. His records are hard to find and expensive when you do and this collection highlights some of his superbly blended acid, dub, tech and house grooves from back between 1997 and 2004. On this one, you will find a pair of weighty, warm, and dubbed out tech cuts with bounce in the drums and Detroit soul in the pads. Timeless stuff.

Review: tINI has always been at the forefront of tech house, often with her own party brand, as well as killer productions and engaging sets at some of the scene's most tasteful parties. Here she steps up to the fledgling Mood Waves label for The View, and EP that finds her stretching herself into all new territory once more. 'Welcome Luz' is crunchy, stomping cosmic tech with sci-fi motifs. 'EX-PECT' has whimsical pads paired with more silvery and metallic drum sounds and after the more mechanical grace of the a-side, 'What's Her Name?' gets loose with rubbery bass and bendy synth leads while '2020' shuts down with some downtempo post club trippiness.

Review: Repeat's 'All & All' series is doing a great job in documenting the immense contribution that UK tech-house pioneer Terry Francis has made to the electronic underground. The genius of Francis's work of the late 90s and 2000s is how it presented a form of purist tech-house that drew as much from classic US deep house as the stargazing futurism of techno. This fifth instalment in the series boasts three decidedly deep excursions. Side A sports 'Loving You', an ultra-dreamy and immersive affair from 2001 that wraps deep house elements around a typically chunky and hypnotic groove. Over on the B-side, the echoing male vocal snippets, sumptuous pads and bubbly electronics of 'Strong Woman' are followed by the slightly more dubby (and even dreamier) brilliance of 1999's 'Love In'.

Review: Munir Nadir has been breaking through in the past few years with essential releases on 4Plae, Nuts On Board and Outcast Planet. Now he's minting a new label called Odd One Tape out of Italy, and bringing his playful, synth-rich sound with him. There's a nod to Italo and 80s electro in the sampling and throbbing, analogue groove of 'Rhythmistic', while 'Bass Jam' tips more towards the early 00s electro house boom a la Tiefschwarz and Tomas Andersson. 'Urban Whispers' has a more jackin' flavour with some low down sub freakiness thrown in for good measure, and 'Binary Technologies' brings the heat on the B2 with a powerful arpeggio and hard-slapping drums.

Review: The latest Discotech release finds tech house stalwart Jay Tripwire stepping up for a batch of potent party starters. 'Jaybee Loves Old Shit' is precision-tooled workout for those who need a driving beat track laden with bouncy congas and a throbbing bassline. 'For Nathan' lets a little more synth work into the mix with some distant, dubby chords and analogue bleeps, but they're managed carefully. 'The Omen' is where things widen out more with cascading pads and strafing, low-end monosynth action creating a haunting, late-night mood which Alex Arnout jumps on to cast off into swirling, funked up after hours territory.

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Few labels do minimal as well as Trelik and in terms of artists, Edward is also as good as they come right now. This perfect pairing opens up with the deeply alluring 'Time' with its woozy pads and smeared chords over warm and rubbery drums. It's a hypnagogic affair then 'Vacuum Tube' has a more menacing air thanks to the wispy and unsettling synth details and clunky hooks. 'Watch Out' brings a more spangled and rubbery rhythm that has colourful details peeling off the beats and last of all, 'Stream' ups the ante with some thudding deep house and widescreen ambient synth work.

Review: Christopher Ledger continues to broaden the scope of his sound as a producer by bringing unabashed breakbeat acid into the folds of his broader tech house trajectory. There's still a pervasive deepness to 'Access Denied', no matter how big the beats or how wriggly the synth lines are. 'Nala's Groove' has a proggy tint to it, and 'From Above' rolls along in gorgeous blooms of synth work and deft percussion. Clearly the inspiration of classic 90s-styled beats worked their way into Ledger's production process, and he's made them his own.

Review: The unstoppable Fuse continues its X series with a meeting between Italian veteran Alex Neri and next generation Florence-rooted hero Mennie. The sound is big, bold and 90s on this EP, with 'Reality' setting the tone perfectly with its trance-informed arps, sensual rhythm section and 'outer space' speech samples. 'Find Me' has a slightly more intricate techno make up to its synth work, while 'Rockets' shrugs off the grandiose synths for a tougher rhythm track sprinkled with acid. 'Watch Me' completes the picture with a rawer, nastier workout that maintains that old-stool flavour the duo have laid down on this deadly release.

Review: UK DJ and producer Justin Robertson is back with his latest 12" record 'Deadstock 33s', the fourth release on the up-and-coming Pamela Records label. This record is filled with groovy little tracks that blend various genres into one. 'In Minus Shadows' has a nice psychedelic campfire funk to it, with the dub-like 'Cup Of Silence' and the electro sounds of 'Of Ghosts' completing the package. Eclectic and unique dance music - very cool tunes here.