Review: Many Hands is a fresh label helmed by Jona Jefferies and Kava that here kicks out an eclectic EP with four tracks from various members of its musical family. Dan Aikido opens with '0800 TXT4 Herb,' a smooth fusion piece that builds a laid-back groove, blending fretless bass, jazzy keys and soulful vocals all reminiscent of Rare Silk's 'Storm.' Ernie Ruso's 'Stroke It' offers slow, sensual r&b infused with P-funky wah-wah effects while DJ Nomad's 'African Boy' brings upbeat pop house next to funky organ and a female reggae MC.Jefferies' closer 'A Change Will Come' samples Dr. Martin Luther King Jr with a rave-inspired beat and soulful piano. Cracking stuff.
Review: The fledgling WEorUS label rolls out more stylish, minimal and tech here from a trio of artists. Andrade goes first with 'Kubernetes,' a driving minimal house cut packed with hefty groove. It is followed by 'Content Security Policy' which is a slick, rhythm-forward roller that locks you into its flow. Flip to side-B and get swept into Dragosh's 'One Way,' a deep, hypnotic workout that's all tension and release and rounding off the trip is Fabrizio Siano's 'Control Your Emotions,' a poignant, late-night burner that delivers introspection through rhythm.
A Soft Mist Production - "Upside Down Rainbows" (5:01)
Dr Sud - "Zaffiro" (Jazz cut) (3:59)
DatSIM - "Influx" (4:40)
The Rabbit Hole - "Tail Groove" (4:27)
Review: No matter your particular preference in the deep house world, this various artists' outing from Q1E2 Recordings is sure to have something for you. Mike Riveria & Marco Ohboy, for example, tap into an early sound on 'Euphoria' with its big, brash piano stabs and whistles, while A Soft Mist Production keeps it all cuddly and deep with languid chords draped over gentle drums on 'Upside Down Rainbows.' DatSIM brings in some space-tech vibes for a deft rhythm and neon infused sound on 'Influx' and The Rabbit Hole's 'Tail Groove' has a mad double bass sound jumping about beneath frantic jungle breaks.
Review: "Right, OK!" Worm Records offer up their second various artists release for 2024, coming just a neat two months after September's inaugural release featuring Ruf Dug, Wallace, The Mole and Gallegos. Now the label turn their hand to a completely different league of artists, convoking Boulderhead, Wooka, DMX Krew and Jorg Kuning for yet another star-studded audio-strudel, spanning both chilled and heated ends of the spectrum. Boulderhead's A1 is the ludic highlight among the four, a charming Valley Girl voice peppering the vocal track with exceptional backhandedness; we hear talk of floating on clouds and an affect of casual acceptance behind the glitch-science, suggesting vibes of bounciness and breeze. Wooka goes sillier speed garage on 'Make Yourself Comfortable', a challenging charge given the track's otherwise rather jagged jam; Krew and Koenig close things off on a comparatively calm note, the former's B1 opting for a set of bruk-en beats and wet synth yaps, and the latter's 'Imbolc' quiescing with clement Rhodeses and homely drum machines.
Review: The Fruit Medley series has been hella juicy so far so we're glad another edition is ripe and ready for picking to kick off the label's 2025 season. This one features all newcomers starting with Cromie's 'Timereite', a chubby and clubby tech pumper with full throttle rhythms. Wilba's 'New Recipes' has lush synth smears over grinding low ends that echo early West Coast tech, and Darren Roach then gets a little deeper on the percolating 'Brettski Colectski'. Lazer Man's 'Time Of Ghosts' closes down with a mid-tempo, off-kilter house cut with steely drums and distant alien activity.
Review: In late 2023, Tokyo-based musician Daigo Sakuragi moved to London where he revisited recordings made with fellow Japanese artists. Inspired by the city's energy and atmosphere, he crafted Togenkyo, a 28-minute fusion of early 2000s folktronica and contemporary ambient music that now comes as two long continuous pieces on one slab of vinyl. Layering immersive synth textures with spatial production, he grounds the piece in organic drum and bass grooves while a saxophone elegantly weaves through the soundscape. Togenkyo reflects an inner utopia that is attainable yet imperfect and is a comforting, meditative work.
Review: Uruguay has been a rich source of minimal goodness for a number of years now. This label has been one of them since 2022 and despite only being up to a third EP here has already become trusted by those who know. Juan Daireschsion (Harry Styles, is that you?) kicks this one off with a mix of warped bass and more precision-tooled drums on 'Hijo Del Rigor.' 'Billy Bond' is a wonky one for the afters, 'Medeski' has serene widescreen synth spaces underpinned by tinny drums and 'Santa Isabel Dub Company' is more heavy dub tech.
Review: Dan Piu is a master of minimal sounds whether leaning more towards house or techno. For this latest one on Birds out of Chile, he opens up with some nice balmy pads and hip-swinging claps under tiny 80s keyboards. It's whimsical and dreamy then 'Late Night Beef' picks up things a little with some more driven drums but plenty of celestial synths and 'Ganas De Verte (feat Natalia)' is another balmy and spaced-out minimal house sound for hi-fidelity systems. 'Kammgarn' shuts down with the most direct sound of the lot and some nice dub undercurrents.
Review: Two underground artists with many years in the scene behind them in Darwin Chamber and DJ Spun come together for the second in their Episode series on Rong Music. Once again they dig into the sounds of their formative years while also looking to the future as they blend dub, trance and techno into lithe new forms. 'The Revolution' is a mid-tempo and atmospheric roller with hypnotic vocals, while 'The Playa' is a deft bit of electronic minimalism with a deep space feel and ticking 808 sounds. Things get more loose with the warped synths and dusty tech beats of 'Dysfunction' while 'Acid Tounge' closes with trippy designs, a skeletal rhythm and a sense of late-night melodic and afterparty mischief.
Manuel De Lorenzi & Freddie Wall - "Sun-Rise" (6:15)
Fichs - "Find Yourself" (6:35)
Manuel De Lorenzi - "You Already Know It" (7:08)
Manuel De Lorenzi & Giacomo Silvestri - "The Big Apple Community" (7:09)
Review: Monday Morning is back to roll out some more lush house depths with a second EP, this one featuring founder Manuel De Lorenzi in the company of his pals Giacomo Silvestri, Freddie Wall and Fichs. 'Sun-Rise' is a nice gritty but vibey opener with percussive skip and dry hits. Fichs's solo cut is a loopy workout with nice bulbous synths and a pared-back rhythm that gets ever more inescapable while De Lorenzi then offers up the radiant synth warmth and dubby undercurrents of minimal house shuffler 'You Already Know It.' With Giacomo Silvestri he then closes on the more percussive loops of soft house soother 'The Big Apple Community.'
Review: Deadbeat, the Montreal-based dub techno maestro, returns to Echocord with a trio of immersive and hypnotic tracks. 'Pressure Double Down' showcases Deadbeat's signature sound, a blend of dub-infused techno and minimal aesthetics that has captivated listeners for over two decades. 'Too Much Pressure' is a 15-minute odyssey through intricate percussion, dubbed-out stabs and psychedelic vocals, its subtly unfurling layers and nuanced dynamism creating a captivating sonic experience. 'Double Bubble' follows with a delicate interplay of chord melodies, sub-bass tones and a crunchy analogue rhythm section, its hypnotic groove drawing the listener into a world of sonic exploration. 'Rattle The Roof Down' closes out the EP with a heavy dose of dub reggae bass, its spacey delays and murky swells adding a layer of hypnotic depth.
Review: Obliq Records presents its second release, a sonic journey crafted by four talented Italian artists. Desai's 'Low Noise' sets the tone, its hypnotic groove and subtle textures drawing the listener into a world of understated beauty. Leo Benassi's 'Distorted Reflection' adds a touch of psychedelic flair, its swirling melodies and warped soundscapes creating a sense of otherworldly intrigue. Gbigga's 'Retro Acid' injects a dose of old-school rave energy, its pulsating rhythms and squelchy acid lines guaranteed to get bodies moving. Avenir's 'We Are Holder Humans' closes the EP with a contemplative atmosphere, exploring deeper, more introspective soundscapes. Together, these four tracks create a great listening experience that showcases the diverse and vibrant landscape of Italy's electronic music scene.
Review: A punctual reissue of a rare Eye 4 Sound tech-acid house party starter from 2004, this Repeat version of Dexter's 'Paradox' stays faithful to one of many EPs in UK artist Mat Royall's regal flush of technical itches to last from 01 to 06, spread across labels like Beat Code, Random House and, in more recent years, Real Deal and Bosh Records. 'Paradox' is subset by the fun-loving 'Ychtm Acid' on the B-side, and while we can't claim to be so clever as to be able to decode this standout track's strange titular acronym, we can vouch for the sickness of its eccentric percussions and atmosphere, a fine case of what we call "mood design".
Review: Not to be confused with the heavy Dutch electro hero of the same name (he of Klakson Records fame), Dexter was the early-to-mid 2000s alias of UK tech-house producer Matt Royall. Sushitech Records recently released a retrospective of his work, Past Moves, and now German label Repeat has decided to reissue 2004's Size Counts EP. A-side 'Break It Down' is deep, druggy, chuggy and pleasingly off-kilter, with delay-laden spoken word snippets and echoing hand percussion hits rising above a driving bassline and hypnotic, locked-in drums. The pace and intensity increases on flipside 'Once Again', a kind of Hipp-E & Halo style West Coast tech-house workout rich in trippy female vocal snippets, ghostly chords and dubby bass.
Review: Michael Diamond is the Indian-born UK artist who is co-founder of the Vasuki Sound label and club night. He is known for his 'jazzed electronic' sound in which he blends academic insights with musical creativity. His background in music perception and cognition, which he studied at Oxford while pursuing Medicine, shapes his unique approach. On his new EP 'Placid Wakefulness', Diamond collaborates with renowned musicologist Professor Eric Clarke to explore how music impacts sleep and wakefulness. The tracks blend ambient calm with energetic rhythms and are a fine example of Diamond's distinctive sound and deep understanding of neuroscience and music.
Review: DIGWAH marks its tenth release in style, maintaining its signature mystery while delivering two standout cuts that embody the British label's underground ethos. Side-A's 'Wayside' is a clutch tech-house banger that has finesseiclean, classy and an irresistibly groovy. A crisp breakbeat underpins a funky rhythm, while a strong vocal hooks you in, giving the track a timeless yet fresh feel. This is underground house at its best, effortlessly balancing sophistication with dancefloor heat. On the flip, 'Demeanour' leans into ghetto tech-house territory, with a weighty bassline and infectious r&b vocal samples. The groove is deep, the funk is undeniable and the track's raw energy makes it an instant mover. Another essential release from DIGWAH - stripped-back, hypnotic and built for those who know.
Review: Athens-based label Ethos is looking to build on the good start it made with its first two outings with a third raw and direct EP. DimDJ is a legend in Greece and has been since the 90s when he first began making his mark. His sound is not all about nostalgia though - he opens his Welcome To This World EP with 'This Little Face' which is a deep house reverie with painterly pads smeared over dusty drums. Nice analogue textures make it all the more lived in and a Beatless version strips away everything but the suspensory synths. 'Welcome To This World is another lo-fi and crackly deep house meditation and 'Hyper Tonic' flips the script with some undulating acid lines, more light synth work and hissing hi-hats.
Review: A tech house release that offers the perfect balance of groove and melody. 'Hold Me Tight' opens with a melodic, addictive groove, blending deep house elements with tech house energy. The track's strong production and underlying melodies build an irresistible vibe. The DOP remix of 'Hold Me Tight' on Side-2 takes things in a raw, techy direction, offering a dub version with deeper grooves and a more stripped-back feel while maintaining the vocal elements. 'She's Got Nowhere To Go' closes the release with catchy vocal samples and a soulful, fun melody, making it a great dancefloor anthem. The track is both playful and infectious, ensuring it will keep the energy high. Overall, a dynamic fusion of melodic depth and tech house vibes, perfect for any set.
Review: Whoever is behind the Discotecas series has certainly got access to some seriously good re-edits. As with its predecessors, volume six in the series lands with no info about the identity of the editor (or editors) involved. Whoever it is, they've done a bang-up job - as inspired opener 'Perceptive', a deliciously dubby and spaced-out take on a hybrid electro/proto-house gem from the mid 1980s, proves. The retro-futurist fun continues on 'Kazbah', a fine revision of a brilliantly odd, breakbeat-fuelled Arabic acid record, while flip-side opener 'Bass Instinct' sits somewhere between bleep & breaks and early speed garage. Closing cut 'Ask a Dream' is arguably the best cut of all: a sublime slab of saucer-eyed early deep house of the kind that should probably be listened to as the sun comes up.
Review: Sating minimal techno flows, Bondage Records preface their latest release with the phrase "next up". It's implied that, by sampling and cycling through many a novel artistic talent, their label becomes an unstoppable assembly line of feline sonics. Frankfurt producer and DJ Sascha Dive is next up, adding to an incredible daisy-wreath of 12"s put out since early 2005. 'I Was Deep In My Past Life' hears Dive dive back into one of his many pre-incarnate bygones via extra-mile sound synthesis and design, the resultant sound of which evokes an undulant, blobby time-tunnel. 'Dub Chronicles No7', meanwhile, has been thoroughly transient-maximised, with a snappy drum buss envelope uppercutting the technic beats like automations of an iron fist.
Review: DJs Concret and Inigo Vontier unite as a duo, The Diyeis: a crocodilian-simian fusion of primeval sound, uniting mammal and reptile. Their mission is to harness "the primal, tribal effect of ecstasy on the dancefloor" - this is, of course, a target which many producers shoot for, and yet whose tiny red bullseye few are actually able to hit. 'Ritmo' and 'Skat' opt for a different, rather minimal approach to achieve the same "primal" effect, contrasting the usual cliches of hide-taut hand drum and nighttime ghost-dance chants. The Diyeis don't need to abide such tritenesses; their claim is that the tendency towards primordial dancing always already exists in us, without requiring evocation in style. 'Muevelo', in fact, entirely upends anything we'd expect of a "primal, tribal" release, bringing digi-redux hats jacked to high, clipped heaven, and weird FX, which reach a similar, and yet more unconfined head on B2 'Lo Que Pasa'.
DJ Bistro Schulz - "Disco Loves You" (AKeeM Dans Op De Deel remix)
AKeeM & 4-Takte - "The Sermon" (2024 edit)
Review: Sometimes a tune comes along that you just know is going to come a bit of a cult classic. We have the feeling that will be the case with the opening gambit on this new series, Musik For Pet Lovers, from the Memory Believes Before Knowing Remembers imprint. It is the work of AKeeM Dans Op De Deel who remixes DJ Bistro Schulz's 'Disco Loves You' into a languid, grubby groove that slowly but surely does great things with scattered percussion, radiant synths, minimal rhythms and plenty of mood shifts, not least when the classic vocal sample drops in. On the flip is AKeeM & 4-Takte's 'The Sermon' which is another slow-motion but high-impact sound with spoken words, dub drums and yearning pads.
Review: Chicago has many legendary figures, but one who stands proud among many is DJ Deeon, a low-end legend and widely considered to be the true Godfather of ghetto house. He dropped this EP originally back in 2013, and it is one of many that soon became classic, which is why it gets this remix from Chiwax. 'Happy' perfectly summarises Deeon's sound - booming and heavyweight kick and drums, smart samples looped perfectly and big hooks. 'The Truth' speeds things up and brings that Ghetto sleaze, and 'R U Sure' is a more minimal sound that still bangs like a heavyweight. 'Gigabytes' is full of caustic synths and blending melodies that bring sheer chaos to the club.
Review: Australian DJ and producer DJ Life's offering twists through the space between deep rhythm and intricate detail. Opener 'Bring the Beat Back' locks us into a steady, almost mechanical groove, setting a quiet but resolute tone. By the time 'Focus Beam' rolls in, the sound broadensirolling rhythms and subtle textures layering into a deeper, trance-like pulse. Each track weaves together smooth basslines and darker atmospheres, a quiet contrast to the pulsing energy beneath. Closer 'Flusong' rounds out the journey with its deeper, more percussive edge, crafting a moment of focused tension. It's a masterclass in rhythmiunfolding with relentless fluidity and immersion.
Review: DJ Mitsu The Beats summons up a mellow, jazz-tinged spin on Norah Jones' early classic 'Sunrise', following a plucky piano-studio sesh shared with Takumi Kaneko of Cro-Magnon. After a cannonballing digital release, the "instrumental chill" track now takes shape as a 7" single, suturing Mitsu's laidback bop to Kaneko's smooth, sunspot piano lines. With cover photography by surf documentarian Atsushi Kumano, the single was in turn singled out for the surf music compilation Salt Meets Island Cafe: Sea of Love 2, curated by new lifestyle magazine Salt. Balancing beachside ease and unsurpassable musicianship, this track hankers at the title for next best surf-chill anthem.
Review: DJ Normal 4 infuses plenty of psyched-out colours, trance from the 90s and sleek deep techno rhythm in his work for this new one on Fantastic Planet. 'Eden Responding' kicks it off with singing synth lines over quick beats. 'Spore Clouds' is more deep and driving with less melodic playfulness and 'Green Mantra' brings some more twisted after-party energy. 'Liquid Desire' then slows things down with watery sound effects and hypnotic layers of sound designed to zone you out.
Review: 'Unreleased Stuff Part 'I dives into the rich vault of Charles Webster, a revered name in UK house with a career spanning over three decades. This release brings out three hidden gems from his archives that capture the depth of his skill in minimal and tech house production. Side-1 kicks off with 'The Same Thing (instrumental mix)', a refined deep house track with a tasteful nod to 90s acid influences. Over on Side-2, 'Halftoo' delivers a melodic deep house vibe that feels fresh despite its 1997 origins. Rounding out the collection, 'FYU' combines smooth, classy production with that unmistakable 90s touch, creating a sound that feels timeless yet distinctly of its era.
Review: Mark Grusane presence on Disctechno brings with it a compilation of five unique house tracks from Chicago and Detroit-based producers, as you will probably have guessed from the title. The A-side features DJ Slush's synth-driven 'Memory Blank' and Deon Jamar's bass-heavy 'AYYYO' which offer different but both killer sounds. The B-side opens with Jordan Zawideh's reverb-drenched 'Axolotls' followed by Grusane's intense, atonal 'The Recoil' and concludes with Thomas Xu's groovy 'School Street.' All of these are the sort of off-kilter sounds you would expect of these revered and enduring electric hotbeds. Raw, stripped-down and authentic, this is the contemporary Midwest underground.
Review: He's the original (and maybe only self-proclaimed?) house gangster and he is back in 2025 and sounding as good as ever. Puerto Rico by way of Chicago's DJ Sneak makes beats as raw as the meat he likes to chuck on his BBQ grill and UK house legend Nail must be a fan cause it's his label he lands on now. This is a solid four-tracker that ticks all the boxes with its killer grooves and smart loops. 'All I Need In Life' is a playful opener, 'Das Gud!' gets more intense and trippy with its bleepy melodic refrains and 'Help Me Somebody' then sinks back into loose and dusty, disco-tinged drums with classic cowbell hits. 'What You Expecting From Me' is a sweaty and gritty warehouse banger to close with aplomb.
Review: Original Chi-Town bad man DJ Sneak shows up with his latest selection of loop-driven house jams, serving up five floor-focused cuts on the 'Disko Dialogue' EP. A key figure in the second wave of Chicago house, his prolific career has seen him explore acid house, disco cut-ups, and hypnotic, tracky realms. Much, if not all, of that is on display here. The title track features looped strings and echoing vocals over a pounding kick and skippy snares, while 'Kick Da Flow' follows a similar trajectory, albeit with a slightly more restrained mood. 'Bottom Acid' ups the energy with pulsing 303 gliding over piercing drums, while 'Acid Wunders' dives into trippier territory, with its nocturnal groove endlessly undulating. The rolling rhythms of 'Elements' cap a fine EP, with DJ Sneak proving he's lost none of his big-room bravado or production swagger.
Review: Oozing with slippery sound design and euphoric exudate, Andrey Djackonda, Etzu Mahkayah, and TooRare team up for a next-gen talent demo in EP form, well and truly showing any other upstart how trancey-prog-minimal house is and should indeed be done. Said to have been designed to create a feeling of uplift and positivity - and yet in our opinion, the record touches on relatively more neutral and trancier moods, ones which could go either way - the likes of 'Que Le Jour Se Leve' and 'Sunrise In Amsterdam' are highly maximised, entelechic tech-trance progressors, highlt reflective of the verve and dedicated so far enshrined in the work of Saint Petersburg label MixCult.
Review: After taking a hiatus to focus on side projects, DJENA returns with a new solo EP that artfully collides house and breakbeat while showing off his passion for eclecticism. The title track, 'In Motion,' is a hypnotic breakbeat piece with deep pads and tribal vocals that stir up raw emotion. Frenchman DJ W!LD's remix transforms it into a dancefloor anthem with a house-driven groove. On the B-side, 'Thrust' builds deep, tech house rhythms into an intense, peak-time surge and the closing track 'Veer' offers a sublime after-hours vibe with bouncy bass and haunting vocals. Welcome back DJENA.
Review: High-octane experimental trance via freetek via hardcore from Hamburg collective Phantasia, with an absolutely flooring, walloping debut release. The fact that four different artists might each bring their own mood to the table and yet hear their respective sounds unified bespeaks the brilliant mastering job held down here: Dolomea's 'Augural' and Rupert Marnie's 'Elastic Thoughts' commit to a mutual sonic trustfall, one seeming to writhe about in rhythmically unpredictable fashion through pressure-cooked, rubber-ballistic acids, and the other rootling its 4x4 kick snout into floors down under. The B-side goes electro, culminating on the brilliant brainwash by Finona Rider, 'The Impact', a track haunted by the voice in its own head.
Review: Robert Drewek vs Tomie Nevada's 'Time 4 More' EP was originally released on Unleash Records in 2005. Nine years on and Rawax are reissuing it on black wax and the tunes sound as good as ever. 'While He's Away' is a slick blend of garage-infused house drums and warm synth pulses with catchy vocal samples that bring a hint of old school. On the flip is 'Down With the Bass' which flips the script with a stripped back and militant but silky groove, dubby pads and a head's down vibe that really hypnotises.
Review: Detroit Assembly Line kicks off with a powerful statement of intent, delivering four tracks of raw, intense techno from two key figures in the Detroit underground scene. A-side, Drivetrain opens with 'People!'ia relentless track that drives forward with uncompromising energy, followed by 'Notech,' which layers intricate rhythms with a futuristic edge. Over on the B-side, Antwon Faulkner brings the deep, dubby feel of 'The Dub,' before turning up the heat with 'Cyber War,' a hard-hitting track that packs all the urgency of Detroit's signature sound. This is the first release in the Detroit Assembly Line seriesia collection built to showcase the unfiltered, authentic noise of Detroit's techno legacy. It's a no-nonsense manifesto, made to remind the world of the city's continuing influence on the global underground.
Review: The second offering from the Infrequent label comes from the assured and esteemed mini man Dubtil. This limited 12" kicks off with a silky mix of dubbed-out but paired back minimal tech drums with watery synths and loopy swirls that lock out into the moment. 'II' is clean and perfect for cruising along to thanks to the supple and succulent kicks that are oversized and delicious under the balmy synth smears. 'III' cuts loose with a more warped lead motif and snappy, militant tech house drums below and last of all 'IV' gets freaky with some bubbling and tightly programmed kick and bassline combos. Serious stuff, for sure.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.