Back catalogue: Electro

Review: Brother Aten debuts on Bruk with a minimalist masterpiece featuring the detached vocals of Ze R. This tidy 10" is influenced by cult sci-fi and early 80s no wave so naturally presents a stark, synthetic soundscape devoid of excess. The title reflects its mood: Aten's mechanical mantras are crafted with precision on outboard instruments and explore gritty, futuristic worlds. On 'Unavailable,' resonant drones create a platform for Ze R.'s initial deadpan delivery which reveals deeper humanity as the track unfurls through crisp drums. The brief yet impactful two-parter, 'Fragmented Dystopia' is a taste of Aten's cyberpunk vision while Ze R.'s words oscillate between structure and chaos.

Review: Acquit is a super under-the-radar label that has been making some great moves in recent times. DX 9's 'Incoming Signal' is further proof of that. It's a Detroit-referencing techno outing with the sort of chord work that gets you lost deep in through while the bulky drums lock you into an intergalactic trip. The G-Prod remix brings prickly and kinetic electro beats, while the Taho remix is awash with celestial synth work and cosmic melody. 'Decoded Signal 1' is a final original that has more kick and but still plenty of machine soul. This sweet 10" is limited to 200 copies so move fast.

Review: It's not a scam... it's Skam! To the Skam sister label Kasm comes Russell Haswell with a mitre-sawing electro release, veering toward brash abstraction. A gobby intonation is wrought from the distortion send here, where drums near-vocally poke through the muck, like rambunctious talking ghosts in machines. Warring allusions to lost humanity take shape on titles like 'Fractured Bones' and 'Tournament Species', where cyborg gladiators rise from their catacomb internments to face off against each other again and again, in haunted perpetuity. 'Different Takes' is the best example of the record's at times tempoless ferocity, scattering what remains as an intuitive pulse across phase-distorted gargles and made-wonky beat hydraulics.

Review: It's pretty hard not to fall in love with Macadam Mambo at first contact. The French label represents the cream of Lyon's underground, a city that has for some time now been a quiet powerhouse of electronic and dance music, developing a reputation for strange, leftfield floor-filling sounds spanning slow burn chug, experimental tropicalism, Balearic and cosmic house.

Enter Axel Larson to prove our point with real precision. L'Ete Noir is an incredible EP, packing a generous six tracks on its wax, all of which are awesome. From the knife-edge atmosphere of poised and percussive rumbler 'Hygiene Du Squelette', to the downtempo joy of a track that feels like it's built largely on the sounds of dripping water and reversed rave keys ('Le Pyromane Du Chateau Rouge'), there are so many layers here you'll be busy for days.

Review: There are plenty of electro overtones to the brain of techno that Savtsenko kicks out here for his latest on Kinetic. 'Auto Pilot; is a raw, textural banger with corrugated basslines surging to the stars. 'Come Again' has hammering kicks and more slinky baselines this time with raw punk energy and 'Seductionizer' also brings great texture and a rather hellish vocal edge to slamming electro-techno low ends. There is no let up on 'Detox' with its slithering synth gurgles. A vivid and vicious EP, for sure.

Review: Ste Roberts, under his STEDIT alias, has been building a reputation for taking beloved classics and flipping them on their head. This latest release is no exception. Two synthpop anthems, once the defining sound of an era, have been reimagined, reworked, and unleashed across dancefloors all summer. It's not about the big-room bombast or predictable edits that cater to easy thrills. No, Roberts is more nuanced than thaticrafting something that feels at once familiar and alien. The first rework, Depeche Mode's 'It's No Good,' is a masterclass in restraint. The track's dark undertones remain, but Roberts pulls it into a gritty, subterranean space. It's a slow burn, keeping the tension tight while the vocals float above a relentless, pulsing beat. Then comes the flipiHuman League's 'Don't You Want Me.' What was once pure pop joy is now something altogether darker, more elusive. Roberts has stripped it back, laying bare the iconic vocals against a stripped-down, funky groove that simmers beneath the surface.

Review: With roots in electro, hip-hop, house and techno, you can never quite be sure what Orlando Voorn will serve up next. On this top-notch ten-inch single - his first for NOUN - he's in full on techno mode, puffing out his chest and striding confidently towards peak-time dancefloors. The legendary Dutch producer first offers up 'Infinite Voyage', a slamming, warehouse-ready workout that wraps buzzing, mutant electronic lead lines and star-fall around stomping beats and booming bass. On 'Straight UP' he opts for darker, bolder, stabbing bass, alien-sounding bleeps, jazzy synth stabs, heady aural textures and another tough-as-teak drum track.