Back catalogue: Electro

Review: Casper Hastings is neither a ghost nor from Hastings. He is an electronic innovator from Ireland who has built up a fine catalogue on the likes of TXTRL and Sticky Ground. He is back on the Yin Yang label here with another high class assault that draws on electro, jungle and techno. Opener 'Tangerine Meme' sets the scene with crisp drum programming and snappy drum breaks underpinned by warped acid. 'Reaper' is as menacing as the title suggests with more direct, punchy electro and Peder Mannerfelt flips it into a surging wall of techno. 'Ruthless Romance's a devastating edge of breaks-driven jungle and 'Good Medicine' has bleeping synths over wobbly low ends and caustic drum funk.

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: A five-track EP of pure dancefloor bangers from Hermeth, the enigmatic Valencian-raised, Swiss-based artist. It's a potent blend of breakbeat, techno, house and dubstep, showcasing Hermeth's signature sound - a dynamic fusion of styles that defies categorisation. Tracks like 'Bababoy' and 'Fvck War' are guaranteed to ignite dancefloors with their infectious energy and pulsating rhythms, while '10Min' and 'P*ta Que Pariu' delve into deeper, more hypnotic territories. The EP also features a remix from Ben Pest, adding another dimension to Hermeth's already captivating sound, and with its blend of saturated breaks and ghetto vibes, this release is a must-have for those who like their music raw, energetic and undeniably funky.

Review: Uruguay has been a low-key hotspot for new school techno and house for sometime. Adding its own voice into the mix for the first time here is new label Ascendancy with a debut EP from Arturo Hernzama. 'Charamusca' is tough, industrial but also astral tech with stark hits and motorised bass. 'Pichikatero' is a little more loose with wonky basslines and shimmering sci-fi synths. There is a spaced-out and trance-inducing magic to the thumping beats of 'Chucaro' and 'Break Manada' closes on a fresh and crisp broken beat.

Review: By now, at least one dimension of the electro genre has turned out so misanthropic that one of its keystone artists has called itself Human Rebellion - as if to suggest humanity is the exception, not the rule. With the artist now debuting on Hilltown Disco after a wonderful eight EPs so far, this one hears the so far faceless bot push themselves to 'Outer Limits' by way of a waspish bluebottle buzz line, then break through the proverbial 'Magnetic Field' to revelatory effect: deep pulse leads and firm kicks, awash in a sense of broken-free elation. 'Endless Day' and 'Exploration' harken the B-side, dystopi-fying the proceedings through a relative industrial feel, implying a robot crackdown on human insurgency. The former has a brilliant breakdown, with a short cyborg monologue opining, railing against guinea pig-style entrapment: "I want to get out if this experiment. Aren't there enough testable subjects...?"

Review: This compilation is a sonic tapestry woven from the threads of diverse electronic soundscapes, each track carefully crafted to evoke the liminal space between dreams and reality. It's an invitation to immerse oneself in a world of intricate textures, hypnotic rhythms, and evocative melodies, where the boundaries between genres blur and the music takes on a life of its own. Jonny Rock's 'Legenda' sets the tone with its purposeful groove, its driving energy balanced by a sense of introspective depth. Thanksmate's 'Take A Chance' adds a meditative touch, its gentle melodies and atmospheric textures inviting contemplation and reflection. Dobao's 'Oceano' plunges into a deep, liquid dimension, its swirling synths and hypnotic rhythms creating a sense of weightless immersion. Giammarco Orsini's 'Whirlwind' picks up the pace, its pulsating energy and infectious groove propelling the listener forward. Hiver's 'The Frontier' explores the tension and release of electronic landscapes, its dynamic shifts and evolving textures keeping the listener on the edge of their seat. Sam Goku's 'Lucid Oscillation' closes the compilation with a sense of ethereal beauty, its airy melodies and floating notes leaving a lingering sense of wonder.

Review: Harlem, the Stockholm-based duo, return with an eight-track exploration of dark, pulsating electronics. Drawing on influences ranging from King Tubby's dub to Robert Hood's minimal techno, they craft a sound that defies easy categorisation. Echoing the no wave dissonance of early ESG and the industrial edge of Cabaret Voltaire, they fuse these disparate elements into a potent sonic cocktail. 'Shut Your Body' opens with a muscular intensity reminiscent of Nitzer Ebb, its driving rhythms and gritty textures setting the stage. 'Fantasy Scan' picks up the pace, a dancefloor-ready jam that recalls Underground Resistance's hypnotic grooves. 'Blow By Blow' channels a nihilistic energy, its sparse arrangement and spoken-word vocals evoking the cold wave sounds of Kas Product. The B-side continues the sonic exploration with 'Dummy Up', a track that evokes the frenetic energy of a cult gathering, its electro and body influences recalling the darker side of the 80s underground. 'Sleuth' takes a more introspective turn, its repetitive grind suggesting a relentless search for the unknown. 'Contact High' brings back the seductive energy, its dancefloor-ready rhythms and infectious melodies reminiscent of early Detroit techno. The album closes with 'Wiggle Walker', a melancholic track that suggests a journey into the unknown. Harlem's music is a thrilling ride through a landscape of sonic extremes, a sonic experience that is both exhilarating and unsettling. Visceral but thought-provoking, this is a potent blend of genres and influences that defies expectations.