Back catalogue: Electro

Review: Trident is dropping a couple of top EPs this month. One is from Derrek Carr, and one is this double white 12" that finds Deltamaxx and O En One join forces. They take us on a storytelling trip through cosmic techno that varies in mood and tempo. 'Conexxion' rides a nice rubbery, bumpy groove with incidental and wispy synth sounds, then 'Delta Pavonis' seems to soundtrack a beach party up amongst the stars. There are darker, more heady cuts like 'Donnager' and icy electro cinematics on 'Isonoe' to make for a worthy collection of sounds that work on the dancefloor and beyond.

Review: 'Frankfurt Bass' specialist O Wells has been associated with Die Orakel since 2016, though this EP - the artist's fifth in total - is his first for the imprint for two years. Wells goes in hard from the word go, adding ragged, mind-bending TB-303 'acid' lines and intergalactic aural textures to a punchy electro beat on opener 'Consico'. Focus switches on the following track, 'Rhytim'[sic], where outer-space melodies and bubbly modular motifs are layered over a tighter electro beat. Side-B opens with the tracky, hypnotic, otherworldly techno of 'Moldoom', while the EP's concluding cut (IDM inspired number 'Spectral') boasts deep sub bass, Aphex Twin textures, subtle bleeps and oddly swung beats.

Review: O! Kult was a post-punk and industrial band from Yugoslavia that was active in the 1980s. Like many of their peers at the time, they were censored by the communist party that was in charge but that didn't stop them from making music and gaining a cult following. Their cut 'Zvestoba' has been found in old Radio student archives and brought back to life here and then remixed by modern luminaries Silent Servant, Christian Kroupa (who is one half of Black Dot) and 198319831983. They add weighty tech, EBM and moody electro vibes to make for a strong package.

Review: A limited edition 12" vinyl with two extension cuts of Obergman's new album on Pariter! Vinyl only - No repress! Dreamy synths wash over the listener, analogue bubbles heading for the surface - imagine Drexciya in 'Wavejumper' or 'Sea Snake' mode, only with its restless electro foundations replaced by something more regular and reassuringly solid in the beats department. All in all, oozing melodic techno class.

Review: This is some serious electro that really packs a punch. It is both physical and cerebral, with as much to keep the old noggin entertained as there is for the feet and body. The EP marks a fine return to Gunfinger Food for Obzerv who offers up his first solo vinyl release with tracks taken from some of his previous live set performances. They make for pure machine funk, with tough and robotic bass and lithe synth designs from the future. This is a one-time-only press on wax, so do not sleep.

Review: Serenity is a mental health charity label that is now back with more sonic gold, this time in the form of a reissue of Marco Bernardi aka Octogen's 'The Journeyman' from 2008 on Soma Recordings. It is an immersive, emotive sound with lush and ethereal pads and a moody bassline that keeps you locked. The B-side offers two original tracks from Bernardi 'Travelling to the Sun' is one to hypnotise floors with its hypnotic chimes and raw drums, while 'Little Tiny Crickets' delivers a fast-paced IDM twist with some killer synth work. As always, proceeds go to charity this time Papyrus UK who support youth suicide prevention and MusicSpace.

Review: FXHE maintain their monthly heat emission for 2012, with label boss Omar S displaying all aspects of his production prowess (as well as skill for a humorous track titles) across four productions - one of which features the button bashing assistance of one Patrik Sjeren. There's something icily brilliant about the restrained "Income Tax Refund Dance" melding a dark piano riff with snapping 808 kicks and rippling lo fi rhythms which only further justifies the title of Omar S's killer 2011 LP. It's complemented by the far rowdier box jam "The White Castle Song" which jackhammers a simple yet highly flammable key riff over low rent percussion for FXHE's most potent ode to the perfect warehouse moment since the all conquering "Here's Your Trance..." Given the lack of additional info, we presume the Patrik Sjeren that produces the B Side "Untitled" track is the same Patrik Sjeren that released in the mid 90s under a multiplicity of aliases, and his contribution is every bit as incendiary as the track preceding it, whilst "3c 273" sees Omar S slip into pensive utopian electro mode with aplomb.

Review: It has been a rather remarkable three years since Yuko dropped its first release, but finally, they are back with more. It is co-founder Emo Omar who features both solo and in collaboration with Luje from Club Pizza while two exciting new French talents Chud and Vivant also make their mark. 'Pollen' is a bright and hooky melodic electro sound then 'You & Me' gets more percussive, with old school cow bells staying busy next to all sorts of wonky synth work. 'Tomorrow's Made Of Breaks' is built on rigid funk and trippy synth bleeps and 'Zeus' shuts down with some retro-future vocoder vocals. This is a great return from a label we hope now pushes on.

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: Ovatow is but one outlet for Wilco Klen van Bennekom, the man running the Frustrated Funk family of labels from Rotterdam. It's not so often we get treated to a drop of fresh productions from someone normally releasing other people's music, so 10 years on from the last Ovatow outing, it's time to sit up and take notice of this new drop on Frustrated sub label Harbour City Sorrow. There's an echo chamber veneer hanging over this two-tracker which finds the worlds of electro and dub techno colliding with stunning results. If you value deep-diving electronics with expansive atmospheres, this record is for you.

Review: Ovatow is one of several aliases from the DJ, producer, graphic designer and Frustrated Funk label head also known as Klen. It is one he saves for dubbed out solo experiments and this EP first dropped back in 2007. It stands up now though as a tasteful Collins of electro, dub and techno. 'Flame' kicks off with wobbly synth hooks and ice-cold analogue beats. 'Visitation Dub III' then sinks down into a moody, grainy and lo-fi world of deepest dub and 'A Thought' flips the vibe again with a bright and busy electro workout. It pairs the coldness of machine hits with the liquid soul of some lush synth melodies. Classy stuff, for sure.

Review: It's double digits for We're Going Deep who serve up a 10th bit of cub-ready weaponry here. This latest techno offering is a various artists affair with cultured Dutchman Versalife opening up with 'Skirmish 101', a booming bit of electro with the fattest synth lines you can imagine, and plenty of reverb. Acid Pimp's 'Acid Baby' is a wild and wonky 303 workout and Jamie Anderson & Owain K then combine for something much more soporific. 'Basement Dub' is as deep as you like. Konerytmi's 'Aamunkoitto' shuts down with some sleek, supple acid for mind, body and soul.

Review: Hilltown Disco have been nurturing their own micro scene up in Dundee, bringing a punchy, gnarly strain of electro to the Scottish city and creating a strong community around it. Now that community comes out in force to celebrate five years of the label and club night, presenting a cast of underground operators singing from the same hymn sheet. Whatever stripe of electro you're into, you're sure to find something to sink your gnashers into here. Keep an extra attentive ear out for the opening track from W1BO, the sadly departed Wibo Lammerts, who the five-track release is dedicated to.

Review: This is the third full-length album by veteran Swedish producer Ola Obergman who has been producing since the turn of the millennium on respected imprints such as Skam, Borft and Futhur Electronix. A heavy collection of 808-based fusion in classic Pariter style, Mirror Counterpart is a cohesive effort featuring some truly impressive productions; from the early proto-house sound of the title track, to the Detroit influenced hi-tech soul cuts on the second disc - 'Indeterminacy' and 'Stellar Triangulation' respectively - going into 4/4 robot funk on the second disc with 'Alice Matter' and 'Uncertiny Principle' being the highlights. Superb.

Review: Last year, someone set up an online petition calling for Warp to re-release The Other People Place's brilliant Lifestyles Of The Laptop Cafe album on wax. Happily, Warp has responded to the strength of feeling from electronica fans - most of whom bristled at the high online prices for second hand copies - and re-pressed it. Drexciya man James Stinson's 2001 solo set remains a timeless electronic classic; a perfectly pitched and immaculately produced fusion of downtempo electro rhythms, spacey electronics and twinkling synthesizer melodies. In fact, you'll struggle to find a better electro album full stop, making this reissue an essential purchase for anyone not lucky enough to own an original copy.