Bassiani Vinilo y CD

Review: Infamous Tbilisi club Bassiani is one of the hallmarks of the emergent Georgian party scene, and its in-house label is adding to the respected reputation of the place with a strong cast of characters occupying each release. There's a distinct Japanese bent to the third volume, leading in with Wata Igarashi's verdant synth-fest "Stratosphere", a truly cosmic slice of modern techno. Takaaki Itoh takes things in a darker direction with the super-linear "Monobehaviour", while Iori breaks things up with the atmospheric offbeat kick of "Mist". That leaves it to scene leader DJ Nobu to complete the circle with a tripped out set of twinkling notes and off-kilter grooves like only he can do.

Review: Rene Wise is a top techno talent from the UK who is leading the charge when it comes to hard assed sounds. This new EP on Bassiani Records is a perfect snapshot of his sound that opens up with the high class sound designs and linear grooves of 'Sucker Punch'. It's from the same school as the likes of DJ Nobu and Donato Dozzy. 'Lucky Number 7' is a little more fulsome - the shuffling loops bring texture and trippy keys convey cosmic depth. The energy levels ramp up on 'Devil In The Saloon' which is still loopy and linear but more textured and dark. 'Gorilla' closes down with another strained learner sound that takes you into the depths of the cosmos.