Review: We shall never apologise for our love for the work of Steve O'Sullivan. His contributions to the world of dub techno are second to none. They are also mad consistent both in style and quality which means they never age. Here he steps up to Lempuyang with his Blue Channel alias alongside Jonas Schachner aka Another Channel for more silky smooth fusions of authentic dub culture and Maurizo-style techno deepness. Watery synths, hissing hi-hats with long trails and dub musings all colour these dynamic grooves. They're cavernous and immersive and frankly irresistible and the sort of tracks that need to be played loud in a dark space. In that context, you'll never want them to end.
Review: The second various artists EP from the Merkwurdig label is another tasteful collection of up front sounds from a clutch of inquisitive underground names. Body opens up with some nice cosmic tech powered by rasping bass and reverberating synths. Nate SU's 'Neutrino' is a busy jam with hooky synths and splashy cymbals that takes on a twisted sense of cyborg funk. OBG very much smooths things out with the heady house roller that is 'With The Wave' and Fabiano Jose shuts down with the rock solid kick patterns and subtly rising joy of his diffuse piano chords on 'Discotale.'
Review: ***B-STOCK: Warped, otherwise plays fine***
The second various artists EP from the Merkwurdig label is another tasteful collection of up front sounds from a clutch of inquisitive underground names. Body opens up with some nice cosmic tech powered by rasping bass and reverberating synths. Nate SU's 'Neutrino' is a busy jam with hooky synths and splashy cymbals that takes on a twisted sense of cyborg funk. OBG very much smooths things out with the heady house roller that is 'With The Wave' and Fabiano Jose shuts down with the rock solid kick patterns and subtly rising joy of his diffuse piano chords on 'Discotale.'
Review: German artist Stephan Bodzin has done a fine job of keeping himself at the forefront of the melodic techno world, not least with his always boundary-pushing live shows. He takes that energy into the studio when cooking up his scintillating club tracks, too, and always has. This reissue on his own Herzblut label revisits one of his many stand cuts. 'Valentine' is a wonky one with creepy bass and mysterious melodies over crunchy tech beats. 'Papillon' takes flight like its butterfly namesake, with elegant leads and rubbery bass all doused in glorious melodic rain that has a sci-fi edge.
Review: The first part of a two-part release for Sushitech's sub label Pariter, with Chicago second generation house hero Boo Williams joining the likes of Delano Smith and Norm Talley on the roster for 'Night Fall', the partner 12" to the simultaneously released 'Day Rise'. It features three tracks, all of which fit the mold of early evening classics. 'Acid Matrix' has an early Detroit feel to its raw machine handclap snares and panther-like, stalking bassline, while 'Deep Tech' might be geographically closer to late 80s, early 90s Yorkshire, a compulsive funkiness emerging from its bleepcentric soundscape. 'Service Chamber' is sleeker and more mellow, telephone dial tones spiralling off into the ether while tinkling, xylophone-sounded keys play hypnotically. Choice, quality material that will help any DJ to subtly pick the pace up as the sun falls.
Review: Boo Williams is in good company appearing here on Sushitech's sub label Pariter where he joins the illustrious likes of Delano Smith and Norm Talley in its ranks. You wait for a Boo Williams record and then, of course, two come along, 'Day Rise' being accompanied by the simultaneously released 'Night Fall', each with their own corresponding vibe. 'Day Rise' is definitely more upbeat of the two but it's a subtle distinction - it's certainly not full of 4AM bangers designed to keep you awake until the busses start running again. 'Talley Up' is a very straight forward affair, circling around a two note synth riff and gradually building percussion. 'The Take Over' is similarly spritely, another builder with crashing cymbals, jazzy chords and drum machine tumbles steadily building an insurmountable wall of funkiness. Breezy, bumping closer 'Teleport' completes the set, meaning three ultra-handy, raw but sophisticated tunes that house and techno DJs alike will find slipping into their sets with a natural ease.
Review: Chicago house artists don't come much bigger or more accomplished than Boo Williams. The man has a famous signature sound that is full of party but never short on class. His chunky drums are always the foundational element and they come embellished with superb synth work. This new EP on Pariter finds him lean into tech with the loopy acid squelches of '303 Effect' keeping you in suspense, 'Acid Smoke' layering soft 303 lines into a punchy deep house cut and then comes the EP highlight, 'Extension Time'. It's a zoned-out roller with tender piano chords turning you inwards for deep reflection as the rubbery drums keep things moving.
Review: Margate-based Braga Circuit showcases a refined signature style and knack for killer sampling with this standout debut on Air Miles. 'Fall' kicks off with amped-up chord stabs and brilliantly well-swung, rolling kicks that soon get those hips moving. 'Closer' oozes summer cool thanks to the balmy chords that soften the percussive, garage-flecked house drums. There is also plenty of Kerri Chandler soul in these here beats that makes them all the more essential. 'Filter Feed' layers up dusty perc and thudding kicks with sultry vocal whispers. It's steamy and irresistible and last but not least, Leod is another talent from the coastal town of Margate and remixes this one with a more direct and dubby style.
Review: Third part of the compilation celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Milanese record shop. This collection is entirely composed of previously unreleased music, exclusively produced for the occasion by many artists of great relevance in the worldwide music scene, who supported the store over the last ten years. The artists who produced the music for this compilation are Egyptian Lover, Ellen Allien, Thomas Brinkmann, Neil Landstrumm, JD Twitch, Matias Aguayo, San Proper, Tolouse Low Trax, Jay Glass Dubs, Dj Marcelle, Jorge Velez, Tamburi Neri, Fabrizio Mammarella, Heith, Itinerant Dubs, Timeslip89, Kreggo and Intersezioni Ensemble. The entire work is composed of 4 x 12", plus a bonus EP.
B-STOCK: Slight surface marks, record slightly warped
Buckley - "I Like" (5:13)
Buckley - "Nude Night" (5:08)
Buckley - "Daft Sandwich" (5:19)
S/A/M - "Real Man" (4:34)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Slight surface marks, record slightly warped***
In the summer of 2023, Upgrade Records launched via a nostalgic, party-starting EP from the previously unheard artist In 5 D (likely an alias for someone a bit better known, but don't quote us on that). For the label's return, long-serving DJ/producer Buckley Boland (best known for his releases on Made To Play, Black Riot and One Records) is the man at the controls. What he's delivered is a nostalgic, sample-rich affair that combines the angular wonkiness and mind-mangling noises of early-to-mid-2000s tech-house with nods towards vintage acid house, electro-house and the hard-to-pigeonhole house filth of the (long gone) Music For Freaks label. Basically, it's all fun-time, party-starting fare, with the bump-and-squelch of 'Daft Sandwich', the bustling brilliance of 'Nude Night' and the break-sporting hustle of 'S/A/M Real Man' standing out.
Review: Fledging but already fine young label U.Dig out of Croatia is back with more final gold, this time from a master of the form in Alexis Cabrera. He kicks off with the mini-epic that is '1997.5', a real head-melting and elastic acid tune that is perfectly deep and rolling for the freaky afters. 'Straight Up' is more punchy and taught, with low-slung drums and crisp hits powering it forward. Last of all things get brilliantly unhinged on 'Microrama,' a kinetic and densely packed cut with flappy snares blaring synths, withering melodies and a true sci-fi feel.
Review: There's a fair chance you'll already have heard "Cola", experienced production duo Camelphat's collaboration with vocalist Elderbrook. The original version, with its rumbling bass, atmospheric builds, subtle bassline house influence and "she sips the Coca-Cola" refrain, has become something of an anthem since first appearing on digital download earlier in the year. For this first vinyl release, Defected has packaged the now-familiar original mix with a trio of reworks. The most impressive of these comes from German veteran Mousse T. He brilliantly re-casts the track as a bumpin' chunk of celebratory disco-house complete with thrilling piano riffs and an elastic bassline.
There's a fair chance you'll already have heard "Cola", experienced production duo Camelphat's collaboration with vocalist Elderbrook. The original version, with its rumbling bass, atmospheric builds, subtle bassline house influence and "she sips the Coca-Cola" refrain, has become something of an anthem since first appearing on digital download earlier in the year. For this first vinyl release, Defected has packaged the now-familiar original mix with a trio of reworks. The most impressive of these comes from German veteran Mousse T. He brilliantly re-casts the track as a bumpin' chunk of celebratory disco-house complete with thrilling piano riffs and an elastic bassline.
Review: Caserta is legendary digger Kon's long time engineer, and he sure does have a wealth of tricks up his own sleeve. Here he gets to tackle his own super 7" on the Bridge Boots label and first off he serve sup a lovely take on a Stevie Wonder tune. 'Stevie?' (Caserta Sunday Saint mix) has mid-tempo grooves rolling away nicely beneath exquisite synth work and a well-treated vocal from the man himself. JoDaCe steps up on the flip for a Saturday Sinner mix that is more driving and ready for the club. The bass is rugged, the vocals more looped and freaky, the effect just as brilliant but in different ways.
Review: Armed with analogue and modular synthesisers, Southern Italian producers Marco Cassanelli and Deckard take you on an emotive journey inspired by geometry and symmetry for T.A. Rock Records - a small indie label out of sunny Trani, Puglia established 2010. The Splitted EP starts out with the desolate dub techno textures of 'Abandoned Town' while the spaced-out cut 'Triangle' and the hypnotising 'Rectangle' (part 1) make for more experimentally minded tracks.
Review: Three distinctly outer space-themed cuts from Greece's Alex Celler, each with a linear minimal/tech skeleton that has other, interloping musical influences draped elegantly and classily across it. 'Ancient Astronuats' has the weird, wired mystical stirrings of early Black Dog about it, complete with melting, bendy electro notations that coax it along and add a psychedelic dimension. 'Stargate To Cosmos' has a playful, Drexciyan feel to it, with crunchy, organic drum beats flirting alongside the more rigid electrics. 'Object In The Sky' is the most minimal of the pack, sleek and stalker-like, but still contains enough action - mainly floating around up there in the ether - to hold and build attention.
Review: Cesare vs Disorder has long been at the very heart of the minimal scene. His abstract sounds and lush synthesis never fails to seduce us no matter the mood or groove he takes. This EP for the small but well formed Rockets label opens with some peak tripped-out sound design, where dancing chords, detuned keys and wonky pins are layered up over a loopy and skeletal rhythm on 'Amoreteca.' 'Sao Paulo Concrete Jungle' is dubber house all aswarm with pads, hits, percussive clatter, 'Holy Bee' gets unsettling in its eerie melodies and 'Time For Your Eyes' is a lovely deep house gem with a jostling beat and lounge chords.
Review: Some would deny that sound could be at all malevolent, or carry an innately evil intent. Greek techno producer Cirkel Square may think differently; his latest red-label EP for Ukrainian imprint Jerelo makes the argument quite clear that since sound does not exist without an ear to receive it, and a subject to perceive it, all sound is thus subjective. Its emotional contents are as contingent on the presence of a human mind as is the capacity to hear the sound itself: if we hear a sound, we cannot avoid ascribing it an intention. Cirkel Square, meanwhile, refrains from bad philosophy of this kind and draws on Ancient Greek mythology to inform his tutelary four track EP, each of which is named after the Greek gods of time, hell, war and hell again. The Greeks believed in four "sinister harmonies", and Cirkel Square has finely tuned each track to conform to each of said grave frequencies, to harrowingly electric effect. It's not all doom and gloom, though: make it to the end for the calmest balm in sound there is here, 'Persefone's Whisper'.
Review: Impressive and hyper-effective 12" with 2 tracks from Citizen Kain introducing his next album in Regular for October 2006 + a super-hit remix by one of the producers of the moment Oliver Koletzki (Cocoon/Sir Von Talent). Big with Mandy, Oliver Koletzki, Jaumëtic, Agoria, Iñaqui Marin & more.
Review: Class Compliance's brand of deep house is one embellished with plenty of details and synthetic sounds that sit nicely with the more cuddly depths of the drums. On this new 'Plug & Play' EP for Space Repetitions that is the case once more. The opening title cut is one that rides on smooth drums but has metal textures and sine synths detailing the grooves. 'Dreams' is more zoned out - the pads are soft focus and the drums are super soft around the edges, then 'Mosquito' has a more distorted and lo-fi edge with crunchy percussion and busted kicks.
Review: While Club Warke Deken is a duo (Dutch producers Joppe Harink and Marco van der Muelen to be precise), they frequently open up their Amsterdam studio for spontaneous jams with friends and contemporaries. That's what's an offer here: a quintet of eye-catching collaborations. Nikolai lends a hand on two tracks: the watery and off-kilter vocal tech-house drowsiness of 'Smokey and the Fundance Kid' and the sample-rich minimal house weirdness of 'Grappa'. San Proper contributes to the driving lo-fi house spaciness of 'Mixdemos' and the head-nodding hip-hop (with tech-house tweaks) of 'Droidt', while Testa Rosa hook-up 'Mind The Gap' is a driving, energy-packed tech-house roller.
Review: New US label Soft Spoken Secret does a fine job of asserting itself from the off with this tasteful drop from Adam Collins. His 'Coming Together' is a busy minimal tech sound with plenty of things to keep your attention beyond the bubbly groove. Deft pads and airy hi-hats, rising bass sequences and hints of acid make it a real gem. Then comes a 100hz DC10 remix with wonky low ends and more stripped back designs for late night sessions. Finally, the 100hz Concorde remix brings more widescreen synths and patient tension building.
Review: Burnski's high-quality Constant Black is back with more essential club-ready sounds. Donnie Cosmo and Pascal Benjamin step up for one side of action each. Cosmo's 'Holo Glitch' is first and pairs balmy synth work that is colourful and silky with some punchy tech drums and rolling bass that pulls you in deep. 'Echo Drift' is another lithe and lively one to get you on your toes while the groove flows and 'Airplane Mode' is another stylish mix of lush synth design and great rhythm. Benjamin's trio on the flip is a little more gritty with industrial-space-tech many the most fitting way to describe these curious cosmic cuts.
Review: Costin RP may be well entrenched in the Romanian scene, but his sound isn't particularly beholden to the assumed Rominimal sound. On his latest missive for Pleasure Zone he demonstrates this perfectly with the limber synth flex of 'Take Eat', the kind of stand out slice of after hours brain fodder which absolutely deserves its own side of vinyl to stretch out on. The flip side cut is pointedly titled 'Last Moments Of Sunset' and while the balmy, woozy sound may well sink into the horizon comfortably you could just as easily picture it working a warm-up slot in a club or lighting the way through a murky after hours set.
Review: Rhythm N Vibe label head Marc Cotterell strides into 2025 with a killer new three-track EP featuring plenty of his signature garage and house crossover jams. 'Annihilate The Rhythm' gets things underway with some rave-ready sirens and tightly programmed beats and bubbly bass. UK talent JACKARD steps up to remix and does so with razor-sharp hi-hats and low-slung kicks that bring the sleaze. 'Floor Dance' then brings the funk with some playful chord sequences and swirling pads and fFeed Your Soul' shuts down with aching vocal hooks and old school piano energy over some fresh US house drums.
Review: Notorious internet motormouth Thomas Cox dropped the first EP on his own new QED label back in 2020, but only now is the vinyl arriving with us. It was worth the wait, however, because as much as it would be fun to find the sort of faults in his music that he does in everyone else's, these are three raw as you like tracks that go direct to the soul. Detroit influences of course loom large throughout, with each cut layering up dirt and grime, dusty drums and rusty synths to hypnotic effect. The standout might be the unresolved loops and cosmic-gaze of 'Starry Ave,' but any of these will make an impact on the right dance floor.
Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Drop Music marks a marvellous quarter of a century of releases with this new slab of vinyl featuring some gems from disco funksters Crazy P and the house mainstays Inland Knights. Crazy P go first with 'Disc Odyssey' which is perfectly indicative of their much beloved sound with its low slung kicks and funky bassline. Inland Knights then offer a trio of in demand & unreleased tracks. 'Overnight' is a bumming deep house joint, 'Walk On' has an icy late night vibe and balmy pads and 'Do It Again is a more playful closer, with some killer b-line action. All four, needless to say, are timeless gems, and the fact the last two are appearing on vinyl first the first time makes it an even more desirable cop.
Review: Analog Concept present the second volume of their dynamic various artists series, offering up four tracks of proper electronic class made to last. Aiming at moods of outernational escapism and determined space-braving, all four tracks here - from D5, Rekab, Amorsinfronteras and Ross Alexander - scratch at different spacio-tempaural regions of the universal surface. 'Round & Round' establishes things on a watery note, while Rekab's 'On The Move' contrasts this with a mixture of exploratory, deep-padded electro wonderment and a sense of measured, stoic drive: the ideal affect of most astronauts, according to NASA. 'FORM' assumes a polylateral shape, blending janky electro offcuts with paddy pensees, while Ross Alexander rounds things off on a similar note of determination to before, melding hard garage house with blissy piano-stabs.
Review: Da Fresh returns with a deep burning underground slab of Hacker styled house with a hypnotic electro synth arpeggio, dark effected male vocal part, minimal swinging beats and a wicked touch of filtering and eerie sound washes & effects. John Dahlback turns in a mix that turns up the heat with funky percussion, dirty bass and a Clash meets Trio vibe. Rounding off this dope release is a remix from Vernis (Pocketgame) who adds a deeper electronic twist very much on the Poker Flat.
Review: Shall Not Fade has proven over the last five plus years that whatever sounds it turns its hand to it does with style. Mostly that is deep house and garage but here we have some warehouse-ready techno from Dasco. 'Powerful Woman' has mid-tempo drums that are run through with a supple and subtle acid line and repeated vocal phrasings that lock you into the trip. 'Acid Queen' jacks a bit more, with raw analogue drums and vintage cow bell sounds before the 303 takes over, then Johannes Volk really bangs the box with his hardcore house remix, full of splintered kicks and dusty hi hats. Chicago Skyway brings plenty of Windy City texture to his version.
Review: Australian producer Daze has dropped plenty of heat as far back as 2014 for labels like Lobster Theremin, Unknown To The Unknown and Valcrond Video, but it's been a few years since we heard anything new. Now they've cropped up with their own label and a simple intention on the Rave Daze 001 release, offering two excellent cuts that bring some classic old-skool touches into a sleek, modern deep house format. There's no doubt you'll spot the iconic vocal on the A side track, while there's a certain comforting familiarity to the flip as well, ensuring this will go down very smooth with any dancer you care to play this to.
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