Review: Oslo's A:G has been doing his thing successfully for some time, side-stepping expectations of music from his home city by delivering music that's frequently heavier and more mind-mangling. Here the Norwegian delivers the debut release of a new label, Nocturnal Expeditions, beginning with the restless acid lines, deep bass, vintage progressive house motifs and semi-bleeping lead lines of 'Beyond The Veil'. He opts for more stomping beats and LFO-inspired bass on the similarly psychedelic 'Patient Paradox', before reaching for rave piano stabs on the nostalgic excellence of 'First of 22'. Best of all, though, is closing cut 'Gone Full Circle', where ethereal melodiesm spacey pads and squelchy TB-303 tweaks ride a psychedelic house groove.
Review: What's that, a new year means a new label from Burnski? We'd expect nothing else. The man has more imprints than a beach has grains of sand, but importantly they all serve a purpose and all kick out killer jams. Mikasa starts with this lush and lithe prog house EP from Abdul Raeva. Stylish opener 'Cream' is a bouncy, feel-good and sleek electronic house sound for peak time fun. 'Helico' is laced with acid and 'Tex Mex' has psyched-out lines rising through the uplifting drums while 'Vanguard' shuts down with a percussive edge and a killer bassline.
Every Pleasure, Every Sin (Ivan Iacobucci's remix) (6:02)
Review: Acoustic Vision crafts an exceptional EP bursting with rich techno personality. The opening track, 'Peyote Country Club' grabs attention immediately with its infectious rhythm, sharp percussion, and irresistible flow. A light yet captivating melody hovers over deep, bouncing basslines, building into a perfect storm of dancefloor energy. It's a standout cut that seamlessly blends a cool vibe with driving momentum. 'Human Endeavour' ventures into darker territory, offering a tribal groove layered with eerie, hypnotic elements. The haunting melodies create a sense of being swept into a deep, mystical rave, where the rhythm pulls you in. Subtle house influences sneak in as the track progresses, with distant keys adding a sophisticated touch that leaves an impression on you.
'Every Pleasure, Every Sin' shifts gears, delivering a refreshing blend of ambient house that feels like a breezy summer afternoon. The track is pure elegance that harkens back to the vintage early 90s. The remix of the same track turns things on their head, adding a wicked bassline, playful breakbeat, and a more ominous vibe. The inclusion of an acid line gives it a nostalgic, classic feel, ensuring this version stands out with its playful edge.
Definitely an artist to watch in the future."
Review: ViGis opening salvo for 2025 brings together four artists from four continents who all blend their own diverse cultural roots and influences into a superb collection of cuts for the club. This is a 12" that offers a refreshing take on familiar sounds and delivers subtle yet punchy variations in style and rhythm. Adema keeps it nice and clean and slick on the deep, bubbly tech of 'Jm Glavio' while Red Pig Flower's 'Stardust' is a zoned-out roller. Artur Nikolaev's 'New Edition' is a deft minimal soundscape with warped lines and bubbles dub undercurrents. Cladu shuts down with 'No Name' which is a more propulsive cut.
Review: We are real fans of the PIV label out of the Netherlands for the way they have bright plenty of new thinking to house and tech. Their Limited label off-shoot is even more forward-thinking and this time welcomes ADR for some of their signature sounds. 'Daft Excluder' gets underway with flappy snares and a nice nebulous ecosystem of neon synth details and snappy drums. The Casey Spillman remix gets more punch with wet clicks and a garage tinge to the drums. 'Professor Magnet' sinks you into a bulbous bass line that is warped and fluid under snappy claps and 'Infinity808' brings nice and trippy electro vibes and a kinetic rhythm to close. It might be the best of the lot.
Review: Ron Morelli's long-running and always forward-thinking L.I.E.S label looks to prolific producer Orion Agassi who hails from Spain and has proven himself as a real house mainstay. He backs up that reputation with six cuts of "straight up beat tracks for the club." They are inspired by the legacy of early WBMX mix shows and come with a hint of Latin flavour, with hammers percussion, snappy drum patterns and fiery vocals all making for a nice and wonky workout across a range of inviting tempos. A very useful album that has something for a wide spread of dance floor moments.
Review: David Agrella has dropped some great work in recent times on the Seven Hills label as well as his own R.F.X.N. and now is charged with kicking off a new imprint Path. It opens with 'Yes I Am Available' which is a silky blend of minimal tech and balmy cosmic pads. 'At The Tone' is a more percussive number that is stripped back to some dry tech beats, and 'Contented Regrets' then shuts down with a dark, more menacing edge for those freak after-party moments. All three are well designed and sure to do a job.
Review: The all-new Tapioca label debuts here with a head-turning EP full of lovely bright, bulbous and fresh synth designs. Nathan Alzon is the alchemist behind it and 'Wiggle & Wobble's Russian Roulette Extravaganza' soon locks oyu in with nice tech drums and busy synth daubs darting about the mix. 'Garage Baker' is a hurried, scruffy and UKG-tinged sound with more unique synth work and 'Hopeless Maniac (feat Litmus)' completes this most vivid and vivacious EP with another stylish tech house twist.
Review: Nail is one of UK house music's most vital contributors. His raw sound pioneered a new style of tech house in the 90s and here he reappears under a different alias, AM Vibe. 'Vibe With Me' kicks off with nice loose drums and perc and jazzy keys adding the warmth and soul. 'I'm So High' brings some loopy and filtered fun and phased vocals for a sleazy feel, then 'Dried Fruit' gets more upbeat with lush synth swirls and effortlessly cool drums and rich r&b vocal samples. 'Powder' closes out with some thumping kicks and more tender vocal stabs. As always, this is brilliantly heartfelt and effective tackle from Nail.
Review: Phoenix man Eddie Amador is synonymous with one track more than any other artist in the game. He wrote 'House Music' in 1997 and it soon became a club anthem that has endured over the years. Now, decades on, he is back with a follow-up of sorts in the form of 'House Music Dos (Doin' It House Style.' The lyrics from the original, "not everyone understands house music, it's a spiritual thing, a body thing, a soul thing," still hold true and fragments of that tune appear here next to fresh funky drums and gritty chords. 'Househeads In Full Effect' has a darker vocal that infuses low-slung drums and a funny bassline with real menace.
Review: This new one on mysterious UK label MoonVoid Records serves up a trio of previously unreleased tracks that were originally recorded in the early 90s on tape cassette by Benjamin Wetherill under the Amethyst Moon alias. Apparently this EP is the first of a few, which is great news once you hear them. 'Lifestheme' is a crunchy and wiry electronic workout with fizzing synths and dense beats. 'Human At The Controls' brings slower rhythms and snaking synths and hissing hits while 'False Alarm (Look Over Your Shoulder)' spins you out in silky cosmic synths and snappy metallic snares.
Review: Superfriends is a new label project from German tech house duo Andhim. They take care of the first release and export outside the usual realms on opener 'Tosch (feat Piper Davis).' It has an air of DJ Koze's hazy nostalgia to it with gentle tumbling drums, broad bass notes and plenty of lo-fi texture. 'German Winter' is not as harsh and cold as the season it is named after, instead layering up subtly hopeful, sustained chords over a groove that's not too heavy, not too airy. 'Mond' brings smeared and smudged melodies, flutes and pianos together over a dubby, delightfully deep house low end. 'Horse Society' closes with the distant sound or bird tweets, a hooky percussive lead and plodding kicks for day-time open-air dancing.
Review: The fledgling WEorUS label rolls out more stylish, minimal and tech here from a trio of artists. Andrade goes first with 'Kubernetes,' a driving minimal house cut packed with hefty groove. It is followed by 'Content Security Policy' which is a slick, rhythm-forward roller that locks you into its flow. Flip to side-B and get swept into Dragosh's 'One Way,' a deep, hypnotic workout that's all tension and release and rounding off the trip is Fabrizio Siano's 'Control Your Emotions,' a poignant, late-night burner that delivers introspection through rhythm.
Review: Clock Poets returns with Surrealism, a three-track various artists exploration of minimal techno and micro-house. Dan Andrei's 'Si Un Ecou' is a stripped-back, bass-heavy roller that is simmering with tension before erupting into modulated synths. Root's 'Apophis' delivers swing-heavy micro-house with shuffling drums and growling synth textures which nod to the genre's golden era. Clock Poets' 'Galaxy' on the flip is a sprawling 14-minute live-recorded jam rich in intricate sound design to end with a classy touch. Surrealism masterfully balances moods and textures here and makes for another refined entry in the Clock Poets catalogue for lovers of thoughtful, hypnotic dance sounds.
Review: On The Button is a Leeds based record label and party that has a cultured following. Its first musical outing drew rightful praise and now comes a second, this time from Barcelona based Aniano. This one is not short on energy: opener 'No Me Dejo Enganar (feat Rub Db)' has a filthy bassline that will get lips curled in mock disgust. It's fat-assed tech with real swagger and 'Did You Want This' keeps the vibes flowing with more fresh sounds designs and characterful basslines. 'Spellbound Sage' is marked with intriguing sound designs and warped pads, digital melodies and wonky energy and 'Futuristic Residential Area' is a fine experimental closer that is dense and inventive.
Review: Circulo Cerrado introduces its first sub-label, here. E.T.D.G. is "where sound tells a story." Aniano invites you in with Una Serie de Crimenes Sonoros, a concept EP that blurs the line between fiction and reality. Driven by a techno undercurrent, the release continues the exploration of El Terror De Galdar while incorporating electro and minimal influences and drawing inspiration from 1980s sci-fi cinema and retro video games. The EP features TR-909 rhythms and intricate Nord Lead 2 synth work and delves into human darkness through electronic soundscapes.
Review: You can always rely on Dungeon Meat to kick out the jams and that is the case here with Julian Anthony next up to make a solid house statement. 'Dale Ale' kicks things off with a tumbling hook that sounds like someone whacking a giant metal drum, while 'Phantom Strike' brings shuffling garage energy to the beats. 'Radikal Forze' is one of those late-night jams with some mysterious pads leading you to mischief and last of all 'Z-Town' rides on rubbery kick drum loops with tripped-out pads. Heady and physical at the same time, all four of these are superb.
Review: Off Topic builds on its early momentum with a third outing if deep tech class from Antonio and Pir. Antonio get first with a cute vibe on 'We Sang We Laugh' which repeats the title's refrain over elastic and nimble drums. 'Danca Danca' its more heady with reverb-rich kicks and echoing vocals that bring a curious edge and then it is Per who takes care of the flipside. 'Mighty Blue' layers a smoky jazz line over weighty house kicks and 'Glass' shuts down with more sample madness.
Review: Behind The Mask's second release comes from Lorenzo Aribone, the man behind the label and someone with a sound that draws on a range of house and techno styles. The A-side kicks off with 'Again', a low slung and sleazy sound with warped basslines. 'Question' is an eerie, spacious sound with pulsing rhythms and dubby low ends then 'Fog' brings more raw percussion and insistent grooves. Last of all is 'Stone,' a heavy, marching house sound with hints of intergalactic synth work and razor sharp drums that keep you upright. Another fine offering from this young imprint.
Review: LEGRAM VG & Rubber Ducky Records have come together for this playful Game of Tunes series, and the third entry in it offers four more wafty tech house delights. Baldov's 'Dance Connection' is a balmy and breezy opener with some warm synth injections to soften the rickety tech beats. Sif B's 'Small World' is a bubbly cut with sci-fi motifs and Buenaguas's 'Music Or Noise?' Marries distant cosmic pads with sparky synth sequences that make for some nice colourful combinations. Alich's 'The Evidence' is the best of the lot - a pent-up, garage-tinged kicker with ass-wiggling beats and acid prickles. Pure heat.
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.
AudioChain - "Back To The Time" (Tm Shuffle Myotatuuli dub remix)
Celestial Sphere Aka Hirotaka - "Concept Depth"
Review: Swiss label Introspection Audio Limited hist 12" number five with some exceptional techno workouts from producers based in Switzerland, Finland and Japan. Each track delivers a distinct atmosphere and emotion, perfectly crafted for the dance floor. Alessandro Crimi's 'Always' keeps it deep, dubby and minimalist, Needless layers up delightfully smooth drums and dub chords and a Tm Shuffle Myotatuuli dub remix is frosted with icy static and chilly winds. Celestial Sphere Aka Hirotaka shuts down with a more textured and snappy dub tech vibe.
Review: If you ask us, Kalahari Oyster Cult is a label as unique in sound as it is in name. You can never quite be sure what they might serve up next, but you can be sure it is worth dialling into. Alfred Czital & Ayu step up for this one, which starts at high speed and has drums and hits skating along the surface at compelling pace as warped vocal fragments loop to trippy effect. 'Talk To Me' is another groove with real urgency but plenty of inventive sound designs and clipped, underlapping bass. It's hyper modern and dead good. The Sleep D remix is more zoned out and smooth for the afters and Roza Terenzi brings a signature sense of wonkiness.
DJ Bistro Schulz - "Disco Loves You" (AKeeM Dans Op De Deel remix)
AKeeM & 4-Takte - "The Sermon" (2024 edit)
Review: Sometimes a tune comes along that you just know is going to come a bit of a cult classic. We have the feeling that will be the case with the opening gambit on this new series, Musik For Pet Lovers, from the Memory Believes Before Knowing Remembers imprint. It is the work of AKeeM Dans Op De Deel who remixes DJ Bistro Schulz's 'Disco Loves You' into a languid, grubby groove that slowly but surely does great things with scattered percussion, radiant synths, minimal rhythms and plenty of mood shifts, not least when the classic vocal sample drops in. On the flip is AKeeM & 4-Takte's 'The Sermon' which is another slow-motion but high-impact sound with spoken words, dub drums and yearning pads.
Andrea Bertoli & DJ Bogdan - "Extremely On Line" (5:36)
Review: Exxtra Beats Records backs up its commitment to pushing things on with a new four-tracker of minimal and tech cuts. Edo Ecker's 'Extraluxxo' has warped synth lines that encourage introspection while the snappy beats make you move physically. Leff's 'Future Problems' has hazy and positive arpeggios that toot away over sustained chords and move at a nice inviting pace. Little Sea offers the snappy drums and gurgling acid lines of 'How I Wanna Feel' while Andrea Bertoli & DJ Bogdan's 'Extremely On Line' is a snappy and upbeat cosmic tech cut with wonky lines adding the charm.
Review: The endlessly fertile scenes that are minimal and tech house yield more essential DJ goodness here as Bread & Butter assembles a selection of talents for this ninth various artists' release. Alex Font & Aron open up with 'Walking On Clouds' which is not as airy and dreamy as it might sound, but does lay down a nice deft minimal groove. Beiger has a more sunny outlook with the mellifluous synth clouds of his 'Audible Illusions' and Mihai Pol then brings ouse late night jazz house cool to his 'Bip Bip.' Iuly B completes a varied package with the heady loops and wispy cosmic synth motifs of 'Bouncing Lights.'
Review: As many freshly minted dance labels do, France-based Handwerk Sounds has decided to make its debut release a multi-artist EP. Fittingly, debutant artist Kiss The Future kicks things off, serving up the rising and falling new-age synth sounds, sequenced bass, buzzing nu-disco lead lines and unfussy retro-house beats of 'WhatUWant'. Casual Plaza takes over with the mid-80s NYC proto-house-meets-freestyle flex of 'FM Paradise', before Disset blurs the boundaries between spacey tech-house and intergalactic deep house ('Connection Loss'). To round off a rock-solid first Handwerk Sounds EP, Amlee delivers the bleeping, electro-goes-early house excellence of 'Come Close' (all sparse melodic motifs, squelchy bass, supernova chords and talkbox vocal samples).
Review: Long-serving producers Lumieux (real name Preda Alin Razvan) and Alexis Cabrera (best-known for his solo releases on Atipic, Mulen and Raum...musik) join forces for the first time, collaboratively serving up a tidy tech-house four-tracker. They begin confidently, utilising plenty of analogue (and analogue-sounding) beats, bass and synth sounds on the swinging, low-slung box jam 'Celestial (Dub)', before opting for a trippy, hybrid dub techno/tech-house sound on the creepier 'Shifting Space'. Over on the flip, it's all about 'Subsonic Echo', a sparse chunk of tech-house wonkiness that comes backed by a more melodic, chord-heavy and spacey remix courtesy of Carbrera.
Review: The first release on this label came - as far we can tell, anyway - all the way back in 2022. Three years on, the second is another effective club weapon, this time with an electro twist. Pop Panic's 'Your Body' has mad heavy drums and maximal synth lines perfect for nice loud plays. Aut Zebel's 'Flipped Smile' takes off on a jacked up acid groove for peak time plays and DJ GLC lays in some high speed retro-future synth euphoria on 'Trance Dance' for emotional plays. G Punx shuts down with the gritted-teeth grooves and slamming bass of 'Electro Baked' for menacing plays.
Review: DDS has tapped up the mysterious and enigmatic Japanese dub techno stylist Shinichi Atobe for another album. Discipline is his seventh for the label and each of those has been as faultless as the next - happily, this keeps up that impeccable run which started with a debut on the Chain Reaction label in 2001. The eight cuts on the record offer up delay-laden steppers, swaggering 909 rhythms, plenty of evocative pads and subtle backlit synths that bring a future feel to the soulful, authentic grooves.
Tales Of The Unknown (unreleased Chill mix) (10:04)
Review: In the mid-90s, Audio Science released two CD-only albums, Aural X-Perience and Hypnotic, both of which gained critical acclaim and have since achieved cult status. This new double album on the Rezpektiva label brings together standout tracks from those revered recordings. It begins with the slow motion and psyched-out prog of 'Tales Of The Unknown' and takes in highlights like the slick house punch of 'Strings In The Night' as well as an unreleased Chill mix of 'Tales Of The Unknown' which brings new cosmic energy to the lush original. A great reminder of one of the 90s' finest innovators.
Review: If UK talent Daniel Avery still feels like a new kid on the block then maybe that's because his music remains vital and fresh despite having actually been around for so long. We can't really believe it's been a full decade since his Drone Logic album arrived, but it has. This anniversary edition is a great reminder of its class across a bunch of dark and dirty, sleazy and seductive minimal, acid, and tech cuts. They are rife with his signature post-punk attitude and the early low-end chug he was known for, all with plenty of strobe-lit moments for the heart of the rave.
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