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: Juuz out of Hungary continues to break new ground as it lays out its sonic identity with another tasteful various artists EP that roam free across the minimal world. Silat Beksi & Fedo get things underway with the heady but also playful and cheeky sounds of 'Porque Tu' before Minube's '909 Things' is a textural blend of found sounds, great sound designs and perfectly rubbery, dubby drum kicks. Daniel Broesecke's 'No Name' then gets more dark and down and dirty with a stripped-back mix of caps and bass that is pure backroom. Chris Llopis shut down its trippy sine waves and spinning hi-hats from the classic school of minimalism on his 'Manipulator.'
Review: Marvin Dash and Lowtec combine to serve up some house grooves here that perfectly embody the Workshop sound. They are lovably loose-limbed, dusty and ramshackle, and almost feel as if they may fall apart at any given moment, but that is the joy of them. Instead, they keep you locked amongst rickety drums, frayed pads and imperfect little vocal hooks that bring the soul. 'Track 1' does that with a hazy feel, 'Track 2' is more one out with a dubby undercurrent and sustained keys and 'Track 3' brings little more prickle and drive, like a super raw Omar-S track. 'Track 4' is all about the prying, bulbous bassline that unfurls with a mind of its own beneath DIY percussive sounds.
Review: Dashiell has been road testing these two tunes in his sets for a while, and they have always done a job. They finally arrive on wax courtesy of Foul Play and are sure to get dropped all over the place this summer. 'dfuse all the tension' is the right mix of driving tech but wonky minimal. The bassline is drunk and all over the place while the lead synth has a retro video game feel, and some crisp melodies and refracted vocals finish it well. On the flip, 'da nastiest' is faster and more direct with some turbocharged and bass-driven tech house characterised by another sleazy vocal and phased synth lines that bring a playful twist.
Review: REPRESS ALERT!: In case you didn't know, Reliance is yet another label from man like Burnski, the UK powerhouse who is almost single-handedly spearheading a sound that fuses garage, house and tech into something irresistible for the club. He invites Job de Jong to step up for the label's second outing and 'Dub House' is a great opener with just the right amount of bounce, melody and heart. Kepler remixes it into a percussive stomper with siren stabs and dusty perc. 'Emergency' is a trippy melodic workout that bends space and time and 'Don't Wanna Stop, Dub Stop' chucks a killer vocal into the mix over sleazy drums and garage drums that are always going to get big reactions.
Manuel De Lorenzi & Freddie Wall - "Sun-Rise" (6:15)
Fichs - "Find Yourself" (6:35)
Manuel De Lorenzi - "You Already Know It" (7:08)
Manuel De Lorenzi & Giacomo Silvestri - "The Big Apple Community" (7:09)
Review: Monday Morning is back to roll out some more lush house depths with a second EP, this one featuring founder Manuel De Lorenzi in the company of his pals Giacomo Silvestri, Freddie Wall and Fichs. 'Sun-Rise' is a nice gritty but vibey opener with percussive skip and dry hits. Fichs's solo cut is a loopy workout with nice bulbous synths and a pared-back rhythm that gets ever more inescapable while De Lorenzi then offers up the radiant synth warmth and dubby undercurrents of minimal house shuffler 'You Already Know It.' With Giacomo Silvestri he then closes on the more percussive loops of soft house soother 'The Big Apple Community.'
Review: Deadbeat, the Montreal-based dub techno maestro, returns to Echocord with a trio of immersive and hypnotic tracks. 'Pressure Double Down' showcases Deadbeat's signature sound, a blend of dub-infused techno and minimal aesthetics that has captivated listeners for over two decades. 'Too Much Pressure' is a 15-minute odyssey through intricate percussion, dubbed-out stabs and psychedelic vocals, its subtly unfurling layers and nuanced dynamism creating a captivating sonic experience. 'Double Bubble' follows with a delicate interplay of chord melodies, sub-bass tones and a crunchy analogue rhythm section, its hypnotic groove drawing the listener into a world of sonic exploration. 'Rattle The Roof Down' closes out the EP with a heavy dose of dub reggae bass, its spacey delays and murky swells adding a layer of hypnotic depth.
Review: After a period of quiet, Background Rimini returns with its third release, and it's a doozy. This split EP sees Luca Piermattei and Cedric Dekowski join forces and blend their deep love and sharp instincts for electronic sound on one rugged 12". On the A-side, Luca delivers two funk-laced house cuts infused with acid and electro flourishes that are perfectly pitched for both late-night movers and sunrise groovers. Flip to the B-side, and Cedric drifts into dreamy, breakbeat-laced territory with 'Kuhan' before turning up the heat with the floor-filling punch of 'Tremoa' (Remix). Club-ready stuff with electric impact.
Review: Not to be confused with the heavy Dutch electro hero of the same name (he of Klakson Records fame), Dexter was the early-to-mid 2000s alias of UK tech-house producer Matt Royall. Sushitech Records recently released a retrospective of his work, Past Moves, and now German label Repeat has decided to reissue 2004's Size Counts EP. A-side 'Break It Down' is deep, druggy, chuggy and pleasingly off-kilter, with delay-laden spoken word snippets and echoing hand percussion hits rising above a driving bassline and hypnotic, locked-in drums. The pace and intensity increases on flipside 'Once Again', a kind of Hipp-E & Halo style West Coast tech-house workout rich in trippy female vocal snippets, ghostly chords and dubby bass.
Review: A punctual reissue of a rare Eye 4 Sound tech-acid house party starter from 2004, this Repeat version of Dexter's 'Paradox' stays faithful to one of many EPs in UK artist Mat Royall's regal flush of technical itches to last from 01 to 06, spread across labels like Beat Code, Random House and, in more recent years, Real Deal and Bosh Records. 'Paradox' is subset by the fun-loving 'Ychtm Acid' on the B-side, and while we can't claim to be so clever as to be able to decode this standout track's strange titular acronym, we can vouch for the sickness of its eccentric percussions and atmosphere, a fine case of what we call "mood design".
Review: Dark tech house's current Olympic torch-bearer, Inermu, present the seventh edition in their very own vari-prod vinyl series. A polysemous production outfit whose guises vary, this new one from Dexter James and Dominic Aquila presents a hard-nosed heater from the lockoff London crew. With most of their releases having been housed on black labels so far, this one is an exceptional whiteout, with lemni-skating delays and conga-happy tribal drives resounding across 'Tougher & Darker' and 'Music For Dark Rooms'. 'No Other' completes the record with a downtime B-side, with subtle pad swirls and taciturn talking drums working well as substitute basslines.
Review: Stefano Di Carlo' delivers a diverse mix of upbeat, energetic techno tracks perfect for the dancefloor. The first side kicks off with the Andy Perfetti Tribal City remix of Mad DJ, an uptempo burner with a catchy lead hook that immediately hooks the listener, setting the stage for high-energy vibes. The Alex Neri DJ Mad remix takes things in a more trance-like direction, with euphoric, psychedelic elements that create a distinct uplifting feel while maintaining a strong club rhythm. On Side-2, 'The Conversion' brings a vintage, rave-inspired melodic sound, with a nostalgic yet fresh feel. Finally, the original 'Mad DJ' track offers an otherworldly, alien vibe, with early 90s techno influences and a surprising house twist. Di Carlo's ability to blend different styles and eras offers something for both old-school techno lovers and those craving a more modern, experimental edge.
Review: Berlin techno label Time Passages returns with fresh heat, with label owner Binh (Cabaret, Perlon) facilitating the unveiling of yet another new techno truncator from Hamburg's rising talent Difool, who in turn made his debut on the Ejeca owned progressive breaker Tusk Wax. This new one prefers analog beats and retrofuturist synthwork, be that on the flutingly detuned progressor 'Bleep 303', the mid-set mood mutator 'Dark Flow' or the dragging implied armageddon that is 'Moshpit'.
Review: DIGWAH marks its tenth release in style, maintaining its signature mystery while delivering two standout cuts that embody the British label's underground ethos. Side-A's 'Wayside' is a clutch tech-house banger that has finesseiclean, classy and an irresistibly groovy. A crisp breakbeat underpins a funky rhythm, while a strong vocal hooks you in, giving the track a timeless yet fresh feel. This is underground house at its best, effortlessly balancing sophistication with dancefloor heat. On the flip, 'Demeanour' leans into ghetto tech-house territory, with a weighty bassline and infectious r&b vocal samples. The groove is deep, the funk is undeniable and the track's raw energy makes it an instant mover. Another essential release from DIGWAH - stripped-back, hypnotic and built for those who know.
Review: A tech house release that offers the perfect balance of groove and melody. 'Hold Me Tight' opens with a melodic, addictive groove, blending deep house elements with tech house energy. The track's strong production and underlying melodies build an irresistible vibe. The DOP remix of 'Hold Me Tight' on Side-2 takes things in a raw, techy direction, offering a dub version with deeper grooves and a more stripped-back feel while maintaining the vocal elements. 'She's Got Nowhere To Go' closes the release with catchy vocal samples and a soulful, fun melody, making it a great dancefloor anthem. The track is both playful and infectious, ensuring it will keep the energy high. Overall, a dynamic fusion of melodic depth and tech house vibes, perfect for any set.
Review: Kiria Records drops a sleek EP here from Romanian DJ and producer Direkt, who keeps it refined with minimal grooves and deep vibes. The title track, 'Vintage A,' opens with classy synth work and crisp percussion, setting a hypnotic tone and Cally's remix follows with a stripped-down, razor-sharp rework ideal for subtle transitions and after-hours sets. Flip to the B, and 'Best Kick Forward' lives up to its name and is driven by bold basslines and forward-moving momentum. Closing track 'Fragments' floats on airy textures and intricate rhythms, so it leaves a thoughtful and lasting impact. A polished, versatile EP built for selectors who like it deep.
Review: DJs Concret and Inigo Vontier unite as a duo, The Diyeis: a crocodilian-simian fusion of primeval sound, uniting mammal and reptile. Their mission is to harness "the primal, tribal effect of ecstasy on the dancefloor" - this is, of course, a target which many producers shoot for, and yet whose tiny red bullseye few are actually able to hit. 'Ritmo' and 'Skat' opt for a different, rather minimal approach to achieve the same "primal" effect, contrasting the usual cliches of hide-taut hand drum and nighttime ghost-dance chants. The Diyeis don't need to abide such tritenesses; their claim is that the tendency towards primordial dancing always already exists in us, without requiring evocation in style. 'Muevelo', in fact, entirely upends anything we'd expect of a "primal, tribal" release, bringing digi-redux hats jacked to high, clipped heaven, and weird FX, which reach a similar, and yet more unconfined head on B2 'Lo Que Pasa'.
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.
Review: Chicago has many legendary figures, but one who stands proud among many is DJ Deeon, a low-end legend and widely considered to be the true Godfather of ghetto house. He dropped this EP originally back in 2013, and it is one of many that soon became classic, which is why it gets this remix from Chiwax. 'Happy' perfectly summarises Deeon's sound - booming and heavyweight kick and drums, smart samples looped perfectly and big hooks. 'The Truth' speeds things up and brings that Ghetto sleaze, and 'R U Sure' is a more minimal sound that still bangs like a heavyweight. 'Gigabytes' is full of caustic synths and blending melodies that bring sheer chaos to the club.
Review: The third release on Secretsundaze's 9FINITY imprint sees Naarm/Melbourne producer DJ Life return to the fold with another batch of psychedelic club tools, balancing UK bass pressure with trippy minimal finesse. 'Utility' jolts things into motion with snaking low-end and warped FX, slipping in and out of jagged tech shapes. The sparring synth jolts of 'Electrolyte' feel more frenetic, its thwacking groove and dubby vocal chops making for a proper headrush. On the flip, 'Breathe' trades upfront energy for depth, layering smoked-out subs beneath lattices of percussion. 'Stay Playful' edges toward tribal house but keeps its sci-fi freakiness intact. Digital bonus 'Love Sensation' eases the tension with clipped garage swings and pearly padsia welcome curveball.
Review: DJ Normal 4 infuses plenty of psyched-out colours, trance from the 90s and sleek deep techno rhythm in his work for this new one on Fantastic Planet. 'Eden Responding' kicks it off with singing synth lines over quick beats. 'Spore Clouds' is more deep and driving with less melodic playfulness and 'Green Mantra' brings some more twisted after-party energy. 'Liquid Desire' then slows things down with watery sound effects and hypnotic layers of sound designed to zone you out.
Review: 'Unreleased Stuff Part 'I dives into the rich vault of Charles Webster, a revered name in UK house with a career spanning over three decades. This release brings out three hidden gems from his archives that capture the depth of his skill in minimal and tech house production. Side-1 kicks off with 'The Same Thing (instrumental mix)', a refined deep house track with a tasteful nod to 90s acid influences. Over on Side-2, 'Halftoo' delivers a melodic deep house vibe that feels fresh despite its 1997 origins. Rounding out the collection, 'FYU' combines smooth, classy production with that unmistakable 90s touch, creating a sound that feels timeless yet distinctly of its era.
Review: Mark Grusane presence on Disctechno brings with it a compilation of five unique house tracks from Chicago and Detroit-based producers, as you will probably have guessed from the title. The A-side features DJ Slush's synth-driven 'Memory Blank' and Deon Jamar's bass-heavy 'AYYYO' which offer different but both killer sounds. The B-side opens with Jordan Zawideh's reverb-drenched 'Axolotls' followed by Grusane's intense, atonal 'The Recoil' and concludes with Thomas Xu's groovy 'School Street.' All of these are the sort of off-kilter sounds you would expect of these revered and enduring electric hotbeds. Raw, stripped-down and authentic, this is the contemporary Midwest underground.
Review: He's the original (and maybe only self-proclaimed?) house gangster and he is back in 2025 and sounding as good as ever. Puerto Rico by way of Chicago's DJ Sneak makes beats as raw as the meat he likes to chuck on his BBQ grill and UK house legend Nail must be a fan cause it's his label he lands on now. This is a solid four-tracker that ticks all the boxes with its killer grooves and smart loops. 'All I Need In Life' is a playful opener, 'Das Gud!' gets more intense and trippy with its bleepy melodic refrains and 'Help Me Somebody' then sinks back into loose and dusty, disco-tinged drums with classic cowbell hits. 'What You Expecting From Me' is a sweaty and gritty warehouse banger to close with aplomb.
Review: Original Chi-Town bad man DJ Sneak shows up with his latest selection of loop-driven house jams, serving up five floor-focused cuts on the 'Disko Dialogue' EP. A key figure in the second wave of Chicago house, his prolific career has seen him explore acid house, disco cut-ups, and hypnotic, tracky realms. Much, if not all, of that is on display here. The title track features looped strings and echoing vocals over a pounding kick and skippy snares, while 'Kick Da Flow' follows a similar trajectory, albeit with a slightly more restrained mood. 'Bottom Acid' ups the energy with pulsing 303 gliding over piercing drums, while 'Acid Wunders' dives into trippier territory, with its nocturnal groove endlessly undulating. The rolling rhythms of 'Elements' cap a fine EP, with DJ Sneak proving he's lost none of his big-room bravado or production swagger.
Review: Oozing with slippery sound design and euphoric exudate, Andrey Djackonda, Etzu Mahkayah, and TooRare team up for a next-gen talent demo in EP form, well and truly showing any other upstart how trancey-prog-minimal house is and should indeed be done. Said to have been designed to create a feeling of uplift and positivity - and yet in our opinion, the record touches on relatively more neutral and trancier moods, ones which could go either way - the likes of 'Que Le Jour Se Leve' and 'Sunrise In Amsterdam' are highly maximised, entelechic tech-trance progressors, highlt reflective of the verve and dedicated so far enshrined in the work of Saint Petersburg label MixCult.
Review: After taking a hiatus to focus on side projects, DJENA returns with a new solo EP that artfully collides house and breakbeat while showing off his passion for eclecticism. The title track, 'In Motion,' is a hypnotic breakbeat piece with deep pads and tribal vocals that stir up raw emotion. Frenchman DJ W!LD's remix transforms it into a dancefloor anthem with a house-driven groove. On the B-side, 'Thrust' builds deep, tech house rhythms into an intense, peak-time surge and the closing track 'Veer' offers a sublime after-hours vibe with bouncy bass and haunting vocals. Welcome back DJENA.
Review: Re-United nobly unveil their second release, 'Shock', a sharp, stylish repossession of the talents of one Paolo Driver and Alberto Bof. A perfectomundo blend of classic trance tranches and modern jam-house, the release also houses a remix by Niki B on 'The Spring', with profound implications to follow. Said closing remix is especially swarthy and down-under, evoking catlike slinks down alleys in the night with its slower-burning, electrostatic moves.
Review: Detroit Assembly Line kicks off with a powerful statement of intent, delivering four tracks of raw, intense techno from two key figures in the Detroit underground scene. A-side, Drivetrain opens with 'People!'ia relentless track that drives forward with uncompromising energy, followed by 'Notech,' which layers intricate rhythms with a futuristic edge. Over on the B-side, Antwon Faulkner brings the deep, dubby feel of 'The Dub,' before turning up the heat with 'Cyber War,' a hard-hitting track that packs all the urgency of Detroit's signature sound. This is the first release in the Detroit Assembly Line seriesia collection built to showcase the unfiltered, authentic noise of Detroit's techno legacy. It's a no-nonsense manifesto, made to remind the world of the city's continuing influence on the global underground.
Review: Punctuality's fifth release introduces Irish producer Drua and his high-energy new EP which blends late-90s and early-2000s dance influences with smart modern production. Drawing from contemporary hard house, the four tracks feature punchy basslines crafted for massive sound systems and packed dancefloors. Opening with the refracted vocals, M1 organs and rushes of trance euphoria of 'UP,' Drua then goes all prog-hard-house with catchy vocal hooks and skippy bass on 'Job 2.3.'. 'Nightfire' then brings a deep house twist perfect for peak-time sets, while 'Arch In Ur Back' closes with breakbeats and party vocals. Fun, effective stuff.
Review: The second offering from the Infrequent label comes from the assured and esteemed mini man Dubtil. This limited 12" kicks off with a silky mix of dubbed-out but paired back minimal tech drums with watery synths and loopy swirls that lock out into the moment. 'II' is clean and perfect for cruising along to thanks to the supple and succulent kicks that are oversized and delicious under the balmy synth smears. 'III' cuts loose with a more warped lead motif and snappy, militant tech house drums below and last of all 'IV' gets freaky with some bubbling and tightly programmed kick and bassline combos. Serious stuff, for sure.
Review: Spanish producer Ducados dips toes in adjacent pools of progressive house and straight-up trance here on this latest release for Cupula, impressing with four high-NRG enjoinments. Also their first ever release, the likes of 'Mimi' and 'Calada' are bowler-overers indeed. Smoothened out by scaped preset synths and flirtatious sampled reminders of the energy in the room, the openers give rise to a less scrupulous mood on the B, which works more as the dark side of the disc: 'Estrella De La Mort' and 'Synth Popper' dance with death and chem-sexuality respectively, bowling ever further down cosmo-sonic dust belts.
Review: Amulanga, operating out of Thailand, emphasise beauteous atmospheric progressive house, pairing each compilation with exquisite, extra-worldly sci-fi themes. Their latest, sixth vinyl V/A hears additions from Dulus, Acrobat, Ilias Katalenos & Plecta, Taleman and Shri & Alej, each track a seamless infusion of living, writhing organic sound. More than just music, the aim is to imply a narrative, shuttling and transforming listeners over and beyond centrifugal, interplanetary orbits - not just dancefloors.
Review: Formerly known as AI Robot, Calin Dumitrescu refound his human side under his own surname as alias, having found residence in local labels Atipic, Particular and Unutrei since 2020. His debut for Myriad Records finds the third EP in the UK label's catalogue, with the headshaking chords and feverish acids of 'Acid E' helping synthesise a pharmaceutical drug we didn't know could or should exist, while 'Lucid Dream Gone Fucked Up' implies the necessary disturbance of a dream we'd never want to wake up from, by the intrusion of mechanic breaks, spy-vs-spy basses and creepazoid pads. The final two, ending on the perc-heavy 'Play Pause', contrast the A with a celebratory mood.
Review: Fantastic Friends continues to do solid early work in establishing itself as a fresh spot for interesting minimal and tech with this new various artists offering. The label's seventh outing opens up with Nicolas Duvoisin, who delivers his signature blend of subtle grooves with hypnotic bass. Cesare vs Disorder captivates with a fusion of organic rhythms and avant-garde elements that really hits as sweet spot and Unus Emre offers refined textures wrapped in a deep, minimal approach that is always about offering just enough. Finally, Octave rounds out the release with a silky and free-flowing dub tech roller on 'Love The Way'.
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 good early work of the Third Stream label carries on with this seventh missive and it's a various artists affair featuring some top talent. Alex Font gets things underway with 'Keep Moving', which is aloof, rolling minimal tech defined by a billowing lead which does what it wants. Kyle&Sam's 'Chapter 36' is an ice-cold and deft, steel-plated tech cut a la Melchior's best and Altarf & Backhauser -keep the synthetic, abstract aesthetic going with their occult machine whirs and loopy drum funk on 'Yeah.' Dumi & Nopau's 'Time Measurements' is like a long-lost Ricardo Villalobos cut from his most famous album.
Review: Inspired by "cosmic vibes and alien sounds", Cut Line Records is a freshly minted imprint founded by New York-based producers Majak and Diego Knows. Wisely, they've decided to set their stall out via a multi-artist EP that offers more than a few hints about what we can expect to hear in the months and years ahead. Naturally, they contribute, rounding off the EP via the collaborative 'Electrik Funk', a smooth, spacey and sub-heavy slab of tech-house funk marked out by cut-up vocal snippets, intergalactic-sounding motifs and rubbery beats. There's plenty to set the pulse racing across the rest of the EP though, from the acid-flecked tech-house funkiness of Pedro Goya's 'Celeste', to the star-fall haziness of Digital Pimps electro roller 'Warning Bells', via the electro-goes-breakbeat shuffle of 'Alien Vision' by Frankula and St Xose.
Review: Purple Print Records Compilation 3 is a rich exploration of minimal and tech house, bringing unique textures and groovy rhythms to the forefront. Side-1 opens with He Did's 'Mientras Tanto', a fun and infectious groove. The track's deep, rolling bassline and lively percussion make it an instant mood-setter. Following is DeWaal's 'Iceshade', a bouncy, upbeat track that balances playful energy with a steady, deep tech groove. Side-2 moves further into introspective territory with Raz's 'Rora', a smooth and melodic track that drifts along effortlessly, blending subtle harmony with a deeper bassline. Yama Music's 'In My Space' rounds out the collection with a broken beat approach, delivering techy, spacious vibes that add depth and variety to the mix. Altogether, this compilation is a refined showcase of tech house cuts that'll resonate with dancefloor times.
Review: Freerange's City To City series returns with its second edition, this time spotlighting Lisbon. Known for its stunning views, beautiful beaches and vibrant nightlife, perhaps one of the city's best-known hotspots is the iconic Lux Fragile, which has shaped the city's sound since the late 90s. Longtime resident DJs from Lisbon are now gaining global traction; to butterfly-net the essence of the coastal metropolis, this new mix LP hears six original tracks from local talents, chief among whom are Megatronic, progressor and ambassador for the city, and Yen Sung & Photonz, two names closely tied to the circuit's deeper-underground corners.A
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: Eight further sonic spirits are conjured on the seventh edition in Damian Lazarus' annual compilation series. Emphasising deep house and techno grooves with a hypnotic flavour, the procurement here is exemplarily brooding; Dino Lenny's 'I Have Sampled Father' marks a sure turn away from the openers' cleaner-cut mesmerisms with a smoky, funk-inflected haze, bringing rhythm guitar and paternal murmurations to a surreal montage. The monologuing mood continues on the equal highlight that is Upercent's 'Where Are You', whilst Enamour's 'Jackpot' rounds out the show with the record's only brightly-lit minimal triller. The record is marked by sensuous, distant, familiar voices throughout.
Review: A potent ongoing collaboration between two techno heads lands on a legendary label, delivering four cuts that span the spectrum of classic and contemporary dancefloor energy. Side-A kicks off with 'ClickClickClick', a tech house burner that lives up to its name as it is bouncy and rhythmically addictive. Its catchy loop play gives way to deeper, murkier textures midway through, maintaining its infectious swing while offering DJs a perfect mid-set curveball. Following it is 'Gearbox', a slick, electro-informed groover with a low-slung, funky bassline. It's high-energy yet controlled, laced with head-nodding bounce and shimmering detail that make it ideal for peak-time dancefloor action. On Side-B, 'Destination 909' is pure nostalgia with a modern polish, bringing in 90s techno grit, trancey atmospherics and a post-rave euphoria that's all tight kicks and laser-focused execution. The production is clean and sharp, but there's an intentional vintage flavor that pays tribute to the roots. Closing things out is 'Reach Out', a hypnotic, dub-leaning track infused with a raw vocal loop preaching unity and rave authenticity. It's spacious, meditative and subtly anthemic. The kind of track that creeps up on you in the best way. All in all, a cohesive, floor-ready EP.
Review: In the mid-90s, DJ Steve aka Pasquale and Luca Lozano, bonded over skateboarding, East Coast hip-hop giants Mobb Deep and boombox freestyles, long before clubs and synths took over. Decades later, a chance reconnection before lockdown reignited their friendship and sparked a new musical adventure. Studio sessions turned shared memories into the sonic fusion that is Closed Circuit, a raw blend of electro grit, B-boy swagger, Warp-inspired house and dusty vocoders. Roman Flugel adds his own sharp remix, while the sleeve features nostalgic photos from Lozano's early 2000s London rave days. Proper tackle, this.
Review: Limo Trax wind down the tinters and shoot us a knowing look through the Wayfarers, as their latest procurement in slick minimal house and techno blares out the limo stereo. This latest addition to their colours series comes in verdant green, and corrals the talents of Milion, Exonym, Dombee and Wodda, all of whom lay down a clacking sonic technic each. 'Tuin Van Bret' exposes the vibe with beeping chords and an injurious party-starting film dialogue sample, as swarthy, silly excitable funk ensues. 'Hagring' marks the A2 with a "gimme dem" sample and moody swells, while 'Brixton' pays homage to the legendary Lambeth area with a speed garage distributary, reminiscent of Serious Danger's earliest movements in the sound. 'Dark N Stormy' perfects this speedy trend, adding expulsive breaks and oozing licks between the four-by-fours.
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: 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: DBH welcome Mihai Popoviciu & David Delgado the the Pleasure Zone series with the 'Evolution' EP. Bringing jazzy, sloshy, jerking flavours to the tech house palette, 'Evolution' and 'Shifting' evolve and shift, convoking a delegated moot of propulsive chords and forward-driving janks, conveying the mood of a finely tuned closed clockwork system chugging away like the central engine of a wider contraption. Closer 'Black Light' operates more readily in the lower regions of things, proving unafraid of sounds that lean towards the more peripheral and umbral.
Review: Detroit-raised, London-based Demi Riquisimo assembles a dynamic mix of label favourites and fresh talent on Love State, the 22nd release from his Semi Delicious imprint. This six-track V/A hears offerings from Demi himself alongside Clint, Swoose, Lulah Francs, Dukwa, Anastasia Zem & Asa Tate, blending club modernity with classic analogue dance influences, sampling every sonic cate from Italo to tech house. Best among the bunch has to be Swoose's 'Re/Vision' and Anastasia Zems' 'Eternal Beauty', which bring together wasted electro, Italian new beat and trance for well-measured tinctures of dreaminess.
Review: ?aru is a non-profit label from Romania that sits at the sharp edge of the minimal underground. This new double pack of striped back tech gems will see all proceeds donated to dog shelters and NGOs supporting stray pups. Sensek opens with a slithering and groaning groove, 'Machine Morality,' for shadowy afterparties and Gringow brings a haunting melody to 'Towards The Dark & Cold.' Broascka's 'Epitelius' is an abstract affair with microscopic details scattered over a deep, dubby grove and Dragomir closes with two cuts - 'Alone With You' is a woozy late-night roller and 'Illusions feat Adina Oros' is a blissed out downtempo sound for the post-club hours.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.