Back catalogue: Minimal House/Tech House

Review: DJ Balduin's Mountebank Scientific label tells us that VICARI is "a child of Sheffield's iron hymns and scientist of the subconscious dancefloor." The music he serves up on this new EP tell us he likes stripped-back minimal and tech for the wonky we hours of the morning. 'Freefall' is a skippy rhythm with pulsing synth modulations, 'Pipe Dreams' cuts loose on chunky house drums with off-kilter percussion and 'Dontlikewhatyoudointhere' is another roughshod, dusty and deep house jaunt with a mix of glistening digital melodies and muffled bass. 'Serious Misintentions' is the most trippy and electronic of the lot - a late-night collision of controlled chaos.

Review: 'Celestial Dance' is Tommy Vicari Jnr and Loopdeville's latest, collaborative contribution to new label Foxtail. 'Go Again' and 'What Kind Of Love Is This' draw on the slung-down timbral strength of amapiano's log basses for reuse in crowd-busting house groovemanship: we hear giggly knock hits stiffening otherwise angelic house ambiences, making for staunch low-end scaffolds. Loopdeville's B-side is the real hoot, meanwhile, as crowd murmurs and restless rhythmic petri cultures heard to come to life across 'Los Pollos', before the r&b inflect 'Do You', which samples what sounds like Miguel, closes on a potent tearjerker.

Review: Capodopere's eighth release comes from the enigmatic Vid, a dedicated genre explorer not bound by usual rules. Side A's 'Transpose' features a groovy dub bassline and intricate percussion that mesh together into a hypnotic rhythm that invites fluid body movement and deep mental immersion. Vid's subtle, warm textures make it both a dancefloor weapon and a cerebral experience then side-B's 'Stereochord' shifts to a darker tone with sequenced patterns and a deep bassline underpinning industrial textures and eerie echoes. The track's relentless energy and nocturnal atmosphere make it a real afterparty gem.

Review: Darcoform present a captivating four-tracker where minimal frenetics collide with backend sonic mental processes, producing no end of strange fidgety sounds. With side A, Vid's 'Soundscapes' and Cim Pian's 'Visions Of Neverland' conjure a twin gnosis through slipping frameworks made up of 2-step breakbeats and vocal samples. On the B, Mtps unites introspection and groove in 'Book Of Truth', interlacing vampish textures and beats, presaging Durosai's closer 'Str8 Chillin' which lays back with its arms folded over a mechanised punctuatiosn: "rock the dance", it goes, in celebratory conclusion.

Review: Interdance impressed with its first couple of forays onto wax and now its third release packs in more fresh talent from South America's underground. On the A-side, Buenos Aires' Vinz delivers two standout tracks: 'Instinto,' a raw, trance-tinged techno trip straight from 1992, and 'Transradio,' which is a cinematic journey with pounding drums and acidic synth lines burrowing deep. Flip to the B-side for Uruguayan producer Juan Dairecshion's deeper, more hypnotic sound on 'Rebel Rebel,' which rides a steady four-on-the-floor pulse, while 'UR Love' dives into murky, Detroit-inspired territory with eerie vocals and twisted melodies inspired by the group name-checked in the title. A bold, mind-bending four-tracker built for serious late-night floors.

Review: Claus Voigtmann's Life Miles LP was another fine bit of work from the London-based German, and now two of the singles from it get served up on a new 12" next to remixes from a pair of tasteful underground producers. First up is LA-based Liquid Earth who brings some low-end wonk to 'North Of The Sun' next to acid-soaked grooves and driving 909s. The original pumps a bit harder with a Leftfield cosmic edge. Then comes Youandewan on the flip. He twists 'Lowrider' into a murky and late-night dub cut with warped bass and a signature sense of crispy tech funk. The original is a more high-speed and silky, electro-inspired space cruise with lovely broken beats.

Review: Trent Voyage and Elena Moroder started working together in 2022 and here make their debut on Quirk. It speaks to a duo who have a love of classic US house but have enough skill to bring their own style to it. Elena's dynamic, sensual vocals weave through lyrics about paradise, love and fantasy, with the opener 'Jamiro' a perfect deep house hymn with timeless vibes. 'Show Them' is a more minimal and late-night sound with a twitchy synth and moody vocals bringing more edginess. 'So Good' has a jacked up groove and another magnificent original vocal that harks back to the golden era. 'Cosmic Connection' repeats the trick with a rugged drum sound, then 'Cravings' is built on an electro rhythm with future synth sparks.

Review: Vyvyan is the solo project of Bonar Bradberry, a perennial underground perfumer with roots in disco and house and plenty of great releases to his name as half of the acclaimed Leeds duo PBR Streetgang. Here, he delivers music for dancefloors when the night turns uncanny by stripping club sounds to their raw essence. Following his 2022 debut album Y, which fused rough percussion with warped melodies, the 'Waterslide EP' pushes on further. The standout title track is minimal and wonky house with synergic synths that burrow deep into your brain and it receives a powerful remix from Gallegos, while 'Kindness' is an amped up rhythm with plump kicks and trippy lines spraying throughout the mix.

Review: DJ Sotofett returns with a double 12" packed with eight hard-hitting, underground techno tracks. Featuring frequent collaborators LNS, L.A. 2000, Ronny Nyheim, and Zarate_Fix, this release is a direct nod to the no-nonsense techno nights at Berlin's iconic Tresor club, where Sotofett holds residency. Each track is crafted with pure dancefloor energy in mind, moving through dub-driven techno, acidic overtones, and percussive basslines, all delivered with a raw, uncompromising edge. WANIA mk1 is a masterclass in DJ-ready versatility, perfect for those who love their techno stripped back and potent. Standout cuts include the bombastic, percussion-heavy Preparation and the 909-vocoder-fuelled My Spirit Is In Techno Music, both of which exemplify the release's dedication to the underground essence of the genre. With alternative mixes from WANIA mk2 making an appearance, the album offers both continuity and innovation, keeping true techno fans hooked from start to finish. Sotofett's attention to detail in programming, mixing, and mastering is evident throughout, making this a must-have for DJs and clubbers who live and breathe the core of real, unfiltered techno music. WANIA mk1 isn't just an album; it's a statement for those who value authenticity in their club experience.

Review: Norm Talley has put together a second volume of his Unity series on his own label Upstairs Asylum. It features his nearest and dearest from Chicago and Detroit, all of whom of course serve up perfectly smoky and stripped back deep house and techno grooves to make you move. Delano Smith's characteristic loops lock you in from the off on 'Big City Nights,' Norm himself pairs dub techno chords with suggestive techno stabs that keep you on edge and Brian Kage's 'Poly-Phonic Phonk' is heady, dreamy, richly melodic house bets listened to in a cosy back room at 4am.

Review: After almost three decades, Kompakt Records is set to deliver its' 500th release - a ridiculously impressive landmark that few electronic labels have previously achieved. To mark the occasion, the Cologne-based imprint has decided to deliver an anniversary compilation featuring (mostly edited) versions of some of its most iconic club hits, underground gems and early obscurities. It does a terrific job in explaining, via music, the label's contribution to European electronic music culture - think 'maximalist' minimal, off-kilter tech-house, ambient pop, synth-heavy hypnotism and twisted, off-kilter nu-disco. Naturally, all of the label's most significant contributors are present (Superpitcher, Justus Kohncke, Robag Wruhme, Gas, The Orb, Jurgen Paape etc), alongside artists you probably didn't realise had released on the label.

Review: After 32 years promoting a distinctive blend of off-kilter Cologne techno, mind-altering minimalism, ambient pop and trippy tech-house, Kompakt Records has notched up 499 releases. It makes sense, then, that the long-serving German label would be keen to mark release number 500 with something suitably special. They've done just that, offering up a lovingly produced box set that does a fantastic job of celebrating the imprint's journey to date. There are five, differently coloured discs packed with (mostly edited) versions of lesser-known early gems and Kompakt classics, plus a bonus picture disc containing 50 locked grooves, and a 100-page, 10" hardback book telling the label's story to date. It's an incredible product all told, one blessed with a host of electronic household names - The Orb, Laurent Garnier, John Tejada, DJ Koze - and deeper cut, cementing the label's status as a gamechangers and pack leaders.

Review: Barcelona-based label Exarde's latest compilation gathers a select group of producers whose intricate, cold minimalism defines the label's identity. From the jagged percussion of Kvrk's 'Access Denied' to the hypnotic rhythm of C.ru.z's 'Tecno-Logico', each track offers something different yet unmistakably rooted in Exarde's vision. J6's 'Cyber Crisis' injects an anxious energy, while Sancra's 'Obscure Consciousness' offers an immersive experience, drawing you into its murky depths. As TrascendAnce's 'Whathehell' dissolves and reforms, rhythms begin to shift in unpredictable ways, leading to Dissocietisociety's 'Oda A D.houle', where a metallic sheen gives way to a stripped-back, almost clinical production. Nicolas Longo's contribution pares everything back, reducing the sound to its essential components. Curity's closer delivers an uncompromising, propulsive end, capping off a collection that feels both cohesive and meticulously crafted.

Review: San Francisco's Dirtybird label has been kicking out big-ass party jams and wonky house and tech for a full two decades now. After 20 years of keeping clubs bumping the label now launches its first-ever commemorative vinyl box set. Dirtybird Hand Picked Box Set, Volume 1 features fan favourites from label founder Claude VonStroke, Aussie sensation FISHER, house vocalist John Summit, the legendary Sacha Robotti and mainstay Nikki Nair amongst many more. The set spans iconic tracks that have defined the label's legacy across the years and each one is big, bold and colourful, much like this set which includes one of a selection of exclusive items

Review: Longplay II: 10 Years Anniversary Compilation is a monumental six-record box set that celebrates a decade of cutting-edge mininalist techno. From the hypnotic rhythms of Cezar's 'Nkv2' on Side-1 to the atmospheric 'Nochi' by Denis Korablev on Side 12, each side brings its unique flavour. Tracks like Vincentiulian's 'Owowow' and SIT's 'Internal Network' showcase intricate, minimal soundscapes that are both cerebral and dancefloor-ready. The compilation also includes standout moments like Alci's "Man Studer" with its deep, pulsating basslines, and Ben Neville's 'Good Techno Stops Time', a testament to the timeless nature of the genre.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Since the early noughts, York-based producer Martin Wheeler has had a somewhat prolific output, exploring various genres. Heading up the Iwari label, Wheeler's career defining album as Vector Lovers was signed by British label Soma in 2005 titled Capsule for One which led to the first great revival of 90s IDM. This reissue on Barcelona's Lapsus imprint features all the tracks from the original release (Wheeler actually remixed each and every song for this release) plus two previously unreleased tracks. Traversing such styles as electro, techno, minimal and ambient, this extra special release comes in a double marbled vinyl and a limited edition insert print, featuring artwork redesigned by Josep Basora.