New releases this week: Minimal House/Tech House

Review: Big up to northern powerhouse Burnski for steering his Constant Sound label to the not-so-insignificant feat of release number 50. More importantly, the sounds remain as vital as ever and always evolve into subtle new sound worlds. The mantle for this one is taken by Locklead who brings some fine drum patterns to 'Backup' and pairs them with sliding hi-hats and bubbly synth motifs. It's garage-infused but utterly fresh. 'Wizzord' is a darker tech house with searching lead synths and plenty of pent-up energy, and 'Motherland' brings nice jazzy chord work and atmospheric samples. 'Pink Skies' is a bright closer with contrasting synths - some farting, some smooth - and more high-speed, catchy drums that span house and tech.

Review: We're told that this EP is an archive of encoded human memories made to "survive the AI's purge." Anyone listening back to this years from now will be sure we had a good old time, because it's slick and charming, minimal and tech with real soul. Sweater's 'Front Street Strut' is a kaleidoscope of colours, Reyer's- 'Martian Law' brings some stripped-back but bubbly and rubbery funk and Poten's 'Coming Or Going' layers up whirring machines and pixelated synth sequences into something zoned out and warm. Lukey shuts down with the snappy broken beat tech of 'Spectrum' with its bright, singing leads.

Review: Deep house foot soldier DJ Aakmael strikes a perfect balance between gritty grooves and heady escapism with the music he makes. He's fairly prolific, too, and never goes too long between 12"s. He's back on his own Unxpozd Entertainment here with its 10th outing and it opens with the irresistible head nodder 'Oceandeep'. 'Nature' has more widescreen atmosphere with smeared chords swirling round the cuddly kicks and 'Reach 4 My Luv' then offering an excuse to daydream and get lost in empty mindfulness. 'Track 190' brings your focus back with some cosmic jazz melodies and a more propulsive groove.