Review: EPM20 Ep2 goes off on an electro tangent here. On this one, we have veteran producer Cisco Ferreira aka The Advent teaming up with his son Zein on the ferocious electro dystopia of "Strangeform" and as if that was not enough, another legend, the one and only Carl Finlow appears next with the abstract, cybernetic beats of "Optogenetic". Over on the flip, we have someone by the name of Detroit's Filthiest (quite an accolade!) who is in fact Motor City stalwart Julian Shamou (Motor City Electro Company) known for his work as 313 Bass Mechanics or Digitek, and longstanding hero of the Midwest Freddie Fresh should need no introduction; his contribution here under the Modulator alias is the deep mind IDM journey "Promars".
Review: BOOM! Our favourites, Cititrax, roll the third editions of Tracks out onto our shelves, and the results are unsurprisingly strong on this excellent various artists comp. It's a mixed bag of skills, as per usual, and the sounds are those of a new NYC, fuelled by a new sort of post-industrial sensibility. Amato Y Mariana open with the tight beats and groove of "Queires Bailar", followed closely by the ominous compositions of the EBM-flavoured "Montgat" from The Sixteen Steps. On the flip, His Dirty Secrets bleeps out some morphed acid on "Structures", and "Another Stranger" from Further Reductions churns out a slow, mild-mannered house experiment with its roots clearly planted in the coldest of waves. Sick.
Review: OHM is quickly becoming a quality imprint you can count on for techno and dub techno. The ninth addition in the series, it calls for an excellent blend of composers to balance this EP out. Veteran Jamie Anderson collabs with the brilliant Owain K on opener. The 'Aqua Dub' builds a euphoria for late night smiles. Smooth is an understatement on this linear gem. One artist on here that's been making strong appearances on many dub techno labels is the ever-talented Francisco Aguado. 'Balance' is a great tribal transition track for any DJ who can it creatively to build the means to an end. On the second side, Star Dub offers the very addictive and techy 'Forst'. Ending on a high note, the brisk and flighty 'Ever Growing' by Volpe completes the ninth edition in a rapturous mood. If you like deep techno, the OHM series is a must to collect.
Review: Emerald's 25th outing takes the form of another superb compilation with four artists who have already released on the label and plenty of new names making an equally good impression. ANNE kicks off with the deep, thudding kicks of 'Coral Reefs' complete with lush hits to smooth the groove. There is more weight and intensity to the oversized hi-hats ringlets on Mike Konstantinidis's 'Apocalypse', DJ Plant Texture layers in plenty of gritty and grime to his gritty 'Swingers' and Jarrod Yeates goes for a twisted after-party vibe on his intense and unrelenting 'Sesh Gremlin', with many more highlights besides.
Review: No whimpers, all bangs... Monika Kruse's Terminal M brings another four Richmonds our way, as the label celebrates its silver anniversary (25 years) of releasing. Ignacio Arfeli and Kaspar bring Portuguese fire and German glaciations to a unipolar techno A-side each, with 'Never Look Back' shooting a hideous glower at Orpheus especially with a "don't you ever look back" jet-breakage of the sound barrier, precipitating a massive techno drop, of course. A felt sense of continuation is heard on the strobing 'Masterpeace' by Chris Bekker, before 'Alhalma', where Drumcomplex and Frank Sonic lead us to a cruddy close.
First Order Approximation - "Obsessive Behaviour" (5:45)
First Order Approximation - "Unresponsive" (5:14)
Review: Respected Italian artist Alan Backdrop joins forces with First Order Approximation for the second release from the Sense Code label. This tasteful techno split delves into the darkest realms of deep techno right from the off with 'Converging To Center' drilling down into a desolate wasteland. 'Gravity Self' is another suspensory linear groove with no signs of human life and 'Obsessive Behaviour' is a heady one with static electricity fizzing about the rubbery drums. This collection of hypnotic and ever-evolving tracks is designed for smoky basements and late-night sessions for real heads.
Review: Coeur De Glace on DKO Records (DKO 34) delivers four fantastic electro tracks, each with unique influences and directions. Side-1 kicks off with Binary Digit's 'U Want Dis,' an exuberant, high-energy track that pays homage to old-school rave with its lively vocal samples. Fasme's 'Morning' follows, blending smooth electro with soft keys and a whimsical AFX melody for a perfect combination. Side-2 features GGGG's 'La Cueillette,' a feel-good, fun and melodic electro tune. The EP concludes with Mud Deep & Sans-Qui's 'Mesonyx,' offering IDM goodness reminiscent of Rephlex, Squarepusher, and AFX. Coeur De Glaceis a vibrant and diverse collection, sure to delight fans of electro and techno.
Review: This new collection offers up a quartet of tracks that are all tailored for slightly different moments on the dance floor. On side A, Dani Casarano kicks off with deep, hypnotic grooves that make for an immersive atmosphere before transitioning to punchy, bass-driven energy with other cuts. Side B introduces a new alter ego from Felian and Bruno Schmidt and the pair explore a robotic, looping groove with incidental breaks and nostalgic synths in the euphoric third track. Closing the release in style, Omar Akrhif & Lucretio present a minimalist masterpiece that is aimed at heady after-hours sessions.
Review: Lunfardo's 'El misterio de Tambores' EP is a conceptual 12" deeply rooted in Uruguayan culture from a quartet of contemporary artists in Charlou (France), Fakk (Argentina), and Uruguayans Cabanelas - Marivo and Arturo. The release explores the hidden history of Carlos Gardel, "El Mago," a pivotal figure in Tango, who pioneered video clips, radio broadcasting in Uruguay, and the first sound films from "el Rio de la Plata." Gardel, known for using 'Lunfardo' in his lyrics, has had his nationality debated for years, but this album clarifies his story while also laying down some fresh deep techno grooves steeped in mysticism.
Happy707 - "Where Does That Noise Come From" (4:28)
Review: Menacing EBM and dark synth billows from a Netherlands hinterland; our heralds speak of an esoteric encampment by the name of Espectro Oculto, said to be the remote incantators of an unstoppable curse in sound. Six shadowy emissaries have been sent to spread the pestilence; Trenton Chase, Martial Canterel, DJ Nephil, Exhausted Modern, Fragedis and Happy707. Clearly, the faction have recruited only the best, trusted and yet most nefarious of spies from as far-flung regions as Czechia and Argentina in the administering of such a sordid sonic plague. We're left most quivery at the centrifugal doom drones of Exhausted Modern's 'Fear Of Focus', across whose breakdown banshees are heard wailing and snarling, and Fragedis' 'Landing In Reality', a lo-fi techno freakout and sonochemical anomaly, channeling militant two-way radio samples and hellish FM synthesis.
Review: There is plenty of experimental work at play int his new various artists' collection on Flash. Cloned Existence sets that tone with the brief synth exploration that is 'Wave 1' when Gael & Jolly take off with the much more punchy and thudding techno of 'Paradigm Shock' which is weird up with all sorts of synth designs, effects and layers of reverb. Under Black Helmet ups the ante further with one of those bulky techno grooves that locks you in the moment and Stigmata then brings big room 90s vibes with layers of tangled synth melting the mind. Florian Meindl brings things to a close with gritty, scraping bass, reverb-heavy kicks and pure warehouse techno heaviness.
Review: Sure Thing presents Well of Sand, its second compilation. Six tracks from the label's friends and favourites, each new to the roster, offer bold, untempered explorations of tempo and weight, a concise yet expansive collection recalling the deliberate cadence of rippling sand and the sheen of shimmering oases. From Command D's subtly groundswelling, but snappy 'Half Blue (Violet Mix)', to Foreign Material's alarmingly alien 'The Living Planet' and Third Space's supremely stereoized, lowercase opus 'Push (Part 2)', this is a release for that large intersection of audiophiles and techno-philes.
Review: Echospace Detroit's cv313 (Stephen Hitchell) teams up with Federsen for the second release on Federsen's new Alt Dub label, presenting the 'Skyspace' EP. Known for his analogue-driven dub techno, Federsen has carved a niche through labels like Mixcult, Greyscale, and Lempuyang. The EP features original tracks from both artists and remixes of each other's work. Highlights include cv313's deep and atmospheric 'Skycrossing' and Federsen's refined 'Dub' remix, creating a hypnotic blend of pulsating bass, crisp percussion and rich, evolving soundscapes across both sides of the 12".
Review: After the first in this new Mellow Bangers series got us nice and twisted we're delighted to have the follow-up from Italo Moderni. Cryk kicks off with an eerie blend of Italo arps and dark wave drums with electro overtones on 'Double Crash' then the moodiness continues with the depraved bass warbles and crashing hits of Fragedis and his 'Disco Nicotina.' Antoni Maiovvi brings a lightness of touch to his delicate arps and celestial harmonies on 'Stopping Power' and Adrian Marth layers plenty of sugar and pixelated synths into his loopy 'Modernism.'
Review: After debuting with an on-point reissue EP, this new label out of South Africa is back with a set of superb remixes. On the A-side, Border One and Quelza bring their individual styles to some sleek techno sounds, while the B-side features contributions from CONCEPTUAL and D-Leria, each adding their own distinct touch. The remixes take listeners on a journey from driving, energetic beats to warm, hypnotic soundscapes while each new rework manages to be fresh but also sympathetic to the vibe of the original.
Review: Four fresh new ones from the Molekul crew in Paris. The title 'Heavy Rotations' plays on the affective "heaviness" of toting records around the world and DJing them at raves; it's no wonder they say that where there is repetition, as in techno, there is unfinished business (in this context, the word 'rave' is no coincidence either). Needless psychoanalytic accounts of repetitive beats aside, the tools on this heavy-set, heavyweight, heavy-hitting 12" record - which merge the heavy-metallic industrial works of Beau Didier, Isaiah, and Flits - are hard, yet gut-wrenching enough to loosen even the tightest of screws. The tracks therein are speedier even than a mighty Mitre saw, by which the hardest of woods are split into two; and you can be sure that, like a saw, you'll soon see and hear these cuts on heavier rotation too.
Review: Soma sub-label Avoidant Records recently put out a fantastic collection fo electro cuts but it was a digital only release. Now some of the standouts from it get pulled together on this fresh new 12"that joins the dots between Europe and Detroit. DJ Godfather kicks off with some rapid fire 313 electro, squirrelling bass and slick claps then 'One Direct Line' from The Exaltics is more cosmic and blissed out with lush ambient synths. On the flip, Flug goes hard with mad digital patterns and Blaktony layers up jacking drums, corrugated bass and dark hits. Great stuff.
Review: High-octane experimental trance via freetek via hardcore from Hamburg collective Phantasia, with an absolutely flooring, walloping debut release. The fact that four different artists might each bring their own mood to the table and yet hear their respective sounds unified bespeaks the brilliant mastering job held down here: Dolomea's 'Augural' and Rupert Marnie's 'Elastic Thoughts' commit to a mutual sonic trustfall, one seeming to writhe about in rhythmically unpredictable fashion through pressure-cooked, rubber-ballistic acids, and the other rootling its 4x4 kick snout into floors down under. The B-side goes electro, culminating on the brilliant brainwash by Finona Rider, 'The Impact', a track haunted by the voice in its own head.
Review: FOXBAM INC is back to build on the momentum of their first EP with a second one that packs a mighty punch. This one kicks off with EBY, who this year has been cooking up acid for 40 years and here offers the warped low ends and garage-techno power of 'Goldtooth'. Foxtrot vs Ma Bla then mashes up old school samples with earth-shattering bass on 'Deep Down Inside' and bRz vs Stije is a double-time hard techno stomper with warped synths and twisted bass that is inspired by and named after ISCO, a concept from Einstein's general theory of relativity that makes predictions about the dynamics of black holes.
Review: The Cimedirapax crew are back with another superb various artists collection that nudges at the borders of tech house and minimal. Eliaz's 'Enbaspremal' is an alien sound with abstract designs and trippy pads and Lapucci then gets deeper and darker on the menacing 'To Be On Top.' F_Phono brings some nu-disco energy and bright 80s arps to 'Sollievo' then Marco Biagioli heads into more occult worlds with the eerie and haunting 'Strange Mirror' before Equinox's 'Intergalactic Space' offers a caustic electro workout.
Review: The Nullpunkt label is fast approaching its 25th release but first comes this fearsome outing from F&E. The third installment in the Forschung & Entwicklung series comes on grey vinyl and does not mess about with five more cuts all served up as Antal or Rural versions from 2016. The first rides on rusty jungle breaks, the second, 'Conclusion', is an atmospheric piece with a minimal rhythm and warped synth daubs while 'Six Days' is a dark and heavy piece of ambient techno dystopia. 'Outro' is the lightest and brightest piece of synth work on the EP then 'Research' brings back the jungle techno with more serrated synths and loopy, jagged rhythms.
Review: Wisdom Tooth co-founder Facta has always brought plenty of colour to his blends of house, bass and club music. Both rhythmically inventive and dancefloor-ready, his work is also always full of playfulness and emotion. So is the Sun is another EP that follows in that fine tradition with opener 'A X I S' laying down bumping drums and warming sub-bass under crisp hits and whimsical neon pads. 'Innsbruck' is another sugary sweet blend of thudding, rubbery drums and naive melodies that truly captivate. Add in two more charming club cuts and you have a superb return from this ever-green talent.
Review: US label Lemos kicks off a new limited series here and it comes in 12" form with FadeFace at the controls. 'Grids' gets things underway with thumping kicks and brain-numbing synth lines burrowing deep, while 'Planar (V2)' pulses with low-key sonar blips and deft percussive rattles. 'Amazonia' brings a more heavyweight rhythm that is alive with outer space synth sounds and dubby undercurrents not to mention some deeply buried vocals. A remix from Rene Wise closes out the EP with more tension and texture. All four of these are masterfully stripped-back yet effective and stylish offerings.
Review: Craigie Knowes are back at it for 2024 with a return appearance from Fader Cap. After a rapid run of first releases in 2022, we've been waiting for a follow-up from the chap and he more than delivers. As the EP title might suggest, he's exploring echo chamber processing on his tracks, but the delay and reverb is teased with precision amidst the shimmering, psy trance tinted tech house vibe he so ably builds on these incredibly accomplished club cuts. 'Kanisza' is an especially hypnotic, subtly broken workout for a more delicate kind of dancefloor, while 'Thinker' offers up punchy arps and flecks of acid for the more up-for-it crowd.
Review: Budapest's Dalmata Daniel rewire the electro efforts of Timothy K. Fairplay for their ninth 12", which also includes a B-side icing by none other than fellow producer Norwell. These four retrofuturist cosmopolitan jams are heard divided between the two artists, and do well to flaunt the specific valences of their production styles, which, while doing well to stick to the cosmic aesthetic, cannot help but betray unconscious stylistic hallmarks. Fairplay's is as tweezy and kick-phat as ever, with 'Caliber 9' being the obvious choice as the sonic equivalent of a 70s infographic on telecoms gone haywire. Norwell's take on the vibe is breaksier and more muted, with closing number 'Natives' being the cut of choice, burbling in a vat of liquid acid and emotive smoke.
Review: Nation of Jak offshoot Dirty Blends was established by label chief Melvin Oliphant as a vehicle for "interpretations" and "homages" - in plain-speak hush-hush reworks, tribute tracks and those that sample liberally. The label's latest release is a compilation of sorts, featuring as it does cuts from a trio of artists. The Falcon steps up first with title track 'Sound The Alarm', a raw, jacking, bouncy and positive mind-melding blend of lo-fi synth stabs, sweat-soaked beats, fire alarm noises and restless drum machine fills. Over on side B, Grizzly Knuckles' 'Mad Bell' - a breathless, house tempo techno workout built around a nagging synth-bell loop - is followed by label regular The Jak's 'Aftermath', which sits somewhere between jacking lo-fi techno, UK funky and stab-happy Soca-house.
Review: Sardinian duo Enrica Falqui and Claudio PRC bring their respective signature sounds to this new collaborative EP on the Swiss label Adam's Bite. The two experienced studio hands kick off with 'Synapse', which has an enthuse, throbbing low end that forms the foundation for expressive synth craft. 'Amygdala' is named after the mass of grey matter in our brains which is involved in the experiencing of emotions and pairs deft, curious melodic waifs with chunky tech drums. 'Receptor' sinks back down into a moody, heads down and dub tech roller and 'Lucid Dreams' brings the sort of synth colours and low-end tension that will keep you awake all night.
Review: Fango lives in Venice in the middle of nowhere and works in a home studio when not practicing with his live band of the same name. He has been serving up his own take on techno for over a decade now and that vast majority of it has come on Degustibus Music.This is his first EP for a while and as ever it is well designed and atmospheric. All three cuts will work their magic on floors filled with serious techno heads and once more this is Fango in fine form.
Review: Marco Faraone and Deetron finally release their long-awaited single, 'The Answer,' from the iconic Pyramid party at Ibiza's Amnesia. This collaboration blends piano-led melodies with driving techno grooves, creating a rich and immersive soundscape already making waves on global dancefloors. Faraone's dynamic energy pairs perfectly with Deetron's genre-blurring mastery, delivering a track that's both powerful and delicate. 'The Answer' showcases their combined talent for crafting standout moments, whether at a club or festival. This debut release on the Pyramid label sets a high bar for its future output.
Review: Francesco Farfa's iconic 1991 club EP is reimagined three decades later here with fresh remixes by four of Berlin's top DJs and producers. Their various different takes make for a versatile selection of dancefloor tools crafted by DJs, for DJs, ensuring it fits a variety of occasions. The A-side features Trent's deep, big-room darkness, complemented by Juan Ramos' trancey rework which mixes in key elements from the original. On the B-side, E-talking delivers an uplifting progressive remix while Hamsa strips it down for a more minimalist, enhanced version of Farfa's classic theme. A must-have selection of reworks here.
Review: Francesco Farfa's Learn To Fly delivers a seamless blend of deep house and electronic intricacies. The opener, 'Peace Treaty #1,' sets the tone with a smooth, rolling rhythm that gradually builds into an engaging groove. 'Feel The Run' follows, layering atmospheric synths over a punchy bassline, drawing the listener further into its hypnotic world. The track progression on Side 2 is notable, with 'Fly To Sub-Conscious' guiding the mood into more introspective territory, while the 'File' series offers varying shades of darker, more experimental textures. Farfa's production shines with every track, maintaining a balance of groove and explorationiperfect for both the dancefloor and home listening.
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