Review: Gargantuan-room techno trailblazers Drumcode return with 'The A Sides Vol 11 - Pt. 7'. If the title is any indicator enough - and no, it's not irony - this is a stonking closer to a mammoth seven-12" compilation series. The love-em-or-hate-em label always deliver a rave romp for titans, barging past polite types with frick-off bits from A.D.H.S., Julian Jewell, Marco Faraone and Gary Beck. Topping off a project originally conceived in 2012, this is a pulsing sensation suitable for both budding techno enthusiasts and chinstokers willing to let their hair loose for once.
ADMN & Mister Joshooa - "LFOs Are Tight" (Delano Smith mix) (6:51)
ADMN - "Technology Is Creepy" (7:13)
Remote Viewing Party - "Pink Panther" (6:29)
Review: Detroit label Infolines is back with their third release, arriving in the form of this exciting four track various artists EP. Label boss ADMN, a local staple of the scene affiliated with Paxahau and Movement Festival, makes his vinyl debut here alongside Mister Joshooa (My Baby) with the low slung minimal tech house of "LFOs Are Tight" which is absolutely perfect tackle for the afterhour. It then receives an absolutely hypnotic and arcane rework by local legend Delano Smith. Over on the flip, we have one seriously oddball groove on the slo-mo tip titled "Pink Panther" by local outfit Remote Viewing Party, comprised of Aran Daniels and Mike Petrack.
Review: It's double figures for Bruto Industries, who as the name suggest like to offer up brutalistic techno bangers. These latest six missives come from Alf who opens with lurching beat beats and zippy synth loops that lock you in the moment. 'Servil Comadreja' is another broken beat rocker this time with twitchy synth modulations and acid lines slashing through the mix. There is raw machine rigidity to 'La Tipica Historia' that echoes the vibe of EBM and three further cuts keep exploring a rase of textures and busted rhythms with 'Raquitismo' being particularly heavy.
Review: Yuki Takasaki aka. Altone delivers tactile dub techno tonage with 'Wonderscape Numinous', his latest miracle EP to hit the Primary(Colours) shelves. Honouring traditional dub techno sounds while also treading new counterweighted waters, this is a short symphony of reverberative basslines and delicate synths, reminiscent of skulking Tokyo streets, gripped by a hooded curiosity for the urban alley, the railway underpass, the red lit skyline. Brendon Moeller brings a UK bassier womp to 'Self Replication' - itself a self-replicating track, as there's not one but two versions - replete with silicate sound design that both sloshes and tinkles away in the mix's midfield, like a quantum energy source, overflown with potential.
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: Hard, brash, EBM-informed EP goodness from 22Recordings' beloved AMQN, on an exclusive third outing by the artist for the label, and vinyl only at that. This elusive pusher of plaintive, grim new beat is a regular fixture of the label's Capitulo series, and only now does the artist see a full EP slot all to himself. A sophisticated sojourn in the distinctively janky pulse of new beat, an informed by the inexorably Italo rawness of tape-era coldwave, 'La Linea De La Vida' and 'Siempre Al Margen' hear AMQN command a bestial lyrical prowess and bring it to braggart beats, ending on the unabashedly squelchy denouement 'Inexplicable'.
Review: Over the last few years, Dario and Marco Zenker's excellent Ilian Tape has given us some of the purest and most bold-faced techno around. The label has built up a solid reputation as being all about the music, minus the hype, and Italy's Andrea has been there at the forefront of their growth. The Turin-based producer returns to the moody imprint with his third EP for the label, led by the thumping, hypnotic swings of "Outlines" - containing possibly the best kick drums we've heard since Head High - and the break-ridden journey that is "Rainbow", on the A-side. The flip sees "Machine" enter a no nonsense mode, where a fast percussive groove locks tightly within a sea of intergalactic pads, and dubby, broken pastures on "Choral". All in all, this is a fine selection of wild, dare-to-be-different dancefloor tracks that span many styles and influences. Tip!
Review: The cult Pillz label returns hot on the heels of a sold-out 12" last time around. For their next drop, they welcome Argentinian talent Stefano Andriezzi who is known for bringing great colour to his beats. This 'Elektronico' EP showcases his skill with four tracks that explore diverse underground moods with take cues from ravey electro, techno and hints of house. 'Elektronico' opens with turbocharged pads and bass making of an upright and urgent future tech house beat. 'Raves Weekend' is more fluid with a bouncing bassline and old-school rave sirens to get things going and 'Acid Computer' then pairs things back to a lovely organ line and 90s house vibe with colourful daubs of synth. 'Get Fanki' shuts down with a nice fist-pumping thump.
Review: Howard Dodd (Tongue, Anoesis, Oxidation, Doc Bozique) takes control on the third Anoesis release on Cosmic Soup. Supercade is one that's been long anticipated by fans of their well designed breakbeat sounds and their first since 1995's Blood & Sweat on D*Fusion. As such there is a hint of 90s post rave magic to the 11 cuts here, all with cosmic intent and deep grooves - tunes that have you lost in a reverie on the heart of the dance floor but with your gaze turned skyward. Essential stuff.
Review: You always know what you're gunna get with Planet Rhythm and that is classically inclined techno that is economical in design but never less than high impact. Antic Soul contributes to that fine legacy with this new EP which opens with the high speed and dubby techno lushness of 'Crd Expression' before 'Borderlands' gets more raved up and injected with some raw textures and wobbly stabs. 'Fallout' is wall-rattling, panel-beating dub techno and 'Serenity' is more icy and nimbler, with bouncy drums and stabs all making you move your body at the whim of the machines.
Review: Arkane steps up to Warg Records for its 12th release and concocts a serious mix of low-end heft and percussive magic. On top of those foundations are a variety of synths that range from driving to distorted and lend each cut its own personality. Importantly, they all work on the floor. 'Warped Dystopia' is a hot stepper that will keep you on your toes, 'Gang' is more dystopian with its insistent synth loops and skittish drum patterns and 'Make Me Want' brings the texture with hamming hits and squealing leads that will freak out the club. 'Touch Me' is a dubby, heads-down sound for introspective moments.
Review: Detroit godfather Juan Atkins and Berlin techno legend Moritz Von Oswald return as Borderland, one of several collaborations since 1992 and following up their 2016 album for Tresor: the Transport LP which again consolidated both respective artist's solid studio experience, honed over the last 30 years. The funky, slightly bumpin' and absolutely addictive hi-tech soul of "Concave 1" will have you grooving away on a late night dancefloor in Berlin or beyond with its evocative and life affirming vibes. On the flip "Concave 2" further explores their studio refined sequences on this heady and hypnotic journey full of woozy arpeggios, steely rhythms and dubby bass frequencies.
Review: In recent times Daniel Avery has been busy collaborating with the likes of Alessandro Cortini and Roman Flugel (the latter as Noun), so few expected him to drop a new solo album in 2020. Yet Love & Light, his surprise third full-length, could well be his most sonically stunning set to date. Beginning with the gaseous ambient opaqueness of 'London Island', the set sees him blaze a trail through 1990s style Sabres of Paradise/Sabresonic techno, hazy dub techno, beatless soundscapes and intense drone tones, before switching focus to deep, gentle and melodious mutations of breakbeat, IDM and electronica.
Review: Nesa Azadikhah is a DJ, producer and cultural pioneer from Tehran who has established herself as a key figure in Iran's electronic music scene. As the founder of Deep House Tehran, she has spotlighted the country's underground culture and after starting her musical journey playing traditional instruments aged just six, she has since evolved into a versatile artist spanning techno, house, ambient and experimental sounds. Her latest release is awash with hypnotic techno grooves, acid-laced textures and driving rhythms that show off her skills and grasp of dance floor dynamics. Polygonia's atmospheric remix enhances the package further and is perfect for late-night sets.
Review: It has been a hot minute but after five years away, Basic7 is back on Tripmastaz's Respect The Craft Enterprises sub-label. He is someone celebrated for his edgy live sets and taps into some of that sonic invention here with four thumping minimal cuts. 'Time' is our favourite with its bleeping melodies ranging down the face of the track as a stiff bassline grinds away beneath crisp kicks and raw hats. 'Last From Live' is another gem that pairs rhythmic invention with great sound design and 'Future' and 'Fogtrak' also offer expressive minimal sounds and late-night freak-outs.
Review: Sam Binga has established himself with boundary-pushing club tracks on labels like Critical and Exit and for this one teamed up with Welfare, a junglist and the Rua Sound label boss. Together they were inspired by the rugged beauty of Conamara, County Galway and began the project in a 300-year-old cottage overlooking the sea in a place free of creature comforts but rich in inspiration. Using a handheld recorder, the duo explored tidal caves, ruins and windswept coastlines while recording the ambient sounds they heard on the way and then turned them into these deeply textured dub compositions through live desk mixing at Dubkasm's studio.
Precious Times (feat Prince Morella - Roots version) (6:55)
Review: Bluetrain is one of our favourite artists in any genre and a real dub techno don. He often drops his own work on his own label but here steps up to Kontakt with a couple of killer jams. First up he serves up a special edition dub of 'Frozen Rose' that is a signature sound for him: ice cold percussion and rolling east with watery, liquid, rippling chords disappearing off to an infinite horizon while shimmering vocals add extra layers of depth. Flip it over and you will find 'Precious Times' (feat Prince Morella - Roots version) which is another brilliantly heady back room sound.
Precious Times (feat Prince Morella - Roots version) (6:55)
Review: Since rebooting his dub fired Bluetrain project late last decade, UK techno legend Steve O'Sullivan has delivered a string of superb 12" singles and an equally as impressive album, Steady Pulse. Naturally, the latest Bluetrain missive is a hypnotic, dubbed-out delight. Lead cut 'Frozen Rose (Special Edition Dub)' is simply superb - a rolling and hypnotic affair that joins the dots between Rhythm & Sound's earliest minimalistic dub-house epics and locked-in dub techno - all solid beats, echoing vocal snippets, deep sub bass and aquatic melodic motifs. It comes backed by a fresh 'Roots Version' of much-loved 2022 single 'Precious Times', featuring the honeyed vocals of Prince Morella.
Review: A compelling exploration of techno's diverse facets. On the A-side, Booh's 'HAL9000' delivers a relentless, industrial-tinged rhythm, its pulsating bass and sharp percussion creating an immersive atmosphere. Nizar Sarakbi's 'Black Forest Dub' on the flip side introduces a more hypnotic groove, layering dub influences over a steady techno foundation. The EP concludes with Sarakbi's 'Do It (5 AM Mix),' a track that evolves from minimalistic beginnings into a complex, driving composition. This release underscores both artists' abilities to blend traditional techno elements with innovative soundscapes, resulting in a dynamic and engaging listening experience.
Review: Berlin Atonal returned two years ago from a long hiatus, 23 years to be exact. After three tremendous festivals this decade, they now present us with their first recordings since 1984. These particular ones from the 2014 edition. Cabaret Voltaire (in this incarnation featuring only Richard H Kirk) was a true highlight and contributes "Microscopic Flesh Fragment" and "Universal Energy". One half of Demdike Stare Miles Whitaker went solo, presenting his truly unique take on techno, and the slow burning attitude of "Vagabond No. 7" is evidence of this. New Zealand's Fis also appears; rather uncategorisable as always on "Dist CL (Atonal Version)." On the third disc we have Northern Electronics main man and modern auteur Abdulla Rashim presenting two commissions from his captivating atmospheric set that year. Limited to 700 copies.
Review: Since Cassegrain entered the techno consciousness back in 2010 with the final artist 12? on Kevin Gorman's Mikrowave label, the Greco-Austrian pairing of Alex Tsiridis and Huseyin Evirgren have carved out their own corner in the world of foreboding, bassline driven, deep techno. And with material from Tiamat the focus of a recent heavyweight remix package from Prologue - Mike Parker, Svreca, Andreas Tilliander's TM404 project and Ed 'Inland' Davenport all involved - Cassegrain return to the Munich label with their first solo release of 2014. The title track's power electronics fall somewhere between a Regis, British Murder Boys and Donato Dozzy production, while the focus of "Hexagon Fifteen" is steely ambience, oblique drums and ghostly textures. The final track, "Yokai", is what real Prologue fans will associate with most thanks to its floating hypnotisms and extreme feedback loops.
Review: Statica's debut release, 'M2-9: Wings of a Butterfly', showcases the label's dedication to serving up diverse techno sounds. This split EP, STATICA001, opens with two intense and dancefloor-ready bangers by the prolific Central Intelligence on the A-side, and both are packed with visceral drum energy and synth unpredictability. The B0side features Madrid-based Victor Reyes, who delivers two reflective but also emotionally charged 4/4 workouts that create a compelling contrast that embodies Statica's "Forces in Equilibrium" ethos. Inspired by the unique butterfly-shaped nebula Minkowski 2-9, this release is a fresh and impactful fusion of power and sensitivity.
Review: CHAMI's DHAEUR deliver's a fresh techno EP that explores a futuristic and atmospheric soundscape. Side-1 opens with 'Subject Zero,' a track infused with melodic, sci-fi elements that immediately set a deep tone for the rest of the album. The journey continues with 'MIN(E)D,' where an ominous, spooky vibe takes over, giving the listener a sense of tension and mystery that feels almost cinematic. Flipping to Side-2, 'Steps' introduces an energetic, rolling groove that propels the EP forward with a futuristic edge, perfect for keeping the momentum on the dancefloor. Finally, 'HEX1904d1' wraps things up with a deep, spacey jam that delves into more introspective territory, rounding out the release with a sense of depth and exploration. This EP provides a varied and intriguing mix of techno that should appeal to those who enjoy both energetic rhythms and atmospheric, sci-fi-inspired sounds.
Review: The Distorsion camp offers up its first sampler as a way of teasing you with the sort of quality sounds and artists it has on its roster. First up is a three-way collab between Citybox, Hankook & Orebeat whose 'Dangerous Changes' is an intense breakbeat workout for the peak time. Orebeat & Alex Clubbers keep the energy levels high and inject early 00s video-game style synths, Orebeat & Citybox keep it dark and raw with 'Gangsta' and Orebeat & JottaFrank laced up their thrilling breaks with acid lines and sleazy vocals on "Noche De Paris.' This is potent stuff for strobe-lit floors.
Review: A thrilling, high-energy journey through pulsating techno. Side-1 kicks off with 'Surface Tension', a fast, hard-hitting track with relentless, driving rhythms that command attention. '22-44' follows, bringing a sinister, sci-fi vibe with uptempo beats and spacey textures that transport you to another world. Side-2 opens with 'Eyes Adjust To The Dark', a dark, atmospheric builder that feels like the soundtrack to a tense sci-fi thriller. Its techy, evolving layers create an enthralling experience. Closing with 'Kviten', the track takes on a more percussive and intense rhythm, evoking the sensation of shooting through space at breakneck speed. This release is perfect for those who crave deep, atmospheric techno with a relentless pace and a cinematic edge.
Review: This new one from Cyberlife might be rooted in techno but it is closer day a much wider world of sounds. The opener for instance rides on a nice loopy minimal rhythm you might find the likes of Batu or Pev' crafting. It comes with a lovely and dubby low end and then 'Endless Waiting' gets a little more light, with sci-fi sound effects fizzing about the mix as a dystopian automated groove takes you onwards with a hint of ancient tribal ritual to it. 'Reflexive Perspective' brings the sort of synths you'd find in some IDM over cavernous low ends and sombre, sustained chords and 'Backpropagation' shuts down with a watery and languid rhythm full of celestial depth.
Review: Phonotheque Records presents Juan Dairecshion (a pseudonym of Juan Bozzolasco) with 'El Metodo' for its eighth release, laying down an extremely well-crafted, tenebrous techno, house and tech house spine-tingler for the sensitive ear come nervous system. The Uruguayan producer is said to possess a broad range, flaunting an ability to indulge both club-ready rhythms and darker, deeper moments, and this is more than laid bare on the exposition 'Low Pression', coining a brilliant new cognate of "pressure" while opting for a kickless, sinister tension, its space-age SFX and eerie percussions landing the tune somewhere between Roswell and a New York alleyway. Things get more orthodox from there, though the record never once lets up on its eerie dance dramatics; 'Nostalgico', 'Re-progre', 'UBM' and 'It's All About Love' are the increasingly ethereal highlights among them, as the record grows weirder and weirder, hollower and hollower.
Review: It would be fair to say that Tobias Menguser's sole single as Leon De Winter, 1997's Apollo Jazz, has become a sought-after item in recent times - and with good reason. One of the earliest releases on the fashionable-again Eukahouse label, the two-tracker confidently blurred the boundaries between futurist early tech-house, electro and more psychedelic dancefloor flavours. Finally available again in remastered form thanks to this Mint Condition reissue, the A-side title track is simply sublime: a gorgeous and timeless fusion of deliciously dreamy chords, high-register acid lines, bittersweet melodies, smooth but deep bass and shuffling electro-not-electro bliss. It's emotive dancefloor perfection! Flip-side 'Metamat' meanwhile is darker, squelchier and moodier, with chunkier beats, rougher TB-303 motifs and weightier bass.
Review: Some 24 years into his career, we know exactly what to expect from Scott Monteith AKA Deadbeat - namely trippy, off-kilter techno heavily informed by dub, underpinned by rhythms that frequently eschew the obvious. Inspired dually by the "five stages of grief" and "the act of speaking one's thoughts aloud alone by oneself", Kubler-Ross Soliloquies - his first solo set in five years - has a defined structure and purpose, within which Monteith giddily goes in all manner of different but loosely connected directions. Compare and contrast, for example, the moody, twisted steppers-techno of 'With Grand Trepidation (Acceptance I)', the hypnotic, spoken word-sporting deep dub techno of 'Huey Lewis Voters Dub (Negotiation)', the skittish headiness of 'Tough Love (Anger I)', and the polyrhythmic, Livity Sound-esque 'The Double Bong Cloud (Denial I)'.
Review: Few producers do the dub techno sound better than Rod Modell and on this second Atmospherica instalment, he shows why he is so revered. "Exploring The North" is dense and subdued, the hisses and crackles ebbing and flowing fluidly over a powerful sub-bass. "Pinewood Lodge" is more atmospheric and floaty, its chords flitting about like fireflies over a camp fire on the first night of autumn. Rounding out the release is "Shot Point". Immersive, hypnotic and ghostly, it washes through the speakers like waves crashing on a deserted beach at midnight. This is electronic music that is designed to get lost in.
Review: After a slew of teasers out earlier this year, Deepchord (Rod Modell) eases ever deeper into his overarching chordal masterscape, continuing the 'Functional' theme expressed in his music in recent years. Functional Designs is first full-length LP from the producer in five years, and the teaser 'Strangers' promises more musical development than ever before heard from the enigmatic Detroit producer. It might be best describable as 'progressive dub techno'; airier and more breathable than his early, more subdued works, we're thoroughly impressed by the movement from percussive resonances ('Strangers') to fully ambient finites ('Drassanes').
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