Back catalogue: Techno (All)

Review: In June, Actress delivered an RA mix that was nothing short of surprisingientirely new, unheard material from Darren S. Cunningham himself. Asked if it was an album, he called it "a collage -Braque," leaving interpretation open. This CD edition captures the essence of Actress's sound: fluid, shape-shifting, and unconcerned with traditional definitions. Whether a mixtape or sonic collage, it's unmistakably Actress, offering listeners a raw, evolving soundscape that resists labels and challenges boundaries, making it an essential piece for fans of his ever-innovative style.

Review: Back in 2008, noted experimentalist Alva Noto began a sporadic series of albums that were far more focused on dancefloor-inspired rhythms than his usual eccentric and inspiring fare. Unieqav is the third and, we're told, final part of the series. The album is apparently meant to be a sonic representation of an underwater dive, a conceptual theme which manifests itself through the storied producer's use of deep and atmospheric chords, fluid and occasionally glistening electronics, and rhythms that evoke images of ever-deeper dives into the dark, cold depths. Rhytmically, there are nods to electro, IDM, dub techno and Autechre, though the mood remains laidback and intoxicated throughout.

Review: B12's 1993 debut album, Electro-Soma, has long been regarded as one of intelligent dance music's "must-have releases". Offering a decidedly intergalactic blend of otherworldly techno, ambient and deep space electronica, it remains a brilliant piece of work. Here, Warp Records give it the reissue treatment, packaging the peerless original album with a second disc of early B12 rarities and hard-to-find cuts recorded during the same period. There's naturally plenty to admire on this bonus disc, from the shimmering electro bustle of "Transient Pathways" and Motor City futurism of "Debris", to the intoxicating ambient brilliance of "Go With The Hiss". That this material is every bit as good as the tracks included on Electro-Soma is testament to the (then) duo's rarely matched brilliance.

Review: Banyek is next up on the prolific Lithuanian label Greyscale with Alue, a new album that marks the imprint's 37th full-length overall. It is a typically expansive and immersive listen that takes inspiration from cities like Riga and Espoo. Dub techno, ambient and experimental all infuse the sound waves and the intricate craft of Banyek means you're always hooked onto some small detail as the gentle rhythms flow over you. There are stark melodies and more airy atmospheres, minimalism masterpieces and calming sounds a plenty as this most super exploration of tone, time and texture plays out.

Review: Phenomena is a rather incredible 39th full-length album from the pioneering Lithuanian dub techno label Greyscale. Like all those that went before it, it is a captivating excursion into cavernous sounds. In particular, this one delves into the wonders of nature - meteor streams and starling murmurations - and flips them into immersive soundscapes. In mixing up vintage and contemporary styles, Basicnoise navigates deep emotional depths with technical finesse. 'Midnight Dub' has lush and organic chord progressions, 'Sakura Season' pays homage to Detroit techno's smooth, futuristic spirit and 'Reduxtion II' delivers crisp production and powerful frequencies. These are just some standouts along the way of this profound musical odyssey.

Review: BT Gate X-138 returns to Greyscale with Gravitational Grooves, deepening his relationship with the label following 2023's kV Pylon. Ten sousing sonorities hear him reshape his signature dub techno sound with growth-mental finesse, emitting foggy atmospheres and slicing percs. 'Inertia' leans into soft chords and faint crackle before giving way to the stripped-down shuffle and understated melodic turns of 'Gravity', while 'Orbit' builds over and delay-heavy phrasing; 'Float' offers a breather with its ambient drift, while an embossed 'Mass' sears the ears with churlish mood-texture. Touchstones such as Konigsforst and In Moll are alluded to most subtly.

Review: With a name like Global Underground, we're left starry-eyed at a fanciful idea: a vast, interconnected network of tunnels, reticulating every nightclub in the world. Who wouldn't want that? While the possibility of such a thing is most likely inexistent in our human lifetimes, the eponymous international record label at least aim to make a "global underground" real in spirit with their City Series of mixes. Their latest full-length from Montreal native Joseph Capriati captures this fervent mood: with the initiate DJ repping the jubilant Canadian city, the mix segues between Ame, Len Faki, Deetron and Louie Vega highlights, and is a modern house and techno showstopper.

Review: Athens dub techno producer Fluxion debuts their latest LP on Vibrant Music, riffing on his earliest days as a member of the trailblazing Chain Reaction crew whilst also bringing said early pioneering stirrings into the present moment. Recorded between 2023-24, this record plays back like an impression of back-roomed delirium; blackout moments in intra-club corridors, where one's sense of time is lost. Louder music may pump away in the room next door, but that's OK, because nothing comes close to this affective hotbox. Branching out from "dub techno" in its strictest sense, 'Touch' adds superluminal, vacuumed Whammy guitar to a swelling, motionless chord repeated throughout the track, and bluesy dub crackler 'Reflections' indulges mournful piano above a scape-squinting mix; 'Desiderium' is the third highlight of ours, powerfully evoking the sense of something irrevocably lost.

Review: Although his earliest LPs did contain plenty of dancefloor workouts, Laurent Garnier has traditionally used the album format to explore his full range of influences. It's rather pleasing, then, to find that his latest full-length excursion - his first solo set for some eight years - is a righteous and predictably impressive collection of full-throttle club cuts. It's naturally rooted in house and techno - he's a masterful producer of both - but there's still plenty of variety to be found across the album. For proof, compare, and contrast, the buzzing and hypnotic, arpeggio-driven trip of 'Tales From The Real World', the modular tech-house-meets-hip-house flex of 'In Your Phase', the spine-tingling moodiness of Alan Vega hook-up 'Saturn Drive Triplex' and the starry melodies and locked-in grooves of 'Liebe Grube Ausn Cucoron'.

Review: Wolfgang Voigt's groundbreaking project Gas returns with a definitive reissue of its self-titled debut album, originally released in 1996 on Mille Plateaux and now reintroduced by Kompakt on CD format. This release marks a long-awaited return to the foundational essence of Gas, as initially envisioned by Voigt. Gas unfolds across six expansive, untitled tracks that drift seamlessly, each a captivating journey of ethereal loops and rhythmic undercurrents. Distant echoes of classical motifs add to the album's enigmatic allure. This debut stands out for its airy, evocative atmosphere and its exploratory nature. Gas not only revisits a pivotal moment in electronic music history but also underscores Voigt's enduring influence and avant-garde spirit, setting the stage for the techno and ambient genres to unfold from his influence. There is quite nothing like the first four Gas albums.

Review: Prolific Lithuanian dub techno explorer Grad_U is back with a new album which further develops his explorations in realms well beyond the limitations of the dancefloor. Spectral Decay examines all manner of spatial processing, not to mention celebrating the power of the space between the pulses. There are still some steadfast technoid rhythms to latch onto, but the beats are always secondary to the atmospherics in Aleksandr Martinkevic's immersive productions. With a couple of remixes from kindred spirits such as Dominique Jacquinet and Ohrwert Alter folded in for good measure, this is another essential trip into the echo chamber from a master of the craft.

Review: The impeccable Lithuanian label Greyscale is a real leader when it comes to dub techno and already they are racing into 2024 in fine style with a first full-length of the year from label head Grad_U! The sublime and immersive Sustain has eight larges ambient soundscapes that are detailed with field recordings from another planet. Each one is alluringly empty and beautiful, intriguing and unsettling to make for an escapist trip to another dimension. The way the producer manages to conjure up what feel like familiar emotions in such a faraway world is second to none and will leave you wanting to do it all over again the second it ends.

Review: As of now, Kiasmos - the duo of Olafur Arnalds and Janus Rasmussen - are superstars on the international progressive electronica circuit. It crept up on us that they've only released one other album to date, with the bulk of their output having been limited so far to EPs and singles. II is the follow-up to its apt nominal counterpart, Kiasmos (I), and yet this time hears the pair strike out against the stark piano and electropop influences for which they were initially celebrated. Another key difference is that while the first Kiasmos record was made in the space of two weeks - getting at the sense of effortlessness that might accompany the initial burst of inspiration felt by artists when they start a new alias - II was made over the course of ten years and charts a remarkably different approach to music production.

Review: For well over a decade, Italian producer, electronic musician and sound designer Ocralab (real name Rocco Biscione) has been serving up immersive and enveloping ambient soundscapes, most of which tend towards the meditative and subtly sun-kissed. That's the trademark sound that he explores on gorgeous new full-length Locus Impervio, a set whose gently rising and falling melodic motifs, calming soundscapes and spacey sounds recall the halcyon days of ambient music in the mid-to-late 1990s. It's a genuinely gorgeous, soul-enriching set all told - the kind of thing we might have expected Pete Namlook, Jonah Sharp, Move D and Mixmaster Morris to put out circa 1994 (albeit with subtle nods to more contemporary, sound design-driven academic ambient releases).

Review: A few eyebrows were raised when Omar-S announced the title of his latest album. While clearly meant as a controversial talking point, the title should not distract from what is one of Alex 'Omar' Smith's strongest collections of cuts to date - and one with an all-star cast of Motor City collaborators (Rick Wilhite, Norm Talley and OB Ignitt all feature). Musically, it's pleasingly diverse, with Smith effortlessly drifting between 21st century P-funk ("In My City"), cowbell-powered deep-house funk ("Don't Leave Me Standing Yeea"), sparse and synth-heavy house hypnotism ("Mell'like Boom Boom In'dair"), disco-house jack ("Washtenaw County Horn Section"), sub-heavy Detroit-meets-Sheffield minimalism ("You Gotta Beat The Clock") and sunrise-ready dancefloor dreaminess ("Simply"). This CD edition also includes four cuts not available on the vinyl edition.

Review: Omar S has always been something of a maverick, but even by his own high standards, surprise second album It Can Be Done, But Only I Can Do It is something else. Like much of his work, it's an album of acute contrasts: tough and aggressive on one hand (the ragging acid of the opener and "Ganymede"), soft, calming and blissful on the other ("Nite's Over Comption"). Along the way, highlights are plentiful, from the heady deep house of "You Wish", sparse porno beatdown of "Look Hear Watch" and hypnotic rhythms of "Bobien Larkin", to the next generation Motor City techno of "Over You Two" and near-anthemic simplicity of "Here's Your Trance, Now Dance".

Review: A double CD celebrating the iconic award-winning UK electronic duo's 30th birthday, featuring reworks and remixes from the deep Orbital discography, as well as the well-known live improvisation tracks, featuring techno, acid house and electro contemporaries such as ANNA, Eli Brown and Shanti Celeste to name a few. With the actual 30th birthday delayed by the pandemic the duo concocted a physical compilation release with highlights all over the track list, especially Shanti Celeste's rendition of 'Are We Here?' and Eli Brown's update of the classic track 'Chime', lending the track more traditional house sensibilities. You can even find Professor Stephen Hawking lending vocals on CD1s hardcore techno banger 'Where is it Going?'. This compilation is a one stop shop for fans of Orbital's three-decade career, and the perfect starting point for those unfamiliar.

Review: All-round powerhouse Ransom Note - label, promoter and publication - are veterans on the scene, having promoted nearly every facet of the dance music scene since the early 2010s. This new compilation hears the Ransom Note core outfit team up with Richard Sen, an equally battle-scarred DJ and producer active since the late 80s. The project is Sen's tribute to the UK rave scene of the early 1990s, featuring rare and obscure tracks by artists not normally cited among nostalgists: Centuras, Bandulu, Strontium 90, Orr-Some, Biff'um Baff'um Boys, Epoch 90, Mind Over Rhythm, Dream Frequency, As One and UVX. Techno, house, breakbeat, acid and hardcore collide to synthesise a sonic zeitgeist, which occupied a brief but spectacular four-year period in dance music's early golden decade.

Review: Specter remains a steadfast pillar among the select artists on Theo Parrish's esteemed Sound Signature label. His latest album, Brutus, reaffirms the trust placed in him, delivering a distinct blend of house sounds. In this CD version, Specter masterfully fuses synthetic and organic elements, echoing the signature style of Parrish. Much like Parrish's own compositions, the house sounds on Brutus exhibit a harmonious blend of weathered, rustic tones and vibrant, futuristic visions. Specter injects profound meaning into his melodies, and the drums, whether subtle and elusive or bold and confrontational, consistently captivate, locking listeners into the rich tapestry of his grooves.

Review: As part of Amniote Editions' fifth birthday, the admirably experimental label has decided to release a full-length excursion from Mirror Zone founder Spekki Webu, AKA Heliobolus. The multi-disciplinary artist has decided to utilise both aliases on the album, a way of reinforcing the key conceptual idea behind it - that it is a "story of intertwined storylines" akin to "parallel universes that connect and diverge". Musically, it's an intriguing affair, with pulsating, full-throttle sci-fi techno workouts sitting side by side with darker, more intense cuts, sound design-heavy experimental techno soundscapes, and nods towards the horror end of the cinematic soundtrack spectrum. Throw in a few mutant, noise-laden post-IDM compositions and you have a genuinely impressive full-length excursion.

Review: Affin Records label head and long-time techno maker and sound designer Joachim Spieth is back with a new album project called Retrace. It is one that finds him blending dub with ambient electronics into seven "complex, aqueous soundscapes" packed with great textures and crystalised melodies. Opener 'Recall' sets a fine tone for the record then 'Shine' sinks into hazy and lo-fi static-laced tundras, 'Longing' is delicious dub techno from the bottom of the ocean and 'Drain' follows suit but with a little more propulsion. Many more such tracks follow on what is an intriguing album full of evocative narratives and heady pads.

Review: Stiroll's Sofia marks the Ukrainian artist's return to Greyscale Records with his first full-length album, painting a sonic portrait of a day in the life of a suburban area. The album invites listeners to experience the subtle intricacies and layered sounds of a community awakening, bustling, and finally resting as night falls. The journey begins with 'Intro - Dusk,' a brisk and atmospheric opener that evokes the early morning stillness before a city stirs to life. The full chord remnants and distant echoes set the stage for the day ahead, capturing the anticipation of the morning. 'Standbye' follows, offering a more airy and purposeful vibe, moving away from minimalism to suggest the first signs of activity, as if the world is slowly beginning to wake. 'Foundamental' continues this progression, riding along with gentle sounds punctuated by flares of static, hinting at the humidity and energy building in the air. The track flows effortlessly, mirroring the natural rhythm of a day gaining momentum. As the day matures, 'Sequence To None' introduces more serious, conflicting chords, perhaps reflecting the push and pull of daily routines and interactions. The crisp production and deep bassline ground the track, offering a sense of structure and direction. Midday arrives with 'Vidlunnia,' a sparse, downtempo piece that feels like basking in the warmth of the sun. The chords wash over the listener like rays, creating a relaxing, chill-out atmosphere with a broken rhythm that invites reflection. The pace slows with 'Interlude - Fall Moon,' where a churning, almost mechanical heartbeat drives the track forward, building tension as the day begins to wane. The ominous mood that emerges in the second half hints at the challenges that often accompany the close of a day. 'Nulle Part' shifts the mood with a more pronounced beat, offering a straightforward yet catchy rhythm that feels both harmonious and conflicted. The hypnotic quality draws you in as it moves toward a positive, yet complex resolution. 'Fall Control' then soothes with heavily processed sounds, offering a brief moment of respite before the album's closing tracks. 'Hope' stands out as the most original dub track on the album, blending strings with a lofty melody that soars before plunging into deeper, more uncertain territory. The track feels otherworldly, capturing the complexities and contradictions of hope itselfia fitting theme as the day begins to wind down. Finally, 'Outro - Dawn' signals the end of the day and the album, with ambient washes that gently alert like a clock, leaving the listener with a sense that it is time to close. Sofia is a meticulously crafted album that encapsulates the ebb and flow of daily life in a suburb, bringing together the sounds of different people and languages into a unified, sonic narrative.

Review: User.Exp's first release on Greyscale Recordings provides a thoughtful sonic exploration, made up of field recordings, contact and hydrophone mic sessions and shortwave transmissions (either generated from scratch or really recorded). Artist and label are met with serendipity and ease here; though many releases have hit the Greyscale stocks - all working well within their trademark sonic and visual monochrome - User.Exp's latest is an especially congruent record, bringing crackly burrs and earthen movements to an album that feels large in scope and difficult to pigeonhole, yet intuitively felt. As if to describe a set of 12 different microbiomes - all besieged by a black-and-white, ecosystemic blight - the likes of 'Pollution', 'Erosion' and 'Wind' provide indications enough as to the set of ideas going in here. A deeply calming release, full of textural intricacies and yet not without a creeping sense of unbalance too.

Review: Those who enjoy the more intense, mind-mangling end of techno (particularly the trance-tinged, big room-ready European variants) should check out this three-disc mix-up on ZYX. Felix Reichwelt handles disc one, surging through tracks from the likes of Uncertain (the warehouse-ready excellence of 'Whack'), Thomas Schumacher (the acid-fired Jam & Spoon revivalism of 'Come Closer') and Spartaque (the fiendishly brutal 'Exhausted'), before SLT and Schwarze Puppen take over on disc two with a mix tailor made for massive venues with enormous soundsystems, minimal lighting, and thousands of wild ravers reaching for the strobes. NK4!D handles the third and final disc, offering a fine balance between riffs, melodies, intense acid lines and thunderous techno beats.

Review: Music From Memory share the CD edition (there's also a vinyl release) of their latest in a series of compilations, which focuses on the tide of new ambient and minimalist electronica which came about at the turn of the millennium, Virtual Dreams. Whilst the first volume focused on the techno and electronica musics emergent in Europe in 1993-99, Virtual Dreams Vol. 2 homes in on Japan during the same period, tracking the regional, geosonic differences between each global cultural centre. Tracing a fibrous thread, that began to weave itself of its own accord, out from the early 90s acid house FOMO experienced in Japan's early days, through to its restful response with the dawn of "listening techno" proffered by the likes of Sublime Records, Syzygy Records and Frogman Records, many of the tracks featured therein cull their choices from not only these leading lights but also the odd and not-so-odd rarity, helping usher in a truer representation of the era.