Review: Heavyweight quattro-techno from A Paul, DJ Dextro, Red Rooms, Ramon Tapia and Arkvs for Planet Rhythm. Each track serving as merciless hoisters in the vein of 'Rough' techno, the A1 is deserving of the name, bringing scraping hi-hat blurs and gulping knocks to a mean mix. Deadened, unfeeling, callous calculation follows on the follower 'Binary Codes', while Tapia tabulates a 'Ratio' on the algo-rhythmic bleeper that ensues on the B1. Finally, 'Decoration Drugs' brings a prime movement, its facelessly numbered breakdowns and shuffles assuring us that there is indeed no end to off-planet production processes such as these.
Review: The sixth release in the 303 Pattern series marks the first time artists' identities are revealed. What doesn't change is the fact this is a powerful 12" of hard-hitting, hypnotic and atmospheric acid techno with the legendary Roland TR-303 at its core. Alien Rain makes his debut on the label with 'Holosexual's' raw drums and distorted acid lines, Akkaelle's 'Acid Mood' delivers funky, bouncy techno energy with atmospheric depth and Sour returns with another hypnotic, high-intensity bomb. Closing in style is Dima Gastroller who drops a banger of an acid techno track that should come with a health warning for anyone with a weak heart.
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.
Review: OMEN Recordings's next release is a big one that unites Axkan and Duellist on the same slab of wax. They take care of one side each and we're told the inspiration for their sounds was making a "shared response to the turmoil of global conflicts." Duellist kicks off and suggests with his offerings that he is anxious, unsettled and in fight mode because 'Oxidative Stress' is front-foot techno with monstrous bass energy. 'Stains Of Time' is another one with brash drums and perc and plenty of tension, then Axkan offers the hypotonic loops of 'Warfare' and broken beat menace of 'Thermobaric.
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: Uruguay has been a rich source of minimal goodness for a number of years now. This label has been one of them since 2022 and despite only being up to a third EP here has already become trusted by those who know. Juan Daireschsion (Harry Styles, is that you?) kicks this one off with a mix of warped bass and more precision-tooled drums on 'Hijo Del Rigor.' 'Billy Bond' is a wonky one for the afters, 'Medeski' has serene widescreen synth spaces underpinned by tinny drums and 'Santa Isabel Dub Company' is more heavy dub tech.
Review: Dajusch brings the rave to CROWD here with some feral techno beaters that will get floors going mental. 'No Mas' is lit up with euphoric vocals and trance-y pads that are impossible to ignore. 'Ambition' has barreling beats that fizz with texture and are topped by nimble chords that dance about the mix. 'Split' is another one overflowing with energy and dusty analogue edges while '36G' shuts down with a tunnelling lead and bouncy low end. This is full fat techno with real machine soul.
Review: Planet Rhythm must be one of the hardest-working labels in the game - it seems to drop new music on a nearly daily basis but all of it is essential. Dajusch is the man at the buttons here with 'Gazell'e exploring a techno sound as lithe and quick as the animal it is named after. 'Average Channel' brings some dub chords to the party over cantering drums, and it is to Detroit for the machine soul and serenity of 'Ster One'. 'Beginner' closes down with more minimal stripped-back rhythms but no less impact.
Review: Death, taxes and quality techno from Planet Rhythm are the three sureties of life. The label that maintains a high laity output and never strays from its blueprint is back with more functional and well-formed sounds, this time from Mattia Dambrosio. He opens with a cut doused in static, fizzing synth lines and with a funky, mid-tempo beat on 'Spring.' 'Ossidiana' dials it back to allow the dub chords and deep roaming bassline room to lure you in then 'Domani' mesmerises with silky synth sequences that glow bright above an implied rhythm. 'Stabs' is an upright and warm techno pumper with Detroit chords and 'Warmer' then takes you way down deep into cavernous underground dub worlds.
Review: Two underground artists with many years in the scene behind them in Darwin Chamber and DJ Spun come together for the second in their Episode series on Rong Music. Once again they dig into the sounds of their formative years while also looking to the future as they blend dub, trance and techno into lithe new forms. 'The Revolution' is a mid-tempo and atmospheric roller with hypnotic vocals, while 'The Playa' is a deft bit of electronic minimalism with a deep space feel and ticking 808 sounds. Things get more loose with the warped synths and dusty tech beats of 'Dysfunction' while 'Acid Tounge' closes with trippy designs, a skeletal rhythm and a sense of late-night melodic and afterparty mischief.
Review: Darwin Chamber and DJ Spun unite for a bold four-tracker here that draws on all their decades of experience to push the boundaries of trance and techno. This self-titled release is nostalgic without sacrificing innovation and opens with 'Find The Missing Letter,' a dub-tinged techno builder with hypnotic synths. 'Digits' follows with relentless beats and dark, robotic energy. The sultry 'Do It All Night' anchors the EP with a seductive groove, while 'Ants' closes with mid-tempo warmth and acidic undertones. Combining Darwin Chamber's engineering expertise and DJ Spun's club culture mastery, this one is perfectly pitched for dancefloor mayhem.
Review: Uppers & Downers tap the raw, yet-to-be fully processed talents of Yerevan's Dave N.A., for a stunningly angelic nu-breaks come jungle come acid outing. Having co-founded his local Armenian ABC Community DJ collective, Dave N.A. attests his non-applicability to the normal, formal rules of dance music, declaring himself diplomatically immune to boring tempi, drab beats or morose melodies. Instead, the likes of 'Radiance', 'XL', and 'AIR' subject us to some of the most riveting soundscapes and shellages imaginable, drawing on a frenetic confluence of rave and hard bass traditional sonics.
Review: Canadian DJ and producer Marie Davidson returns with her latest single 'Contrarian', a collaboration with Pierre Guerineau and Soulwax, released via the DEEWEE label. Featuring a fierce blend of raw electronics, 'Contrarian' stands out as one of Davidson's strongest club tracks to date. Earlier this year, Davidson made her debut on the iconic DEEWEE imprint with her track 'Y.A.A.M. (Your Asses Are Mine)', reuniting with Soulwax, who had previously remixed her acclaimed anthem 'Work It'. This release continues to showcase her forward-thinking approach to electronic music production.
Dawn Razor & ArcheTech - "From Another Galaxy" (8:05)
Dawn Razor - "Good Morning MIR" (4:59)
Dawn Razor & ArcheTech - "From Another Galaxy" (Shed remix) (5:40)
Dawn Razor - "Jupiter Thrill" (4:37)
Review: Dawn Razor makes his mark on DEXT Recordings with a fresh release of deep, minimal, and atmospheric breakbeat techno. Blending intricate rhythms and ambient soundscapes, the tracks push the boundaries of the genres in a stylish fashion. The release opens with a collaboration with ArcheTech which is loopy and kinetic. Additionally, legendary German experimentalist Shed provides a remix that reimagines the original track with his unique, forward-thinking approach and physical drum programming. Two Razor solo cuts explore floating and airy techno rhythms that soothe the mind.
Review: We love a trip to Planet Rhythm because it always results in hearing some fad-free, high-quality techno from key players. DBFB is behind this new white slab of wax and it starts with the hammering drum funk and rippling synth lushness of 'Stroke' before progressing into the pulsing late-night sounds of dubby cut 'Rummage'. '91' takes it back to a simpler time when jacked drums and molten dub chords are all you need for a good time and 'Resistance' shuts down with a more raw edge and driving, percussive techno slammer.
Review: Spaniard Eduardo De La Calle is one of those producers who have spent their whole musical life exploring a fairly well-defined techno sound yet always managed to find nuance within it. Here he lands on Key Germany with more of his signature belts of heady synths and physical drums. 'Kardama' is a rather edgy one to start then 'Khatvanga' slips into more smooth techno hypnosis. There are alien in his machines and they want you to know about it on 'Kankas' before 'Kala' closes with a peak time, strobe-lit energy that will send hands in the air.
Review: Drei Vinyl launched back in 2023 and has slowly but surely amassed a respectable catalogue of various artists' releases. This sixth outing is the most straight-up techno offering yet and it opens with one of Spain's finest in Eduardo De La Calle. 'Deva5Vyasa' is heady and otherworld loop techno perfection with synth daubs and conscious vocals peppering the rubbery kicks. DJ Shufflemaster brings more texture to the raw, percussive madness of 'Axiom' and Tensal layers up unsettling and anxious synth murmurs with rising drum tension on 'Thermal Cycler.' Pergo's 'Lume' is a brash, industrial closer full of urgency.
Review: Eduardo de La Calle has always excelled at crafting economical yet impactful techno. It is often long and settled in its groove, dubbed out to the max and sprinkled with grainy chords. That simple MO has kept him at the forefront for years and here he hooks up with Reeko to serve up four more tracks of his distinctive techno gold to get 2025 underway on a fine footing. 'Track 1' is a real pressure builder with waves of synth and icy hi-hats washing over you, 'Track 2' then pulls back into murky minimalism and 'Track 3' brings the brain-melting bells. All that leaves is t cast you off into the deepest corners of the cosmos with 'Track 4' full of celestial wonderment.
Review: Kevin de Vries collaborates with rising stars Y do I on his latest EP and it is a three-track journey showcasing the signature Afterlife sound. Merging emotionally charged moments with driving basslines and electrifying energy, the duo strikes a balance between light and dark while cooking up grooves that resonate deeply. Each track embodies the label's ethos of fostering close dancefloor connections through rhythm, emotion and vibration. This is evocative, painstakingly designed melodic techno with pristine synth work and sleek drums that carry you into all new worlds.
B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition
Rave On Time
There's No One Left To Trust
The World Inside
Common Era
Wahr Ist Sie Dann
Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***
On Rave On Time, her third EP of 2020, Charlotte De Witte giddily pays tribute to the throbbing, warehouse-ready techno sound of her home city of Ghent - and particularly the intense, mind-bending brand particularly associated with R&S Records in the early 1990s. De Witte sets the tone via the razor-sharp and insanely heavy title track, where ragged acid lines and spiky synth stabs leap above a stomping techno groove, before opting for drums, drums and more drums on the restless 'There's No One Left To Trust'. Acid techno is the order of the day on 'The World Inside' and 'Common Era', while triple-time closing cut 'Wahr Ist Sie Dann' is an odd, alien-sounding treat.
Review: Techno titans Charlotte de Witte and Amelie Lens unite for One Mind, a powerhouse EP that comes hot on the heels of their back-to-back sets at Ghent's 20,000-capacity Flanders Expo. Both Belgian artists have defined the sound of modern techno in the last decade with dark, fast sounds and elements of soft ambient, rave, dance and hard house all folded in. His one opens with the thunderous title track which pairs acid lines with strobe-lit synths, while 'Where Do We Go' delivers trance-infused techno at breakneck speed. To go with the unified concept of the EP, both Amelie and Charlotte's voices are layered into the music in subtle fashion.
Review: Dead Poets Society return to Radioaktion Recordings with a four-track EP that delves into the darker corners of techno and house, a sonic exploration for those who like their nights long and their music with a touch of the macabre. 'What They Had' sets the tone, its hypnotic groove and haunting melodies weaving a tapestry of sound that's both captivating and unsettling, like a midnight stroll through a graveyard bathed in moonlight. 'Wherever You Are' takes a more introspective turn, its ethereal textures and melancholic chords inviting listeners to get lost in its depths, a sonic sanctuary for those moments of introspection on a crowded dancefloor. But don't be fooled by the EP's introspective moments; 'Dance 'Till The Cops Come' is a relentless techno roller, its driving rhythm and dark energy practically forcing movement, a track that seems designed to induce a collective trance on the dancefloor. 'Nobody Likes You' closes out the release with a touch of dark humour, its distorted vocals and gritty bassline adding a playful edge to proceedings.
Review: Deadbeat, the Montreal-based dub techno maestro, returns to Echocord with a trio of immersive and hypnotic tracks. 'Pressure Double Down' showcases Deadbeat's signature sound, a blend of dub-infused techno and minimal aesthetics that has captivated listeners for over two decades. 'Too Much Pressure' is a 15-minute odyssey through intricate percussion, dubbed-out stabs and psychedelic vocals, its subtly unfurling layers and nuanced dynamism creating a captivating sonic experience. 'Double Bubble' follows with a delicate interplay of chord melodies, sub-bass tones and a crunchy analogue rhythm section, its hypnotic groove drawing the listener into a world of sonic exploration. 'Rattle The Roof Down' closes out the EP with a heavy dose of dub reggae bass, its spacey delays and murky swells adding a layer of hypnotic depth.
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: Karol Mozgawa is Polish techno talent Deas, and he brings his class to Planet Rhythm here, although it's Ferdinger remix of 'Dissociation' which gets things underway. It's a speedy and supple techno pile-driver with euphoric chords sure to elevate the 'floor. '8 AM' is much more mechanical and industrial with unrelenting drums and textured hooks peeling off the beats. 'Dissociation' in original form is a classic bit of soulful hi-tek Motor City goodness and 'Error' closes with some raved up synth madness and super-sized hi hats.
Review: Deas shows he has plenty of ideas (no? sorry) on this stark and futuristic techno missive from Bau Muzik. 'Red' drops you right into the heart of the dance floor at 4 am with wide eyes, flashy strobes and sweat everywhere. 'Yellow' is another hurried, hunched over, fizzy techno bomb that wrestles you along for the ride whether you like it or not and then things slow touch with the more paired back sounds of 'Black'. It's a wispy and airy blend of loops that move at pace but invite you in rather than pushing you away. 'Blue' is a lithe, funky number that exudes a sense of cool.
Review: Long awed electronic rock moniker Death In Vegas, formerly a duo but now largely masterminded by one Richard Maguire, brings its latest set of cutting room floorers to a very different kind of (dark dance-) floor. The new 'Acid Rejects' series hears DIV cycle through offcut avant-gardisms and industrial churns, veering heavily on sides of unpolished and intense. The daymare 'While My Machines Gently Weep' mourns in dialogue with the synths used to make the track, with its gurgling sawbasses, while the lighter lilt that takes the EP's title manifests as a recompensing sonic dream, with sonar tweeter synths fading in and out over a painterly soundscape.
Border One - "Organoid" (Jeroen Search remix) (5:47)
Review: Binar's fifth outing looks to a selection of talented remixers to add their own spin to some stylish techno originals. First, it is Decka's 'Alignment' that gets reworked by Efdemin, who we haven't heard from for a while but are glad to do so now. He flips it into a straight-up and smooth techno pumper with fuzzy pads softening the edges. Next, Amotik brings some urgent synth pulses and hunched-up drum funk to 'Remains Mystery' and The Lady Machine remix of 'Run' is all fat, drunken synths tumbling about with jacked-up drums and analogue hits. Jeroen Search brings some signature future cosmic energy to his take on Border One's 'Organoid.'
Review: Incredibly, it is almost two full decades since Echospace and Rod Modell's legendary Deepchord project dropped the original version of this album. Happily, it has aged to perfection and gets reissued here with the first-ever remix from Gerard Hanson aka Convextio. Next to that are a series of dubs and mixes that result in widescreen dub landscapes, soft synth plumes, delicate melodic curlicues and some of the headiest electronic music you could possibly immersive yourself in.
Miss Suave (Laurent Laboratoire Garnier remix) (11:18)
Miss Suave (DJ Gigola vinyl version) (5:39)
Miss Suave (Gerd Janson remix) (5:59)
Review: French techno innovator Laurent Garnier, Berlin's shape-shifting DJ Gigola and German house mainstay Gerd Janson each put their own spin on 'Miss Suave', a cult favourite from Swiss producer Deetron from the early 2000s. Garnier twists it into a deep, acid-tinged Detroit workout, layering hypnotic synth cycles over rolling percussion. DJ Gigola dials up the tension with a stripped-back rave approach, sharpening the groove into something raw and propulsive. Janson, known for his disco-inflected touch, injects a dose of swing and warmth, transforming the track into a fluid, floor-ready mover. Three distinct takes from three essential names, each pushing the original into new territory.
Review: Berlin's Sin Sistema shares Denzel's latest EP 'Glorified Intake' after the debut release 'Techniques 4 Life', continuing in the exploration of topsy-turvy, street-level techno sonics. Leading with a mysterious initialism, Denzel prefaces this EP by telling us its tracks were made during a transitional period between cities - H and B - a tale of two. A-siders 'HKI 13' and 'Nightrun' represent a two-point movement of metallised echo and resonant ricochet - the first coming as an "ode to roots", furtively working in breath-muttered "get down, get low" voxes - and the latter working around a cool torrent of domino-effect percs and rattles, like metal piping trailed against a fence. B-siders 'Sus Mind' and 'Generational Funk' first dreamatise and then tribalise the vibe, the former especially making the best use, in our view, of dub delay and diatonic dream-pads.
Review: Developer is a core part of the LA underground not just known for his work as a DJ and producer, but also his vital events which have breathed fresh inspiration into the scene. He also heads up the Modularz label and returns to it here with four more future-facing sounds that take techno into new realms. 'Ethnicanz' is rife with eerie synths that have an impish spirit. 'Modetrex' marries firmly rooted and ice-cold drum loops with more evocative synth motifs that lure you in for the chase. 'Viamont' is dense, like being trapped in the midst of a swarm of squawking birds, then 'Panotronix' completes this chilly retro-future offering with more stark synth loops that are unresolved and keep you on edge.
Review: Long-time Portuguese techno veteran Dextro delivers a cultured EP on Mutual Rytm that shows his mastery of hypnotic minimal. Known for his deep roots in simplicity and authenticity, Dextro's productions span a range of groovy to intense techno, always guided by intuition. 'Covil Dos Abutres' features frictionless beats and sci-fi motifs reminiscent of classic Jeff Mills, while 'Correct Incorrect' adds rubbery, dub-infused grooves with delicate melodies. 'Vida E Morte' offers a funk-laced, minimal techno vibe with a late-night edge and 'Element One's atmospheric pads really make a mark. 'Beautiful Day' closes with sonar-like synths over skeletal rhythms.
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