Back catalogue: Techno (All)

Review: Two decades deep into his career and still pushing forward, this seasoned German DJ delivers something that feels both timeless and fresh. The original version of 'Kingston Riddim' is a smooth, sun-soaked affair. Drawing from island dub but built with a crisp, modern hand, the track is full of warm organic textures and laid-back swing. The chords are clean and expressive without feeling too polished. There's a breezy confidence to the groove that makes it feel effortless. It's the kind of track that could slip into any set and feel right at home. Sato's interpretation dives into deeper territory. The bass rolls in thick and heavy while the chords get more tangled and echo-laced. There's a submerged quality here, like the track has been dragged through deeper waters. It's moodier than the original but still carries that same rooted sense of rhythm. This is one of those rare records where both sides hit in different but equally effective ways.

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: Milio's third album on Atomnation marks a significant artistic evolution for the Dutch producer, who has harnessed new production techniques to translate his childhood fantasies into music. Utilising mostly analogue sounds, recorded percussion, and his own voice, the artist crafts a rich auditory experience that again showcases his suburb synth work as it explores the space between the surreal and the real, featuring tracks like the melodically gorgeous 'Day in Night,' the lithe and dubby rhythms of 'Confuse Me,' and the broken beat beauty of 'Sleeping.' Each piece offers a unique blend of emotional depth and vivid soundscaping that takes you to a world away from here.

Review: It is now 23 years since Jeff Mills dropped his seminal Metropolis album, which was a shortened version of his electronic soundtrack for Fritz Lang's Metropolis movie from 1927. Mills is a famous futurist but his sounds work perfectly on this project which is a symbiotic mix of compositions that makes for a nuanced representation of the plot and storyline. It's a testament to his skill that his album is utterly timeless and wholly absorbing, and likely always will be.

Review: Given the hype that surrounded the release of the first Moderat set back in 2009, we can surely expect more of the same for this second outing from Apparat and Modeselektor. Those familiar with the first album's woozy blend of IDM, Thom Yorke indebted vocal dreaminess, porchlight techno and post-dubstep rhythms will immediately feel right at home. Online reviews have focused largely on II's atmospheric warmth, and the way in which the Berlin-based trio seems to have refined their sound. Both are valid critiques; certainly, there's a maturity and musical complexity to the album that betters much of their previous works. It's not much of a dancefloor set, but that's entirely the point; this is locked-in headphone listening for the wide-eyed generation.

Review: Monolake's defining third LP Gravity was the second album to be released through the artist's own Imbalance Computer Music, as well as the first to feature Robert Henke predominately, as his former partner Gerhard Behles became increasingly consumed by the foundations of what become the Abelton Live empire. Tense, percussive digital minimal techno ensues, setting steady beats against rattling, materially modelled sound design - the record's resonant overtones sound like sprockets undergoing tidal to-and-fros of suspension and release - this record sought thematic refuge in a universal force of natural law: gravity itself. After a recent reissue of Monolake's first album Hongkong, this turn-of-the-century affair - appearing on vinyl for the very first time - offers a shattered, breathy brand of minimalism, perfect for shrunken heads and demanding DJs alike.

Review: If you think that "Analog Fluids of Sonic Black Holes" is a poetic title for Carmae Ayewa's fourth album as Moor Mother, just wait until you hear her spoken word lyrics. She's an artist with a very singular vision, both lyrically and musically, and it's this that makes the album such an absorbing listen. Her subject matter is personal, political, social and cultural, and the music backing it - a forthright, experimental, densely layered mixture of discordant jazz samples, dark ambient chords, intense noise, industrial strength machine beats and growling, Nine Inch Nails style raw alternative rock sounds - is pushed to the limits to emphasize the strength of her message. It's an intense trip, but one that's well worth taking time and again.

Review: Mr G. Where do you start with Mr G? Once known as one half of The Advent, a straight up to the walls techno outfit now made of one, after moving on to pastures new solo he spent a good deal of time putting out tunes that would appeal to the heads, but only those that were looking. Finally receiving the long overdue spotlight he always deserved, skip to today and he's up there with the most universally respected and in demand. For those who have followed this storied career to date, it's great to see. Not least as he seems to have lost not one iota of the passion and fervour, fun and funk, talent and toughness that originally draws every fan in. On The Fifth Chakra, he's showcasing a different side of that genius, offering up warm, enlightened ambient for the musically minded.

Review: Techno talents don't come much more proven than Speedy J and Surgeon. Both are veterans of the game but artists who have remained at the sharp end and their Multiples collaborative project is in part responsible for that. Now it births a full-length album of tweaked experiments that take techno into new realms. The whole thing was recorded in just two days at J's STOOR lab in Rotterdam on an array of hardware machines. Each tune is a raw, one-take affair which means they are perfectly imperfect and feel utterly alive. Techno and elector collide with beatless moments, pummelling low ends and plenty of club heft.