Back catalogue: Techno (All)

Review: Mord's Body of Divinity EP, featuring Oxygeno, dives headfirst into the raw, industrial techno sound the label is known for. Across six tracks, the release delivers the kind of dark, relentless energy you can easily imagine rattling through a peak-time set in a gritty, dimly lit club. Deep, wobbling basslines and acid-laced elements pulse through the EP, giving it a fierce edge while staying true to that tough, industrial vibe. The second-to-last track introduces a spacey, slightly elevating twist, but never drifts too far from the EP's heavy, mechanical atmosphere. The closer, 'Body of Divinity', shifts gears with a chuggy, more house-inflected groove, making it stand out without breaking the overall intensity. It's one of the strongest cuts on the EP, balancing a bit of swing with that signature Mord grit.

Review: For this new 2xLP mini-record for Mord, British music producer Rich Jones aka. Operator slips off the surgical gloves and wriggles his way into a set of special occasional, crusaders' gauntlets. Only a pilgrim or knight's hand could wrangle this much grit and hate from the techno production process. As we listen, we digest the accompanying, deathly mysterious poem - "the transmutation of the shadow, an ingress of novelty, under austere skies, the spirits of the city awaken" - and we're left to wonder just what collective spirit Jones may be getting at. 'Running From The Man', 'Evasions', 'Bottom Of The List'... it's almost as if the combo of technocracy, urbanism and austerity is too much for the average person to handle, and that there's a latent rebellion in us all somewhere! But despite the prophetic theme and title, Jones prefers to fight fire with fire: his sound design is barky, scientific and at times trancey ('Watashi No Gyangu' has a particularly amazing drone undercurrent to it), suggesting urban denizens must harness, not run from, the means of its own oppression.