Back catalogue: Techno (All)

Review: Exuberant 1990s electronic music revivalist Ludwig Af Rohrscheid has released some of his most magical music of late, with December 2019's "Between Worlds" being one of his best to date. There's much to set the pulse racing on this four-tracker too, from the rushing, trance-influenced melodic positivity of breakbeat wiggler "Blissful Lie" (which, incidentally, lifts the same Aisha sample as the Orb's "Blue Room"), to the IDM/braindance fusion of "Psychiflux" and ultra-deep, spaced-out brilliance of "Cloud Walker", via the madcap insanity of "Weightless", which flips from a jazz-flecked ambient soundscape to a maniacal braindance stomper midway through.

Review: The fantastically named Ludwig Aaron Freimund Rohrscheid made his debut last February on his own Exo Recordings International imprint, before receiving wider acclaim via the Xhale EP on Unknown To The Unknown. Here he returns to home territory with an EP that smartly repackages and repurposes an array of 1990s influences. He begins with "Oxygen", a breakbeat-driven affair whose enveloping chords and blissful memories recall the best work of early '90s ambient hero Pete Namlook. The track that follows, "Xyloduo", is a pitched-up, psychedelic affair that joins the dots between ambient techno and bustling early jungle, while EP closer "Microplastic" is every bit as opaque and dreamy as anything of Aphex Twin's first "Selected Ambient Works" album.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Exuberant 1990s electronic music revivalist Ludwig Af Rohrscheid has released some of his most magical music of late, with December 2019's "Between Worlds" being one of his best to date. There's much to set the pulse racing on this four-tracker too, from the rushing, trance-influenced melodic positivity of breakbeat wiggler "Blissful Lie" (which, incidentally, lifts the same Aisha sample as the Orb's "Blue Room"), to the IDM/braindance fusion of "Psychiflux" and ultra-deep, spaced-out brilliance of "Cloud Walker", via the madcap insanity of "Weightless", which flips from a jazz-flecked ambient soundscape to a maniacal braindance stomper midway through.

Review: International Sun-Earth Explorer have been in a category of their own throughout 2016, coming through four smoking techno joints including this latest 12" by debutant Route. Very much in the spirit of the legendary Basic Channel duo, "God Dreng" takes a beatless sway of dub infusions and creates a solid movement out of thin air, a hollow drone of sonic that develops further on "Ofos". "0908" on the flip is less moody and the synths pick up more freedom and momentum, while "Canis" glazes the sounds over with a chilly layer of FX. Quality.

Review: Shahr Farang continues to blossom as a label, primarily as a vessel for the work of Sohrab Karimi and Rasul Gafarov, better known as Ahu and Lenta respectively. On this occasion, Ahu and Lenta have teamed up to present some intriguing clippings from two separate improvised studio jams. As is customary with the label, the primary mode of expression is minimal techno shrouded in hazy textures and atmospheric matter, but it veers more towards the kind of clicks and cuts you'd expect from a classic Scape record than anything geared towards the dancefloor. The steady tick of a 4/4 kick means this music isn't necessarily consigned to the headphones though - the right kind of warm up slot or backroom could be just the place to melt into these delicate productions.

Review: The Paper Cuts label has been doing a fine job in putting out head-tripping club and chill-out styles for a fair stretch now and following the Ivy mixtape released earlier this year they're back with this outstanding split release from Roza Terenzi and Furious Frank. Terenzi takes the A-side with her trademark line in electro-minded machine funk rhythms powering gorgeous back room moods, keeping the mix dubby and with plenty of ambient sparkle on top of the punchy drums. There's even space for a little d&b trippiness on 'Total Recall', which also features Noff. Furious Frank gets busy on the flip with 'Splash', a blissed out beatdowns with more than a little Balearic magic in its bones, while 'Moss Rock' turns the heat up for a distinctly 90s slice of acid trance. 'Dripp' seals the deal with another low slung roller from the chill-out room of your dreams.

Review: The Surgeon General sees the mysterious Sandwell District alumnus Rrose launches a new imprint in typically unconventional style, once again working with iconic synth musician Bob Ostertag. Surgeon General was recorded by Ostertag a quarter of a century previously and it starts with what sounds like the forlorn whistle of a steam train, weaving its way in and out of silence for a few minutes. Then there follows a deconstructed rhythm that drips like rivulets of water down a wall and bursts of eerie ambient sounds. Despite the fact that Ostertag used basic equipment and the composition predates contemporary electronic music, it has aged extremely well. Rrose's creepily titled "Her Insides Laid Bare" remix is an atmospheric ambient arrangement, with the occasional anti-rhythm clanging away in the background. He/she adopts a different approach on the "No Child Left Behind" reshape. There, dreamy, filtered chords unravel over a skipping rhythm and pinprick beats, as a swirling but nonetheless forceful filter lends it the requisite momentum. If Surgeon General is indicative of where Eaux is heading, then he is clearly seeking to use his new label to push experimental electronic music.

Review: Following 2023's When A Worm Wears A Wig, Robin Stewart returns with Crinkle and delivers a set of warped dub techno tracks that apply advanced dub logic to precise, pointillistic rhythms. Channelling influences like Peder Mannerfelt and Rrose, Stewart revives classic genre tropes with a fresh perspective that dives deeper into the physicality of sound and focuses on bass throbs over aggressive kicks. Standout tracks like 'Stomach' surprise with lolloping off-grid beats soaked in lysergic textures while 'Compact' delivers a more traditional peak-time vibe with innovative processing. The title track brings everything together with mind-bending spectral rhythms.

Review: It's a big week for Berlin-based imprint Amatori, with two long awaited releases coming out of their HQ this week. In addition to some blunted and contemplative beats by Stefano Stereo, there's the addition of this one by a co-founder of the collective. Ruder takes you on a journey deep into the esoteric on the Rerajahan EP, which features the trance-inducing eastern polyrhythms of 'Antaboga', the pitched down hypnotic techno journey 'Antaboga' and the majestic beat rituals of 'Tari Barong Dan Keris' being just some of the highlights - tip!

Review: Valcrond Video, the label run by sound and image artist Luke Wyatt (Torn Hawk), Apresents VV-013 Russo's ""Wild Metals"". A
Russo (Ari Russo) is an NYC based multi-artist whose engagement with abandoned media finds an outlet in the video bursts he culls as OfficeFern. As a programmer, he's produced innovative music generation tools such as the Diamond Arpeggiator. He returns to his own music with this collection of challenging and transporting structures.A
Wyatt and VV are eager to endorse Russo's latest report on crossmodal perception, a true exercise in synesthesia.A
""Wild Metals"" sounds like ferns and orchids infiltrating a tableaux of black plastic electronics, the breed of black plastic that Russo and Wyatt both found sinisterly inserted into the grid of their childhood. It provided the skin for some of their favorite toys, and its general resonance was aligned with the fast cars, women, and architecture that dominated their imaginations.
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Review: Steven Rutter was of course one half of the hero-worshipped bleep techno outfit B12. He's now back, going it alone, on the De:tuned label with his Close Your Eyes And Breathe EP. It's typically starry-eyed fusion of techno, IDM and post-rave design that takes you way back to a warehouse scene you might not have even lived, but recognise all the same. 'OLF ResPekt' is the melancholic opener with its smeared chords and gentle rhythms,
'Rewind 273' develops that theme and 'Incredible' closes with a more direct but still blissful beat.

Review: Three years on from the series' inaugural 12-inch - a superb collection of cuts from Forest Drive West, Delsin's Mantis Series notches up its 12th release. It comes courtesy of Nullfunkt contributors RVSHES, AKA Dylan Brownsword and James Parker. To our ears, it seems to have two inspirations: twisted, polyrhythmic techno of the sort associated with the likes of Livity Sound and Timedance, and the cyclical, marimba-heavy American minimalism of Steve Reich. It's a smart formula that the pair explore expertly over six differing variations on a theme. Comparse and contrast, for example, the intoxicating, mind-altering drum-work of 'RHS III', the acid-laden polyrhythmic hallucination that is 'RHS IV', the melodious and delay-laden shuffle of 'RHS II', and the pulsating, echoing, genuinely psychedelic techno stomp of 'RHS VI'.

Review: Leipzig's PH17 are back with their third release and its second compilation on vinyl. They invited six artists to contribute a track on Second Wave - a collection that showcases electronic music dwelling on the outer limits. From S. Olbricht & Abris Gryllus' immersive ambient journey entitled "Trood", the frantic polyrhythmic madness of "Kalimbopolis" by Berlin by way of New York City's M.E.S.H, the lo-fi darkwave electro of Privacy's "No Discussion" and Daniel McCormick aka Ital aka Releaxer's epic rave reconstruction The Enemy Within".

Review: Electronic icon Jeff Mills links up with fellow Detroit talent Rafael Leafar for this one on his own Axis, and it is yet another sublime exploration of the cosmos through the medium of techno. Leafar brings all his next level multi-instrumentalist skills and strong love of jazz to the duo and when combined with Mills' ability to speak through his machines, it makes for a unique record. The icy percussion rolls deep, taking you into another dimension each and every time while the noodling sax brings sombreness and soul. Big, splashy cymbals, dark chords and a real sense of mystery and intrigue keep you utterly locked throughout.

Review: Robin Edwards aka R Seiliog drops his full-length debut release on the fledgling Turnstile label only after a couple of EP's, one for Peski and another for the same Turnstile. R Seiliog's use of synthesizers is diverse as it is fun and exciting. Instead of getting an album of solitary square waves or oscillations, Edwards transforms the abstract into something more palpable and altogether more funky. Accompanied by stripped beats and quirky melodies, tracks like "Mt Essa" and "Cymatic Modes" could work just as well in a club as they could on a car radio. There are also remnants of techno within, most vividly on tracks such as "Constellation Drip", so there's something in here for everyone and just so you know, this comes warmly recommended. Pressed onto 180g vynil, complete with bonus CD and sublime artwork. Tip!

Review: London promoters Sagome continue their evolution and expansion into an essential label with their third release. This one comes from Italian duo Rain Text which comprises Giuseppe Ielasi, a renowned mastering engineer and one-half of Bellows, and Giovanni Civitenga, who hosts the long-running Skyapnea show on NTS. Their new album III offers sequentially titled, intricately detailed electronic compositions that blend abstract techno, glitchy sound design and experimental electronica. Comparable to Mika Vainio's sonic manipulation yet more densely layered, III nods to the fractured sounds of Actress and the decay-driven textures of late-period Jan Jelinek. It's engaging and unique, to say the least.

Review: We are honored to release 'A Boy Alone', a double LP set from Manchester electronic music pioneer Eric Random. Best known for his early recordings for New Hormones and Les Disques du Crepuscule and collaborations with Pete Shelley (Buzzcocks), Cabaret Voltaire and Nico. As an original member of The Tiller Boys with Shelley, Random injected a healthy dose of Krautrock into the dour Manchester post-punk scene in 1978/79 before going solo the following year. Random's first 7" "Subliminal"/"23 Skidoo" was released in 1981 via Les Disques du Crepuscule and explored ominous sonic surrounds. That same year also saw the release of a second 7" single on New Hormones, "Dow Chemical Company"/ "Skin Deep". Both tracks offered bubbling, rhythmic sound patterns, and were the first to feature other musicians that would become know as The Bedlamites. Consisting of Lynn Walton on vocals, Ian Runacres and Andy Diagram of Dislocation Dance, and bassist Wayne Worm, aka Wayne Sedgeman. Their debut 12" single "Subliminal Seduction"/"Bedlam-a-Go-Go" was released in 1982 through Plurex, mixing arid funk textures and sparse melodies. That same year the group contributed proto chill-out track "6.55" to Plurex compilation 'Hours' and the highly filmic track "In Cassette Conference" to the Touch cassette package 'Feature Mist'. In 1983, Random spent several months in the Himalayas with a group of musicians from the Kulu Valley and studied non-Western instruments such as tabla. On returning to Manchester, Random convened a new group of Belamites including Walton, Sedgeman and drummer Graham Dowdall aka Dids of Ludus. They released the 12" single "Mad As Mankind"/"Dream Web Of Maya" in 1984 on Cabaret Voltaire's Doublevision, embracing electronic, industrial and dub styles. In 1985 they contributed the soothing "Pure Power" to Food Records' "Imminent Episode One" compilation. Our reissue also includes 4 unreleased bonus tracks from Eric's archives recorded between 1981-1984. The whole set adds up to 115 minutes of sinister, somnambulant Random music. All songs have been remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. Each copy is housed in a gatefold jacket designed by Eloise Leigh featuring a spread of ephemera, photos with liner notes by James Nice of LTM.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Torn outer sleeve & creased corners, otherwise in perfect working condition***


Gesloten Cirkel is a techno hero who can do no wrong. The good news is that as Ratsnake he is no less essential. This new record on the Place No Blame label is a "conscious, meditative presentation of single take recordings from recent years." As such it tells the tale of an artist in development, learning and mastering new techniques and styles that have been touched on in his other projects. While we're told by the pros text that the album "explores the confines between society and alchemy," that doesn't really matter once your jacking to the slithering acid workout of 'Haharsh_2' or trapped in a haunting hall of synth mirrors on 'Gwyn.'

Review: Gesloten Cirkel is a techno hero who can do no wrong. The good news is that as Ratsnake he is no less essential. This new record on the Place No Blame label is a "conscious, meditative presentation of single take recordings from recent years." As such it tells the tale of an artist in development, learning and mastering new techniques and styles that have been touched on in his other projects. While we're told by the pros text that the album "explores the confines between society and alchemy," that doesn't really matter once your jacking to the slithering acid workout of 'Haharsh_2' or trapped in a haunting hall of synth mirrors on 'Gwyn.'

Review: While you couldn't quite describe electronic explorer Gerry Read as an overnight success, his journey from bedroom producer to hyped techno/house/leftfield fusionist has taken less than 18th months. During that time, he's made a point of varying his output, from dark, atmospheric floorfillers to jazz-flecked leftfield electronica via disco-tinged deep house. This debut album for Ramp offshoot 4th Wave continues that trend, confirming him as a major talent. Jummy delivers an interesting, diverse and at times thrilling mix of droning oddness ("Four Miles"), jazzy deep house ("Let's Make It Deeper"), intense freak-outs ("Sidecar"), next-level club tracks (the winding "Evidence") and garage-inspired IDM ("Give Myself To You"). Don't sleep.

Review: Having tumbled out of the stocks in a blur of drunken programming and maverick brushstrokes, it's safe to say that Gerry Read has successfully placed himself in a league of his own ahead of delivering an album to the world. Now that long-player arrives and it's as wild and ranging as you would expect. "Make A Move" is instantly a big hit with its stunning percussive rolls, mashed up scat singing and fractured piano stabs. There's an earthen soul at work in the samples Read is reaching for on the album, and while his style may be much more deliberately freaked out his intangible essence shares plenty with the likes of Theo Parrish and Moodymann. However where those artists are settled in a well-established groove, Read is still showing off and exploring just where his muse might take him.

Review:  Here's another reissue of this always in demand album from a legendary pair thanks to Mental Groove offshoot Music Pour La Danse, which knows a thing or two about timeless techno. And they don't come much more vital than the self-titled 1994 debut album from Jonah Sharp (aka Spacetime Continuum) and David Moufang (aka Move D). It never quite got the props it deserved back then and has been an underrated gem ever since but this reissue should put paid to that. It is a holy meeting of lush ambient design, cavernous dub spaces, hints of glistening IDM melody and deeper than deep techno drums that leave you feeling cleansed inside and out.

Review:  Mental Groove offshoot Music Pour La Danse knows a thing or two about tieless techno. And they don't come much more vital than the self titled 1994 debut album from Jonah Sharp (aka Spacetime Continuum) and David Moufang (aka Move D). It never quite got the props it deserved back then and has been an underrated gem ever since but this reissue should put paid to that. It is a holy meeting of lush ambient design, cavernous dub spaces, hints of glistening IDM melody and deeper than deep techno drums that leave you feeling cleansed inside and out.

Review: It's been a swift ascent for Lorenz Brunner as his Recondite alias has sprung from relative obscurity in 2011 to releases for Hotflush, Acid Test and now Ghostly International, who release his second album. It's a dizzying trajectory for an artist but his maturity in the melancholic electronica he weaves allays all doubts. Indeed Ghostly makes for a logical home for the delicate rhythms and gossamer synth work that Brunner has delivered here, and there are plenty of different shades of downbeat musing to keep the mind locked in as one plaintive ballad drifts into the next. There is still room for some of the more techno-minded material that the artist can turn his hand to, but by and large this is an album for private reflection.

Review: Since releasing his debut album On Acid back in 2012, Lorenz Brummer AKA Recondite has released sets that various touch on techno, acid, tech-house, minimal and, most recently, ambient and downtempo grooves. Taum, his latest full-length offering, mixes and matches his various electronic influences and repackages them in interesting new ways. After opening with a spot of acid-sporting minimalist electro, Brummer confidently strides through trace-influenced mid-tempo chuggers, intergalactic IDM, ghostly post-dubstep electronica, experimental D&B and the kind of skittish, unpredictable electronic soundscapes that are refreshingly hard to pin down. Throughout, he opts for synthesizer sounds and machine drums that recall the halcyon days of ambient techno in the mid 1990s.

Review: Juan Rico, who also known as Reeko and Architectural, presents Urmah, his debut LP at the eye-watering pace of 170 BPM for Samurai Music. Expanding on his two previous EPs with the label, Reeko has become essential to its sonic identity and Urmah embodies this synergy with the label by both its and his artistic boundaries. Across the record, Reeko dives deeper into hypnotic grooves and layers lush textures and subtle breakbeats into an entrancing and meditative work. The producer's deft touch for blending techno's intensity with gentle psychedelia shines through as he demonstrates a mastery of new tempos and evolving sonic landscapes.