Back catalogue: Techno (All)

Review: Deeper shades of a finely sifted pedigree. Irish label Appian Sounds, helmed up by Al Blayney, champion only winnowed techno sounds, not threshed. A welcome international team huddle in, with these six artists from locales as far-flung as Amsterdam and Valencia contributing the likes of 'Tsuneo' and 'Persist'. The tunes verge melodic as they move through and beyond jankiness, distending die-cut acids and subtly synthetic humanisations, especially in the percussion department. 'Fuego' is the zen roshi's choice, its gaffered, glass-smithed pads topping off a naturalistic percussive surging forward, one best experienced with your eyes closed.

Review: Two years ago, Italy's Balearic Gabba Soundsystem switched from remixing and re-editing their favourite cuts to curating compilation style EPs of similarly minded fare. They're in that mode again here, presenting a trio of cuts that combine the saucer-eyed warmth and loved-up musicality of Balearic music culture with grooves and rhythms firmly focused on the dancefloor. They begin by showcasing Wallace's sublime remix of Sewell & The Gong's 'Better Worlds', a locked-in, hypnotising fusion of semi-organic deep house grooves, new age melodic motifs and the dreamiest of ambient chords. Over on the flip they dip into slo-mo Italo-disco/acid house fusion via SIRS fine revision of My Friend Dario's 'Tell Aro', before treating us to a Pedro Bertho remix of Verdo's 'Belvourdier' in which sparkling Balearic house piano riffs, undulating acid lines and mid-80s "chorus" synth sounds rise above a fluctuating synthesiser bassline and hustling beats.

Review: This four-track compilation draws a tight line between warehouse muscle and emotional lift, delivering techno that's as moving as it is functional. Each cut brings a distinct perspective, yet they all share a sense of cinematic build and focused production. Gregor Tresher starts with 'Bonegrinder', a slow-burn builder that creeps forward before erupting into a peak-time workout. The groove is tight, the progression deliberate and when it hits full stride, it lands with impact. 'Cascade Rips', a collaboration between Works Of Intent and Voltaire, brings a different mood entirely. Its rolling bassline sits beneath a futuristic synth lead that feels both suspenseful and strangely touching. There's emotion under the surface and it simmers just right. On the Side-B, Marco Bailey drops 'Arcane', built around raw drum machine sequences and electro pulses. It grooves hard with a throwback vibe, nodding to early rave with metallic melodies and vocodered snippets that recall Kraftwerk without mimicking. The closer, 'Perditae' by Tom Hades and Soren Aalberg, floats into a more euphoric space. Its rising melody and ghostly vocals feel like they're beamed down from the heavens. A smartly curated collection of peak and soul.

Review: The Clergy label celebrates ten years in the game by serving up another of its vital techno sermons. This one comes with the sub-head 'Charlie' and sure is a charged-up various artists affair that kicks off with the anxious synth designs and nimble drum funk of USAW's 'Kokedama'. Red Rooms coats his beats in dusty and scruffy hi-hats on 'Imaginary Pleasures' while Bidoben gets more deep and eerie with the melodic howls of 'Mimic.' SLV's 'Ohne Sonne' keeps the tension levels high with paranoid synths peeling off an unrelenting groove and two further offerings explore more paired back sounds that tunnel deep into the future.

Review: Belgian-born, Vietnam-based innovator Peter Van Hoesen returns to the fore here with a daring four-track EP that dives deep into experimental techno. Known for his precision and intensity, Van Hoesen lives up to that as he crafts a cerebral yet visceral journey through chaotic structures and abstract rhythm. From the hypnotic disarray of 'Definition by Absence' to the stormy turbulence of 'Variables Edit 1,' each track embraces unpredictability without forgetting the floor. 'Prime Directive' disorients with anti-club energy, while 'Morphology' offers a slightly more grounded groove that gives form to his conceptual explorations. Fearless stuff as ever from big Pete.

Review: Dutch imprint Voy operate extensibly out of the much more capacious Ukrainian outfit Mulen Records, whose propriety can ultimately be traced back to towering Kiev artist iO (Aleksandr Voznichenko). With no mission statement to its name, it's hard to know what the Voy sublabel is up to, save for the intrinsic end-in-itself that is ninja-starring heads-down, motile minimal our way. Bleak textures (both visual on the inner labels and audial between the beats) predominate on Voy, and this 15th totter is no exception to this rule. Expanding out from the imprint's establishing minimalia, however, we now hear another unknown artist lock down a glistering Italo-esque array of neon burbles, in a two-track manoeuvre of fell insatiableness.

Review: One of the most dynamic producers in techno brings a fusion of dub techno, atmospheric sound design and poetic experimentation. Now based in Lisbon, the Hanover-born producer crafts a deeply introspective journey that balances weighty rhythms with hypnotic textures. Opening with 'Crystal Cell Energy'. Vril sets a cavernous moodidubby, atmospheric and steadily unfolding, with a slow-burning intro that gives way to a powerful, heavy beat. 'Bruch Im Nullpunkt' follows, a quintessential dub techno cut with deep, resonant chords and a unique rhythmic structure. The first half of the record closes with 'Secondary Devices', where Edward George's spoken-word delivery floats over swelling, sci-fi-infused ambience, creating a thought-provoking and cinematic experience. Side-B plunges deeper with 'Tasche Voller Regen', an otherworldly soundscape draped in deep textures. The mood shifts with the Steve Rachmad's Parallel 9 remix of 'Bruch Im Nullpunkt', injecting a sense of momentum with his signature melodic dub chords and precise, pulsating techno framework. Closing the record, 'Shifting' introduces another poetic collaboration, this time with Riddim Writer, layering evocative spoken-word over an ethereal, ambient arrangement. Vril demonstrates exceptional range, seamlessly bridging techno's club functionality with conceptual depth. This is a record that not only moves bodies but also stimulates the mind, another example to Vril's refined artistry.

Review: Yves Deruyter has spent forty years as a pioneering force in dance music; kown for his huge sets and anthemic musical procurements, his trajectory follows a familiar arc as an early tooth-cutter on Belgium's underground scene heralding later international recognition. His hits like 'Rave City' and 'Calling Earth' shook the earliest and staidest foundations of trance. To celebrate his career, a new ten-vinyl compilation celebrating Yves' work here proves that relevance isn't about trends - it's about a distinctive sound and an undying connection to the dancefloor.

Review: DJ Sotofett returns with a double 12" packed with eight hard-hitting, underground techno tracks. Featuring frequent collaborators LNS, L.A. 2000, Ronny Nyheim, and Zarate_Fix, this release is a direct nod to the no-nonsense techno nights at Berlin's iconic Tresor club, where Sotofett holds residency. Each track is crafted with pure dancefloor energy in mind, moving through dub-driven techno, acidic overtones, and percussive basslines, all delivered with a raw, uncompromising edge. WANIA mk1 is a masterclass in DJ-ready versatility, perfect for those who love their techno stripped back and potent. Standout cuts include the bombastic, percussion-heavy Preparation and the 909-vocoder-fuelled My Spirit Is In Techno Music, both of which exemplify the release's dedication to the underground essence of the genre. With alternative mixes from WANIA mk2 making an appearance, the album offers both continuity and innovation, keeping true techno fans hooked from start to finish. Sotofett's attention to detail in programming, mixing, and mastering is evident throughout, making this a must-have for DJs and clubbers who live and breathe the core of real, unfiltered techno music. WANIA mk1 isn't just an album; it's a statement for those who value authenticity in their club experience.

Review: In a smooth flying saucered descent, Solara Melfera continues the WSNWG: Back to Zero journey, adding a new dimension to the label's evolving sound. This compilation unites eight carefully selected tracks curated by German producer and DJ Rodhad, fusing nighttime prowler moods and subtle celestials. With a cover artwork bathed in golden, sunlit tones, the music has an eclipsing mood, juggling strong shades of light and dark. Kicking off with Ignez' 'Passion Overdrive', we're met with a brooding techno number with overdubbed lyrics by the artist, recounting the artist's rather libidinally charged dream from the previous night.

Review: Techno is a misunderstood thing. Big stages and even bigger drums pounding out relentless and often unthoughtful loops really isn't where the genre is as a whole. One of the most varied sounds in the dance spectrum, defining the canon has always been pretty hard and zeitgeist counts for more than strict rules of arrangement, tempo and composition. Sixty is just the reassurance heads will need then. While some might argue we're closer to electro than anything, for the most part anyway, perhaps no more so than in the detailed and glitchy warmth of 'Micfrk' by Gherat, let's not get pedantic. Largely broken and off-centre beats of the deep, emotive and patient kind from innovators like Patricia and Fasme, frenetic and intense staccato snares via Oh Mr Jones, rave-y, hardcore infused emotive bombs via Novel 23 and James Shinra.

Review: Sonic Groove Records marks a full three decades of boundary-pushing electronic music with an uncompromising compilation of unreleased tracks from an array of techno and industrial legends. Since 1995, the New York label has stood for fearless innovation and this anniversary release is no exception as it delivers a front-to-back barrage of expertly crafted, high-impact cuts. Each artist contributes fresh material that feels vital and honed, capturing the label's ethos of dark energy, sonic precision and underground credibility. From Frankie Bones's clunking loops of acid-laced menace on 'Clip On' to Adam X's pending analogue barrage 'Change Of Gameplan' via Outlander's strangely slow and strobe-lit synth weapon 'Presence Of Absence', this is a fitting tribute to Sonic Groove's storied past.

Review: To celebrate a decade of electronic excellence, Rotterdam label On Board Music has assembled this fine compilation featuring plenty of great tunes from its nearest and dearest. It spans an impressively diverse range of sounds, from Altinbas' atmospheric' Submersion' to Polygonia's intricate, rhythmic 'Broken Temptation'. There is also GiGi FM's ethereal dub-techno piece 'Maova' and Dorisburg's Nordic-techno exploration 'Sensorik'. Lenty of these cuts balance introspective atmospheres with dancefloor energy, which means the double vinyl is suitable in a range of different settings, all of which capture the essence of On Board Music-atmospheric, trippy, dubby, ambient and techno.

Review: Following on from the first various artists E 'Outer Base' on Boomstraat 1818 comes Pollurian, another vital collection of 7 minimal techno tools. There really is something for every occasion here with Casual Treatment one with some mind-melting 90s synth madness and DBFB then laying down quick, urgent and paired-back dub techno that takes you to another level. Itzaac twists squeaky synths and broad synth smears over a linear groove on 'Elasticomanae' and Stefan Vincent & Stroef aim to melt your mind with their percussive and high cerebral workout "2bm1ib1ia'. Jerome From shuts down with a more atmospheric and slower sound that provokes introspection.

Review: 10 years of Amsterdam's Vault Records is celebrated on this latest edition of their Vault Sessions techno compilation. While many a label can lay claim to ownership of and control over a "vault" of music, how many of them can submit to surrender 20 such golden sonic ingots when faced with a ransom to release music, *and* still keep enough in the strongroom to keep the books balanced? While we've now the keys to many a high-profile private client's dirtiest collateral deposits - Jpsrv35's twinkling blood garnet 'Soulsearch', Quelza's illegal software 'Automated Assistance Program', Grace Dahl's precious heirloom 'The Green Room' , Stef Mendesidis' diplomatically immune 'License To Fly' - we suspect that many more such greats lay hidden behind astringent locks, impervious to the next heist. All tunes leave us Vaulting!