Back catalogue: Techno (All)

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: Viewfinder returns to Rescan Records with their third release on the label, a four-track journey through house and techno. The A-side offers two straight-up house cuts, 'Solace' and 'Let Go', featuring infectious grooves, sampled percussion, and catchy stabs. Flip the record over for a techno turn, with 'Roxtone' pushing the BPMs higher and delivering a high-energy workout. Mihail P closes out the release with 'Natural High', a hypnotic blend of breaks, bleeps, and ethereal pads. With its diverse range of sounds and infectious energy, this release is a must-have for any fan of quality electronic music.

Review: Few artists in electronic music are as legendary as Laurent Garnier. It is only right then that he finally makes his entry into the equally titanic and influential Fabric Presents series. His mix is a real doozy that here gets the full deluxe edition treatment and comes on 4 x12"s with a hefty booklet. The House Odyssey mix opens with afro house from South African producer Mr. Blase, leading into vibrant cuts from Cape Verde to Chicago. Newer faces like Culoe De Song, Neinzer, and Tal Fussman join stalwarts DJ Spen, DJ Lady D and Mike Dunn. The Rhythmic Resonance mix delivers high-impact techno moments from Red Axes, John Tejada, Electric Rescue, and more. Garnier's UK-focused Into The Low-End session includes Skrillex, MC GQ and more and all in all offers up a diverse mastery, from luminous house to bass-heavy techno.

Review: In 2016, Peggy Gou debuted with her EP Art of War and allegedly sett ambitious career goals, including playing Berlin's iconic Berghain and contributing to !K7's DJ-Kicks series. She achieved both. This 69th edition of the legendary mix series seeks to reflect her musical journey across 18-tracks that blend disco, house, techno and electro-spanning tempos from 90 to 150 BPM. Highlights include her own exclusive track 'Hungboo' alongside works by Aphex Twin and Andrew Weatherall and shows she has wide tastes and the skills to knit those together into a fine, storytelling mix that rides up and down, covers plenty of emotion, and never forgets about the groove.

Review: Outcast Planet's with outing is a serious collection of techno heat from a selection of artists each with their own sound. Bakked kicks off with the stomping, teeth grinding machine energy of 'Dentro Il Sistema' then Munir Nadir's 'Push It' takes things even more intergalactic with searching synths and futuristic grooves. Elsewhere Cristian Sarde offers chunky industrial tech with 'Technology Flot', Emanuele Montalto's 'The Electric Transformation' brings a bit of taught techno bounce and Paul Lution's 'More Than 80%' layers up vocoder vocals with retro 80s synth sounds and slap-funk drums. This is a varied collection of fresh sounds that will wrk in a wide range of settings.

Review: Celebrating two decades of excellence, Marc Romboy's Systematic Recordings marks its 20th anniversary with a remarkable triple 12" vinyl release. Charting the label's nascence in 2005, from early Romboy, Andre Winter and Stephan Bodzin cuts, and through to a rare Carl Cox original, this is an easily legitimated techno release, its mood of retro cool ushered along by shiftingly raw, respiratory sound design and a virtual verve. Our faves have to be 'Atlantis' by French producer Rodriguez Jr. and 'Hit The Ground' by Gui Boratto, both newer additions to the troupe and yet both delightfully dreamy, salient additions.