Electro Recommendations June 2011

Review: Boris Bunnik reveals the second edition of his Night Time Activities as Versalife which demonstrates further withdrawal away from the sanctity of bog standard techno - a manoeuvre we wholeheartedly endorse. Fans of the Martian techno paranoia Mills has been dabbling in with the Something In The Sky series will flock towards "Unclear Matters" which has a multiplicity of strange and menacing rhythms radiating from the sonic mist. Proceedings continue in this fashion on the spectral electro flex of "Electronic Suspect" and the Utopian Drexciya stylings of "Night Time In The Computer Labs", both of which really demonstrate Bunnik's prowess with analogue machinery.

Review: Following his recent memorable EP for Rush Hour containing end of night burner "You're Not The Only Girl", veteran Dutch producer Dexter returns to the Clone stable with this release on their Crown Ltd sub-label. Gone are the melancholic undertones of the Rush Hour release, replaced here by the vintage electro flex of the splendidly titled "Space Booty" and "Fat Skinny People". Upon first listen it's not too hard to see where the name for the title track comes from, with a boompty bassline channelling the spirit of Dexter's finest releases to date. Our pick though is flipside track "Fat Skinny People", with filthy synth stabs complemented by an instant classic looped vocal. It's so good Dexter even included a bonus beats version. Comes with free download code too.

Review: The third single release from Hardfloor's most recent album Two Guys Three Boxes comes as a remix package and showcasing the skills of E.R.P., Morphology and Boris Divider. E.R.P dish up some refined electro with a streak of funk for their version, making it a surefire winner for a range of tastes. Finish electro duo Morphology's deeper take on "You Know The Score" plays with sharp drums and twanging samples and subtle synth chords. On the flip Boris Divider goes for a dark, eerie electro journey - hovering pads, dusty samples and bizarre noises lurk at every corner and make it Juno's pick of the remix package.

Review: Long standing UK electro pioneer Scape churns out three electro mind benders for his new Potent Mutagen EP on Cultivated Electronics. Going strong since 2007, this is Cultivated Electronic's fourth solo artist release after a healthy string of VA's in their early days. Opening with "Substorm", we're instantly treated to crisp drum patterns, warped menacing synths and a robust bassline. Next up is "Potent Mutagen" which takes an entirely different theme with deep strings and sombre tones. Flipping over, we delve into tougher territories with Sync 24's "Substorm" remix. By keeping the original's hard beats and adding a rolling sub bass and analogue synth it takes on a spooky and creepy demeanour. On remix duty for the bonus digital track "Time Falls" is Dynarec; leading with force from the front line, a deep kick, arp'd bass and ruthless stabbing synths make for a twisted ride.