RICARDO VILLALOBOS レコード& CD

Review: Given that Ricardo Villalobos was one of a handful of guest producers who featured on Oren Ambarchi's recent Hubris album - a krautrock-influenced minimalist techno exploration that also boasted contributions from Jim O'Rourke and Mark Fell, amongst others - it seems fitting that he's been roped in to provide two new remixes. The Chilean's contribution to the album was largely rhythm-based, and his two lengthy Variations - each stretched across one side of wax - promote undulating, heads-down dancefloor hypnotism above all else. Naturally, his drum programming and use of subtle stylistic shifts is as on-point as ever, with Ambarchi's original textures being manipulated into mind-altering new shapes.

Review: Way back in 2002, in the midst of his rise to global recognition, Ricardo Villalobos delivered a one-off EP for Linear as Termiten - though at the time his involvement was not widely known. It has become something of a sought-after minimal techno classic, with copies of the original 12-inch changing hands for serious sums - hence this Rawax reissue. It remains a fine record. A-side 'Why Did I Love My Wife' is Villalobos at his most propulsive - the kick-drum is pretty sturdy - while still reliably trippy, out-there and intoxicated. 'Nordhorn', a deeper affair in which melancholic melodies seemingly hang in the air over a typically wonky and loose-limbed drum track, is also superb, while 'Frank & Hennes' is a lolloping dab of downtempo psychedelia featuring samples from a heady old folk-rock jam.

Review: Originally released in 1998, the title track is a hypnotic, rolling groove that helped shape the genre's future, its deep, pulsating rhythm and intricate layering exemplify Villalobos' signature style, making it a crucial piece in minimal's evolution. The Mood Mix on the flip stretches 'Heike' into a 13-minute odyssey, pushing its elements further into hypnotic terrain. Subtle shifts in percussion and melody build an entrancing, underground energy, capturing the essence of late-90s minimalism. This version transforms the track into a slow-burning, immersive journey, reinforcing why it became a staple in underground sets. Both cuts highlight Villalobos' early genius, demonstrating his ability to craft intricate, groove-heavy compositions with an enduring appeal.

Review: Ricardo Villalobos wasn't always the cult figure he is today. At the start of his career he was an underground producer still finding his feet and fomenting his own sound. It was in the first decade of his career that he cooked up this tune and had what is about as close as he will ever get to a techno anthem. 'Heike' rides on big drums with detuned synth lines layered up next to female vocal coos, pixelated synth modulations and prying bass. Its a mental workout as much as a physical one and still bags today, which his why it gets this reissue on Rawax alongside the Mood Mix on the flip which is more dubby and dialled back into to deeper beats.

Review: Following the skittering, syncopated arrangements and left-handed excursions of 'Aslohop' and 'Detrant' back in September, Ricardo returns to Rawax with two more broken rhythms. 'Neunachi' is a classic Villalobos wonky shuffer with off-grid kicks and a rainbow of wet, cavernous noises. Take away the demonic reverse vocals and you're in microhouse territory. 'Detrant' is a much more driven affair, up-tempo and thicker, electro kicks off-set by a far-away chant. Each cut going the full nine yards; if ever we've had time to truly lock in to Ricardo's famously enduring grooves, it's right now. Neun out of ten.

Review: By his legendary standards of messiness, Ricardo Villalobos seems to have calmed down a bit of late. Perhaps it's related to spending more time in the studio, because Dependent & Happy is his first solo full-length for four years. It's a pretty good set, all told, delivering warmer, groovier minimal tracks than we've come to expect from the skeletal, perma sweating Chilean. Notably, there are more melodies, looser drums - some of which have a smooth swing that suggests he's rediscovering his Mojo - and even the odd track featuring rolling electric pianos and a fuller sound (see the devilishly funky "Samma" and Clavinet-boasting "Tu Actilud").

Review: After a couple of quiet years Ferro's VBX label returns with a bang, as the esteemed Dutch minimal producer links up with none other than Ricardo Villalobos for a run of 'Ferric' jams. Enlightened souls should have some idea of what to expect here, as Ferro's snappy grooves collide with Villalobos' meandering sound collages to create psychoactive termites geared towards twisting out the dancefloor good and proper. This is proper minimal, with the percussion chiselled into fine clicks and pops to leave more space for the trippy elements to weave their magic. The quality comes assured from this new pairing, hopefully paving the way for more collaborations in the future.

Review: Ricardo Villalobos and Samuel Rohrer have never failed to cook up real magic in the studio over the years. They have been working together again closely and the fruits of their labours form this new MICROGESTURES album. It is made up of five tracks that are all mind blowing detailed when you listen in close. Each one is constructed from infinitesimally small details that all coalesce into stringing minimal techno rhythms of the sort that will boggle brains at 5am in the club or get you lost in the deepest recesses of your own mind if you listen intently on headphones.