Juno Recommends Electro: February 2022

Review: The second chapter of Umek's alternative career as electro hero Zeta Reticula, which began when he relaunched the early 2000s project seven years ago, continues to deliver a mixture of high-grade electro and pleasing plot twists. His latest sci-fi inspired EP is another action-packed, high-quality affair. Our pick of a very strong bunch is 'Danger', a bustling electro roller in which shimmering but faintly foreboding chords ride punchy drums and a stabbing analogue bassline, though some may prefer the tougher, arguably more club-ready bustle of 'Place of Synthesis' or the deliciously retro-futurist throb of 'Goldilocks Zone', where trippy, TB-303-driven electronic motifs, bleeping lead lines and moody chords rise above a viciously unsettling backing track.

Review: Prolific Belgian producer Thomas Blanckaert aka Innershades makes his debut on London-based label Cartulis Music with the Deviation EP, a killer five-tracker packed full of punchy electro cuts. The funky and futurist Detroit vibe of the title track features some serious attitude on the mic courtesy of Mutado Pintado, while the visceral kicks of 'Electro Emotions' underpin some gliding 303 acid and a tapestry of neon-lit synth textures. Over on the flip, prepare to lose yourself under the strobe lights with 303 techno epic 'Heaven On Earth' while 'The Acid Never Dies' will also have you reaching for the lasers - tip!

Review: Since debuting in the late 1990s, Simon Whalley has proved to be one of the most skilful creators of melodious, atmospheric and intricate IDM around. In that time, he's released countless killer EPs and a handful of albums, 2000's Reference being the pick of a very strong bunch. Wisely, Delsin have chosen to deliver a new vinyl pressing of that said, a gorgeously deep and detailed dive into the limitless musical potential of that classic IDM sound, which as those with long memories know mixed and matched elements of electro, techno, ambient and experimentalism. This edition includes all 24 tracks from the original CD version, rather than the truncated first vinyl pressing, and thanks to a sparkling re-master, sounds as exciting and entertaining as ever.

Review: Thanks to a swathe of superb EPs over the last few years for the likes of 2020 Vision, Lunar Disko, Further Electronix, Altered Sense and Unknown to the Unknown, long-serving electro producer Cignol is enjoying something of a career renaissance. As a result, some of his earliest releases have become in-demand and hard-to-find - hence this reissue of his long-overlooked, but utterly brilliant, 2010 debut album, Switching For a Living. Offering an attractive mixture of sci-fi seeped, far-sighted tracks informed by 1990s IDM, deep electro, downtempo, ambient and acid, it's a coherent but varied affair that has well and trily lasted the test and time - thanks, in part, to Cignol's intention to make it a genuine "listening album". Recommended.

Review: Christian Smith's esteemed Tronic imprint recently deployed the second edition in its More Than Machine series which explored more underground sounds than expected, mainly in the form of electro. British newcomer Client 03 drops some sublime futurist beats on 'Default Mode Network', legendary Belgian Marco Bailey delivers something different from his usual main room techno sound on 'Smoke It'. Over on the flip, Smith's former studio collaborator John Selway makes a welcome appearance on the sci-fi bass explorations of 'Phase Vortex' and Kanzleramt staple Alexander Kowalski delivers the EP highlight on the dystopian machine funk of 'Flickering Lights'.

Review: Relentless bass squelches come by way of modular play on Patricia's (Max Ravitz') 'Blue Ridge', the producer's second album for Spanish acid-IDM visionaries Analogical Force. No concept is needed for this one, as Ravitz' hardware-centric talent is enough to carry it alone, from the snapping drum exoskeletons of 'Husk' to the LP's ambient neurogeist and closer, 'Room'. Watch out for this one's limited blue LP release.

Review: ALIEN FM / RELEASED 1995 ......definitive original broadcast double LP From the minds of Keith Tucker and Blak Tony 430 West records / Direct Beat were pushing the Detroit techno and electro sound to new heights with the original members of Aux88 doing aliases from every member this gem is no exception. Keith Tuckers and Blak Tony's work from the early nineties are master classes on the art of doing something different conceptually and musically. Electronic vocals on this lp. are classic as Tucker and Tony show from the start with the Art of illusion.......and nightmare. Pulsating arps and infectious bass lines round out the first two sides. Side two Infinity and Optaphonic Opera gives you a window into the styles of what was to come from Optic Nerve. Keith Tuckers solo project. This double LP has been sought after for a very long time.......

Review: Magnonic Signals is a label founded in 2019 by Antonio Velazquez and Lee Wren Booth, focusing on a variety of genres while showcasing new talents alongside more established artists. The label's sixth release comes from Velazquez under his Spin Fidelity alias on the Gravitational Lensing EP. Features the sublime smack electro antics of 'Harbour Lights' on the first side, followed by the low slung acid house groove of 'Change Is Gonna Come'. Over on the flip, more darkly dystopian sci-fi beats await you on 'Fall' and Midnight Creep' respectively.

Review: Sergio Garcia aka Uf0 follows up last year's Arp Is Better Than Line full length for Furthur Electronix sublabel Altered Sense with this extended EP full of emotive, widescreen, retro techno expressions. This one is titled the Horazie EP and features the sunset breaks of 'Vera Smile', before the emotive hi-tech soul of 'Karma Has No Deadline', right through to the sublime and melodic affair that is 'El Cortijo De Severiano' that's perfect for those upcoming summer vibes. Closing it out is the glassy-eyed and bittersweet electro exploration of the title track. All-in-all a brilliant release.

Review: Following up a great release by Hoax Believers a few months back, Madrid's Distrito 91 returns this week with another 12' by local producer Fabio Vinuesa. The Self Programming EP is firmly rooted in the electro sound much like the label's previous editions: from the Cybotron sounding retro futurism of 'Analog Activity'on the A side, to more nefarious and dystopian strains as heard on the B side title track, to some proper Drexciyan style alien funk as heard on 'Corrupted Data' before the intergalactic ambience of outro '28045'

Review: Tales Italy looks to the Motor City for this fresh four tracker featuring some of Detroit's most assured talents. Javonntte sets things moving with 'House Express,' a rickety house groove with plenty of that celebrated US soul. DJ SCSI offers a brilliantly crisp and frosty electro jam in the form of 'Robotik Dance (Shake Yo Thang)' and Brian Kage's 'Connected Principal' heads to the stars on chilly smeared pads and compiling broken beats. The rumbling bassline is the real standout feature though. Lastly, Drivetrain builds the pressure with the tense tech house loops of 'Dark Liaison.' Crucial stuff.

Review: Open Channel For Dreamers have been exploring the old DAT archives of Ballet Mechanique and found a wealth of never before released material that dates back to the 90s. This is a third release of such treasures and it focusses on tunes from 1992-1999. It follows in the footsteps fo the first two EPs by highlighting the diversity and variety of sounds in Jeroen's production arsenal. There are rave bangers on the a-side filled with uplifting melodies and on the flip is IDM and electro fuelled by funk. Another superb EP for fans old and new.

Review: Dual-minded Frenchman Louis Pierret makes his debut on Karat as he continues to explore the extremities of his passions and interests over four crisp, forward-thinking tracks. 'Changes' eases us in with big swooning emotional tracks and a classically minded 808 electro beat before 'Davy Jones' eases us down a much deeper channel with dub techno soul and a jazz sensibility. Flip for the main attraction as 'Achab' shouts the orders by way of venomous acid, glacial chords and whale-like textures before 'Rhune' brings back ashore on a boat made in the heart of Detroit. Precision engineering. Bon voyage.

Review: New York City techno veteran Adam X returns to Long Island Electrical Systems under the ADMX71 alias, where he once again explores the outer fringes of experimental electronics on his latest LP The Aging Process, existing at the intersection of industrial, EBM and techno. Beginning with the contorted noise soundscape of 'Speaking Via Telepathy' he soon unleashes the seething brain bash of 'Sensor-Tised' followed by the strobing tunnel vision of 'Walking Through Walls'. Elsewhere, there's more dystopian themes aplenty as heard on the static TBM pulse of 'They've Instilled Fear In Us', or the pitch black war funk of 'Leading The Way' and the muscular slow burner 'Leading The Way'.

Review: Following up some great releases by Vertical67 and Eoisim, the next one on Leipzig's Pulse Drift Recordings is from Norwegian sound explorer Digitizer, who delivers five tracks of Drexciyan electro. Firing up the Future Technology EP is the analogue acid mayhem of 'Circuit Breaker' and ending the A side with the twisted sci-fi beats of 'Machine Learning'. Over on the flip, the dystopian themes continue with the smack electro of 'Age Of Technology' and the cybernetic bass groove of 'Computer Age'.