Juno Recommends Minimal / Tech House July 2020

Review: Disordered Rhythm Metronomy may be a puzzling (and, let's face it, rather strange) artistic alias, but the two men behind the project, Ricardo Villalobos and Edward, have produced some of the most distinctive leftfield techno of the last decade. As a result, you'd expect their first joint EP to be a killer... and it is. A-side "Vormlock" is a rubbery, off-kilter treat, with the experienced duo peppering an elastic synth bassline and sparse, skittish drums with glitchy stabs, tipsy lead lines and all manner of wonky, out-of-this-world noises. Over on the flipside you'll find title track "Down", a deeper and dreamier chunk of spacey minimalism in which typical Villalobos style percussion and softly squelching bass comes cloaked in some suitably intergalactic synthesizer chords.

Review: Is East End Dubz the hardest working producer in the 21st century tech-house scene? He's certainly prolific, as his sprawling discography attests, but what's more impressive is the consistent quality of his releases. He's hit the mark yet again on this EP for his self-titled imprint. A-side "Wobble" is particularly potent, featuring as it does a fizzing fusion of insatiably funky bass, surging acid lines and shoulder-swinging beats. "Slammin" is closer in tone and style to the producer's trademark tech-house glitchiness - all mangled electronic motifs, straightened-out Villalobos drums and deep bass - while "Izit" is a tidy, acid-flecked box jam that increases in weight and intensity as the track progresses.

Review: Since 2013 Tijn (not to be confused with J. Tijn) has been issuing a steady stream of high grade minimal and tech house for labels like Decay, Memoria, Moss Co and more recently Vuew. Now he comes to Aesthetic for a varied EP that leads in with the dusky, blue-hued tones of "Waves" - a moment for true immersion and introspection. By way of contrast, "CC" captures the energy of classic mid 00s minimal a la labels like Cynosure - all bugging samples hopping around a swinging groove - and we can't get enough of it. "Sundayyzz" takes things in a spookier direction, keeping that stripped back shuffle but holding down a more mellow energy compared to "CC".

Review: One Records' past decade in the business is celebrated with this second installment curated by label chief Subb-An. On 'Ten Years Of One Part 2', we have got cuts on the A side by the aforementioned Subb-An who teams up with veteran producer Mathew Jonson for a surprising collaboration titled "Red" - an infectious tech house thumper in the proper UK tradition, followed by French label staples Yamen & Eda who get deep down and dirty on the swinging and bass-driven "Mister Proper". On the flip, British up and comers Thomas Bulwer & Anna Wall deliver the infectious "Cap Clap" and the ever reliable Jack Wickham is as hypnotic as always on the handy groove tool "Yin".

Review: Here comes something fresh for your ears on Lazare Hoche. The Parisian minimal house bastion is experiementing on this release, as Alex Font collaborates with Nils Weimann for a record that explores the synergy between classical minimalism and contemporary dancefloor reductionism. "Ballets" is a striking track that gets creative with violin strikes falling in polyrhythmic patterns to create something truly bewildering for the dancefloor - after all, that experimental sphere is where the magic happens. "Kefta" takes a more traditional approach to minimal tech house, executed in a classy, understated fashion. On the flip, Lizz comes on board for a remix of "Ballets" that places the emphasis back on the beats.

Review: Harry Wills hail from Frankfurt and is making himself an increasingly vital voice in the tech house scene. His latest floor facing missives are as tight as ever on the new 2XYellow label. "Snap & Crackle" goes first and almost falls over itself it is in such a hurry with its tech funk drums and microcosm of pops, clicks and synth daubs. "Rubix" is built on hefty, hard hitting kicks that are perfectly well swung and come with more tripped out synth details that get right under your skin.

Review: Nobody does tough rolling tackle for the peak time quite like the Audiojack boys. The Leeds-based duo head up the revered Gruuv imprint and have left their indelible mark on The White Isle with their legendary parties. Indeed, their sound is a worthy addition to the Mannheim-based 8bit imprint; Jorge and Nick Curly, like Rial & Birkenshaw themselves, churn out proper tech house that is aimed squarely at the main room. The track in question is "Are We Here", that sees them deliver something a bit more restrained than usual. This is a smooth and euphoric slow burner that's perfect to build up to the bangers in your set, harnessing all that 'energy'. Speaking of which, that's the operative word throughout the B side cut "Higher" with its deep and bass-driven pulsation that's sure to get the sweat dripping from the walls.

Review: UK IDM stalwart Luke Vibert presents part two of a trilogy which sees him delve deep into his floppy disc collection for a glorious ride through familiar motifs. Much like its title would suggest. 'Modern Rave' is a mish-mash of early '90s dance music cliches, revisited and reinterpreted in delightfully infectious and entertaining fashion. He refernces classic Todd Terry style house, D-Mob and the glory days of early UK hardcore on tracks like "Beef" or "Feel One", while homages to Detroit and evident, particualry Underground Resistance who meets orbital under the M1 circa '92 on "Dream" while jungle meets ghettotech on the frantic "Ladies". Have fun guessing and joining the dots on this wonderful audio collage of electronic music's recent history by quite the historian.

Review: Shanti Radio's previous multi-artists EPs were all superb, so it's little surprise to see that the latest also consistently hits the spot. Amonita sets the tone via the soft-focus tech-house shuffle of "Lavender Bloom", where lilting strings, dreamy chords and eyes-closed female vocal samples flutter around a hypnotic groove, before RVNZ offers up the similarly breezy and spring-fresh bliss of "Big Red Machine". Over on side B, Hermazez explores the kind of ultra-melodious and atmospheric hybrid progressive house/tech-house sound that the All Day I Dream label does so well ("Flame Keeper"), while Fulltone unfurls warm and ear-catching melodies and sumptuous chords on sunrise-ready closing cut "Woodland Oracle".

Review: Ukranian producer Kirik is the second fixture on J Room, bringing a plush and melodic sound for his fifth EP of the year (look out for other sterling turns on Colors Of Crocus and Bosom LTD amongst others). "No Boys Club" leads the way with expressive keys darting around a crisp minimal house groove, while "Be Easy" ups the shuffle while maintaining the plush melodic content. JALE are on hand to remix "No Boys Club", turning the original into an addictive, wriggling minimal cut that gets right under the skin, and then "Furtive Footsteps" closes the EP out with a more mechanical workout peppered with artful sound design.

Review: Canadian maestro Jay Tripwire is a long time underground stalwart with countless gold-dust releases to his name, and still the modest artist keeps pushing on with more stellar tech house immersion heaters. Here he's been invited to Euphoria for an EP that burrows into the most shadowy corners of his sound. "H3misphere" is a spooky jam driven by a shuffling groove and offset with some dubby flourishes - a perfectly balanced workout for the club with a seductive air of mystery lingering around the rhythm section. "Werqles" is a lighter affair, but it's no slouch in the freaky department as a plethora of disembodied machine wriggles ping around the crisp 4/4 throwdown. The whole B-side is given over to SIT's "Remux" of "H3misphere", which holds the groove down in a more linear manner but keeps that chilling atmosphere intact just behind the beats.

Review: Ascendant Romanian producer Dinu Pancov aka Suolo continues his prolific output here with his third release for Bucharest-based Capodopere, following up some great ones in recent times on More Than Music, Aforisme and RORA. "No Proof" is totally on point: a deep, groovy and hypnotic roller from a dub techno state of mind and perfect tackle for the afterhours. On the flip, we have the ethereal and mesmerising drifter that is "Rudiment", while "Oasis" is an eerie minimal tech house tool that will appeal to fans of fellow homeboy Sublee, Alci or even Ion Ludwig.

Review: After some great EPs for tap labels such as Metereze, Half Baked and Tavera Tracks in recent times, Greek wunderkind John Dimas is back to inaugurate new imprint Synq with the 'Rave Wave' EP. As the name may suggest, there are retro-tinted party tunes that see Dimas make the journey into classic techno sounds like many others in the minimal house fraternity have tuned into in recent years - and he does a damn fine job if we do say so. On the A side, we have "Transmatik" and there's a clear enough reference found in the title, incorporating Rhythim is Rhythim style syncopated drums effectively for Motor City inspired number. While on the flip, the hi-tech soul themes continue on the acid-laced future funk of the title track.

Review: Lyon might be known as the gastronomical capital of France, but the Undergroove label is doing a fine job of putting the city on the radar of tech house fans. This fourth release is another futuristic trip that kicks off with the punchy drum programming but squelchy synths of Feel the Jam's "UK Breakfast." Keraw gets you in a spin with the quickened and sleek grooves of his "Keutra" then Oden & Fatzo combine to triumphant effect on the high speed tech funk cut that is "Titontesttu" with its gorgeously freeform bassline taking centre stage. Herr Krank's "Fight Your Fears" closes out the adventure with an ever rising acid line that eventually leads to intergalactic tech house lift off. You best strap in!

Review: Since making his debut in 2012, tech-house/deep house fusionist Jose Vizcaino has released a handful of rock-solid EPs as digital downloads, but for one reason or another has never seen his music pressed to vinyl. Happily, Seven Villas has finally given him the opportunity to own a physical product dedicated to his ear-pleasing productions. There's much to admire across the EP, from the dreamy, bleep-sporting two-step/tech-house deepness of "Graffiti" and the similarly spacey, deliciously drifting "Road Trip", to the effortlessly warm and groovy "Transitions" (all delay-laden electric piano snippets, echoing chords and tactile grooves), and the chunkier tech-house roll of opener "Atras".

Review: This slick package of high grade weaponry is the second and final part of the Gargoyle Classics reissues series. It turns attention to Baltimore in the mid 90s, a time when techno, IDM, electro, rave and breaks were all freely colliding with one another. The result is a four tracker that you would have a hard time placing given its timeless appeal. From the slick electro techno funk of "I Said" to the more bouncy techno remix via the turbo charged bass of "Ten After 3" and freaky sci-fi work out that is "Do You Believe" (Space Evader mix), this is perfectly red hot tackle.

Review: Despite his truly idiosyncratic sound, Zefzeed has long been one of the most underrated talents within Romania's prolific minimal techno scene. Having a consistent output over the years on mainly smaller imprints, it's nice to see him getting the recognition he deserves on an established label here - returning to Cluj-Napoca's Midi Records. The 'Strip Tease' EP features two typically arcane and complex tracks in the style you've come to expect from the Timisoara-based producer and DJ. On the A side, we have the mesmerising and otherworldly bounce of "Sloppy From Two Fingers" which is perfect tackle for getting weird at the after hours. On the flip, "Stripped To The Bones" is a similarly subdued affair and bordering on near psychedelic moments, complete with the huge bassline, clipped drum programming and woozy sound design that will intensify the effects of sleep deprivation and paranoia. Tip!