DJs: Most Charted - Minimal / Tech - Most Charted In July 2012

Review: Ricky V's return to Perlon this year! That's correct, some four years on from his last appearance for the Frankfurt label, Villalobos returns with a two track 12" housed in those distinctive Perlon colours that precede the release of the Chilean's fifth studio LP later this summer. While Ricardo has been in experimental mood of late - see the Shangaan Electro remix or the Re: ECM album he completed with Max Loderbauer - both tracks here are very much in the canon of trademark Villalobos productions. Lead track "Any Ideas" plays around with the repetition of a vocal sample over stretched out textures that veer into mind bend territory whilst the pitter patter groove at times sounds like a ping pong game in action. On the flip "Emilio (2nd Minimoonstar)" is reminiscent of a ZX Spectrum having a meltdown in time to a minimal bump.

Review: Senor Woolford has joined Loco Dice, Bug and Troxler in the small but well respected band of producers to contribute to NRK's compilation series The Lab, which is thankfully rolling on despite Nik Harris' recent decision to close down operations at NRK HQ after 15 years in the game. This four track vinyl sampler gives you a well judged taste of the double CD which presents Woolford at his most wilfully eclectic. The A Side has two titans of US House in Chez Damier and Terrence Dixon, while the flip sees Skudge turn in a typically gripping remix of Iron Curtis and Edit Piaf's Achterbahn D'Amour next to "Berlin Sunrise (Die Dammerung)", Daniel Wang's stunning electronic disco turn for the Ghostly label.

Review: Those with a cursory grasp of recent shifts in niche dance music will be fully aware of Luca C and Ali Love, the duo behind Infinity Ink. The former was once an integral part of Cazals whilst the latter has dabbled in all manner of East London scenes over the years. Arising on Crosstown Rebels as Infinity Ink is undoubtedly their most high profile release and they come sporting a new genre in cosmic garage, which sort of sounds like Art Department doing hip house on the basis of "Infinity". Label head Lazarus pulls out a top drawer (and quite appropriate) remixer in the shape of Todd The God Edwards, who drops a signature revision filled with stacatto swinging rhythms and vocal tweaks.

Review: Having made his debut on Claude Von Stroke's Dirtybird way back in 2005, multi-talented San Fran electro-bass producer Justin Martin makes his full-length debut with this excellent LP. Luckily for fans of last year's excellent, juke-influenced collaboration with Ardalan, "Lezgo", there's a VIP mix included here that makes for a bigger, more building rerub, while Martin also does a great job covering Goldie's seminal "Kemistry" - adding some real venom and bite in the process. Look out for the deep and twisting "Ruff Stuff" and the syrupy "Night Calling" too.

Review: Connaisseur veteran Chymera presents an insight into how his forthcoming third LP Death by Misadventure might sound with lead single "Strange Things Are Afoot." Housed in a clear PVC sleeve and pressed on equally clear vinyl, this is an impressive looking 12" and the music matches the feel, with the Irish producer presenting a master class in how to build a track, as a complex array of spectral textures weave between one another atop a strident kick drum. It is the moment where the bass line emerges from the nether regions and dissipates into one glorious arpeggiated lead that grabs your senses wholly. Two men of the moment in Conforce and Claro Intelecto offer their own takes on the B Side, with the former's relentless jack hammer through brooding electro complemented by the altogether more serene dubby scraping of the latter.

Review: It's been quite a while since Lawrence has appeared on the Dial imprint he founded with Messrs Jost and Turner, and while he's not exactly been slacking with appearances on Mule, Pampa, Smallville and Dial offshoot Laid, it's nice to see the man known as Peter M. Kersten back on familiar territory with the Etoile Du Midi EP. Trademark Lawrence nuances are in restrained abundance across each of the three tracks here, such as the skipping, gloopy groove of the title track that playfully hints at concrete jack amidst the crystalline textures. Alongside this "Creator" sees Lawrence in a looser mood, drawing out increasingly hypnosis inducing circles of melody over a locked groove that gradually gets dominated by the shimmering clouds of chords that appear overhead.

Review: Loco Dice and Martin Buttrich's revered German imprint Desolat revisit Tessa, last year's well received debut LP from Berliner tINI, in the best possible way - enlisting Planet E's Carl Craig to let loose on one of the album's highlights. Already quite a potent track, "My Shine" is elevated by the touch of Craig to all new levels, streamlining the groove into some kind of liquefied futurism which builds with effervescence into a thumping mass of gloopy, peak time excellence. Complementing this, fellow Desolat acolytes Pulshar transform "Mine Has A Shower" into a restrained journey through the expanses of glowering dub techno.

Review: It's always pleasing to see major-league players making a nod to their roots and revisiting the music that makes them truly excited, and this is no more apparent than with Groove Armada's request to do this EP on Hypercolour. Admittedly they've picked a canny time to get back into 90s flavoured analogue house, but context aside, they've served up four very workable belters for the floor. "Stevie Latenight" is particularly addictive with its teasing flurries of organ and drawn out restraint. "There Was Rhythm" sounds more like typical Armada fodder with its yearning vocal and direct chords, while "Luv 91" gets more stripped down and sexy with woozy synth lines and abstract vocal slices.

Review: Although Ricardo Villalobos had already appeared on Raum Musik under the RiRom moniker together with Roman Flugel, the Baby EP is his first full release for the label. The title track sees a firm kick and wood block snares forming the backbone for a drifting piano chord and sensual vocals which lead to a climax of delightfully glitchy vocoder. On the flip, "hansup" takes on a tougher groove, as sprung bass and minimal house stabs are joined by ethereal chords and twisted vocal samples.