Juno Recommends Techno: July 2024

Review: Overmono's reimagining of The Streets' classic 'Turn The Page' is a technofied marvel, delivering a pulsating journey that pays homage to the original while carving out its own unique identity. Retaining Mike Skinner's distinctive vocals and UKG essence, Overmono infuses the track with a darker, more relentless energy. The bassline is pronounced, driving the groove forward with unwavering intensity, while tempo shifts add an ecstatic dimension to the experience. The result is a captivating blend of nostalgia and innovation, perfectly suited for dancefloors craving a modern twist on a beloved anthem.

Review: Pye Corner Audio shows off his love of acid on the first of two EPs for Emotional Response that drop simultaneously. This first one is his debut on the label and comes with a gorgeous cover that perfectly encapsulates the sounds within. 'Dust Acid' is a sparse cut with dusty drums and meandering basslines that slowly sink you in, then 'Magnetic Acid Two,' which like all of these was recorded live, is another expertly reduced brew of murkiness with plenty of frayed edges and vintage analog sounds. 'Wanna Show U Acid' is a late-night acid dream and 'Magnetic Acid Four' shuts down slightly more bite. Four timeless backroom cuts, make no mistake.

Review: Hidden Sequence return to lempuyang for the first in a two part release, collaborating with Milly James. The first 12" features original vocal versions of 'Legends' and 'All I Need', presented alongside a reduced dub and a beautiful, summer-ready deep house-tinged remix from HS captain Paul Simmons.

Review: The next level beat maker and sound designer that is Skee Mask returns to long-time home label Ilian Tape with another bold and brilliant album, Resort. It's an album that expands on the artist's usual sound with fusions of celestial ambient, IDM sound design and lithe, rhythmic techno drums. There are breakbeats on 'Reminiscrmx' backlit by heavenly pads, 'Schneiders Paradox' is marbled with zippy pads and raw drum hits, 'BB Care' glistens with a futuristic glow and 'Holzl Was A Dancer' slips into a shuffling, UKG tinged dub house pumper. It's a wild, wonderful ride that reaches all new levels for this already accomplished producer.

Review: Bristol's cultured Innate label is back with a first outing of the year and it returns to their various artists format with a mix of talents all making their mark. UK veteran Tom Churchill opens up with 'Unknown Unknowns (Edit)', which brings plenty of fuzzy and lo-fi aesthetic to jacked up drums and spaced-out pads. Rai Scott then shows her class with 'Suasion' that sinks down deep into immersive drums and is subtly lit up with simmering strings. Innate co-founders Owain K and Gilbert then hook-up under their brand new alias Curved Space and showcase their love of electro with 'Reverie,' a dreamy cut that glows with nice celestial melodies and will have dance floors in a zoned-out state. Last of all it's Lisbon mainstay Jorge Caiado who debuts with the chord-laced 'Floating Without Lifting,' a sophisticated and serene jazz-techno cut that takes you to the stars.

Review: Kolony Gorky is back with a third EP in less than a year that once again offers some stylish and artful rhythmic interpretations. DDrhode & Sohrab are behind this one and it opens with the airy percussive pattern and suspensory loops of deep and deft jam 'Ghoroob' (Kryptic Rhythm) which becomes dusty downbeat and late-night jaunt when served up as the 'Haleeteh?' version. 'Azadi' has the feel of a sixties spy thriller with its mysterious leads and 'Distant Sun' shuts down with some zoned out and loved-up deep house romance. Another hard-to-define but easy-to-love EP from the already vital Kolony Gorky.

Review: Distant Worlds welcomes back Sound Synthesis for a second outing of warm, melodic electro. The longstanding producer commands stark attention with his unique blend of snappy drums, unaffected synth sequencings and ample headroom ekes, all of which combine to reveal an increasing, slow-burning sophistications as the tracks develop. 'Unification Of Harmony' refuses to prepare us for its sci-fi bass-contrapuntal gut-punch of emotion occurring after its breakdown, while 'Dear Ballacid' gets generative with things, utilising wompy Reeses and rattling, randomised topper elements.

Review: The superb Philoxenia Records, which is spearheaded by Luigi Di Venere and Neu Verboten, here unveils a coveted addition to its collection with the the super limited Last Place On Earth EP from Vilnius-based Dovydas Platakis aka Jokios Kulturos. It's a cinematic work that immerses listeners in a dystopian realm that blends avant-garde tones with manga-inspired cyberpunk vibes. Each track serves as a gateway to a world where technological progress intertwines with societal decline, which is of course often the focus of classic cyberpunk literature. Di Venere and Verboten also combine under their Affekt Unit alias to deliver captivating remixes and bring trance and tribal techno elements to the party.

Review: Christian AB's 'Nu Life' is a curious record indeed; a wonky mixture of detuned, faded sonic clotted-creams and sunset refractions shone off car bonnets; such are the images it conjures. From the opening glut of wonky rhythmatics and rotary-cabinet choruses of 'Outta Phase' - on which the artist playfully, nominally teases the listener by references to the track's tasteful stereo out-phasing - to the juddering solar flare that is 'Bluescreen', on which bunsen burners flagrate hot to the point of a dazzling blue flame - this is an EP of evidently solar-spiritual jams, reminiscent of a persona that finds its core inspiration somewhere between Hieroglyphic Being and Roy Of The Ravers.

Review: Four tribal techno tracks ideal for deep cave dwelling ravers. 'Exoskeleton' opens with primal tribal techno, seamlessly blending dark prog house and techno themes. Its hypnotic rhythms and brooding atmosphere set the tone. 'Sauve Moi' follows, offering a sensual mix of tribal and organic sounds, combining deep house and techno elements. Side-2 kicks off with 'Lick Your Soul,' a stomping techno track with a robotic build and relentless energy. This piece drives forward with an unyielding pulse, perfect for high-energy moments on the dancefloor. Closing the EP, 'Body Whispers' brings a loopy, percussive tribal groove that is both infectious and deep, ensuring listeners are left entranced by its rhythmic complexity.

Review: Matthew Oh steps up to Outlaw with four more cuts of serious techno action. 'Unseen' opens ups with a gurgling blend of bas, synths and indecipherable voices that sound futuristic and otherworldly. 'Submerged' is a deep, swampy, dark brew of languid basslines and creepy pads that have you looking over your shoulder and 'Transition' then brings light with some more bright pads and an upbeat but dubbed out mid-tempo rhythm. 'Voices' is the final piece of this most singular techno puzzle and is a lithe dub with whispered voices pacing about up top to paranoid effect.

Review: Producer Oscar Mulero returns to Warm Up with a new full-length record, topping up the latest editions of the WUBC specials series. Though an LP, this one assumes a utilitarian form, laying down many functional and floor-ready techno iterations yet finding almost equally as much joy in the sci-fi ideaspace that ensconces techno at large. Case in point is the Blade Runner reference that makes up the title; then there's the establishing pitilessnesses of opener 'Disapear Inside', which sounds like waking up in a deserted Nostromo, alien still stalking the place; then among the techno numbers proper reign 'Take The Pleasures From The Serpent', which basks in a musky low-end cloud, and 'One More Kiss', which dares to move glassier and brittler, incorporating floaty pads and snappy claps.

Review: Not everyone 'gets' house. First, there are those who dismiss it as mindless 4x4 schlock; then, even amongst those who ostensibly enjoy the moods that the genre lays down, there are still individuals who fail to appreciate the subtleties that glue the spaces between the beats, or the musicality that holds the tunes together as opposed the lacks thereof that might make them flop. Whatever the case, Calisto's Definitive Classic (TM) 'Get House' is an ahead-of-its-time house pioneers' artifact, coming as an early example of what some might call tech house, albeit nowadays most would simply assume is acid or breakbeat. Indeed, to truly be able to appreciate the differences betweem genres, you have to just, you know, kinda, just 'get it'.

Review: Jeff Mills' The Trip is an audacious exploration of musical landscapes that marries the unexpected with the familiar, creating a sonic journey that is as unpredictable as it is moving. The album, which evolved from a concept first introduced in 2009, comes alive with its 2023 live performance in Tokyo, showcasing Mills' skill in weaving together elements from different musical eras and styles. In tracks like 'Contradiction (Silent Shadow Mix),' snippets of a pad burst through the mix, underscoring the tension and release that characterize the album. Jun Togawa's vocals add a raw emotional layer, enhancing the dramatic interplay between fast-paced drumming and evocative melodies. Unsettling yet serene, The Trip encapsulates a dynamic range of emotions, from the unnerving rush of 'When Time Stops' to the robust rock guitar in 'Long Radio.' This album is not just a collection of tracks but a narrative of perpetual motion and change, reflecting the thrilling unpredictability of life itself and the wonder of experiencing moments anew.

Review: The most recent release by Primary [colours] is one of the most exciting dub techno records we've heard this year so far. The label calls upon the talented Scottish artist Stillhead along with a little remix help from friends Mike Schommer and Echo Inspectors. Like the name would suggest, 'Hibernate', is stark and brisk, with layered deepness between the field recording background and the subsequent techno that arises from the cold. The result is a hypnotizing trek into the unsure and ominous. 'Roll Dub' on the opposite hand is steeped in traditional dub elements and certainly warms things up with some respect to the island. On the second side, Deepchord legend Mike Schommer creates a more straightforward and melodic version that sneaks up on you with an underlying energy. Echo Inspectors add their own unique view of the track and reimagine it as a more ambient dub expression. As an added addition, 'Iden' rounds the EP out with a dense chord progression that floats underneath a gentle downtempo track. This EP gives every dub techno fan something to like.

Review: Al Wootton's Albacete Knife EP delves into the essence of tribal techno, fusing sparse but powerful rhythms with evocative soundscapes. The title track, 'Albacete Knife,' features a tribal groove with a minimal yet compelling break, crafting a hypnotic and immersive experience. 'Bracero Rising' blends organic techno with a hint of dub, adding an island flavor that is both haunting and tribal. 'Midnight Paseo' offers a more upbeat, rolling deep techno vibe with chimes and eerie aboriginal vocals, creating a vivid journey to a lost tribe. Finally, 'Magic Fire' brings deep bass music and dub elements, rounding out the EP with a dense, atmospheric touch. Wootton's skill in merging organic sounds with modern techno is making a buzz in the scene and from this EP, it's understandable.

Review: Named after the classic Czech sci-fi animated film of the same name, veteran producer DIN returns as the nextmost focus of the Coming From Returning To label, who offer up a fresh reissue of his 1992 techno classic. Then five good years into the alias (DIN was formed in 1987), producer Pupka Frey began making his distinct brand of electro-disko as a personal exploration of futuristic and analog dance textures. This EP is an 'artificial' alt soundtrack to the movie, which was otherwise histrionic and over-funky for the tastes of most techno enjoyers. Highlights here have got to be the glassy 'B-Minis' and the opening 'Travesty' (the tune's ironically anything but).

Review: By far one of the most inventive deep techno releases we've encountered in recent years - one that can no less still command the pace and expectations of a driven dancefloor - Ahmet Altinbas blows us away with 'Verlucent'. We'd hazard a guess that 'verlucent' is a portmanteau of 'vermillion' and 'translucent', but the irony is - and we're sure anyone with synaesthesia can attest to this - that this one ripples a brilliant blue, not a virulent cinnabar red. Perhaps Altinbas can set the record straight; whatever the case, opener 'Waves' is a fantastic track, seeming to sinusoidally collapse the many Thames barriers blocking off sound wave and ocean wave with its squeezy top-end ebullitions, which sound like bubble and froth collecting on the top layer of a tide. Second only to this is 'Serenese', which captures a push-pull groove through hotly restrained hats and marred backing pads, suggesting an unbreathable but beautiful ocean voyage. Sub-dirged.

Review: Clut deliver a specialised clout-glut with a fresh split EP from rising artist Alric Aerial, who here teams up with yet another artist who's so far flown under the label's radar - Electrodynamique. Here the pair deliver four electro-dancefloor tracks primed for every situation: sleazy bar, backlit festival stage, ironic doomsday scenario, you name it. This EP's cascading sixteenths flow like metallic droplets, their acid lines and FM blurps splurging forth with increasing restlessness and impertinence, and decreasing self-control. Particularly squelchy is Aerial's 'Tough Cuts', which moves trigger-happy on the cutoff filter whilst dungeon-bound sine tones splay across the top edges of the track, like ectoplasms left behind after a string of Zeno's paradoxes have been solved. 'We Are The City' by Electrodynamique indulges a final emery note, abrading its curveball electro mix to a grinding, apocalyptic oblivion.

Review: Stereometrix takes care of the first release on new label Tread A Measure and boy does he come through. His cultured Fall EP is a deep exploration of liquid techno landscapes that draw on cosmic energy, psychedelic colours and evolving synth patterns to melt your mind whether in the club or at home. There are downbeat and melancholic cuts like 'Fall', serene and soulful percolators like 'IO' and twisted sonics for afterparty freakouts like 'A2', while 'Glitch' is a collage of ghostly sounds and warped pads to close out this top-class EP.

Review: The prolific Dutch powerhouse that is Conforce (aka Versalife aka Boris Bunk amongst other things) is in techno mode here with this new green-marbled 12" on Syncrophone. Commuting Part 1 opens with the quick-stepping and deep dub techno rhythms of 'Octave Echoes' which is delightfully fluid. 'Stable Velocity' then bids up impossible smooth dub loops and watery pads into something buoyant and stirring both physically and emotionally, and 'Self Assessment' then ups the pace with thudding, infectious kicks and plenty of rippling synth details. 'Highway Hypnosis takes a more paranoid and stripped-back approach and closes out Conforce's finest EP in some time.

Review: London-based Lewi Boome brings his class to this new release on Well Street, strictly limited to just 100 copies so you better act fast! 'Dust Devil' opens with a deft touch - the pinging synth lines and airy drum loops suspending you in a tripped-out world of futurism. That cerebral style continues through the lithe and elegant, dubbed-out rhythms of 'Etched Alive' and the more unsettling moods of jungle-techno cut 'Tumble', complete with distant bird calls and humid pads. 'Deep Shear' rounds out with a little more low-end grit as the fourth and final cut on a superb EP.

Review: Ohm Series #10 continues to be a shining example of the remarkable work being done in the dub techno genre, consistently featuring top-tier producers who excel in their craft. On Side-1, Monomood kicks things off with 'Spring In Space,' a track that boasts deep sub-bass hits and long, blending chords. Its strong kick and clean production make it a powerful example of dub techno at its finest. Following this, Octal Industries delivers 'Rewind Repeat,' a piece that layers epic strings and a soaring melody over an abstract broken beat. Powerful and evocative! Side-2 opens with G-Prod and Taho's'"Light Forest,' an uptempo dub techno track with a techy edge. Its smooth production and dancefloor-ready vibe make it a seamless fusion of technical prowess and groove. Closing out the release is Gradient's 'Track 4,' which offers classic dub techno sounds. Gradient's exceptional craftsmanship is evident in this track, which epitomizes the lush textures and hypnotic rhythms that define the genre. Overall, Ohm Series #10 upholds its reputation by delivering high-quality dub techno that resonates with both purists and new listeners alike. This release is an ideal example to the innovative spirit of the genre.

Review: Drumcode presents the second iteration of their soon-to-be-long-running 'Elevate' series, which in their usual audacious fashion features no less than eight label debutantes take the reigns on huge room techno production duties. The compilation's manifesto is simple: platform a broader range of emerging artists on Drumcode and help elevate the next generation to make strides in their careers. With that, we have the delight of selecting our picks of the bunch (all personal preference, of course, though you can trust our picks are educated guesses): in this case, it's got to be the slightly wonky and out-of-the-ordinary ones, those being Simina Grigoriu's 'Global Soldier' and Marie Vaunt's 'ADSR'.

Review: Swiss artist Chlar's last EP Optimized Grooves was a standout success across the techno world and it marked a significant step for the fast-rising producer after fine outings on labels like Iceland's NIX and Stranger's Self Reflektion imprint. His full-throttle style is continually evolving as his latest offering, the Intrinsic Drive EP shows. 'Dopamine Rush' kicks off with fast techno beats and hypnotic synths, 'Intrinsic Drive' weaves tightly packed drums, bass, and alien sound designs, 'For Marco' intensifies with darker kicks and eerie synths, while 'Steady Pace' adds swing with crisp hits and vocal fragments. 'Greedy Man' offers industrial undertones with skewed synths to end on yet another stylish banger.