Juno Recommends Electro: July 2024

Review: We sit here in high summer enjoying some warming rays, but soon the long days will fade and the glow will be less bright. It is that feeling which is captured in this new electro EP from ERP on Apnea. It's been crafted with great care and attention to every sonic detail and 'Les Amble' is the opener to get things underway with its snappy beats and nostalgic memories. 'Miami Nice' has a playful zip to it and glistening melodies backed by diffuse chords. 'Comfortable Pants' has hazy half-remembered melodies and is doused in a fuzzy warmth while 'Summer Nights' has a more phencyclidine rhythm and fleshy bassline.

Review: Return To Disorder welcomes Evighet Records label head Marco Bruno for some brilliantly controlled sonic chaos on this new electro exploration. His Sharp Focus EP brings together ambient, breaks and techno to snappy electro rhythms of the sort that he has already showcased in style on labels such as Blueprint Records and Machine. This one opens with the sleek, future-facing and speedy sounds of 'Storyteller' before 'Values Over Ego' gets more textured and raw with knick-snapping hits and prying synth lines making for real turbulence. 'Twist Of Fate' is a jungle workout that ducks and dives on warped bass and 'Karmic Pattern' is a slow but textural and intense closer with rueful chords.

Review: Germany's Die Gestalten amounts to far greater than the sum of his influences, a fact which once again proven by his latest record 'Ruhe In Frieden' ('Rest In Peace'), a sweet and mournful electro tune the likes of which we have never heard before. An unsettling tune, its live rendition here takes the unusual step of bringing wake-bound tiny violins to a skittery electro jaunt, amounting to the kind of vinyl-pressed funereal object we only imaged we'd need in a distant future, as opposed to now (when funeral services are still occupied by overtly human forces - no matter - that'll all change come the ensuing cyborg revolution). Who knew that a disc on a turntable could express this much grief? Sure, they've slipped into the other room; no-one dared guess said room wasn't a dancefloor...

Review: We're all the Richer for having listened to this one. On 'Electrik Damage', the Roma-based producer focuses on the classic sound-waves of synthpop and electro, merging the two for a uniquely 8-bitty-itty journey in cyberspatial sound. As if bowling down the gradated green wormholes of cyberspace as might have been imagined in an 80s sci-fi TV-movie, opener 'Electrocute Me' pits pumpingly sidechained saws against soarer video-game melodies, to ecstatic effect; 'Lectrocardiograma' does similarly as much, but rather scans down to the body, envisaging a new form of electro-echoic heart scanning technology. Then there's the hilariously titled 'ElectroVISION at Fashion TV', which sonically imagines a totally posthuman catwalk, and 'Ritmo Electronico', which errs most bloopy to the chip-tune of tremolo'ing twizzles, brash beats and low robot mutterings-under-breath.

Review: After its initial release on vinyl on Omar S's FXHE last summer, Diners Club International have put together a new CD version of Hi Tech's Dttwat album featuring some new bonus cuts. It's a stylish blend of Motor City beats, ghetto energy and r&b vocals that all get cut up and chopped and spliced into short, quickfire but potent tunes that make a lasting impact. A wide range of guest vocals come from Cheapskate Skutta, Dastardly Kids, Nlghind and many more so these beats brim with colour and character. With the added bonus cuts this is a must-cop CD direct from the D.

Review: Drivecom's latest release, a 2xLP album, feature new tracks meticulously reworked from 2022-23. This collection is a sonic homage to past works like La Hora de las Maquinas and The Source by Boris Divider, yet it features a modern production twist. The album kicks off with 'The Way You Feel Me,' blending electro and synthwave with moog bass and arpeggios reminiscent of Arpanet. Following this, 'Letters From A Sleeper' evokes a postnuclear future with its prominent synthline. 'Distante' introduces slower BPMs, combining J. Carpenter-inspired synths with vintage digital rhythms. On Side-2 'You Know What I Know' recalls the signature sound of La Hora de las Maquinas with its sequential prophet's arpeggio. 'Sin Mirar Atras' stands out as a deeply introspective piece rich with vintage synths and reverb. 'Your Light' reappears as a future electro classic. 'Recursos Infinitos' offers a Tangerine Dream-esque instrumental interlude before the dark, dystopian 'Cenital' channels Vangelis' Blade Runner. The title track, 'Memories From The Dust,' merges 80s digital keyboard sounds with the album's overarching themes. The closing track, 'Out of Sync,' features intentionally misaligned synthlines recorded in one take.

Review: Proper euphoric tune-tutelage from the Ajaccio label Digital Finesse, a good name for the label for sure. Run by Jimmy Batt, Digital Finesse's M.O. encompasses curt EPs as well as multitrack V/As, polished and readied for maximum credo. 'I Bastardi Aiaccini' is one of the latter, a six-track compendium fleshing the best one-offs from their personal roster, all while accelerating and hyper-modernising the classic electro and Italo sounds native to the Mediterranean. Beginning with the crisp, hyperactive, arpeggio-heavy metrosexual fascinator 'Electromotion', we then move into the comparatively gradated boxer 'Concorde' by Human Aventura, before rounding off the A on a note of bursting acid innovation, the instrumental version of Pasqua Pancrazi's 'Danesi'. The B opens on a note of sleaze-funk with the speedy 'Sein Cirque Les Poppies' from Blinkduus Dischetto, before going full-throttle dystopi-speed by way of a minimal but no less driven flat-beat cutup from Monica Venturella, 'Page Not Found'. Orso's 'Bastardo' flaunts the more experimental ends of the label's capacity, with 'Bastardo' hearing motifs of IT-hardcore get plunged into more-than-smokey scourings of Reese and sizzle.

Review: This is a new CD version including bonus tracks of Hi Tech's self-titled album which comes here on Diners Club International but first landed on Omar S's FXHE. It is a full ghetto tech workout with pumped-up booty-bouncing beats that traverse a wide range of tempos. The high energy highlights come thick and fast with the likes of 'Big Prism' riding on juke beats, 'Milf Milo' bringing some lithe synth chords and raw claps and 'I Swear It's A Bop' (feat KAYY & ALLGIRLSALLOWED) featuring broken drum patterns, glistening synth stabs and r&b vocals full of soul.

Review: Coqueto Records introduce the third edition of its Various Artists techno series with a robotic one, shepherding the talents of Brian Topham, Acid Charlie, Rufo and Rambal Cochet into one effusive, overflowing field of talent. All tracks here channel that sense of primal radical jank for which the Spaniards are known; kicking off with Topham's 'Dissolved In Ether', a set-starter of EBM-alyptic proportions (giant gated snare, tick; low metallic stereo skreaks, tick; monotone decepticon vocoder grumbles, tick), the palette is well maintained thereafter; Charlie's 'Everything Counts' dives headfirst into the oubliette with sparse dungeon synth strings and Italo vocal gates; Rufo's 'Palta Market' takes the first trance detour with a surprise swerve into a root-noted reverie; and Rambal Cochet helms up the B-sider's curio duties with the percussive fog-out that is 'Catalyst Powder'.

Review: Human Rebellion & Power's 'Fake Reality' EP on Midi Mode Records delivers five heavy electro tracks for the headstrong. Side-1 starts with the title track, a dark, brooding piece with intense vibes, followed by 'Rabbit Hole,' a nod to Detroit electro with influences from genre greats. On Side-2, 'I'm A Freak,' is a chord-driven techno track with an electric, vibrant acid line that will have listeners eyes wide open in awe. 'Human Squad' stands out as a favorite, featuring a robotic and danceable bassline. Closing the EP, the 'Fake Reality' (Nite Fleit remix) offers a powerful reimagining of the original, making this EP a solid addition to any electro enthusiast's collection.

Review: Coeur De Glace on DKO Records (DKO 34) delivers four fantastic electro tracks, each with unique influences and directions. Side-1 kicks off with Binary Digit's 'U Want Dis,' an exuberant, high-energy track that pays homage to old-school rave with its lively vocal samples. Fasme's 'Morning' follows, blending smooth electro with soft keys and a whimsical AFX melody for a perfect combination. Side-2 features GGGG's 'La Cueillette,' a feel-good, fun and melodic electro tune. The EP concludes with Mud Deep & Sans-Qui's 'Mesonyx,' offering IDM goodness reminiscent of Rephlex, Squarepusher, and AFX. Coeur De Glaceis a vibrant and diverse collection, sure to delight fans of electro and techno.

Review: German artist Martin Matiske's musical journey began under the mentorship of DJ Hell, who introduced him to the decks at Gigolo label nights in Munich in 1999. Inspired by pioneers like Kraftwerk and Jean Michel Jarre, Matiske started producing for International Deejay Gigolo Records and later for Frustrated Funk, Bordello A Parigi, and the Central Processing Unit. His new EP has already had support from Dave Clarke and Helena Hauff, including for the standout track 'Moments', which blends ice-cold snares with celestial pads and retro-future synths. Legowelt's remix of 'Moments' adds an astral electro vibe, while 'Dimensional Space Travel' and 'Analogue Being' explore cinematic electro with nostalgic, playful tones.

Review: Ilian Tape is back with a new entry into their ITX Series and as always it comes with four interesting but unhelpful keywords from the Munich crew themselves: Mind-expanding Spaceship Customer Support. The music sure is cosmic and mind-expanding from Struciton, who opens with the thrilling breakbeats of 'Just' which are wired up with fizzing synths and whirring machine noises. 'Flip' then gets busy with a nimble rhythm and bright, pixelated synth sequences and spangled percussion. 'Givven' strips things back a little to a more deep and dubbed-out but still vital groove while 'Sunray' is a mind-melting deep space trip. Unique as always, this one.

Review: For many an older raver, Artificial Intelligence will always be best known as the title of a seminal early Warp compilation. This label of the same name is slowly doing a fine job of establishing itself as a great outlet for brilliant new electro. Plenty of different styles are all explored with RTR's 'Waev' kicking off on a high-speed tip. Elsewhere Low Tape's 'Articelectro' slow things down to a rugged rhythm with woodpecker hits and singing pads, Principles Of Geometry gets pensive with the undulations of 'Dreampler' and Yaporigami's 'Custodian Of Ambience' is a heavenly blend of celestial synth work.

Review: The Aspecto Humano label's next outing is by a project headed up by the founders themselves under their Florida Cancer alias. It's music that combines several influences and inspirations from techno to New Beat to EBM. The opener 'Graveyard' is all squealing synths and menacing drums, and there is plenty more darkness, soot and raw texture to 'Amici Miei' which is lit up by strobe-like synths. 'Colony' has a more chugging tempo with twang synths and slapping drums. 'Ghost Dance' closes down the EP with spiralling lines and coarse drums, fragments of vocal and a general sense of dystopia.

Review: Russian label Analog Concept introduces a new electro venture here, all the way from Sweden and helmed by seasoned artists Alexander Johansson and Mattias Fridell. Under this new Unwonted moniker, they channel their expertise into melancholic, warm, vocal-driven electro music that leans on Detroit techno, electro, and hip hop. The rather excellent track 'A Moment Like This' evokes a dystopian, retro-romantic future that wanders through a desolate, crumbling cityscape, contemplating distant memories and the stark reality of the present moment. This composition encapsulates their narrative-driven approach and mixes up evocative atmospheres with a nostalgic yet forward-thinking musical palette.

Review: D Strange & Huey Mnemonic hail from the American Mid-West and certainly bring plenty of the usual tropes of their homeland to this new EP. It's defined by a rather moody narrative with Huey kicking things off with the glistening synths and scurrying baselines of electro-funker 'Black Manta Corps'. His second cut 'Red Alert' is defined by an unsettling siren that loops up and down while the freaky pads and old-school electro drums power on. D Strange then steps up to the flip with the more fast and furious sounds of 'Exoframe' and the turbocharged dystopia of 'Drapetomania.'

Review: Lovers of electro clash will be hyped by this reissue of some classics of the genre from Break 3000. They come from a specific time between 1998 and 2003 on red vinyl and mark the final chapter of the label's current reissue project. The A-side features Break 3000's remix for Germany's Pocketgame label in 2003, part of the We Are He-Man EP alongside a renowned Legowelt remix. Next, the dark electro track The Wait' appeared on Pocketgame's 'Bonuslevel One - North and South' compilation in 2003. The B-side showcases earlier releases 'Electric Blue' and 'Spacemachinenreise' and 'Lectrolite #2' on Break 3000's 'Casa Nova' imprint in 1999, which marked the start of his electro journey.

Review: German rabbit-hole techno pushers Miroloja are on a self-described 'hot streak', evidently having found a wave and continuing to stick with it. Now kicking off the Ninja imprint with its debut 12" comes this fantastic four-tracker, designed to leave minds bent, and bodies similarly torqued. Indeed, 'funky twisted music' is the label's strapline for this one, but "funky" lands as more of a feeling than a form. The beats here are really rather straight and unswung, allowing ample room for its many breakbeat through-girds and decorative acid echoings-out. The first two track titles come peppered with whoreson zeds at their ends, playing up the zany, zinging zones of Miroloja's zhared zound; the B-siders, meanwhile, do us a 'Solid' with a brief coupling of deeper-into-the-dance 'Flavours', the latter track of which is a real head-addler to say the least.

Review: Longhair steps up to the London label Opia with four more fresh cuts of future-facing electro. Up first is the zippy brilliance of '7up' with its fizzing lines and splashy hi-hats. 'Lunchbox' is another cracker with burrowing synth lines and lots of percussive energy that adds to the bumping bass. 'Salty Context' gets busy with a more trippy synth style that takes you to the stars over corrugated beats and 'Surf & Turf' closes out with a mix of all of the above plus some loon bird class, shiny bells and organic drum sounds.