Juno Recommends Minimal / Tech House: June 2024

Review: Thisisnegentropy's fourth outing looks all the way to Bangkok's own DOTT who runs the More Rice Record store in Bangkok and has studio skills to spare. He heads down a minimal path here with 'Dem Swing' a kinetic mix of dry hits and well swung kicks and tripped-out FX. 'Mind Designer' then gets deeper, with more lovely hits this time landing on tight drum patterns that are detailed with whirring synths and chopped-up vocals. The flip side is taken up by 'Trouser In The Heat', a more manic cut with dense percussive layers and edgy synths that never settle and always keep you guessing. Another fine statement from this top Thai talent.

Review: A new special edition release from Traumer is always worth hearing, especially when it has been two years since the last one. This one is another perfect masterclass in precise, stripped back grooves and it come son limited edition hand stamped 12". Opener 'Would We' is a dubbed out and loopy affair with nice deft chord smears, then 'Six's Vibe' picks up the pace with a more busy and driven drum line but still its of lush dub chords. 'Attenuation' closes out with another smooth causing groove that is warmed by the deft pad work and exudes real machine soul.

Review: Omakase, which is the name of a style of Japanese dining that means literally 'I leave it up to you' and gives full control of a meal to the chef in question, is also now an ever more vital minimal label. This is its third outing and one with Antraum at the helm. It kick off with 'Hyaku' with its bluesy vocal samples and lazy, infectious drum loops, then has 'Shichi' has more silky and spaced out pads and smooth grooves. 'Rei' is a dreamy one with balmy chords making for a trippy late night day dream and is the sort of track that will zoned out dance floors at 5 am. A tasteful EP for sure.

Review: Welcome to the brand new Thirst label which launches itself into the world of vinyl with a tasteful first outing from two names who will be more than familiar to any house and tech heads. Kepler and Wickham have long been mainstays on plenty of cultured labels are show their class here: opener 'The Recipe' is a physical house cut with a warped low and lively percussive splatters over the drums. 'Octa' is a more uptempo jam with knick-snapping hits and metallic beats, 'Represent' is a perfect fusion of textured drums and loopy bass that has a subtle sense of bounce and last of all 'Free Your Mind' (Deep mix) brings some syrupy pads and smart spoken words to paired back house drums.

Review: Functional house experts Toolroom are back with Toolroom Sampler Vol 11 which is again packed with maximal club cuts for big dancefloors. Martin Ikin's 'Make U Sweat' is indeed sweet tech that never stops pumping under libidinous vocals. Flashmob's 'My Body' is loopy and manic tech with peak time intent and Nathan Barato and Matheo Velez offer up the macho grooves of 'Weapon.' Last of all, Jenn Getz & Alfie offer another slight tweak on try Toorloom sound with the grey and gritty white knuckle beats of 'Vibration.' A great EP for working DJs looking for instant impact.

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Kepler is a man on fire right now - well, he has been for some time in fact. As well as serving up a new collaborative outing with Burnski, he has also put together this solo EP for Pilot. 'Zone' is a twitchy tech cut with bleeping melodies over silvery and silky tech drums. 'Good 2 Me' has a naughty shuffle to it as the crisp drums bring the infectious groove and the smart vocals add human colour. 'The Beat' kicks off the B-side with a nice squelchy bassline and some rude-boy sonic signifiers while 'Back Moving' then has a lovely low-slung swaying funk to it.

Review: FUSE London may be 16 years old, but this 12" inch is - somewhat remarkably - the label's first multi-artist EP. To kick-start their new compilation style series, the much-loved imprint has gathered up a quartet of cuts from an eye-catching array of artists. Heist regular Nachtbraker steps up first with 'Banda', an intergalactic-sounding hybrid of tech-house, deep house and nu-disco sounds, before Rob Amboule steals the show with the bleeping electro-meets-twisted electronic funk brilliance of 'Capnhat'. Rising star Reflex Blue joins the dots between sub-heavy UK tech-house and turn-of-the-90s bleep & bass on the superb 'Life's a Bleep', while Mario Liberti reaches for mutilated rap samples and heady organ stabs on the 'Plastic Dreams'-inspired 'We Are The N&B'.

Review: US label Nervous played a key part in shaping emerging hue sounds of the 90s and beyond. It is as active now as ever, working with new artists but also reissuing the classics. One of those classics is 'Everybody Wants To Be Somebody' which here gets offered up as a new version by Classmatic vs Ruffneck feat Yavahn. The original hooky vocals feature with some piano stabs and turbocharged tech beats. It's likely to do damage this summer and comes as an instrumental for those who like it more paired back.

Review: ILDEC is a perfect match for the cosmic odysseys served up by the superb Sex Tapes From Mars label and here unveils a four-track journey where each piece acts as a stellar beacon in the realm of groove. Ildec's blend of thudding drums, warbling basslines, and tingling synth leads transcends conventional techno's usual boundaries and adds plenty to root 90s influences while blurring terrestrial and extraterrestrial boundaries. There is a great depth to 'Pesadillas,' hypnotic propulsion to 'Listo Para El Space' and weightless disco-inspired allure to 'Dai Fra' which all make for fresh listening and dancefloor fun. 'You High' serves as both an anthem and proclamation, celebrating electronic music's boundless potential for transcendence.

Review: CULTED return in trademark force with five wild psych-bangers from luminaries Simple Symmetry, Thomass Jackson, Orchid, Ayala, and Multi Culti boss Thomas Von Party teamed up with Oltrefuturo. A sense of weirdness exudes from these tunes, refusing the common pitfalls of twee chord progressions or underproduction hidden behind rawness; these ones are as high-qual, watery, poured-over as can be, yet also bring with them a real sense of exploration and eccentricity of mood. The utmost case in point is Thomas Van Party & Oltrefuturo's 'Kookoo', a chugging machine-elven carnival of doffed conical hats and gated cute vocals.

Review: Since re-emerging earlier this year, mid-90s Leeds label Hard Times (a spin-off from the now legendary club night of the same name) has released some killer material from Steve 'Silk' Hurley and Eddie Leader. Here they tap up another US house legend, Chicago's inimitable DJ Sneak, for an EP of typically loopy, funky and hard-edged workouts. Sneak lets us settle in with the groovy and attractive loop jam 'You're Mine', before wrapping alien disco strings and held-note chords around a bumpin' beat on 'This One'. He opts for a crunchier, tech-tinged house sound on the gently twisted 'Body Slangin', before rounding off a rock-solid EP via the hybrid acid/deep house/disco-house pressure of 'Deep Undercover'.

Review: Mighty big-room house label Toolroom Trax is back with a sampler EP to showcase what it is all about and where it is at right now. It's a no-frills affair full of tough grooves starting with the Spanish vocal flair of Nausica's 'Se Pone Loca'. D Ramirez shows he still has the skills to pay the bills with the electro house energy of 'Yeah Yeah' then Sllash & Doppe offer up some trippy and hooky vocal sounds on 'Kyrenia'. Saison closes down with a nice vocal roller in the form of the hands-in-the-air gem 'Satisfy The Need.'

Review: Unbound Gravel by Ilija Rudman on Arpanet Records delivers a dynamic blend of electro-infused techno and funk-influenced house tunes. On Side1, 'You Know' pulsates with futuristic energy, propelled by a strong bassline, perfect for igniting the dancefloor. 'Tonight' leans more towards classic house vibes, offering a smooth transition with its groovy beats. For Side-2, 'Don't Stop' channels 80s funk influences into infectious house rhythms, while 'Glow' keeps the momentum going with its lively production and playful vibe. Rudman's knack for crafting dancefloor-ready tracks shines throughout this compilation, making it a must-have for fans of disco house and nu disco.

Review: The unstoppable, irrepressible and untouchable Mr G has got a few bits dropping the smooth and one of them is on his own Phenix G label. This one pretty much does what it says on the tin - Some Dutty Beatz is an EP of raw, heads-down backroom house sounds that are as gritty and dusty as you can imagine. 'Love Appetite G's Out Dub' has a well-deployed vocal in amongst the grimy groove to bring a touch of soul and 'When Ya Bad (Trus Mi)' then brings a little more of a funky and playful rhythm with dubbed out drums and rippling chords. 'Same Ole Sound' is full throttle and raw deep house that thuds on heavy kicks and has impassioned vocal cries for that expert finish.

Review: Andrew Azara's Right On Time EP, released via Cecille Records, is a hot house record eager to work the dancefloor. With a career spanning back to 2017 and releases on esteemed labels like elrow, Origins, and Politics Of Dancing, Azara adds another feather to his cap with this latest release. The EP opens with 'Get It Up,' featuring saturated organic drum grooves, weighty sub bass lines and a fusion of filtered synth licks, vocal chants and tension-building strings. 'Mardigra' follows suit, embracing a classic house feel with a swinging rhythm section and bumpy stab-led bass groove, complemented by gritty stabs and intricately processed vocal cuts. On Side-2, 'De Crezy' introduces a funk-infused walking bass line, dynamic percussion, and subtly unfurling atmospheric tension. The title track, 'Right On Time,' concludes the EP with skippy drums, murky sub bass swells, hazy chords, airy strings, and oscillating resonant synth flutters. Overall, 'Right On Time' is full of well produced soulful house music.

Review: Latvian label Micronica is back in action with another round of its various artists series, shining a light on some emergent talent from the minimal tech house scene. First up on Volume 3 is Daniel Broesecke with 'Black Matter', a swirling, hypnotic joint draped in exquisite synth work. DIN follows that up with the tricky percussive wrangling of 'In Mind' - a quintessential minimal workout if ever we heard one. JNJS brings a little more uptempo funk to 'Thinking About Money' with some playful speech samples woven into the mix and Electricano & Adroit follow a similar approach with their slinky workout 'Space Adrift'.

Review: Photek's masterpiece for the new millennium Solaris catches a repress on Proper recordings. From propulsive, metro-setting opener 'Terminus' to the elegiac, trouble-in-paradise closing synth meditation 'Under The Palms ', Rupert Parkes casually shakes off all expectation with a flurry of infectious head boppers channeling everything from the fragmentary half-step of the nascent broken beat stylie- read: 'Juno' (sic), to the snarling Valve-era techstep of Dillinja and Lemon D on 'Infinity' via Larry Heard's late 90s deep lounge leanings on the peerless 'Mine To Give' (note the similarity in artwork with Heard's Genesis). Solaris is very much a product of its time, the highest praise possible given the early 00s was one of the most amoebic and fluid periods in UK dance music history. It speaks to the undying british dancefloor tendency to allide tempo and atmosphere, casually felling boundaries in genre to create something as reverential as it is innovative. Classiq.

Review: Thomas P. Heckmann is back with a new outing under his Metric System moniker. His return to Kontakt brings fresh house depths with opener 'Velo-City' kicking off in urgent fashion with quickened drums and spoiling synths locking you in. 'Traveller' is a dubbed out cut with a fleshy, liquid low end filled with reverb and echoing hits that disappear off to the horizon. Last of all is 'Soul 440' (Vril remix) which ups the pace and brings sleek dub house energy and majestic cosmic synth details. All three of these are nice and cultured cuts.

Review: After the first volume went down so well it's no wonder we now get treated to The Sound Of Garden Vol 2 Part 2. This various artist affair comes right from the cutting edge of minimal house and tech with Lee Burton opening up in bold, strident, bouncy fashion as he allows zippy acid to flash about his full-bodied beats. Maggio's 'Rolling Phunk' is just that - perfect effective rhythms with machine soul. Jamhar and Franko Lopez then combine for 'Lost Act' which brings more undulating drums and techno-leaning synths before closer Matteo Point shuts down with the future-facing prog pomp of 'Great Weekend.'

Review: Costin RP may be well entrenched in the Romanian scene, but his sound isn't particularly beholden to the assumed Rominimal sound. On his latest missive for Pleasure Zone he demonstrates this perfectly with the limber synth flex of 'Take Eat', the kind of stand out slice of after hours brain fodder which absolutely deserves its own side of vinyl to stretch out on. The flip side cut is pointedly titled 'Last Moments Of Sunset' and while the balmy, woozy sound may well sink into the horizon comfortably you could just as easily picture it working a warm-up slot in a club or lighting the way through a murky after hours set.

Review: A nostalgic journey back to the early 90s hip-house scene in Italy and the UK, reminiscent of the vibrant days of early raves. Side-1 kicks off with 'Dancing Queen,' a hip house track that channels the energy of Disco Magic UK tracks from the early 90s, featuring vocals from Queen Latifah. 'Jack You Out The Box' follows suit, delivering a classic hip-house vibe that's sure to get bodies moving on the dancefloor. Flipping over to Side-2, 'She's A Whaaat?' presents a jacking house beat and groove, accompanied by catchy lyrics from Missy Elliott layered on top. Closing the EP is 'Bass Face,' a slamming dance track characterised by deep bass and infectious energy. Overall, Upgrade EP is a must-listen for fans of early 90s hip-house, offering a collection of tracks that capture the essence and excitement of that era while infusing it with fresh energy and style.

Review: French label Daydream continues to quietly and brilliantly go about its classy deep house business here with a new various artists' EP for its 18th outing. Thomas Wood kicks off with the cavernous, warming dub house of 'Luminous Path' while Valen's 'Deep Mystery' ups the pace a little with more lithe, sleek drum patterns and swirling, heady pads. Ali Demir & Valde's 'Abstract' is another heady house sound with cosmic pads and distant melodies all bring the future feels. Venda's 'Ghosts' closes down with paddy drums and suspensory chords for those 4 am sessions when you're utterly lost in the moment.

Review: Maceo Plex has managed to pivot this alias from accessible house cuts with creamy basslines into a far more interesting project that explores astral techno with a range of different influences from sci-fi to wave to the sounds of the 80s. That has never been better exemplified than on '93, his expansive album on his Lone Romantic label. It features emo-anthems like 'Revision', disco-techno stompers like 'Go Back' and chunky robot-tech like 'All Night'. Plenty of guests from Mystic Bill to label mate AVNU Jane's Addiction frontman and alternative music legend Perry Farrell all help add a wide world of sound to the electronic core.

Review: Romain Reynaud is one of the most respected names in techno for the past 15 years and over the last handful, he has also evolved to dabble in other styles as well. One of those different names he uses to create other styles is Brako and tthis is the fifth record he's made under this newer offshoot. 'Bandit' on the first side should really work well on the dancefloor regardless of their experience level in dance music. The beat is catchy and the rhythm is ideal to work in any part of an up-beat house DJ set. The underlying melodic parts sneak up on you which adds and extra treat for the depth of the production. 'Police' on the second side, has a more traditional house style to it. The magic is in the addictive simplicity of a well worked loop made perfect for the late-night. If you are big house music head and you want some unique takes on the style, then check these out!

Review: AF 1268 welcomes a true UK tech house don in Rob Pearson for its second release, and another fine one it is too. Once again he mixes up his slick infectious grooves with acid twitches and tripped out sonic motifs that make for tunes as effective on the mind as they are the body. 'It Works' is a slinky opener with low slung bass, 'The Darkhold' is more driven with dubbed out low ends and 'Far Far Out' gets a lil' freaky for the after party. 'Moderno Nocturno' (with Kirsten Sees) is a gritty and metallic tech cut with real snap in the drums. A superb EP that offers plenty of DJs and dancers.

Review: Ildec has become an increasingly vital artist in the last couple of years. His quality and tasteful output nudges at the boundaries of house and tech with unique sense of character. That's true again here on a new EP for Exarde that starts with a darker sound and snappy tech drums. Otis & Paul Lution remix with a hint of electro pop and futurism and 'Solo Para Adultos' then brings some shimmering synths to kinetic kicks and claps. 'Koala' is a textured stomper with an industrial cosmic edge.

Review: La Zic is an alias of Cristina Lazic and it also means 'music' in French slang. She is Italian-born, London-raised and blends minimal, deep tech and melodic house on labels including Crosstown Rebels, Moan, Bondage Music and TBX. Her own stable is a place for her finest work and is also a platform to champion fellow women in the scene. This EP is a great window into her world where supple drums and sublime synths all make for elastic, gooey, trance inducing rhythms underpinned by nice warm bass. The Nu Zau remix is a particularly fresh take on liquid tech house here.