Back catalogue: Electro

Review: Bolz Bolz originally dropped this EP back in 2001. The German artist has long been a key underground player and has put out plenty of seminal releases. Few capture the magic of this one though which arrives now via Satamile. 'Transatlantic Treasure' is a quickened techno cut with mysterious pads and dubby low ends. 'The Ultimate' (remix) is lithe machine funk with a minimal vibe but heady impact and last of all 'Universal Language' is cyborg funk that is tightly programmed and in a rush to get you moving. Don't sleep because this one will be gone again in no time.

Review: Iconic Deep House label Large Music returns to the vinyl market with a limited repress of the classic Kerri Chandler release Return 2 Acid. First pressed in 2005, this was the 100th release on Large and has been out of print for 10 years. The A side features Kerri's powerhouse tribute to the glorious days of Acid House laced with driving beats and an incessant 808 acid line. On the flip side Kerri goes old-school, this time with an electro Afrika Bambaataa influenced jam entitled Planet Sonic. Also included for this special reissue is the unreleased Acapella of Return 2 Acid solidifying this as a true collectors item.

Review: Marie Davidson's latest single 'Y.A.A.M.' is a poignant critique of power dynamics in the music industry - favouring authenticity and passion in a world that thrives on branding and transactional relationships - out of which the Canadian artist finds fuel to fan the driving flames of existential industrial electro-techno. The track opens with a juddering, in-between-4x4-and-2-step electro beat, which lasts for over a minute before Davidson takes up the mic: "do you follow me?". What ensues is an imperfect list of music industry quibbles, which flow over the monstrously huge backing - "entrepreneurs, influencers, producers, managers / nothing for you and me" - in stark but gallows-comedic contrast to the plea to relocate our arses to the dancefloor. In Davidson's own words, the track was inspired by a haughty, lecturing email from a music industry insider: "I took the opportunity to write down how I felt about the words," she recalls, "and the overall tone of arrogance of what I had just been sent quickly, I found myself having a bit too much fun."

Review: It's hard to find fault with anything by Detroit stalwart DJ Stingray. The Motor City veteran rarely puts a foot wrong, regardless of whether he's focusing on futurist techno or blistering, Drexciya-influenced electro. This EP for Lower Parts delivers the best of both worlds. On one hand, you have the stargazing bounce, undulating bassline, and shuffling 4/4 rhythms of "eRbB4" (also impressively remixed in an alien, Rotterdam electro style by Kon001), and the driving techno intensity of "Acetylocholine". On the other, there's "Denddrite", a ghetto-tech and footwork inspired electro blast that contrasts hissing rhythms with yearning, stretched-out chords.

Review: Italian producer Heinrich Dressel kicks off 2024 with a strong start, following up two initiatory releases on Italian label Bordelo A Parigi and Distrikt with a hat-trick for Serenity In Keos. Moving in a more muted, dark electro direction compared to the first EPs, Dressel's modus operandi aims at something in between a Drexciyan sonic ink emission and a former seafaring organism's slow territorialization; 'Land Under Siege' in particular sounds like a kind of warring Atlantean revenge, with its doomy watery harmonies descending on sonic landed terrains, conjuring images of a preliminary war-cry hollered before a full-throttle acid barrage.

Review: As the title suggests, Some Other Place Volume 2 is the second installment of a triptych of releases from The Exaltics for The Clone West Coast series. As with previous music from the Solar One boss, the four tracks here see The Exaltics look to both American and Dutch schools of electro but the results are nonetheless distinguished by his own unique signifiers. The title track sets the tone nicely as waves of sumptuous blurred noise ride a supple skeletal rhythm, whilst "Waves Of Fear" lives up to it's paranoid title with a marauding low end bass line the dominating element on a classic slab of darkside electro. "The Way Out" is perhaps the most conventional track here, with Witschakowski laying down an atmospheric but club ready 808 workout which is still a cut above thanks to the German's arrangement skills. Which leaves room for the slower, weirder and mushy excellence of "Different Ways".

Review: Fresh French label Attention Spin! flaunts the talents of the Parisian underground in its freshest incarnation. Currently turning their focus towards cosmic house music with hints of Italo and new beat, as well as aiming to prioritize dance music that uses vocals as an instrument, their first release here is a four-track EP from rising star DJ Dawidu. The likes of 'Une Nuit A Paris' and 'Mad Game' detail the wilder, undergrounder ends of after-hours nightlife in the Capitale de la Mode. 'Half On A Room', meanwhile, spans dub- and hip-house, while 'Lil'Drama' is the most vocal and catwalk-worthy of the bunch.

Review: Phillip Lauer has been impressive form in recent years, delivering typically driving, melodic and left-of-centre blends of cascading nu-disco, intergalactic techno and shimmering deep house for the likes of Beats in Space and Running Back. Here, he joins forces with little brother Jacob under the Hotel Lauer alias. Pleasingly, Brudis is a predictably strong EP, flitting between raw, acid-flecked 808 electro (the excellent "Smend"), Italo-influenced Detroit futurism (the deliciously sci-fi soaked dancefloor release of "QD", which comes replete with reliably cheap-sounding melodies), and thumping, late night hypnotism (the decidedly bassy, rolling groover that is "Calcit").

Review: Released back in 1996, Test Pilot Vol 1 has remained a highlight of the Viewlexx label ever since and has been one of those records that command regular calls for a repress. Kudos to I-F then for finally heeding these shouts and presenting a remastered edition for the masses. For the uninitiated, this 12" features classic Hague cuts from I-F and Jungian Archetype, another alias of the Viewlexx boss, with all four perfect for introducing a sense of bedlam to the dancehall. "Who Are You...?! (Theme From Paranoid Stranger)" in particular will bend many an unprepared mind. If you don't own an original edition, grip this remastered version and hold tight for a brand new second volume of Test Pilot featuring Gesloten Cirkel and Roberto Auser!

Review: FXHE maintain their monthly heat emission for 2012, with label boss Omar S displaying all aspects of his production prowess (as well as skill for a humorous track titles) across four productions - one of which features the button bashing assistance of one Patrik Sjeren. There's something icily brilliant about the restrained "Income Tax Refund Dance" melding a dark piano riff with snapping 808 kicks and rippling lo fi rhythms which only further justifies the title of Omar S's killer 2011 LP. It's complemented by the far rowdier box jam "The White Castle Song" which jackhammers a simple yet highly flammable key riff over low rent percussion for FXHE's most potent ode to the perfect warehouse moment since the all conquering "Here's Your Trance..." Given the lack of additional info, we presume the Patrik Sjeren that produces the B Side "Untitled" track is the same Patrik Sjeren that released in the mid 90s under a multiplicity of aliases, and his contribution is every bit as incendiary as the track preceding it, whilst "3c 273" sees Omar S slip into pensive utopian electro mode with aplomb.

Review: It has been a rather remarkable three years since Yuko dropped its first release, but finally, they are back with more. It is co-founder Emo Omar who features both solo and in collaboration with Luje from Club Pizza while two exciting new French talents Chud and Vivant also make their mark. 'Pollen' is a bright and hooky melodic electro sound then 'You & Me' gets more percussive, with old school cow bells staying busy next to all sorts of wonky synth work. 'Tomorrow's Made Of Breaks' is built on rigid funk and trippy synth bleeps and 'Zeus' shuts down with some retro-future vocoder vocals. This is a great return from a label we hope now pushes on.

Review: The amazing "Silver Clouds" is finally released! After the 300 copies promo pressing in 2005 it now comes with a bonus remix by Dexter. Photocall is the LA based team of Eli Epstein and Terryn Westbrook. The original version is an ice cold electro track with Prince style beats and a funking minimal bassline that really makes you move your ass. The track really kicks of with an additional synth line, the vocals of Terryn and a bleepy melody. As usual Dexter did a great job by minimalising the track and turning the original into a electro-funk kind of thing with crazy edits that works perfect on the floor. A must-have.

Review: Thoughtforms' Blue EP features three tracks that combine forward-thinking techno with dancefloor appeal, creating a unique balance between deep thinking techno and ones that move your feet. Side-1 begins with 'E-blue,' a techno track infused with elements of Italo house and an 80s sound. Its futuristic vibe and movie soundtrack feel set an imaginative tone. On Side-2, 'Phantom' introduces alien sounds with a haunting and dark atmosphere, enveloping listeners in its eerie ambiance. The EP concludes with 'Stomper,' an electro track that is both futuristic and otherworldly, delivering dramatic flair. Blue by Thoughtforms stands out for its innovative approach to techno, blending retro influences with a modern edge. Each track on here demands your attention.

Review: Jersey City-based Jorge Velez has long been one of the US underground's most revered figures to those in the know. Largely predating the current fascination with lo-fi analogue productions, something shown on the excellent MMT Tape Series compilation which delved into his early archives, his work as Professor Genuis on Italians Do It Better and Thisisnotanexit was followed by the conceptual Hassan LP on L.I.E.S. which provided a soundtrack to an imaginary film based on a shadowy Middle Eastern cult formed in the 11th century. Here Velez return to Ron Morelli's stable with Territories, a six-track LP that passes through "menacing drones to EBM influenced floor tracks to Sakamoto-esque melodic experiments," with a "distinct atmosphere suitable for home listening or adventurous club play." Even for those who are familiar with the odd structures Velez creates with his hardware, this is a wild trip worthy of much closer inspection.

Review: De:tuned house As One on their latest album-length demonstration in melodic house and techno. With over 30 years of studio experience under his belt, the pivotal British producer also known as Kirk Degiorgio once again lands on De:tuned with the mesmerising eight-track album, Requiem. Now joined by Catherine Siofra Prendergast, this progressive melodic release spans every wondrous end from elegiac acid to fractal bleep techno, keeping every waking or sleep-dancing moment harmonic and blissful over its course. Only the cavernous 'Message Received' marks any comparatively sinister moment, its textural harmonics offering little respite for the purely diatonic ear.

Review: Curated by the legendary producer Arthur Baker, Breakers Revenge is a comprehensive compilation of original funk, soul, Latin, disco and electro tracks from 1970-1984. These tracks, ranging from well-known classics to hidden gems, have become legendary in the world of breakdancing. Featuring seminal tracks like Dennis Coffey's 'Scorpio', The Jimmy Castor Bunch's 'It's Just Begun' and Afrika Bambaataa's groundbreaking 'Planet Rock', this collection embodies the essence of breakdancing culture. The percussive breakdowns and infectious beats of these tracks have not only been the soundtrack to countless block parties and park jams but have also been sampled by numerous hip-hop artists and producers. With extensive liner notes and track-by-track breakdowns, Breakers Revenge is perfect time capsule for fans of breakdancing, hip-hop and music enthusiasts.

Review: With 'breaking' making its debut in the 2024 Paris Olympics, it seems an apt time to go back to where it all began and showcase some of the music that first made break-dancers move in the early years of hip-hop culture. Soul Jazz Records clearly agrees, hence this two-disc retrospective of early 'breaker' favourites curated by Arthur Baker - a man who's productions and remixes soundtracked many dancefloor battles in the early 80s. It's a suitably strong selection all told, with dusty funk, soul and funk-rock favourites (Johnny Bristol, James Brown, The Jimmy Castor Bunch, Spanky Wilson) being joined by disco-funk jams (Herman Kelly and Life), extra-percussive workouts (Manu Dibango, Mongo Santamaria, Candido) and a smattering of key Baker productions (Afrika Bambaata and Soul Sonic Force's 'Planet Rock' and his own infectious 'Breakers Revenge').

Review: London's legendary Mute institution goes back to its roots and digs up some of the best work by one of the UK's finest Cabaret Voltaire. These guys don't really need an introduction give the fact that they're pretty much responsible for the rise of post-punk right through to the birth of techno. It was about time a new compilation of their stuff was released, especially one as brutally on-point as this one! All the classics such as "Nag Nag Nag", "Kneel To The Boss" and "On Every Other Street" are one here but the more obscure rarities that were previously only available on 7" are the real winners. "Just Fascination", for example, is one you'll certainly want on a longer, re-mastered cut! Downright essential!

Review: There's always been something a little loved-up about the scattergun, genre-bending productions of New York's Drew Lustman, AKA Falty DL. Yet previously, his desire to fuse cutting-edge rhythms with vintage rave references sometimes got in the way. Hardcourage, his first full-length for independent behemoths Ninja Tune, takes a more 'softly-softly' approach. Whereas his last full-length, 2011's You Stand Uncertain, was a kaleidoscopic invitation to start the dance, Hardcourage gently beckons you towards a loving embrace. While there are still plenty of skittish rhythms present, they're wrapped up in a warm orange glow - all serotonin-soaked chords, cascading melodies, bluesy vocal samples and near-Balearic compositions. In many ways it's a startling about-turn, but one that comes heartily recommended.

Review: Lowfish originally released his 'Burn The Lights Out' LP in 2007 on the US label Satamile but we have found some copies of it in the warehouse. Synth-pop meets breakbeats in an electrifying fusion of emotive melodies and bass-heavy beats across all four sides of the long player with ten then-new tracks and two classics from his Sat.31 EP. They all show that his music, complex yet accessible, evokes images of Blade Runner, Wave Noir, or William Gibson. It is post-modern in approach as it skilfully blends past and present styles to create a sound uniquely his own, seamlessly bridging the gap between eras while pushing the boundaries in his own way.