Review: The Abstract Eye aka Gifted & Blessed always makes electrifying music that brims and bristles with energy. It is dense and textural and requires close attention to unpack and get lost in but that effort is always more than repaid. This is another brilliantly heavy outing, a first on Technoindigenous, that makes great use of one of the most legendary bits of gear in any studio - the TR-909, Here the artist finds new ways to make it sing with acid-laced house, clattering percussion and cosmic synth work that will rewire your brain.
Every Pleasure, Every Sin (Ivan Iacobucci's remix) (6:02)
Review: Acoustic Vision crafts an exceptional EP bursting with rich techno personality. The opening track, 'Peyote Country Club' grabs attention immediately with its infectious rhythm, sharp percussion, and irresistible flow. A light yet captivating melody hovers over deep, bouncing basslines, building into a perfect storm of dancefloor energy. It's a standout cut that seamlessly blends a cool vibe with driving momentum. 'Human Endeavour' ventures into darker territory, offering a tribal groove layered with eerie, hypnotic elements. The haunting melodies create a sense of being swept into a deep, mystical rave, where the rhythm pulls you in. Subtle house influences sneak in as the track progresses, with distant keys adding a sophisticated touch that leaves an impression on you.
'Every Pleasure, Every Sin' shifts gears, delivering a refreshing blend of ambient house that feels like a breezy summer afternoon. The track is pure elegance that harkens back to the vintage early 90s. The remix of the same track turns things on their head, adding a wicked bassline, playful breakbeat, and a more ominous vibe. The inclusion of an acid line gives it a nostalgic, classic feel, ensuring this version stands out with its playful edge.
Definitely an artist to watch in the future."
Review: Dan Andrei is arguably one of the finest selectors of this generation and a master minimal producer who makes electronic music of the highest order. His latest outing sees him inaugurating his own brand-new label alongside Claudiu Stefan. Rainbow Hill is a platform for their more personal ideas and starts with four more of Andrei's brilliantly deft yet dramatic tracks. 'Numan's Touch' kicks off with rolling drums and bass and a fine eco-system of cosmic pads, twinkling keys and fizzing synths that are theatrical and involving. 'What Else?' then gets darker and more intense with heady loops and wispy pads, and again the ante is upped and the darkness pervades once more on the tense and taught dub-tech roller 'This Is What I See'. Last of all, 'Bluer Than Ever' floats above the floor with airy pads and radiant chords. A perfect 5am vibe.
Review: The only known diplomatic dance musical dialogue between Leeds and Barcelona can be found in the cross-national collective MASS, whose principal aim is to connect the two cities as identified hubs of the next-gen dance musical underground. Here the personae grata in question are a crack team of trusted delegates, known by the respective codenames AS Groove, Driahn, Monile and Nikon; each artist-negotiator delivers their own firebrand sonic missive in quick, electrific unison, appeasing the collective ear through a four-point transmissive treaty. Either breaks-laden or bleep-laden sound is stipulated depending on which fine-print line you read and/or which finely-etched groove you play; only track four, 'Seismic', trigger the break(beats) clause.
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: Ecuadorian maestro Nicolas Cruz is back on Rhythm Seciton to follow up his last EP Subtropique which proved a big hit. "I'm always trying to re-interpret this Afro-Caribbean feeling, and trying to figure out how I could humanize this through the machines," he says of his approach and it certain is the case here. He mixes up some worlds rhythms with twitchy techno drums and electronic synths to make for something totally new on all of the tracks. The heavy, skipping kicks of 'Residual Heat' is a real favourite while 'Self Oscillation' is a catering percussive jam to pack the floor. Another great outing.
Review: High-octane experimental trance via freetek via hardcore from Hamburg collective Phantasia, with an absolutely flooring, walloping debut release. The fact that four different artists might each bring their own mood to the table and yet hear their respective sounds unified bespeaks the brilliant mastering job held down here: Dolomea's 'Augural' and Rupert Marnie's 'Elastic Thoughts' commit to a mutual sonic trustfall, one seeming to writhe about in rhythmically unpredictable fashion through pressure-cooked, rubber-ballistic acids, and the other rootling its 4x4 kick snout into floors down under. The B-side goes electro, culminating on the brilliant brainwash by Finona Rider, 'The Impact', a track haunted by the voice in its own head.
Review: The good folks at Baroque Sunburst are back with a 12th EP that once again takes minimal and tech house into new realms. Jay Duncan is at the buttons and 'Bitten Dream' opens up with dark moody and abstract sound swirling around a cosmic world. 'Via Tekh' is another out-there sound with beautiful ambient pads and warped, sparse bass keeping you afloat. 'Shrine' keeps the sophisticated sounds coming with more deft designs and original drum sounds and 'Catharsis' then closes down with a smooth and absorbing fusion of synths and drums from a reduced palette.
Review: Diagonal Records gives itself over to Australian rising star Jonus Eric, who is sure to have a big year if this is anything to go by. His new EP follows on from a fine recent outing on Gerd Janson's Running Back and once again it finds him serving up six tracks of sample-rich, psychedelic house music with a loveably rase aesthetic. it; shard not to hear the sounds of Theo Parrish echoing through the mechanical house sounds of opener 'Darkwhirl' then the funk-driven 'Crimewave' cuts more loose, the gnarly 'Shapeshift' contorts body and mind and 'Polarity' is a 90s IDM-infused finale. What a trip!
Review: A double A-side featuring 'RESIST!' and 'I Keep on Making the Same Mistake', Ghost Assembly's latest offering is less a release and more a protest on wax. Abigail Ward, the force behind Ghost Assembly, has crafted two distinct yet complementary tracks that pulse with raw energy and emotional depth. 'RESIST!' (Extended 12" Mix) is a primal scream against the injustices of the world. This 111bpm acid track is a visceral call to arms, primed for ALFOS and Optimo crowds. Think of it as a sonic Molotov cocktail: squelching 303s intertwine with a driving 707 beat, while unexpected bursts of Arabic melody add an intriguing layer of texture. It's like DJ Pierre jamming with Omar Souleyman in a Berlin basement. A fragmented vocal sample adds to the urgency, culminating in an icy string coda. The 'Utter Kunt Mix' of 'RESIST!' takes a detour into dub territory. It's a stripped-down, bass-heavy reimagining that draws inspiration from Sleng Teng rhythms. It's a hypnotic, almost meditative experience, where echoes of the Mission Impossible theme collide with the playful energy of Les Negresses Vertes and the raw sampling aesthetic of 'Duck Rock'. It's unexpected, yet strangely compelling. 'I Keep on Making the Same Mistake' (120bpm), on the other hand, explores the darker recesses of the human heart. It's a cinematic journey through heartbreak and regret. A glacial breakbeat provides the backdrop for a mournful bassline that tugs at the heartstrings. Hazel Grove's haunting vocals are fragmented and distorted, adding to the sense of unease, before being consumed by a wave of melancholic strings. A fleeting French voiceover adds a final touch of poignancy. The release concludes with a stripped-back string-a-pella version, a haunting reminder of the track's emotional core.
Review: Swiss label Creaked has decided to give over a full 12" to remixes of HRDVISION's 'Captivated Heart' and the results are varied and impressive. It is the cultured electronica of Nathan Fake that kicks things off with some widescreen synth drones, She Spells Doom then brings some twitchy tech house and Shanx goes for something laced with alien effects, gurgling synths and swampy beats. Efemme brings some acid laced minimal funk and Sinistarr brings compelling broken rhythms and icy urban metropolis vibes. HRDVISION himself also steps up with a Hrdvsiovsiivosvsiosvin remix to close out in mad fashion.
Review: The all-new Akka & BeepBeep label from the US has dropped its two first EPs simultaneously and Joradesilver features on both. The other is a collaboration with Eddie Logix and this is a solo outing, Social Moment. It is a four-track electro exploration that kicks off with 'Who Want Me', a spacious funk workout with smeared synths and driving bass. The title track brings hints of Detroit to the arrangement and 'Mad Dog Mood' brings lashings of acid and techno to a pulsating low end while closer 'Find Another' rocks back and forth on feathery drums with fizzing melodica leads.
Review: Chris Korda's latest EP, we are reliable informed, "interrogates the myth of human superiority and the barbarism that flows from it." A high faulting concept for sure, but that doesn't mean this music isn't sure to bang on the dance floor even for those who haven't heard the backstory. The opener has a brilliantly odd monologue over a squelchy bassline and edgy technoid beats. 'K35' then paid thumping deep house drums with winky and off-grid chord full of colour. 'Lunch Break' is a broken jungle rhythm and 'SAZ' rounds out with glowing retro-future melodies and more thumping deep house grooves. A truly fresh sound for sure.
Review: Transgender environmental activist Chris Korda founded the Church of Euthanasia (CoE) in 1992 and advocated for the end of humanity's destructive practices. Korda's work itself transcends activism by drawing on art, music and technology in groundbreaking ways. A retrospective of her oeuvre at Goswell Road unites her CoE actions with her personal creative practice and showcases original banners, archival materials and unseen paintings. Korda's music, meanwhile, is generated by kinetic virtual sculptures and collaborative algorithms that reflect her vision of machines as equals in the creative process. Her unique approach challenges traditional boundaries and results in some gorgeous groves that are powerful physically and emotionally.
Review: Fledgling label Sismo looks to Uruguayan talent Luis Malon for their next offering. He is based in La Barra and brings plenty of the signifiers those tuned into the Uruguay underground will recognise. 'Broken Bridge' is stiff, mechanical tech house with a real urgency and thumping bass. It's nicely undercooked production-wise but sure to overheat the 'floor. 'Pio's' is another metallic club sound with woozy pads up top, softening things somewhat, and 'Robota' has a gritty undercurrent and melancholy in the chords that chimes with the work of Omar S and the Motor City. 'Robot Dance' spins out on slapping broken beats and industrial cosmic energy.
Review: Batu's Timedance is about as consistently fresh and forward-thinking as electronic labels get right now. Bristol's Daisy Moon is next up to carry the baton and is fresh off a standout house cut on Peach Discs in June. Here she opens with the precise drum rhythms and glitchy percussion of 'Eclipse' while 'Shadow Of Silhouettes' is a shimming, shape shifting arrangement with daubs of synth, frenzied lines, chopped-up vocals and plenty more all vying for your attention. 'The Abyssal Zone' then brings some dubby broken beats to the fore and 'Meadow Rap' flips the script entirely with some lush downtempo.
Review: Serenity is a mental health charity label that is now back with more sonic gold, this time in the form of a reissue of Marco Bernardi aka Octogen's 'The Journeyman' from 2008 on Soma Recordings. It is an immersive, emotive sound with lush and ethereal pads and a moody bassline that keeps you locked. The B-side offers two original tracks from Bernardi 'Travelling to the Sun' is one to hypnotise floors with its hypnotic chimes and raw drums, while 'Little Tiny Crickets' delivers a fast-paced IDM twist with some killer synth work. As always, proceeds go to charity this time Papyrus UK who support youth suicide prevention and MusicSpace.
Review: UK DJ and producer Justin Robertson is back with his latest 12" record 'Deadstock 33s', the fourth release on the up-and-coming Pamela Records label. This record is filled with groovy little tracks that blend various genres into one. 'In Minus Shadows' has a nice psychedelic campfire funk to it, with the dub-like 'Cup Of Silence' and the electro sounds of 'Of Ghosts' completing the package. Eclectic and unique dance music - very cool tunes here.
Review: Uniquely squeezy new funk by Robotron and the Funkadelic camp. Laying down a phat, uptempo synthfunk slew - 'Toy-Boy', 'Save Your Love' and 'Funk With Me' - alongside myriad liner note puns such as "are you ready to funk off?" and "we give a funk!", you can be sure that the tone of this one is kept both light and heavy, in a mutually opposing but impactful way. The B-side 'Save Your Love' is the particular highlight, presenting a rather interesting fusion of Italo, freestyle, street soul... it's kind of got everything.
Review: Open Channel For Dreamers is back with another essential journey into Dan Piu's extensive production archive. These cuts come under his Sensefinite alias and date back to the early '90s. The way they have been assembled makes for a superb journey into Piu's artistic evolution with four forgotten and unreleased tracks each embodying the innovation and creativity of the era. 'Manticore' is warped dub tech with a characterful bassline then 'Creation Of The Posthuman' shows the power of synth modulation to melt the mind. There's a crisp and hurried feel to 'Repto Alarm' then 'Insectoids Sighted' layers in lush ambient synth scapes to silky tech drums.
Review: 'Lords Of Miami' is a fantastic name for this new one from Domesticated, a label run by one of Berlin's best electro aficionados, Robyrt Hecht. Sshadess, The Coomers, Girlcop and Emscho Shoshe each contribute original cuts ranging from the janky to the smooth, with choice bits like 'Carbonara' remaining unpretentious and not-too-produced, yet also peppery on the glitches. Shoshe's 'Give Up' lends an experiment to vocal booty house too, adding an extra creep factor to the genre with freq-scooping phasers on the sample.
Work Dat Shit (feat The Illustrious Blacks) (6:19)
Cimarron Palace (6:43)
Anti Narcoleptic (6:55)
Review: When a label calls itself Bring Dat Ass you can bet your bottom dollar that it's going to release proper sleazy electro. Enter Toribio with a superb four track EP of just that to get this new imprint underway. 'No Pare' is a firing cut the kick off with - synths dart about with their own mind, the tested bassline never lets up and the analogue drums jack for days. 'Work Dat Shit' is a little slower and bumpier with some bright acid prickles and 'Cimarron Palace' then unfolds with the same swing of a UK funky track. 'Anti Narcoleptic' is the best of the bunch - a weird and wonderful wonky out with clattering percussion and jumbled drum madness.
Hazmat Live - "The Marriage Of Korg & Moog" (4:50)
Review: Passing Currents aims to stand out from the predictable by offering a deeply human touch in its music. This five-tracker backs that up by melding academic expertise with dancefloor intuition and the A-side features txted by Phil Moffa remixed by Yamaha DSP coder okpk after they met during doctoral studies, they flip technical mastery into bass-driven energy while Atrevido' fuses California warmth with analogue electro, Josh Dahlberg's rediscovered 2009 electro gem, 'Ass On The Floor', still bangs and Detroit's Kevin Reynolds delivers hypnotic grooves before Hazmat Live pushes boundaries with a sound rooted in soulful, experimental innovation.
Review: Everything about this new marbled vinyl 12" is unknown - the artist, the label, and even the track titles. It is the purest way to put out music and avoid the cult of personality and in-built bias that comes when hearing an artist's name or seeing the label they release on. Thankfully the music has plenty to say as it traverses myriad different club-ready styles from lithe minimal bass music to icy electro that makes the heart flutter via more slow, twisted, dubby rhythms for late night back rooms, while the crushing breakbeats of 'Track 5' also stand out for their sheer forcefulness.
Review: Daniela La Luz is no stranger to Rawax's stable of labels - she's previously released on most of them at different points over the last decade- though Global Transformation marks the first time she's appeared on any of them as Vanilla. The Berlin-based artist sets her stall out with the raw, punchy and occasionally sparkling title track - all woozy keyboard riffs, weighty electro-meets-house beats, tipsy chords and heavy bass - before opting for a deep, druggy, acid-fired and percussively propulsive vibe on 'The Last Window of Time'. Elsewhere, 'Animal Queendom' sees her wrap echoing, dubbed-out and reverb-laden synth riffs around a tough and locked-in beat, while 'All Together' is built around the twin attractions of sturdy, slightly off-kilter machine drums and jazzy electric piano motifs.
Review: Dutch titan Orlando Voorn was always a European with a musical sound that linked us to Detroit and Chicago. As well as house and techno he can also do searing electro bangers too as this Outerworld EP on Trust shows. It's potent tackle for peak times, with 'Shockwave' a collision of drums and percussion and wild spraying synths, then 'Outerworld' taking on a ghetto flex with more kinetic drum funk. 'Reverse Psychology' then slows it down to a more atmospheric and spaced-out vibe and 'Space Trap' is an experimental broken beat that is the best track on the EP.
Review: Ruf Dug has long been one of the cultish followers of mysterious beat-maker and frequent Instagram poster Wu-Ki, an artist with zero previous releases but a vast archive of largely home-made music (much of which samples dusty old VHS tapes). The pair met by accident last year (or so Ruf Dug says - it could all be an entertaining tall tale) and a deal was thrashed out for the Mancunian producer to sign Wu-Ki to his reliable Ruf Kutz imprint. There's a definite 'child of the 80s and early 90s' vibe to proceedings - all fizzing, multi-coloured synth sounds, chopped-up house-not-house beats, stabbing TB-303 sounds, mutant boogie beats and layers of deliciously analogue fuzz. Set phasers to fun!
Review: The Abstract Eye often works live and crafts tunes in one take, and that MO is the idea behind this new collection. It features plenty of hard-to-define sounds from over the last ten years, many of them with a cosmic synth outlook and raw analogue drums. 'Skyfather' is a real eye opener with its sense of mystic cosmic wonder, 'Real Myths' fizzes bring as burning phosphorus and 'A Yearning Feeling' is more paired back and introspective with jittery drums and electro rhythms all soothed by the melancholic synth work.
Corsica Express/Nuit Squanche De Solid State (Tascam dub) (6:03)
Le Dernier Des Cristaux (4:29)
Jam De Confiture Pernelle Janvier (4:36)
Alain Des Cloches (4:02)
Breuil Voisinage (3:10)
Review: The Digital Finesse label was founded as an outlet for two artists, Jimmy Batt and Blinkdus Dischetto. This release is the latter's first on the imprint and it's a biggie: a debut album that does a terrific job in showcasing his hybrid style. That naturally comes to the fore on opener 'Oulala', a chunky blend of synth-heavy nu-disco, French touch funkiness and the more picturesque early deep house works of Pepe Bradock. Squelchy acid bass, cut-up vocal snippets and sun-bright melodies mark out 'Allez Ouste', while 'Corsica Express/Nuit Squanche De Solid State (Tascam Dub)' cannily combines ambient and acid house. Elsewhere, he beefs up the beats ('Le Dernier Des Cristaux'), displays his mastery of 1990s style IDM ( 'Alain Des Cloches') and successfully whips out his MPC (the boogie-tastic 'Breuil Voisinage').
Review: Marking over 16 years as an artist, Robert James unveils his debut album Battle of The Planets. A milestone in any musician's career, the LP illustrates the breadth of Rob's tastes and influences, exploring the rugged terrain of planet electronica. Ranging from breaks and electro to house and techno, Battle of The Planets was made during lockdown, a period of creativity and isolation for many artists around the world. Across 10 skillfully produced cuts Rob takes us on an intrepid adventure into the cosmos, where mysterious atmospheres and uplifting melodies sit side by side with captivating dance floor rhythms. Many shades of his personality come through on this album, all tied together by his unique sonic identity; informed by his years spent on the dance floor, behind the decks and in the studio. On Battle of The Planets Robert James presents a distillation of his extensive knowledge and experience into one succinct, highly engaging body of work.
Review: Lake Haze's third album on Shall Not Fade is another triumph with his signature shimmering melodies strung out over lush beats. Drawing on house, disco, garage and broken beat it is a rich affair with a strong UK vibe. There is elegance and symphony to opener 'Xyleac' that immediately gets your head amongst the stars. 'Diluspth' keeps up the majestic synth while 'Bbyncole' is double-speed techno with balmy celestial synths and hurried bass that locks you in. Tender ambient pieces like 'Shores Of Eternal Life' reset the mood and then the second half is a series of shorter sketches packed with electronic soul.
Review: Michael Mayer's fourth album, The Floor Is Lava, arrives after an eight-year wait, following his collaborative & album on !K7. Mayer's solo output has always been selective, with each release feeling like a significant moment. His previous albums, Mantasy and Touch, were similarly spaced out, but with good reason. As the head of Kompakt and Imara, a globe-trotting DJ, and a highly sought-after remixer, Mayer wears many hats, and it's no surprise his own productions are more sporadic. Yet, this also ensures quality. His name on a record sleeve signals music that's both forward-thinking and rooted in the past, deftly balancing the demands of the dancefloor and more reflective listening. The Floor Is Lava showcases Mayer's talent for threading together genres and eras while keeping a distinct sense of purpose. Whether it's designed for late-night clubs or a contemplative listen at home, Mayer's sound continues to evolve, pushing boundaries while remaining firmly anchored in his established style. As always, his knack for combining the exploratory with the functional shines through, and this latest offering is no exception.
Review: As one of the leading lights in Norwegian techno with guts, heart and soul, Skatebard has long skirted scene recognition to simply focus on slipping out his own strain of wayward machine matter. Given his track record with Sex Tags Mania, it's no surprise he'd trust DJ Sotofett with access to his archives, and so Spektral has come together as an exploration of long-buried recordings from the early 00s, edited by Sotofett and wrestled into a digestible form for this record. Capturing the best aspects of freeform jamming while cutting everything into shape, there's an inherent dirtiness to these recordings which instantly tells you it comes from an honest place.
David Hasert & Nicone - "Wasting My Time With You"
Reinhard Voigt - "Der, Der Mit Dem Gummiball Sang (Orange)"
Argia - "Love Keeps You Running"
Jorg Burger - "Legacy Of Ashes"
Wassermann - "Die Goldene Zeit"
Review: Kompakt's Total 24 compilation is the nest episode in the label's amazing series. This cd version opens with Hamburg's Ada remixing Heiko Voss, followed by Jurgen Paape's vibrant 'Chee-Caruso.' Newcomer Deer Jade delivers the frolicsome house track 'Jukurpa,' while Jonathan Kaspar's 'Are You' captures the euphoria of his DJ sets. Hardt Antoine impresses with his dynamic style, and Sascha Funke pays homage to German showbiz with 'The Heck.' Tee Mango joins with his unique sound, and Joyce Muniz teams up with Sara Blum for the uplifting 'Beats & Lines.' Gui Boratto collaborates with Darren Emerson on the captivating 'The Shell,' and Rex The Dog offers the heartfelt 'Laika.' Raxon's 'Beskar' showcases his Star Wars inspiration, and David Hasert and Nicone's 'Wasting My Time With You' is a highlight. Reinhard Voigt's quirky 'Der, der mit dem Gummiball sang (Orange)' features various animals, while Argia's 'Love Keeps You Running' blends groove and pop. Wassermann's track concludes the compilation with a touch of Arabian Nights magic. Total 24 is a diverse and engaging collection that exemplifies Kompakt's ability to curate exceptional electronic music.
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