Back catalogue: Electro

Review: The Distorsion camp offers up its first sampler as a way of teasing you with the sort of quality sounds and artists it has on its roster. First up is a three-way collab between Citybox, Hankook & Orebeat whose 'Dangerous Changes' is an intense breakbeat workout for the peak time. Orebeat & Alex Clubbers keep the energy levels high and inject early 00s video-game style synths, Orebeat & Citybox keep it dark and raw with 'Gangsta' and Orebeat & JottaFrank laced up their thrilling breaks with acid lines and sleazy vocals on "Noche De Paris.' This is potent stuff for strobe-lit floors.

Review: Casper Hastings is neither a ghost nor from Hastings. He is an electronic innovator from Ireland who has built up a fine catalogue on the likes of TXTRL and Sticky Ground. He is back on the Yin Yang label here with another high class assault that draws on electro, jungle and techno. Opener 'Tangerine Meme' sets the scene with crisp drum programming and snappy drum breaks underpinned by warped acid. 'Reaper' is as menacing as the title suggests with more direct, punchy electro and Peder Mannerfelt flips it into a surging wall of techno. 'Ruthless Romance's a devastating edge of breaks-driven jungle and 'Good Medicine' has bleeping synths over wobbly low ends and caustic drum funk.

Review: Hauff's highly anticipated debut on Tresor, and it's as strikingly original as you'd expect. The title track, 'Multiplying My Absurdities', opens with a slow build of magnetic synths and acid drops that seem to pulsate with playful skepticism. It's simple yet gripping, pulling you into a dark, hypnotic space where the unexpected becomes beautiful. 'Punks in the Gym' takes the energy up a notch, drawing inspiration from a notorious Australian climbing route. The track climbs relentlessly, each bar steeper than the last, with 303-driven tremors building into a volcanic eruption of sound. It's a relentless ride that doesn't let up, pushing you to the limits. Closing out the release, 'Humanoid Fruit' ventures even deeper into the unknown. Its prehistoric soundscape, full of sharp synth bursts, feels like a chaotic journey through ancient lands where acid rain falls from the sky. Dark, eerie and transporting, this track leaves a lasting impression.

Review: SQNC's debut release on Sequence Records delivers an electrifying clash of styles. Hearthug's playful energy opens the A-side with 'Beep Blump Beep (Sex Mix)', a bouncy track that effortlessly commands the dancefloor. 'Moonrush (Original Mix)' follows, taking a more acidic approach while maintaining that signature groove that's undeniably infectious. On the B-side, Cybercafe - Adam Dirk'heim's brainchild - establishes its cybernetic identity. 'Hyperdrive' is an immersive experience with deep kicks and distorted synths, creating a pulsating rhythm that draws listeners in. 'Katorza' takes things further with a retro-futuristic edge, adding a hypnotic energy that makes it perfect for late-night sets. It's a dynamic fusion of playfulness and intensity, showcasing the unique approaches of both artists while setting the tone for Sequence Records' future. This release is full of depth and dancefloor potential, marking the start of something exciting for the label.

Review: A five-track EP of pure dancefloor bangers from Hermeth, the enigmatic Valencian-raised, Swiss-based artist. It's a potent blend of breakbeat, techno, house and dubstep, showcasing Hermeth's signature sound - a dynamic fusion of styles that defies categorisation. Tracks like 'Bababoy' and 'Fvck War' are guaranteed to ignite dancefloors with their infectious energy and pulsating rhythms, while '10Min' and 'P*ta Que Pariu' delve into deeper, more hypnotic territories. The EP also features a remix from Ben Pest, adding another dimension to Hermeth's already captivating sound, and with its blend of saturated breaks and ghetto vibes, this release is a must-have for those who like their music raw, energetic and undeniably funky.

Review: Remarkably, 13 months have now passed since Just Waxx debuted via a pleasingly nostalgic, early Motor City techno-inspired EP from Terms. This belated follow-up is undoubtedly long overdue. It comes from the mysterious Hitch, who deftly showcases his, her or their love of raw analogue lead lines, classic drum machine beats, trippy TB-303 motifs and driving bass on throbbing opener 'Gran Torino'. Belgian rave king Innershades remixes, delivering a more 'straight' retro-futurist techno take. Over on side B, 'Hannibal' is another slab of tense dancefloor moodiness full of creepy chords, crispy beats and EBM inspired synth stabs, while 'Delorean' is bass-heavy, spacey, and packed to the rafters with sharp, minor-key synth melodies.

Review: By now, at least one dimension of the electro genre has turned out so misanthropic that one of its keystone artists has called itself Human Rebellion - as if to suggest humanity is the exception, not the rule. With the artist now debuting on Hilltown Disco after a wonderful eight EPs so far, this one hears the so far faceless bot push themselves to 'Outer Limits' by way of a waspish bluebottle buzz line, then break through the proverbial 'Magnetic Field' to revelatory effect: deep pulse leads and firm kicks, awash in a sense of broken-free elation. 'Endless Day' and 'Exploration' harken the B-side, dystopi-fying the proceedings through a relative industrial feel, implying a robot crackdown on human insurgency. The former has a brilliant breakdown, with a short cyborg monologue opining, railing against guinea pig-style entrapment: "I want to get out if this experiment. Aren't there enough testable subjects...?"

Review: Ruben Benabou marks out and identifies another sonic constellation; this is a rapid indie trance-dance four-tracker of galactic ambition and scale. Drawing inspiration from sci-fi soundtracks, and the warmer currents of electro, leaders 'Message To Nowhere' and 'Words In A Void' also recall the gladdened awe of space disco, with twinging leads skirting about the stereo like passing shooting stars. The Hacker's version of the title track plays back like an 8-bit minigame version of the main mission, with its pocket-generated drums, while 'A Thousand Nights' is a prime exercise in retro synthwave, and the perfect closer.

Review: This compilation is a sonic tapestry woven from the threads of diverse electronic soundscapes, each track carefully crafted to evoke the liminal space between dreams and reality. It's an invitation to immerse oneself in a world of intricate textures, hypnotic rhythms, and evocative melodies, where the boundaries between genres blur and the music takes on a life of its own. Jonny Rock's 'Legenda' sets the tone with its purposeful groove, its driving energy balanced by a sense of introspective depth. Thanksmate's 'Take A Chance' adds a meditative touch, its gentle melodies and atmospheric textures inviting contemplation and reflection. Dobao's 'Oceano' plunges into a deep, liquid dimension, its swirling synths and hypnotic rhythms creating a sense of weightless immersion. Giammarco Orsini's 'Whirlwind' picks up the pace, its pulsating energy and infectious groove propelling the listener forward. Hiver's 'The Frontier' explores the tension and release of electronic landscapes, its dynamic shifts and evolving textures keeping the listener on the edge of their seat. Sam Goku's 'Lucid Oscillation' closes the compilation with a sense of ethereal beauty, its airy melodies and floating notes leaving a lingering sense of wonder.

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.