New releases last two weeks: Electro

Review: For the legendary label Tresor to put out a breakbeat record is something very rare. The ardent techno label for over 30 years is clearly telling us without saying, how good this music is. Tresor is always in touch with rave music though and it's not fully surprising that Tresor would support any music that is so reminiscent of the old skool days like Digital Entropy is. Datashader rises from the depths to give us their wicked debut. The EP is an audio onslaught that combines blistering breakbeat gems like 'Velocity 04.22' with eerie sci-fi pieces like 'Sync Out Off'. The AFX like 'Fong' and 'Sub Osc" are early favorites from those who have heard samples of this haunting record. It is rare to see the power of rave, breakbeat and IDM presented this well on one record.

Review: Robert Witschakowski has been a man on an electro mission (as well as many other side mission, to be really quite honest) for as long as we can remember. His furtherment of electro knows no bounds and it has often come in association with Dutch label Clone and its offshoots, though here he has his They Arrive EP reissued by fellow Dutch label Creme Organization. It landed first back in 2011 but has aged like fine wine and sounds as good as ever - there are a mix of creepy and atmospheric pieces, sick dancefloor rhythms and plenty more to enjoy here.

Review: Zodiak Commune has become a tried and true outpost for edgy electro in recent times, and they've been incubating the talent of Dima Gastroler across a run of releases in 2024. The run of form continues as Gastroler locks in with 'Zero Tolerance', an icy blast of machine funk with strafing synths in the classic electro style. There's similar movement sweeping across 'REConnection', albeit with more pronounced acidity in the lead lines. 'Instinct' keeps the pressure up with the dirtiest of basslines and razor sharp beats, and then a more melodic tint creeps into EP closer 'Agnetic Storm' to end the record on a more sombre note.

Review: It is always hard to predict just what Nous Klaer Audio might serve up next. In this case, the always-fresh Dutch label looks to Mata Disk for four innovative and rhythmic techno workouts. 'Icon' is a busy one with kinetic rhythms and busy hits that pepper the groove and keep you moving. 'Diffusion' is just as much in a hurry with its squelchy synth blasts and sucky, looped drums but also there are more thoughtful and cosmic pads to bring a different energy. 'Two Sides Of The Same Coin' keeps the restless sense of rhythm alive - nothing here feels tethered to a strict grid. 'Space Brings Us Together' is a final off-kilter techno bumper with more sci-fi synth designs.

Review: The crucial Mr K is back with a special repress for Record Store Day 2024. This one throws it back to his two superb edits of Kratwerk's 'Trans Euro Express' which is cited often as the start of techno. Side A offers stripped-down, bare drum bones, with naked drums shaped into futuristic fusion, while Part II adds synthetic context. Deconstructing Kraftwerk's original sci-fi masterpiece at a slow, smouldering pace, it presents a classic in an entirely new light. This release unlocks doors of serious DJ creativity and should be snapped up quickly before it's gone again.