Review: Few countries do minimal better than the Romanians, and it has been that way now for well over a decade. PhonicHouse1 is one of the more recent labels to emerge from the country, and this is its fourth release. It takes the form of a collaborative EP between Anas M and Farid Odibekov with a couple of tasty remixes. 'Dozhd' is first up and is a nice languid and loose tech house groove with bulbous synths and dry drums. Mikhu makes it a much fuller sound with myriad cosmic details then 'Sneg' is a pumper with farting bass sounds and snares encircling you on the dance floor. A Vern remix is filled with pent up but coy funk and bubbling arps.
Review: The fledgling WEorUS label rolls out more stylish, minimal and tech here from a trio of artists. Andrade goes first with 'Kubernetes,' a driving minimal house cut packed with hefty groove. It is followed by 'Content Security Policy' which is a slick, rhythm-forward roller that locks you into its flow. Flip to side-B and get swept into Dragosh's 'One Way,' a deep, hypnotic workout that's all tension and release and rounding off the trip is Fabrizio Siano's 'Control Your Emotions,' a poignant, late-night burner that delivers introspection through rhythm.
Review: This new collection offers up a quartet of tracks that are all tailored for slightly different moments on the dance floor. On side A, Dani Casarano kicks off with deep, hypnotic grooves that make for an immersive atmosphere before transitioning to punchy, bass-driven energy with other cuts. Side B introduces a new alter ego from Felian and Bruno Schmidt and the pair explore a robotic, looping groove with incidental breaks and nostalgic synths in the euphoric third track. Closing the release in style, Omar Akrhif & Lucretio present a minimalist masterpiece that is aimed at heady after-hours sessions.
Manuel De Lorenzi & Freddie Wall - "Sun-Rise" (6:15)
Fichs - "Find Yourself" (6:35)
Manuel De Lorenzi - "You Already Know It" (7:08)
Manuel De Lorenzi & Giacomo Silvestri - "The Big Apple Community" (7:09)
Review: Monday Morning is back to roll out some more lush house depths with a second EP, this one featuring founder Manuel De Lorenzi in the company of his pals Giacomo Silvestri, Freddie Wall and Fichs. 'Sun-Rise' is a nice gritty but vibey opener with percussive skip and dry hits. Fichs's solo cut is a loopy workout with nice bulbous synths and a pared-back rhythm that gets ever more inescapable while De Lorenzi then offers up the radiant synth warmth and dubby undercurrents of minimal house shuffler 'You Already Know It.' With Giacomo Silvestri he then closes on the more percussive loops of soft house soother 'The Big Apple Community.'
Review: Arpanet is a new imprint focused on reissuing far-sighted club cuts and electronic curiosities from the dim and distant past, helmed by French veteran DJ Speep. Fittingly, the label's first release is a reissue of Speep's 2001 collaboration with friend Fab, Sensitive. The title track, which resides on side A, is a classic example of moody, turn-of-the-century tech-house, where metallic electronic motifs, foreboding chords and layered percussion rides a dark bassline and swinging, non-stop drums. 'Space Road' offers a more intergalactic, acid-flecked take on early morning, early noughties tech-house, while 'Ladiescope' is warm, tactile, rolling and quietly postive: dreamy tech-house for wannabe astronauts and sun worshippers of all ages.
Review: The Cimedirapax crew are back with another superb various artists collection that nudges at the borders of tech house and minimal. Eliaz's 'Enbaspremal' is an alien sound with abstract designs and trippy pads and Lapucci then gets deeper and darker on the menacing 'To Be On Top.' F_Phono brings some nu-disco energy and bright 80s arps to 'Sollievo' then Marco Biagioli heads into more occult worlds with the eerie and haunting 'Strange Mirror' before Equinox's 'Intergalactic Space' offers a caustic electro workout.
Review: Representing the newer generation of the Mannheim sound, esteemed DJ/producer Fabian Winkels makes a worthy addition to legendary local label Cecille with the Sober Up EP. Fabe's particular brand of minimal house is on display once again, yet more optmised for main room dancefloors this time around. We particularly enjoyed the trippy and swing-fueled minimal funk of opening cut 'Solid & Straight', as well as the rolling, vocal-led tech house of 'At The Bar' or 'Frozen Cake' which are sure to rock dancefloors on The White Isle as much as they will in Berlin, while the deep and emotive B-side cut is aimed squarely at the afterhours dancefloor.
Skip & Tap (Alexander Skancke's Energy mix) (5:08)
Review: Mannheim tech house machine Fabe has been on an unstoppable roll in the past few years, notching up top drawer releases for respected labels like Shall Not Fade, Constant Sound and Cecille. Now he brings that heat to PIV Limited, resulting in a set of workouts which will get any party pumped up in all the right ways. 'Skip & Tap' is a twitchy, freaky workout peppered with fine detail and a relentless groove, while 'Street Scale' has dirty drums and a tweaked sound palette all of its own. 'Shout Out The Box' toys with playful synth lines and a heavy swing which calls to mind the sound of SlapFunk Records and then Alexander Skancke steps up for a remix of 'Step & Tap' which heads into more streamlined, heads-down territory.
Review: Wisdom Tooth co-founder Facta has always brought plenty of colour to his blends of house, bass and club music. Both rhythmically inventive and dancefloor-ready, his work is also always full of playfulness and emotion. So is the Sun is another EP that follows in that fine tradition with opener 'A X I S' laying down bumping drums and warming sub-bass under crisp hits and whimsical neon pads. 'Innsbruck' is another sugary sweet blend of thudding, rubbery drums and naive melodies that truly captivate. Add in two more charming club cuts and you have a superb return from this ever-green talent.
Review: The London-based band, known for their post-industrial fusion of live drums, synthesisers and noise, deliver a high-intensity release with 'Between You'. On Side-1, the original mix is a relentless, driving forceipowered by a pounding rhythm, heavy chords and a dynamic structure that builds with raw intensity. The track's weighty sound and electrifying energy make it a true floor-filler, perfect for dark, sweat-drenched dancefloors. Side-2's extended mix stretches the tension further, amplifying the track's industrial undertones and deepening its hypnotic pull. The expanded arrangement allows the rhythmic propulsion to breathe, enhancing its body-moving power. Blending elements of coldwave, darkwave and experimental techno, this record highlights the band's ability to craft visceral, high-impact electronic music that bridges the gap between raw post-industrial energy and contemporary club sound.
Review: Nation of Jak offshoot Dirty Blends was established by label chief Melvin Oliphant as a vehicle for "interpretations" and "homages" - in plain-speak hush-hush reworks, tribute tracks and those that sample liberally. The label's latest release is a compilation of sorts, featuring as it does cuts from a trio of artists. The Falcon steps up first with title track 'Sound The Alarm', a raw, jacking, bouncy and positive mind-melding blend of lo-fi synth stabs, sweat-soaked beats, fire alarm noises and restless drum machine fills. Over on side B, Grizzly Knuckles' 'Mad Bell' - a breathless, house tempo techno workout built around a nagging synth-bell loop - is followed by label regular The Jak's 'Aftermath', which sits somewhere between jacking lo-fi techno, UK funky and stab-happy Soca-house.
Review: Sardinian duo Enrica Falqui and Claudio PRC bring their respective signature sounds to this new collaborative EP on the Swiss label Adam's Bite. The two experienced studio hands kick off with 'Synapse', which has an enthuse, throbbing low end that forms the foundation for expressive synth craft. 'Amygdala' is named after the mass of grey matter in our brains which is involved in the experiencing of emotions and pairs deft, curious melodic waifs with chunky tech drums. 'Receptor' sinks back down into a moody, heads down and dub tech roller and 'Lucid Dreams' brings the sort of synth colours and low-end tension that will keep you awake all night.
Review: Fango lives in Venice in the middle of nowhere and works in a home studio when not practicing with his live band of the same name. He has been serving up his own take on techno for over a decade now and that vast majority of it has come on Degustibus Music.This is his first EP for a while and as ever it is well designed and atmospheric. All three cuts will work their magic on floors filled with serious techno heads and once more this is Fango in fine form.
Review: Berlin indie record store, label and distro manager black.round.twelve have struck out on a limb lately, upping their business game to exploit the many fruits of sublabel management. twelve.to.zero is the polished result, focusing on the everstrong contingency for minimal techno in the city's eastern corners. Producer Faster is their latest releasee for the series; ultra-snippy backroom cuts from 'Nexam' to 'Gush Me' adorn four sides of sizzly wax, and all are perfect for local summer bar cruising and/or radio hangouts.
Review: Italian DJ/producer Fedele Ladisa may have parted ways with Agents Of Time some time ago, but he still rolls tight with his fellow Barese friends and their label Obscura which presents its tenth release and the second edition in the Awake series. On the first side, 'Spike Express' is a wacky afterhours cut that's equal parts techno, electro and disco. It receives a twisted and dystopian rework by French legend The Hacker, followed with one more by Golden Virgo.
Review: Blackinstock Records is a new branch of Mixcult Records and it debuts with the Reel Phase EP which is a showcase of the purest essence of dub techno. This most timeless release features the legendary Federsen alongside the innovative talents of Yagya and Ohm who are in remix mode. Each track on this 12" delves into minimalism and sonic depth to make for rather profound grooves that sweep you up and never let you go. The spacious, intricate soundscapes crafted by these artists explore every facet if dub techno with a slightly different personality which makes it a must-have for those who like their sounds deep, cuddly, and propulsive.
Review: The undeniably wonderfully named Chippy Chasers label return with a neat selection of four very playable, friendly-on-the-ear cuts from four undeniably wonderful artists. Fedo's 'Tunisian Rex' leads the chage, with a solid house shuffle liberally peppered with nicely trippy effects and bonkers vocal snippets that give it heaps of personality. Andrey Djackonda & Ovil's 'Lui Lui' is a little more stripped down and a little more soulful, with an old jazz hand muttering atmosphercially on top. Legit Trip's 'Skripi Daddy' is the most loop-laden of the quartet, but its ebbing and flowing brass samples and high frequency tweaks keep it interesting, before Firesc's 'Left Or Right' closes things down with the kind of polyrhythmic funkiness and space jazz trimmings that made Cheap Records so essential back in the day. Well worth Chasing down.
Review: Andrea Ferlin presents four stunning tracks that dive into deep house depths on this sick new HAZE release. 'OPIA' is first and features modulated stabs, rumbling pads and a sliding bassline that makes it an ideal choice for peak hours. In contrast, 'ORGO' shines in after-hours sets with its intricate percussion polyrhythms and layered sounds. The B-side shifts the mood with 'DORF,' while 'Morning Sunshine' evokes the anticipation of a classic orchestral interlude. This one is full of goodness for all sorts of settings.
Review: Fi-Lo returns with his fourth release on Alphaville Records and it might be his best yet. Drawing from 90s tech house influences, the artist adds his own signature spin to a set of four dynamic tracks designed for the dancefloor. The cheekily named 'Shaggin' Wagon' is a fluid blend of light and shadow, with acid and breaks setting the tone. 'Toro Bravo' on the A-side offers deep, expansive rhythms and a robust groove and over n the flip is 'All Work, No Play (Pressure Mix)' which unfolds as a relentless, evolving proggy weapon with a playful edge. Closing the EP, 'LA-Z BOY' introduces a laid-back vibe enriched with eclectic samples and a nice smooth flow.
Fisher Vs Kita Alexander - "Atmosphere" (extended mix) (7:24)
Fisher Vs Kita Alexander - "Atmosphere" (acappella) (1:42)
Fisher Vs Kita Alexander - "Atmosphere" (extended instrumental) (5:56)
Fisher Vs Kita Alexander - "Atmosphere" (3:24)
Review: 'Atmosphere' is an all new and highly effective earworm pulled from the depths of a tequila bottle. It is sure to be another mega-hit for EDM royalty and pro surfer-turned-producer FISHER who is best know for his last anthem, 'Losing It.' Featuring ethereal vocals from Brisbane's Kita Alexander, the track blends ecstatic synths with massive, pogoing bass and has already got tens of millions of streams and a gold certification. Various mixes all tweak the drums and synth but the original is the one you will be hearing all year long.
Review: Montreal outfit Flabbergast tap into something brilliantly leftfield on this new EP for Adams Bite. Opener 'Peppermint Poodle' is a grubby and bubbly minimal tech house cut that is defined by a characterful Northern voice speaking about a love interest and various other things. It's wonderfully weird and sure to get anthem status soon. 'Manger Du Bon Manger' is more languid and late night, 'Mou D'Etat' is a deep and zoned out cut with odd samples and trippy sound designs and 'Dans L'Oeil' rounds out with a synth laced cruiser for 5am wig outs.
Review: Flabbergast's latest offering is a meditative exploration of house and techno, perfectly capturing the sensation of drifting between states of consciousness. '11:15 in your dream' begins with a haunting, ambient intro that gradually pulls you deeper into its rhythm. The track's driving bassline is complemented by delicate, atmospheric synths that flutter like thoughts half-remembered. The interplay between the deep groove and swirling textures gives the track a sense of floating, evoking both serenity and unease. It's the kind of hypnotic journey that blurs the lines between reality and reverie, a late-night moment to lose yourself in.
Review: Romania's Floog is already well known for his impactful presence in the micro house scene with releases on Visionquest, Enfasi, and Atipic. Here he teams up with Brizman, the minimal alias of techno veteran Gel Abril, on Adam's Bite. The EP kicks off with the title track 'Lose Connection' featuring a bouncy sub-bass line, saturated drums, twitchy synths, and glitchy vocals. 'That Hook' takes a more dynamic approach with layered synths, modulating flutters, and whispered vocals and the 12" then closes with 'True Believer' featuring Linn Stern and blending cinematic atmospheres, robotic voices, fluttering arpeggios with skippy, raw drums for an anthemic finish.
Review: An innovative EP emerges from the collaborative work of two accomplished music producers in Stockholm's Weirdvin, founder of the thriving Maraton label and here making a debut on Lyssna with the label's own Flord King. Their music finds a perfect common ground between electronic minimal funk and atmospheric textures, with overtones of ocean-faring trips on a voyage to the depths of the Baltic Sea. From the snappy percussion of 'Navigation' to the ambient synths of 'Oyster' via the nice and delicate drum loops of 'Telefunken' the more warped lines and turbulent bass of 'Bende' this is an EP with a unique sonic aesthetic.
Review: Svogue's third vinyl-only outing delivers a brilliantly trippy and dreamy exploration of house and breaks with a hint of characterful old-school flair. Produced and mixed by Matteo Floris, his well crafted tracks feature solid analogue drum patterns paired with energetic rave synths that are all perfect for peak-time underground clubbing but never forgo a bit of nuance for the heads. It makes this a 12" that offers a rich, immersive listening experience with colourful pads, innovative rhythmic patterns and plenty of future ideas.
Roman Flugel - "More Is Not Enough (Heaven Or Hell?)"
Lauer - "Hector"
San Laurentino - "Final Landing"
Tuff City Kids - "People Is A Crackhead" (Tuff Hamlet riddim)
Review: Established as a record label some four years ago, Live At Robert Johnson have really come to the fore as representing the best of contemporary European deep house alongside the likes of Dial and Running Back. Here, the Frankfurt institution returns to their recent triumphant Lifesaver compilation with this addendum 12" release featuring the productions from Roman Flugel, Lauer, San Laurentino and Tuff City Kids. Flugel opens proceedings with the rough and moody "More Is Not Enough" which brandishes a beat that can't help but get in your face. This is complemented by the calmer, sumptuous New Beat stylings of Lauer's "Hector" and the richly colourful "Final Landing" from San Laurentino. "People Is A Crackhead (Tuff Hamlet Riddim)" is not only the best track title in a hot minute but yet another original dancefloor slayer from Gerd Janson and Lauer's Tuff City Kids, opting for the Germanic digi dub meets tuff house route.
Review: The intriguingly named Perfumed Freedom makes its debut here with a seductive new minimal EP from Foehn & Jerome. The Frisbee of No Return is the sort of well-designed outing that lovers of those intimate yet zoned out 4 am moments will love: opener 'T-Dive' layers up synths that convey an unsettling sense of mystery and malevolent energy over flappy drums. 'Happy M'June' pumps the drums a bit harder while wonky synth details unfurl up top and last of all is the most raw of the lot - 'New Soul Interruption' has rasping bass and more cluttered arrangements.
Review: The endlessly fertile scenes that are minimal and tech house yield more essential DJ goodness here as Bread & Butter assembles a selection of talents for this ninth various artists' release. Alex Font & Aron open up with 'Walking On Clouds' which is not as airy and dreamy as it might sound, but does lay down a nice deft minimal groove. Beiger has a more sunny outlook with the mellifluous synth clouds of his 'Audible Illusions' and Mihai Pol then brings ouse late night jazz house cool to his 'Bip Bip.' Iuly B completes a varied package with the heady loops and wispy cosmic synth motifs of 'Bouncing Lights.'
Alex Font - "El Velorio De Pedrito Navajas" (10:06)
Crihan - "Dark Times" (6:24)
Paul K - "Electro Fantomas" (6:48)
Review: It has been seven long years since Acme Music introduced the first part of this series but now Mis Hermanos Rumanos is back with a third instalment. The three-track various artists' affair kicks off with Alex Font and his lean minimal tech house groove 'El Velorio De Pedrito Navajas" complete with wavy bass, twanging strings and an exotic vibe. Crihan's 'Dark Times' is dubby and unhurried, and again heads into steamy jungle worlds with watery droplets and organic percussion. Paul K's 'Electro Fantomas' is a final tripped-out closer with snappy snares and wavy drums.
Review: Yukihiro Fukutomi is perhaps the most lauded Japanese electronic artist and has been gaining plaudits since the mid 90s for his own particular brand of house music. Ewan Pearson was so moved by Fukutomi's 2009 cover version of Marshall Jefferson's "Open Our Eyes" that it featured on his heavyweight mix for Kompakt. That cover version should not be confused with "Open Your Eyes", the A Side on this classy excursion into vintage Chicago sounds from Fukutomi under his Foog alias. It's a brilliantly acid tinged retro jacker that builds and dips in all the right places, with the mid section roll of crashing hi-hats a particular delight."Grey Matters" adopts a similarly future retro sound on the B Side with KiNK-esque 808s aplenty.
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