Incienso レコード& CD

Review: When composing the tracks featured on his first release on Anthony Naples and Jenny Slattery's Incienso imprint, Mister Saturday Night and Vanity Press alumnus James Bangura reportedly drew inspiration from long, late-night teenage driving experiences. There's certainly a 'speeding through canyons under a blanket of stars' feel to 'Barred Entry', a hypnotic techno journey rich in restless kick-drums, hissing ride cymbals, hazy organ loops and delay-laden chords. He flips the script on 'Mixed Signals', delivering a dubbed-out slab of mind-mangling breakbeat house hedonism, before blurring the boundaries between high-octane electro and breathless techno on 'Monterrey'. To round things off, he adds reverb-heavy ambient textures and yearning synth-strings to a crunchy dub techno groove on EP standout 'Wichita'.

Review: After debuting on Incienso in 2019, Pavel Milyakov brings Buttechno back to the label for another grip of the sneakily titled Minimal Cuts. Quite what the idea behind the title is, don't enter thinking you're going to hear sleek, stripped down tech house or abstract, reductionist fare. In fact, this second volume opens up with the buoyant, 90s-soaked thump of 'Green' before swerving into the oddball groove of 'Disko June'. There's something a little trance-y about 'Funk 33' and 'New Pnk' offers some slightly twitchy melodies, getting about as close to 'minimal' as can imagine, but still resoundingly defined by Milyakov's unique approach.

Review: Wisdom Teeth co-boss Facta joins the cats on Incienso with this beautify and wide-armed four track 12". Packed with all flavours you'd expect from the young producer, and more, we're treated to a whole menu of vibes. 'Emeline' starts the trip with a jacking, trippy house note that's comparable to the old Classic Music grooves. It's in good company as 'Felt' soothes the soul with its super woozy, off-key waves, the bumpy rolling breakbeat bleeps of 'Mirage' give us pep and the wonderfully dreamy downbeat sludge of 'Sick Pup' sends us off to the cosiest corners of our mind. Sick is the word.

Review: Istanbul born, Berlin and Copenhagen based artist Nene H (real name Beste Aydin) had amassed a hardcore following for her slew of early releases. She then finally came good on all her promise with a debut album that blended bass, techno and plenty of her own cultural heritage. Ali arrived in 2021 but only now lands on wax via Incienso. It's an album that processes personal grief and mourning with melancholic melodies, moody grooves and introspective soundscapes that allow for deep thought processing. At times psyched out, at others manic, and always alluring, it's a real triumph.