Rekids レコード& CD

Review: While it's become fashionable to release records that draw on the more psychedelic musical elements evident in vintage techno, electro and trance records, A Sagittariun has been ploughing that sonic furrow for many years. He successfully dips into this pool of influences once more on the Strange Brew EP, whose title may be a reference to a club in his home city of Bristol. He begins by enveloping a punchy, rolling electro-breaks groove with cosmic-sounding pads, bubbly electronics and slivers of TB-303 tweakery on 'The Mind Blanks at the Glare', before opting for a sweaty, rave-era-house-goes-acid-techno sound on the chugging, mind-mangling 'Don't Look in the Freezer'. Best of all though is flipside 'Cosmic Trigger', a deliciously immersive chunk of deep techno rich in trippy electronics, sumptuous pads and tactile grooves.

Review: Following the release of his blisteringly heavy Funfzig album on Rekids last year, Mark Broom returns to Matt Edwards' imprint with a teaser for the hotly anticipated follow-up, 100% Juice. As you'd expect, there's no messing around from the UK techno veteran, with opener '100% Juice (Sampler Mix)' delivering a bowel-bothering, cranium-snapping blend of rave-igniting, minor key stabs, booming bass and stomping beats. In contrast, 'Contingo' is trippy in tone thanks to all manner of overlapping synth lines, while 'Nod To The D' sees Broom blend his own drum machine-driven take on techno with vintage Motor City sounds. Rounding off a rock-solid EP is 'Spiked', a raw and razor-sharp techno throb-job primed for peak-time floors.

Review: Mark Broom is a techno veteran, but just because he enjoys that sot of status doesn't mean he has lost his edge. He proves that here with a hefty new record on Radio Salve's mighty Rekids. It bangs from the off with his signature heavy drums defining each of the tracks across all four sides of vinyl. '100% Juice' is peak time tackle with incendiary hit hats and loopy synths, 'Slush' is a head melter with more warped lines and elsewhere 'Wonky Workout' does exactly what says on the tin. There is a brilliantly unsettling and eerie vibe to 'Boxed In' and straight up dance floor fire in 'Wiggle Me This.'

Review: It is impossible to pin down Roman Flugel. The German innovator has had more different sounds and aliases than most of us have had disco pellets. Here he is back under his own name on Berlin mainstay Rekids with four to-the-point yet still characterful techno cuts. 'Yes People' with both amp up the energy in the club but also trip out all those who hear it thanks to its caustic drums and mind-melting synths. 'Play Simple' is a double time weapon with spoken words morphing before your ears next to an insistent rhythm and sleek pads. 'Jam' is a wonky one with detuned chords tumbling about the mix over old school techno directness and 'Mysterious Delight' again cuts loose at the afters. This may be his best work in some time.

Review: Radio Slave's Rekids remains right at the forefront after decades in the game. That is no doubt in part down to great recruitment of new talent who keep updating its signature sounds. This time out Hilit Kole makes a debut with 'Hot Mess,' a raw and jacking house cut with rugged drum loops and a sleazy vocal that turns into an epic wail. An Even Hotter mix brings more libidinous vocal overtones and then the one and only Mike Dunn remixes. Firstly he keeps it smooth and seductive, then pairs back the vocal to allow his lithe synths to shine. A nice varied package from all.

Review: ** REPRESS ALERT ** Russian DJ/producer Nina Kraviz recorded 'Mr Jones' back in 2013 which receives a reissue on REKIDS here on clear double vinyl. A fine collection of sturdy DJ tools, it features the sensual deep house cut 'Desire' featuring her own vocals, the sonar transmissions of 'Remember' which ventures into techno territory in collaboration with Detroit dub techno engineer Luke Hess, as well as the dreamy hypnotic beats of 'Black White' and closing it out with the minimal basement jam 'Sheer'.

Review: Second time around for Nina Kraviz's key early single Pain In The Ass, a two-tracker that was originally released on Rekids way back in 2009. This edition has been pressed to brilliant white vinyl, though otherwise it's the same as the original 12" release. That's no bad thing though, because the title track is a particularly druggy, wonky and out-there chunk of after-hours sleaze, with Kraviz layering ghostly electronic stabs and her own spoken word vocals over a sparse-but-heavy tech-house groove. Original B-side 'I'm Gonna Get You' is a slightly dreamier affair, with Kraviz singing over squelchy synth-bass, sustained deep space chords, chiming melodies and more stripped-back beats.

Review: You always know what you are going to get from Radio Slave, and that is high functioning techno that never fails to make an impact in the club. The man behind the music, Matt Edwards, is one of techno's most enduring and consistent performers and he confirms that again here with the pair of bangers on his own Rekids label. 'Acid Dip' has punchy, funky drums that hammer home the groove with big, bouncy hits bring further dynamics as an occasional slaying synth sprays across the face of the tune. Devastating. 'Armani' is a brian-frying, loopy, synth-heavy workout full of texture.

Review: The entrancing tribal house groove of Jerome Sydenham, Fatima Njai's and percussionist Mario Punchard's Kraftwerk channeling 'Trans Afro Express' is one of this year's biggest tracks for Rekids, which now receives a series of impressive reworks by the biggest names on the scene. Running Back's Gerd Janson delivers a sunny and blissful rework in his signature neon-lit disco style on the A side of the disc. Over on the flip, it's over to the master of minimalism - none other than Ricardo Villalobos - who takes the track deep into the afterhours with his heady makeover delivered in his idiosyncratic style.