Trule レコード& CD

Review: As Trule approaches the occasion of its 25th EP, Alpi is given the nod to take care of a sublime new four-tracker. This is an EP of stylish and subversive techno that is meticulously designed and all named after plants. The rhythms are suggestive rather than in your face but never fail to lock you in while you gaze at the fresh synths and unusual sound designs all around. 'Hedera' is first up and floats on air with skittish hits and detuned chords, then 'Oxalis' slows to a crawl that melts the mind. 'Aquilegia' has a sub-aquatic dub techno feel and 'Paeonia' is a double-time stepper.

Review: Al Wootton rarely releases material from other artists on Trule, so when he does you can guarantee the music in question will be rather special. That's certainly the case with this surprise EP from rising star Porter Brook, a Sheffield-born member of the Groundwork family whose dark, atmospheric and claustrophobic take on techno - with more than a dash of UK bass influence - is as industrial as the city of his birth. Over the course of four fantastic tracks, we're treated to ghostly, sub-heavy broken techno melancholia ('Trakt II'), intense early morning industrial techno dystopia ('Lipsius', a real early morning treat), crunchy breakbeat minimalism doused in concrete-clad aural textures ('Second Shift') and hushed, dubbed-out breakbeat techno ('Final Call').

Review: Al Wootton has always been able to cook up rhythms that are beyond even the wildest dreams of many and now he gets even more weird and esoteric on this fresh 12" on True. The six tracks layer up polyrhythmic hand percussion with sonorous bells and are all brought to life with modular synthesis and deft sound design that takes you deep into a humid jungle where moisture drips from the leaves and psychedelia lurks around every corner. It is both a heady and a heavy trip into worldly and dubby techno rhythms that will leave you feeling keen to hear more from the man.