Review: A aka Mika Vainio's 'Fermionit' is a significant release from the late Finnish producer, who passed away in 2017. Originally featured in a Belgium Detuned 6x12 boxset just before his death, the track received critical acclaim from collectors and fans. Now, it returns to Mika's own Sahko label for a well-deserved 12" release. 'Fermionit' embodies the essence of Finnish techno with its minimalistic, cold and stark sound. The track's passive-aggressive edge showcases Vainio's signature style, blending raw, unfiltered textures with a profound sense of depth. This release not only honors Vainio's legacy but also offers a chance for new listeners to experience the pure DNA of Finnish techno. An essential listen for fans of minimalist and avant-garde electronic music.
Review: A Certain Ratio have returned with their most tight and funky album, possibly ever, recently, and it is steeped in 40 years of ACR DNA. Now you can grab two of the standout singles on this fine, limited edition white 7" thanks to Daniel Miller's essential Mute. Opener 'Berlin' is the second single from that album, ACR Loco, and has breezy vocals and Trillin riffs over tight drum work. 'Dirty Boy' is riddled with squelchy synth funk, with popping drums and a great vocal performance that will get any party vibing.
Review: Portal ends the year with a delightfully well-crafted and deliciously deep techno long player from Acaera. It opens up in dubbed-out and stripped-back fashion with supple rolling rhythms way down below the most deft of pads. 'Anaesthesia' brings some fizzing static electricity to the mix but the mood remains foggy and bleak in beautiful ways then 'Learned Behaviour' brings a little more thump to the low end but the atmosphere remains sparse. 'Forella' is a dub techno cruiser that floats on airy breaks and 'Reorientation' shuts down with three-plus minutes of eerie ambiance.
Review: The Advisory Circle's Mind How You Go is a haunting and evocative album that transports listeners back to the eerie world of 1960s and 1970s public information films. Inspired by the chilling soundscapes of these films, the album captures a sense of nostalgia and unease that is both poignant and unsettling. The album's music is both catchy and unsettling, with its eerie melodies and haunting vocals creating a sense of unease. The lyrics, which often focus on themes of danger and caution, add to the album's unsettling atmosphere. Mind How You Go is a masterpiece of nostalgic electronica. It is a record that is both haunting and beautiful.
Review: Agonis' debut album Neutropia receives a well-earned remix treatment here. Originally released in 2021, the album showcased Agonis' evolution beyond deep, hypnotic techno by incorporating half-paced drum & bass, rolling amen breaks, trip-hop and futuristic techno. Neutropia Remixed broadens this palette further with four distinctive reworks. Carrier slows 'Thermo' into a half-time rhythmic masterpiece, Christina Vantzou crafts a mesmerising drone trip, upsammy injects shimmering dynamics into 'Algoflash' and Felix K transforms 'Pyrchid' into an intricate drum workout.
Review: Basel-based experimental labels Amenthia Recordings and A Walking Contradiction join forces for their first collaborative release here in the form of the Flash Crash/Hack Crash EP. Both labels are known for pushing boundaries within their close-knit creative circles and this one features Agonis' heavy stepper and Konduku's whirlpool of low frequencies on the Amenthia side, while Lemont continues the low-end, tripped-out vibe. Varuna represents A Walking Contradiction and delivers swampy, slow-motion sounds in their signature style. This release embodies both labels' commitment to daring, unconventional electronic sounds.
Review: Japanese stars Akiko and Yukihiro Fukutomi came together to cover SADE's anthem several years ago but it now makes its way back to fresh wax courtesy of Record Store Day 2024. They infused it with dark, mysterious jazz and contemporary influences and Akiko's enigmatic vocals intertwine flawlessly with the minimalist arrangement. On the B-side, their original 'let GO' offers a spiritual journey through dub-techno realms where the synergy between Akiko's emotive delivery and Fukutomi's masterful production creates a captivating sound. This release epitomises the pair's creative chemistry and innovative approach to blending diverse musical elements into a seamless, immersive new realm.
Review: The Analogue Attic microverse is defined by a unified commitment to the deepest ideas of where house music can head, and no one embodies that spirit better than Alex Albrecht. On this latest 12" he's heading into the velvet folds of low tempo chugger 'The Blacksmith' and downtempo dream state 'Coles Ridge' with elegiac piano sparkling atop fathoms-deep pads and the softest of percussion. This is house music as a vessel for pure relaxation and sentimental meditation, and across six tracks Albrecht offers up balm after balm to soundtrack oceanic realms of calm - a much needed tonic for the frenetic pace of modern life.
Review: If you're familiar with imprints like Nous'laer Audio, AD93, Tikita, or Semantica, but haven't yet explored the galaxy of sound coming from Ahrpe Records, now's your chance. Amandra is one of two heads behind said stable, and here the French producer shows everyone what time it is with a space walk through acid warbles and tribalistic rhythms. Neither of which give a particularly accurate description of what's here, but both are defining features of the tracks and EP as a whole. Whether it's the jazz-imbued shuffle of 'Prorokini', the phat wobbling steps of 'Brera Som Som' itself, or the wall of distorted percussion on 'Fanfaron', all four originals are standouts and hard to compare, while the cherry-picked remixes show just how much can be done with what's here, if the right ears are involved.
Review: Current scene favourite Nils Frahm teamed up with Icelandic multi-instrumentalist Olafur Arnalds on three breath taking excursions through lush ambient textures on "Stare" as a surprise release back in 2012 for label founder Robert Rath. "A1" features Frahm's entrancing irresistible melody over some gorgeous all-consuming strings and glacial soundscapes courtesy of Arnalds. "A2" with its heavenly, transcendental beauty has just got to be heard while "B1" explores darker territory with its excavating soundscapes accompanying the most hauntingly delicate cello notes. Exquisite!
Review: We have long been fans of the specific sort of techno that Spanish label Semantica deals in. It is always artful and superbly well-designed and this new Artefaklt record totally fits in with that vibe. It finds Dutch pair Robin Koek and Nick Lapien layering up hypnotic drones and linear deep techno drums to perfectly escapist and heady effect on 'Diorama', while intricate sound designs add the sort of details to 'Natura' that make this miscue as suited to home listening on headphones as losing it in a club. 'Natant' is another undulating mix of electronica, ambient and techno that casts your mind free. 'Floodplain' is a heavenly closer.
Review: Few artists have had such a global impact on electronic music than Thomas Bangalter, the legendary DJ, producer and songwriter who is best known as one-half of the former dance titans Daft Punk. He has many more skills up his sleeve though as he has proven since leading the duo. One is writing soundtracks such as this one, Chiroptera, for Acte 2: Retour a la Caverne, which was a JR creation with choreography from Damien Jalet. It was performed in Paris in front of the Opera de Paris (Opera Garnier) on November 12th, 2023 and involved more than 150 dancers. You can now relive it musically with this limited 12".
Review: The icy techno sounds of Cologne's Barnt make their way across Europe here to Studio Barnhus's Swedish bunker. Across five fresh cuts, he brings plenty of experimental flair but also some playful rhythms to a forward-thinking EP that sounds like little else. 'Aqua Melopella' is an unsettling opener with glistening synths scurrying like ants over a sparse rhythm, 'Aqua Breeze' establishes a marching beat and 'Aqua Bass' brings twanging synths and frosted loops that keep you on your toes. 'Millennium Silver' is another tune blend of dystopian synth sounds and distorted lines that speak of human destruction and last of all 'Millennium Melopella' offers moments of ambient reflection.
Review: Leeds-based label Turnend Tapes showcase the wide and very assured skills of Malmo man Martin Abrahamsson aka Bauri across a choice selection of five tracks from the more thoughtful and atmospheric end of the techno scale. That's not to say there aren't grooves aplenty going on. Opening track 'Zoom0036' has some irresistibly shiny, downbeat electro moves, offset by a touch of Autechre-like ghostliness. 'Jody' comes on like Drexciya at their perkiest, with a soupcon of Air Liquide's cheeky phasing, while 'Sunrise (take 2)' has the majesty and simplicity of Aphex's first 'Ambient Works'. Flip it over for 'Easter Sunday', where streamlined polymetric machine funk and solar flare arpeggios do a merry dance, before 'Feeling Reprise' finishes things off with spiralling half-speed beats and yet more melodic grandeur rising out of the mix. Abrahamsson has a long, impressive pedigree with more alter egos than you've had hot dinners, but this is up there with his most original and confident efforts. It's a Flow-brainer.
Review: Sam Binga has established himself with boundary-pushing club tracks on labels like Critical and Exit and for this one teamed up with Welfare, a junglist and the Rua Sound label boss. Together they were inspired by the rugged beauty of Conamara, County Galway and began the project in a 300-year-old cottage overlooking the sea in a place free of creature comforts but rich in inspiration. Using a handheld recorder, the duo explored tidal caves, ruins and windswept coastlines while recording the ambient sounds they heard on the way and then turned them into these deeply textured dub compositions through live desk mixing at Dubkasm's studio.
Review: It's been a while since we heard from London's bass innovator Brassfoot. In fact, this is his first new EP since a great album back in 2022 and it offers up trippy electronics of the highest order. 'Cat Riddles & Ginnels Juice' is a murky world of lo-fi sounds, scratchy drums and wiry sonics that is pure scuzz. 'Double Speak' is another caustic and rusty melange of rhythmic motifs and fuzzy synth decay while 'Kinda Vicarious ' is all twisted church bells and otherworldliness. 'Earthiopia' is hyperdriven experimental minimalism and 'A Nation, No Flag' closes this most avant-garde EP with more eerie urban electronics. A truly out there EP.
High Lonesome Soundsystem - "Champion Sound" (Tom dub) (7:42)
Review: Tom Chasteen is an LA-born mega-musician who is widely credited for helping to spurn the San Francisco rave movement of the 1990s, not least by founding the Exist Dance label. Masquerading under various monikers such as Eden Transmission, High Lonesome Sound System and Voodoo Transmission, many of his tracks are cemented in the rave music canon as some of the most pivotal, thanks to their pushing of a rather psychedelic sound. Suitable for the looking-back era of the 2020s, the new EP by Tom, 'Selected Productions', zooms out of that era and into the present, re-homing in on some of that artist's later works when the SanFran heyday was over. Downtempo, full of international influences, and retaining that scratchy 'lifted from vinyl and remastered' sound, this is spiritual lyrical miziricle music for the dancing astral traveller.
Review: Rambadu's self-titled label is young but already onto a good thing with a distinctly deep brand of techno. This time out the boss is back once more but in cahoots with Italian techno legend Claudio PRC. They cook up a trio of mind melters starting with 'Sai.' Warped lines menacingly roam about the stereo field over sparse kicks and deep abs. 'Matika' is just as paired back and atmospheric in a deep, dark way with slowly churning drums taking you deeper down the rabbit hole. 'Aqua' is a meatless blend of distant groans and wispy pads that keeps you in suspense.
Review: The Shot of T label serves up a versatile new split EP with CV Smiles kicking things off. A long, drawn-out and emotive synth opens up on 'Home-schooled' and comes layered with bubbly pads and serve effects that soothe the mind. Then comes a rap mix that is detailed with louche bars and more 909 production to make it pop. On the flip side, the masterful Porn Sword Tobacco flips the script with a gurgling, pulsing, deep and linear techno roller in the form of 'Techno Story' which is perfect for late-night sessions.
Review: After many years of waiting, CV313 (Stephen Hitchell) brings out blue vinyl editions of some of his cherished dub techno classics. Originally released in 2007 and again in 2009, 'Subtraktive' took the M7 formula and deepened it even further becoming the blueprint for CV313 and the Echospace label for years to come. Comes with the live in Japan version also. This reissue is a warm welcome for those concerned about ever getting a copy.
Review: This classic techno record has been remastered and repressed on nice blue limited translucent midnight vinyl to mark its tenth anniversary. It finds CV313 casting you adrift into a world of deft ambient pads, fathom-deep dub undercurrents that are so subtle you barely know they are there, and then mesmerising with ghostly apparitions and analogue modulations. On the flipside is a live version of the same tune that has a slightly more raw, textured rhythm and scraping synths so exudes a slightly different mood but is no less immersive.
Review: In late 2023, Tokyo-based musician Daigo Sakuragi moved to London where he revisited recordings made with fellow Japanese artists. Inspired by the city's energy and atmosphere, he crafted Togenkyo, a 28-minute fusion of early 2000s folktronica and contemporary ambient music that now comes as two long continuous pieces on one slab of vinyl. Layering immersive synth textures with spatial production, he grounds the piece in organic drum and bass grooves while a saxophone elegantly weaves through the soundscape. Togenkyo reflects an inner utopia that is attainable yet imperfect and is a comforting, meditative work.
Review: The NOID imprint out of Belgium returns with its second vinyl drop, and this time takes you into some serene realms of breakbeat-driven pleasure court yes of Dave NA. His Altura EP opens with 'Escape', a wide open and airy mix of wispy synths and dusty, floating breaks. 'Elevation' has a more churning rhythm and dubby undercurrent and 'Pulse' (feat Freq444) has a hypnagogic feel, smeared vocal cries and more raw percussive patterns. 'Novox' (feat Freq444) shuts down with the most heavy and moody breakfast of the lot, a certain jungle swagger and plenty of heavy bass.
Review: There's something special in the water here. The Knife's Olof Dreijer presents three sprawling tracks on a new EP marking the start of a fresh chapter in his career, with the opener, 'Coral', starting the scoring with a strange and captivating bit of what you might call micro-techno. A lo-fi kind of workout that marries beautiful harmonic tones with a hoover bass in a way that almost calls to mind 'Rainforest' era Mathew Johnson, only more organic and live feeling. Overleaf, so to speak, 'Flora' invites us to sit on a cloud of gentle strings and mesmerising noises, like reliving a precious but now-faint memory, delicate enough to break. Meanwhile, 'Hazel' takes us back down to Earth, its slowly unfolding, muffled steel drum melodies feeling strangely homely while also not of this place, this here and now.
Review: In the wake of The Knife, Olof Dreijer has been plenty busy behind the scenes and scattering hints of his incredible production for those paying attention. Now it feels like he's building to a wider profile breakthrough as he lands a knockout blow with this release on Hessle Audio. It's a maverick release, which is its pass into the curious sound world shaped out by Ben UFO, Pearson Sound and Pangaea, but equally it brings something new to the label. The joyous, colourful melodic daubs across the EP alone are something to make a dance collectively look up in wonder, with 'Camelia' being an especially beautiful, uplifting track to bring hope and positivity when so much club music tips towards the darkness.
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