New releases last four weeks: Minimal/Tech House

Review: Arutani's third album Who We Used To Be is a meditation on times passed and alternate lives lost, filtered through the decorative lenses of deep, minimal, tech and dub. As if to paint a character portrait of the artist himself, this is a measured, calm, light, mindful and modest album, replete with bulging concave chord undulations and synaptic percussive snaps for balance. Everything from electro's usual dotted rhythmic pattern to progressive house's woodblocky felicities are checked off here, plus the glissando'ing lead on 'In Case You Wondered What I've Been Doing' is a special highlight.

Review: A sprawling, typically irreverent effort from the ever-prolific DMX Krew. With each unfolding track, Edward Upton charts a new tributary in the Detroit-Berlin-Sheffield pipeline, from the grouchy technoid stomp of 'Bathtime Bobby', to the hazy chillout room introspection of 'Escape To 92', to the dazzled machine funk of aptly named elektro quest 'Desperate Measures'. Another thoroughly satisfying entry in the ever-growing DMX catalogue, Spiral Dance is a sizzling hotplate of timeless electro wizardry.

Review: Swiss producer and DJ Lea Lisa gathers together some of her favorite tracks to play out with in a double pack compilation for Favorite Recordings. As you might be able to tell from some of the artists and tracks on here, Lea likes her house music deep, tracky, sometimes soulful and verging on proper techno. Featured here are key tracks like 'Ekeyz' from Pure Science, the club mix of 'Be There' by Kerri Chandler and 'Blax Thanxs' by Abacus. One very desirable addition is the early 90s gem 'Emotional' by Think. This very strong gathering of deep house tracks may be one of the best this year. Act quick and grab a copy.

Review: Premier dub techno outlet Greyscale from Lithuania welcomes back Lotech/Hijack following the success of his last album here, Static Phase. He has served up another full length's worth of sublime deep dub techno explorations here, and that marks his rather remarkable 36th full length in total. Winter Constellations is inspired by the Canadian's love of star gazing and the vastness of space and results in plenty of widescreen and cinematic tracks that are subtly detailed with celestial moods. From the power of 'Let's Forget Who We Are' to the infinite depth of 'Auriga' via the airiness of 'Night Sky Dreaming' and 'Horologium', this is another masterfully immersive work that really exploits the album format.

Review: Orbital's debut album is classic album in the techno genre. A name that needs no introduction really, Orbital defined rave and techno through the 90s creatively and performance wise. This self-titled or as many know it by, 'The Green Album' features perhaps the most popular songs of the rave generation in 'Chime' and 'Belfast'. However, tracks like 'Midnight', 'Steel Cube Idolatry' and 'The Mobius' are the birthmarks of Orbital finding their sound that would turn them into Glastonbury legends and soundtrack pioneers. This edition is true to the original 2x12 making it desirable for those new to the album, those who want a second copy or those who want to complete their Orbital collection. Orbital's roots begin here and have them at their most raw. Do not miss out on having a part of rave history with this record!

Review: Orbital's debut and self-titled album (also known as the green album) is a classic example of the UK rave sound in 1991. Featuring the hits 'Belfast' and 'Chime', this important piece of electronic music gets some loving attention in the form of being remastered for the first time since release. But that's not the only thing - this CD edition also comes with a bonus CD featuring rarities and remixes from the time. What better way to celebrate 25 years of this amazing band and its cherished history for their role in helping create the sound of techno.

Review: Ten year anniversary? Has it really already been ten years since Recondite's sophomore album 'Hinterland' came out?! Recondite almost single-handedly was responsible in many peoples eyes for the resurgence in techno during the early 2010s. After beating down the doors of Ghostly International for many years, the fans finally get their wish in the shape a new, shiny reissue. Coming on smokey black vinyl this time, nobody has a reason to not have this record in their collection. Included are legendary tracks like 'Stems', 'Clouded' and 'Leafs'. Many think that not only is this the best Recondite album but one of the best techno albums of the year 2013.

Review: Dave Seaman (Brothers In Rhythm) and Quivver (John Graham) are two long time heavyweights of the progressive house and trance scene for over 30 years now. The pair join forces on the Balance label to share a DJ mix. This version features unmixed tracks that were used in the mix by both including two original productions they wrote together to make this collaboration even more special. Both of those, 'Make It Disappear' and 'Mushroom Embargo' kick off this double vinyl version. What old head can't spot a Quivver bassline when they hear one?! Highlights also include Dave's heavy driving remix of 'Low Burn' by Underworld, Ben Archbold's epic 'Psychedelic Halo' and Timo Maas's bass heavy remix of Polaroit's 'Apart'. For those long time fans of Balance mixes, you have another winner here!

Review: Global Underground is one of the longest-running DJ mix series and it has always been one of the best. Plenty of big-names over the years have made their mark, often more than once, and now it is the turn of the famously long-playing New York titan Danny Tenaglia to show us what he's made of. He brings his signature grooves and a hint of Latin flavour to proceedings on this, a third and final installment of his trilogy for the series. It is mostly contemporary names serving up new school sounds but all delivered with Danny's cultured and old school DJ mentality.

Review: The creative partnership between Tiga & Hudson Mohawke expresses a mutual love of "hardcore romance," a liminal state where the bounds between euphoria, melancholy and the raw power of friendship disintegrate completely. Recorded in Los Angeles from 2019-2023, these commonalities ebbed and flowed through various recording sessions, culminating in their debut album - L'Ecstacy - the sounds in which "all come from the same place, the same musical universe," in Hudson Mohawke's own words. Referencing the album's locus of bouncy elasticity and cinematic gloss - "we're building a particular kind of zone where it all fits together. A place lost in time." With guest appearances by luminaries like Abra, Channel Tres, and Jesse Boykins III, as well as album artwork by Wolfgang Tillmans, the result is delivered with "no apology, no cynicism, no irony, no winking."

Review: Accomplished Turkish label ISOLATE is marking five years in existence and over 30 odd releases with a new and bumper collection of sounds from all of its main players in remix mode. Isolate: Five Years unfolds over six, yes six, sides of wax and traverses all manner of fresh techno sound worlds. There are drawn-out synth and deep techno adventures from Aera, floating and dubby dream-house offerings from DJ Counselling, pulsating future tech from Hardt Anoine and roaming melodic tech house kickers from Gunce Aci amongst many more highlights.

Review: The Milano Undiscovered series has been expertly overseen by Fred Ventura and now clocks up a third installment. It again delves into Milan's dynamic techno and house scene between the years of 1988 and 1992. Unveiling a trove of unreleased demos, it highlights the city's burgeoning underground culture during this period. Influenced by the pioneering sounds of Chicago, Detroit, London, and Sheffield, Milanese producers embarked on a creative journey, crafting their own distinct interpretations of electronic dance music. These demos offer a glimpse into the innovative spirit and diverse sonic landscape that defined Milan's contribution to the global dance music scene during this transformative era.