Review: A Trifle Too Far, the collaboration between Essex natives Simon Ward and Tony Grimley, crafted this forward-thinking duo of tracks, inspired by their explorations of the acid house scene and rave culture. Catch Your Ear and Meringueatang embody the innovative spirit of early 90s prog-house. Engineered by Evren Omer of Strategy Records and Matt Clayden of X-Gate Records, respectively, these tracks remain a rare and exhilarating find. Mint Condition is reviving the essence of classic house and techno with their latest reissue: the elusive 1992 EP 'Catch Your Ear/Meringueatang' from A Trifle Too Far. This release is a thrilling addition for collectors and DJs, rekindling the excitement of a bygone era.
Review: The Hyperdrive label is back with a third outing which once again offers up some exciting and forward-thinking new artists. Anderson's 'Sweet Psylow' kicks off with some psychedelic synth loops over crisp tech house drums that hark back to the 90s prog heyday. HearThuG's 'Back To The Future' is a darker sound with whistles, snappy snares and eerie chords and Luis Malon & Seb G then combine for the bouncing techno rhythms and acid-laced pads of 'Extasis Nebular.' Last but not least, Jamie Leather's 'Strange Commodities' is a surging cosmic techno trip with dynamic drums and perc and majestic leads. This is another fine release from this young label.
Review: The new four-tracker from Chicaiza through Kimchi Records is decidedly impressive, finding reams of emotive expression in a knowing, but well-wrought gaudy-trance rawness. We clock we're in for a trippy one from the off; 'Frgil Bodies' hears an opening vocal natter with the intonation of a leprechaun under the influence of some lab-bought compound; and not long before the crudest of crude yet rudest of rude drum flows ensues. Then 'Metaphorical Nihlusiions' follows with a continually janky, but frankly wicked still, tunnel-toss through noetic synth flicks and gurglingly good bass groundings, throwing shade on false nihilations in the process. The understory opens up considerably with 'Shinobi', with trophic psychic layers and bushwalking sproutings-forth, culminating in a canopied trance lead atop. Finally, 'No Way' flushes an excess of chitinous, skin-shedded beats and leftover bass nacres, depositing them on the forest floor like lap-up fruits ripe for the taking.
Review: The Not An Animal label, which rose out of the "debris left uncleaned from London's infamous Bad Passion parties" arrives at release number 20 here and a fine one it is too from Donald's House and DJ Chrysalis. They open up with the prickly percussive prog of 'Pound Bend' with its warped lines and glistening snares. The Apiento remix is a snappy one with more synth patterns layered in before 'A Curious Warmth' strips it back and gets a little more deep and dubby with a mix of abstract sounds and aching vocals. 'Tingler Ring' closes down with a Balearic late night feel.
Review: The Fourier Transform label outlay an arresting sonic journey on their debut release, bringing together breakbeat, ambient IDM, ambient techno, and prog house under a single banner. Opening with Inkipak's 'Betwixt', we're met with sonorous low-mid square waves and machine-gun-fire breaks, recalling the breathtaking, verging on apocalyptic expanse of a warehouse rave turned laser light show turned warzone. We break from this warring weir with 'Omnicron Acid' and 'City Of Tomorrow' by Gimmik and Brian Kage respectively, which lowers the intensity and sonic flow via spacious atmospheres and dudding percussive pops. Finally, the perfect fusion of the former two moods is achieved on 'Corrosive Tongue', the lead synth on which sounds like just that.
Review: Lake People's Foreverer, released on Remote Scope, takes listeners on a dynamic journey through deeper realms of minimal and tech house. The album opens with 'S'Pace,' a track that impresses with its polished production and melody reminiscent of Black Dog, setting a sophisticated tone. 'New Seeds' continues this exploration, blending techno and house with a futuristic edge. The title track, 'Foreverer,' introduces a jungle breakbeat layered with an IDM atmosphere, providing an intricate and textured experience. On Side-2, 'Floating Pikes & Pines' delves into early 90s IDM, filled with unique bleeps and sounds that evoke the feel of a computer language. 'Short Path' stands out with its excellent acid work and futuristic IDM groove, offering a fresh take on familiar sounds. The album closes with 'The Solution Of The Problem Of Life,' an ambient outro that serves as a soothing and reflective ending to the record. Foreverer is a next level production that needs to be heard.
Review: Roy Rosenfeld's new label, 'No Drama', is a testament to his commitment to independence, creativity, and depth over fleeting trends. This inaugural release is a showcase of his distinctive approach, featuring collaborations with Sebastien Leger and Guy J, alongside his own contributions. The A-side of the release begins with Sebastien Leger's "Omira," a track that blends world music influences with hypnotic house beats, creating a dynamic and captivating atmosphere for any dance floor. Following this, Rosenfeld's 'Nana' delivers a fusion of organic house elements with a carnival flair and cinematic melodies, all enhanced by tribal percussion, adding a rich texture to the track. On the B-side, Guy J's 'Karma' offers a darker, more introspective experience. This track is a masterclass in minimalism, using subtle variations in repetitive sequences to craft a trance-inducing, cerebral soundscape that invites deep listening. The final track on the B-side, "Saga Dawa," exclusive to the vinyl release, exemplifies Rosenfeld's genre-blending talent. It combines Middle Eastern melodies with psychedelic sounds, unpredictable vocal samples and intricate rhythms, culminating in a track that is as inspiring as it is innovative. This release marks the beginning of 'No Drama' and signals an exciting new chapter for Rosenfeld. Stay tuned to see where this new venture leads.
Review: Fabric Originals releases the collaborative EP of Irish-born DJ, producer, and label owner Mano Le Tough and electronic musician and DJ Perel. This EP marks the second release in the label's new series, 'Future Memories,' which pairs a "legendary" producer with fresh talent, with the aim of safely bridging the ideas of generations (heaven forfend the new generation reject the old ideas!). 'Entertain Us' brings progressive house synth eighths to wonderstruck female vocals, while Perel and Tough share respective solo contributions on the B-side: 'Homage' is the self-described electrance love song written for a secret love object, while 'Infinite Scroll' indulges the contemporary screen-mirror percept, with sloshing sound effects and slow-burn builds suggesting that an embrace of the impending technological infinite need not necessarily amount to a doomscroll.
Review: Monkey Safari's Safe on Spectrum delivers a vibrant progressive house experience. The title track Safe' on Side-1 is a powerful, feel-good anthem with a big sweeping melody, primed to be a massive hit. On Side-2, the Joris Voorn remix adds another layer to the melody while shifting the beat towards a more techno-oriented groove. This remix offers a fresh take, enhancing the original's appeal with its deeper, driving rhythm. Both versions showcase Monkey Safari's talent for crafting memorable, uplifting tracks, making this release ideal for progressive house heads.
Review: Effortless fusions of broken beat and rabbit hole prog-acid on this latest from Speed Dial. After a slight hiatus, the imprint is back, and is here joined by a slew of underground talent, coming together as one for a combinative set of 'Rhythm Rituals'. Surprisingly for a set of rituals, the three A-siders proffer three wordless mudras (as opposed to incanted mantras), with Mtty's 'Ahhhhh!cid' laying down a two-stepping breaks dust-storm replete with bells, ufologic risers and ectoplasmic synth flatulences; and Pocket's 'Smoke Signals' imparting the ways of long-distance telegraphy by way of a deeper four-wheel drive, with indo-Australian chants sampled therein. B-side helmers DJ Relax and Local Support offer two contradistinct Balearic beats, the former track veering more chuggy and auto-suspensive, in contrast to the latter's emotive, e-organic builds and vox gates.
Review: on this blistering new EP for the Odd One Tape label out of Italy. 'Dialectrick' kicks off and is full of fast-paced synth lines, trippy details and heavy drums. 'Like This' then gets more stiff and rigid with gritty synth leads and robotic drums making you march. 'Devil's Room' on the flip is another freaky cut that blends ghoulish sound design and abstract motif with irresistible drums and last of all, 'Universal Travel' ducks and dives with a cheeky character and some deft cosmic signifiers. Four fresh and futuristic-sounding tech house cuts for sweat-inducing moments.
Review: A rich exploration of minimal and tech house sounds with a nostalgic twist. The EP kicks off with 'Istinto,' blending futuristic techno with elements of house music and early 90s bass vibes, all wrapped in spacey sounds that evoke a sense of cosmic adventure. Next, 'Aura' delivers a stomping, darker beat designed to capture attention and drive energy on the dancefloor. Side-2 features 'Potenza' which channels raw techno reminiscent of 1991, incorporating trance elements for a nostalgic feel. The track's energetic vibe and vintage touches make it great for old skool sets. 'Essenza' ends the EP with a great groove and atmospheric feel good melody. A devastating blend of beauty and brawn. Dynamic, engaging tracks that will resonate with techno enthusiasts.
Review: Nug Nation Vol. 2 is here for all your high-energy and nuggety needs. This one is another four-track journey into club-ready sounds that pick up where the first instalment left off. It's a knowing mix of golden era house and progressive influences with a contemporary twist from the back-to-the-wall prog-trance-techno of 'Three Of Hearts' to the unrelenting machine drum sounds of 'Hyperdrive'. 'Are U Ready (Flight To Toulouse mix)' is brilliantly clipped and bouncy and 'You Don't Know (Another Nother mix)' is a turbocharged face-melting tackle for fun dance floors only.
Review: Dreamloops is a collection of long-form tracks spanning two and a half hours across four, yes four, records - that's a mighty eight sides of wax all created, mixed, and designed by Dennis Huddleston, aka 36 ("three-six"). The album offers a profound subconscious connection that was originally released as cassettes in 2019 and was revisited by Huddleston in 2023 to enhance its clarity and cohesion. The eight 18-minute pieces unfold slowly and build emotional power through developing themes. Imperfections like tape hiss add depth while influences like Henryk Gorecki and Max Richter help to shape the album's epic and haunting soundscapes.
Review: The contemporary acid and progressive trance 'mystic entity' known as Rambal Cochet, once again, kindly deigns to grace this wanting spatio-temporal realm with yet another round of pure, higher-plane-of-consciousness sonic digests in spinnable form. From the opening geometric pulsations of 'Ganja FX' to the impossible phono-topologies of 'Traveling By Sea'; from the psychoactively push-pull pill-excitations of 'Panzer Kunst' to the more wondrous dream-reams of 'Digital Emotions', this is an EP packed with psychedelic wonders and proofs of mystical contact on the artist's part; in the words of the label, they're "voice fragments and expertly controlled oscillations, (which) advance you along the ascension path."
Review: While most party DJs lament their wedding gigs while lauding their fun cool jobs, Wedding Acid Group - the openers of this latest V/A by Undersound Recordings - marks a point of going beyond mere cultural Stockholm syndrome, not just making light of our matrimonial masters, but redirecting those cheugy energies into a killer beatific-corrosive intro.AThen come three more riveting uplifts of a blissful and bouncey variety, from 'Do As I Say' by Albert Ess to 'Singlestranded' by Systelman to 'Love2' by J. Mono, seguing from industrial anvil clankage to a nightbus-bound house closer.
Review: The Diffraction EP on Polychrome Audio Records is a journey through diverse techno and house sounds, crafted for dark, intense dancefloors. On the Side-1, Hong Kong's Xiaolin opens the EP with 'Yonggum,' a progressive house track that sets an ambitious tone with its flamboyant and dynamic beats. Following is Barcelona's Iro Aka with 'Psy Sights,' a hypnotic techno cut that deepens the mood with its driving rhythm and introspective groove. On Side-2, it features Lyon's Desire with 'Psy Against Men's Tears,' an electrifying psy-infused track that blends pounding beats with ethereal melodies. Dublin's Dylan Forbes wraps up the EP with 'In Tongues,' a progressive anthem that delivers a burst of energetic rhythms and vibrant energy, perfect for lighting up any floor. Diffraction EP is a wide range of influences and sounds for those looking for adventurous techno.
Love Again (with Hugo Cantarra & Richard Judge) (4:28)
Missing You (3:58)
Cold Confetti (3:29)
Monsters (3:03)
I'll Find You (3:16)
My Reflection (4:18)
Hello Echo (4:56)
Insomnia (3:44)
Mom’s Violin (with Lila) (4:32)
Do You Ever Dream Of Me (3:32)
Oceanside (4:47)
Review: London-born, LA-based duo Eli & Fur present their second ever album, Dreamscapes, finding inspiration in the transformations that occur in the mid-to-after-rave hours of dusk and dawn. Fleshing out the sonic interpretation of the veil between self and surroundings, which grows thin in those early hours, Dreamscapes is a 15-track homage to the cathartic musings of our most solitary wanderings of all corners of the night and the flashes in between. From the slowly risen breakbeat transcendents of 'Missing You' to the moody progressive burbles of 'My Reflection', this is a subtly impressive album, one that holds fast to the deep house and tech in which Eli & Fur have always worked, yet unfolds its dreamiest and bleariest ends.
Review: Floating Points' new album, Cascade on Ninja Tune pushes the cult producer's sound into all new territories. The eight tracks, each up to eight minutes long, allow his to explore sounds and grooves in full form while a subtle homage to Manchester runs through the album. Tracks like 'Afflecks Palace' featuring harp melodies and electronic bleeps, and 'Key 103,' named after a beloved local radio station, is another delight. Nearly a decade after his debut Elaenia, Floating Points has masterfully integrated his experimental ventures beyond club music into these expressive dance floor creations and remains in a class of one as a result.
Review: The fifth Flaoting Points album Cascade is a culmination of creative evolution. In late 2022, Shepherd found himself in the California desert, crafting a new sonic journey via his acclaimed Promises, where he ventured into airy dreamscapes with saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra, earning a Mercury Prize nomination and a sold-out Hollywood Bowl show in 2023. With Cascade, Shepherd returns to his electronic roots, craving the pulse-racing communion of the dancefloor. This album serves as a sequel to Crush, diving deeper into ravey, experimental realms, unexplored due to lockdown cancellations. Tracks draw inspiration from Manchester's record shops and California's desert landscapes, blending Buchla rhythms and glitching melodies. Shepherd's journey, from orchestral collaborations to laptop productions, underscores his relentless pursuit of innovation.
Review: Leipzig-based record label Riotvan indulges Llewellyn here with a superb full length on limited edition vinyl. The prolific local producer known to his mum as Martin Enke deal in deep house but not as you know it: his sodas come with all sorts of smart drum patterns and retro synth sounds that make them all the more unique. 'On The Edge' is fine example with its suspenseful pads and busy analogue drums, while '1998' has as synths-pop feel and plenty of lush cosmic arps unfolding over the hurried drums. 'Fractured Memories' is another synth laced house jam with squelchy bass that is sure to being some good times.
Review: It was back in September 2019 that Jordi van Achthoven and Micha Heyboer aka the Tinlicker duo dropped their debut artist album This Is Not Our Universe on Anjunabeats. Now the label serves up this 5th Anniversary Edition on gatefold translucent yellow and black marbled double LP and it still sounds magnificent. It features polished pop and house production with the deepness of Heyboer which comes from her time with drum and bass group Black Sun Empire. Across the tunes there is plenty to love and much great and honest songwriting, escapist house grooves and progressive in between sounds that make it all the more rewarding.
Mass Digital - "The Need In Me" (feat Katherine Ellis) (7:20)
David Orin - "Downpour" (feat Hannah Noelle) (8:01)
Budakid - "Promised" (6:51)
Alejo Gonzalez, Barklas - "Ten Days" (7:11)
Review: All Day I Dream is a deep house lover's dream - a factory line for interesting, quirky and most importantly effective grooves from a worldwide spread of artists. They have a thing for offering up seasonal compilations of their sounds and now, though rather late, we get the Summer Sampler 2024. It's a treasure trove of sounds to get lost in and mentally escape with - rolling drums, wispy pads and airy melancholia all deftly designed and nothing to mind, body and soul. Mass Digital, Double Touch, David Orin and Raw Main are all new names to us, but they all impress.
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