Kidz (Elena Colombi's Are The Kids Alright remix) (6:14)
Review: This is the debut EP from DJ, producer and multidisciplinary artist Sol Leon under the moniker aka-Sol. It marks years of creative evolution and finds him blending vibrant energy with raw emotion across three tracks. aka-Sol channels a psychedelic edge into the punk roots of electronic music here by using modular synths and analogue textures to challenge modern club norms and genre boundaries. It results in a fearless offering that is equal parts love letter and provocation and invites headbanging and liberation on the dancefloor. A remix by Osare! Editions' Elena Colombi completes the EP, with experimental, post-punk and club intersections.
Review: The only known diplomatic dance musical dialogue between Leeds and Barcelona can be found in the cross-national collective MASS, whose principal aim is to connect the two cities as identified hubs of the next-gen dance musical underground. Here the personae grata in question are a crack team of trusted delegates, known by the respective codenames AS Groove, Driahn, Monile and Nikon; each artist-negotiator delivers their own firebrand sonic missive in quick, electrific unison, appeasing the collective ear through a four-point transmissive treaty. Either breaks-laden or bleep-laden sound is stipulated depending on which fine-print line you read and/or which finely-etched groove you play; only track four, 'Seismic', trigger the break(beats) clause.
Review: Third part of the compilation celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Milanese record shop. This collection is entirely composed of previously unreleased music, exclusively produced for the occasion by many artists of great relevance in the worldwide music scene, who supported the store over the last ten years. The artists who produced the music for this compilation are Egyptian Lover, Ellen Allien, Thomas Brinkmann, Neil Landstrumm, JD Twitch, Matias Aguayo, San Proper, Tolouse Low Trax, Jay Glass Dubs, Dj Marcelle, Jorge Velez, Tamburi Neri, Fabrizio Mammarella, Heith, Itinerant Dubs, Timeslip89, Kreggo and Intersezioni Ensemble. The entire work is composed of 4 x 12", plus a bonus EP.
Review: Byron The Aquarius (Byron Blaylock), from Birmingham, Alabama, debuts his latest EP for French Synchrophone sublabel Phonogramme, 'Dey Know Vol. 1'. Topping up an already hugely impressive backlog of releases on the label recently - from the likes of Abacus, Steeve O'Sullivan and Vitess - the producer and water carrier adds to their catalogue for a varied scrubdown of the more militant ends of techno's sonic politic. An impressove sense of variation is achieved on the expositionally minimal 'Black Is Black', which contrasts greatly to the ensuing space-quagmires of 'Dr Devil' and then the crude, bleepy and frank analog sonics of 'Real MF From The Avenue'. Dreamy narrations of local life abound, precluding the closing 'Rock That 808!!!', a track that is far more sophisticated and well-developed in sound than its wilfully blase title might suggest.
Review: Call Super delivers a superb telecommunication in the form of 'Swallow Me'. We're not sure why Call Super wants us to ingest him, but we're not going to question it too much. The new track samples Kamala Sankaram's performance at the final Resonant Bodies festival in New York in 2019. "In Ancient Greek, ololyga is the ritual shriek of women, a sound so alarming to men that it could not be uttered within their earshot" - goes the liner text. Sonically, Mr. Super blends the ololyga with Hebden-esque shuffles and glossy dance schlop, building a deeply resonant tune sure to kill egos the world over.
Review: Casino Times is a London-based project of producers Joseph Spencer & Nicholas Church; a partnership that is rooted in house & techno since 2010. The duo have released on labels like Wolf Music, Mireia and their own Casino Edits. This one's courtesy of Swdens Omena imprint, the new label run by Tooli of Local Talk fame. A Change In Motion Part 2 sees the pair enter a new phase sonically, experimenting with the more experimental side of the spectrum. There's some punchy and futuristic electro to be heard on 'Ultra Synthetic' and 'Unfold', as well as sublime downbeat offerings like 'Tides' and 'Run Mods' and some swung-off kilter beats offered up on 'Something Else' (feat DUANE).
Review: Notorious internet motormouth Thomas Cox dropped the first EP on his own new QED label back in 2020, but only now is the vinyl arriving with us. It was worth the wait, however, because as much as it would be fun to find the sort of faults in his music that he does in everyone else's, these are three raw as you like tracks that go direct to the soul. Detroit influences of course loom large throughout, with each cut layering up dirt and grime, dusty drums and rusty synths to hypnotic effect. The standout might be the unresolved loops and cosmic-gaze of 'Starry Ave,' but any of these will make an impact on the right dance floor.
Review: Ecuadorian maestro Nicolas Cruz is back on Rhythm Seciton to follow up his last EP Subtropique which proved a big hit. "I'm always trying to re-interpret this Afro-Caribbean feeling, and trying to figure out how I could humanize this through the machines," he says of his approach and it certain is the case here. He mixes up some worlds rhythms with twitchy techno drums and electronic synths to make for something totally new on all of the tracks. The heavy, skipping kicks of 'Residual Heat' is a real favourite while 'Self Oscillation' is a catering percussive jam to pack the floor. Another great outing.
Review: Whenever we get wind of a new DJ Koze 12", we're hooked. Few artists are as left of centre and loveable as Stefan Kozalla, the Pampa Music boss who has recently worked with Roisin Murphy on her essential new album. Here he is in solo mode on 'Wespennest' though Sophia Kennedy features on what is a dreamy and deep house cut awash with fizzing synths that radiant the same heat as a summer sun. 'Candidasa' is a more intense and dense sound with myriad different melodies all interweaving tightly. Two interesting cuts, as you would expect.
Review: It is widely known for being a label that deals in mature techno and tech with top class melodies, but Kompakt has also put out its fare share of leftfield yet crowd pleasing curveballs. We get the sense that this is one of them from Andreas Dorau, particularly the Wassermann Tubass mix of 'Unsichtbare Tanzer' which is off balance tech with curious vocals. The Sog mix is like a colourful adult lullaby and the original has big prog guitar licks and 80s synth flourishes. Finally, the Wassermann Rausch mix is a meandering tech cut with plodding drums and bass.
Review: Dreamlogicc and SW are two standouts in the outlier world of leftfield house music, and they find a perfect home on the equally out-there label that is Kimochi. This is the first time they have been on the same bit of wax (though both have been here many times as solo artists) and hopefully, it won't be the last. There is plenty of unusual rhythm work here with wonky grooves that are enriched with a world of superbly futuristic sound designs. All of these hard to define cuts are serious curveballs that bring a great element of WTF to any set, so do not sleep and add them to your arsenal ASAP.
Review: The low-key but high-class Acquit label is back with some more brilliance from DX 9 press dup to nice translucent orange vinyl. 'Beans' (Owen Ni remix) opens up with elastic deep house beats and heady pad swirls. In original form the cut is a weight dub house pumper and elsewhere is the quick-stepping deep house of 'Galaxy', stripped back and scruffy dub house of 'Greed' and the cosmic trip that is 'Orange' with its swirling synth clouds and wispy lead lines over a deep, meaningful bassline. This is hi-tek soul with a timeless edge.
Review: The 110th release from Kompakt Extra comes from Extrawelt, a long-serving electronic band from Hamburg that has previously impressed via albums and singles on Traum Schallplatten, Border Community, Darkroom Dubs and Cocoon Recordings. They naturally hit the ground running with "Pink Panzer", a bustling affair that mixes live drum breakbeats and tough machine percussion with moody, booming bass, creepy strings and evocative, ever-building tech-house electronics. Flipside "Argonaut" is an altogether sleazier and heavier affair full of thrusting, non-stop distorted bass, redlined post-electro drums and all manner of mind-mangling electronic effects. It's effectively the Yang to the A-side's Ying and, like its' predecessor, very good indeed.
Review: Nation of Jak offshoot Dirty Blends was established by label chief Melvin Oliphant as a vehicle for "interpretations" and "homages" - in plain-speak hush-hush reworks, tribute tracks and those that sample liberally. The label's latest release is a compilation of sorts, featuring as it does cuts from a trio of artists. The Falcon steps up first with title track 'Sound The Alarm', a raw, jacking, bouncy and positive mind-melding blend of lo-fi synth stabs, sweat-soaked beats, fire alarm noises and restless drum machine fills. Over on side B, Grizzly Knuckles' 'Mad Bell' - a breathless, house tempo techno workout built around a nagging synth-bell loop - is followed by label regular The Jak's 'Aftermath', which sits somewhere between jacking lo-fi techno, UK funky and stab-happy Soca-house.
Review: Flabbergast's latest offering is a meditative exploration of house and techno, perfectly capturing the sensation of drifting between states of consciousness. '11:15 in your dream' begins with a haunting, ambient intro that gradually pulls you deeper into its rhythm. The track's driving bassline is complemented by delicate, atmospheric synths that flutter like thoughts half-remembered. The interplay between the deep groove and swirling textures gives the track a sense of floating, evoking both serenity and unease. It's the kind of hypnotic journey that blurs the lines between reality and reverie, a late-night moment to lose yourself in.
Review: Rhythm Section's latest favourite, (Oliver) Gallegos, evidences his mastery over the art of what we like to call the "speech tune" - a format almost as old as time. Think Rum & Black's 'Slaves' or Underground Resistance's 'Transition'; the formula is as such; a slow-built dance beat, at least over 110BPM by our estimation, over which a rousing historical speech plays out throughout the track. Though this form lends well to a 90s rave aesthetic, Gallegos finds himself at a post-comedown period of history, indeed in which "rave" is often bittersweetly thought to be anachronistic; and in which house music often reigns supremer. So, then, does he bring a record-breaking, body-moving homily vocal sample to an incredibly arranged set of house arpeggiations and medley-style sample cut-ups, working in a sort of auditory bricolage but nonetheless bringing them together under a seriously reflective memorial dance-dome.
Kai Noob & Volodymyr Gnatenko - "Noppera-Bo" (6:15)
Volodymyr Gnatenko - "Umibozu" (7:02)
Kai Noob & Volodymyr Gnatenko - "Zashiki-warashi" (5:41)
Review: Carl Hardy's Animals On Psychedelics label doesn't rush things. It has taken several years to get to release number seven, but you won't find us comparing. It is a prime example of quality over quantity and here again with have another timeless, mind-melting release designed for whacked out dance floors at 5am. Vladimir Gnatenko is back once again after previous impressive outings and both his cuts are molten affairs with liquid synths and neon colours over supple drums. He also collaborates twice with Kai Noob on a pair of similarly tripped out techno wormholes.
Review: This is the thirrd release by the amazing Italian producer Ivan Iacobucci for the Perlon label. The previous two were so well received, this next one was destined to come out sooner than later. Perlon fans know what to expect from their label of choice and Ivan delivers the goods. Those addictively quirky and fonky jackin' minimal techno jams. The title track is that and then some! We especially like the sexy jam 'Waiting For My Love'. Expect the unexpected when you flip over the record as 'Close the Door' is a full-on acid banger that combines high energy techno into what sounds like a video game soundtrack theme song! Closing things out is the wild sounding 'Fear & Madness in the Desert'. We are smiling at the thought of someone playing out these corkers to audience. Expect to see WTF typefaces everywhere!
Review: Leipzig based Riotvan, run by Peter Invasion and Panthera Krause, welcomes Kalexis and Paulor for this collaborative four track that mines techno's deepest depths. 'Going Through The Void' is a moody and slow motion opener that rides on an undulating bassline with plenty of ambient pads for company. 'Energy' is more edgy, a stomper with fractured vocals and wonky synths that builds a darker mood. On the flipside there is the brilliantly unhinged and unusual melodies of 'Lashes' which sounds like a marching band on acid and 'Magnetic' closes down with haunting low ends and spooky pads.
Review: The No Agenda label takes its bow here with a new EP that features a first appearance from the US's Bridget Barkan. Kimono is behind the beats and they are couched in house. 'Waiting' opens with rattling chords that bring steely determination next to the time-keeping hi-hats and echoing vocal swirls that speak of a patient wait. The Aubrey rework is super fresh with daubs of dancing synth and sci-fi details over a barely-there rhythm. Shuffling deep house sound 'Forgiveness' closes out with more slight sound designs, dusty drums and plenty of suggestion rather than in-your-face maximalism.
Review: Lawrence's Epiphany Remixes, a release from the German record label Giegling, presents four distinct interpretations of the title track. Each remixer brings a unique approach to the original piece, resulting in a diverse and captivating soundscape. Zoe Polanski's version transforms the track into a crystallized melody, creating a cold yet beautiful atmosphere. Lowtec's remix explores deep techno, delivering a smooth and dreamy ambiance with a touch of sadness. M Pittman Ladder's interpretation adds a gritty, chunky bassline, while Tobias' remix elevates the tempo, creating a pulsating and mechanical percussion elements. These remixes showcase the versatility of Lawrence's original composition, demonstrating how different artists can reinterpret and reshape it to create new and engaging experiences.
Review: One year after dropping back in 2023, Jennifer Loveless's bonafide anthem 'Pleasure' is back in the form of three thrilling reworks and a dub mix which expand its appeal into new realms. Parisian maestro Bambounou kicks things off with a jackin' remix bursting with energy while Lisbon-based veteran and Ibiza favourite tINI follows and offers up a bass-heavy electro-inspired rendition nodding to old-school vibes. Jennifer Loveless and label heads Sleep D close the EP with an 'Indubm-3ntal mix' which is a hypnotic, dubbed-out techno journey layered with deep and atmospheric textures. Together, these fresh interpretations are primed to ignite dancefloors once more.
Review: Weirdo minimal tech soul, anyone? Any takers should be directed towards this oddball release from Melchior Productions and Paul Walter. Two tracks of serious strangeness: timestretched vocals and repetitious yeahs blossom between the beat-thickets of Melchior's 'Yeah X 3', while many more percussive hits and cuts and clicks and pops and booms come courtesy of Walter's B-side, 'Xvive'. It's an impressive first foray for Maria Newyen's new imprint Scious; let's hope future 12"s stay just as weird.
Review: Given her South Korean roots, it's perhaps unsurprising that Peggy Gou has chosen to give a platform to Mogwaa, a producer who has long been a fixture on the South-East Asian country's electronic music scene. His debut EP for Gudu is genuinely impressive, offering synth-heavy, mid-tempo takes on house and nu-disco awash with colourful melodies and sun-kissed chords. Opener 'From Above' is a bubbly, energy-packed affair that gathers momentum throughout, while 'Spacial Bliss' cannily combines live drums and guitars with sparkling washes of sound, cascading melodies and a deliciously tactile bassline. Over on side B, 'Fizz' sees Mogwaa add synthesized Gayageum melodies to a punchy electro beat, before 'Cloudride' rounds things off via turn-of-the-90s Italian deep house sonics and more gorgeous, life-affirming lead lines.
Review: Batu's Timedance is about as consistently fresh and forward-thinking as electronic labels get right now. Bristol's Daisy Moon is next up to carry the baton and is fresh off a standout house cut on Peach Discs in June. Here she opens with the precise drum rhythms and glitchy percussion of 'Eclipse' while 'Shadow Of Silhouettes' is a shimming, shape shifting arrangement with daubs of synth, frenzied lines, chopped-up vocals and plenty more all vying for your attention. 'The Abyssal Zone' then brings some dubby broken beats to the fore and 'Meadow Rap' flips the script entirely with some lush downtempo.
Review: New Theo Parrish? Yes please. The Sound Signature boss remains in a class of one and continually finds new ground to explore in the studio, often taking a freeform jazz mindset to roughed-up house and techno that blends the mechanical with the soulful in otherworldly, hypotonic fashion. 'Orange Barrel Action (Yellow Flashing Light mix)' is very much in that mould with lumpy drums detuned and off-grid keys and hissing hi-hats all coalescing into something seductive and subversive. 'Pianamonn' is a deep house foundation topped with weird and wonky keys in inimitable Parrish style.
Hieroglyphic Being - "An Astronomical Object" (6:29)
Review: Mother Tongue's 'Yellow Jackets' series is wilfully eclectic, meaning second-guessing what will be on the next release is nigh-on impossible, but undeniably essential. Put simply, each EP in the series so far has been nigh on essential. Happily, volume five is superb too. On side A, Detroit scene stalwart Marcellus Pittman does a superb job of reworking a cult classic - Belgian outfit Arbeit Adelt's 1983 post-punk masterpiece 'Death Disco'. His resultant re-edit emphasises the track's weighty, low-slung groove, mind-mangling electronics and weirdo noises, extending the intro and outro to allow DJs to ride the mix. Over on side B, Chicagoan genius Jamal Moss dons the Hieroglyphic Being guise and offers up a sublime slab of intergalactic excellence, peppering a deep, shuffling, distorted rhythm track with spacey electronics and shimmering, star-gazing melodies.
Review: A mesmerising blend of organic textures and synthetic precision, delivering a fresh take on techno and house. The title track, 'Upside Down', kicks things off with a clever nod to the glitch and microhouse era of the very early 00s. Its gorgeous melody and intricate layering make it both nostalgic and forward-thinking. 'Eyes Between Letters' follows with a deeper bassline and spacious, intricate production. Side-2 opens with 'Beyond Light & Shade', where Asian-inspired melodics weave seamlessly with a balanced blend of techno and house, offering a richly textured and emotive piece. Closing the EP, 'Complementary Senses' delivers profound depth, bringing an introspective quality to its lush production. A unique release tailor made for fans of innovative, boundary-pushing electronic music.
Review: Isaac Prieto is Mexico-born but Detroit based and that is presumably where he hooked up with the Motor City's assured house auteur Javonntte. The pair take a trip through scuffed-up deep house brilliance here with the chattery claps and blurting bass of spaced-out opener 'One Take' before 'Brothers In Rhythm' is a more dance-y cut with pinging kicks and detuned synths stumbling about the mix to make for a brilliant sense of mechanical funk. 'High Energy' brings edgy chord stabs over busted beats and bass and 'Lost & Found' is more kinetic analogue madness with hurried techno hi-hats, spangled pads and punchy kicks all bringing an utterly fresh type of sound.
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