Review: TH Tar Hallow out of the Netherlands hits the mini-milestone of 30 releases with this new collaborative EP from Againstime and Red Rooms. It explores a moody techno world that starts with the hurried energy of 'Anger', and is full of synths that lead you into the unknown. 'Blurred Mind' is another urgent techno pumper with deft snares scurrying up top and sub-aquatic clangs adding depth. 'Tunnelvision' is just that - a 5am zone-out classic. 'Dungeon's Theme' is another warm but intense and paired-back 90s-style techno gem.
Review: Darren Allen's latest release Unseen Realms on Underlying Form offers a deep dive into eerie, slow-building grooves. A1 'Itsony' creeps in with a shadowy, chugging rhythm, pulling you into a world of eerie acid tones and subtle tension. Flip to B1 'Inborn,' where the vibe grows darker, blending tweaked-out layers of sound and murky basslines, creating a disorienting sense of space. B2 'Spiders' wraps things up, weaving a web of squirming acid lines and tight, off-kilter beats that linger in your mind long after the track fades out.
Review: Dave Anderson is a name as prosaic as his music is not. The man has been away for some 15-odd years now but before that drew praise from those who should know such as Carl Craig as one half of Otomi. His skills have not diminished while he has been away as he shows here with a quartet of new cuts on Floodplain. 'Downstairs Groove' is winky and loopy tech with a tribal twist, 'Distant Signal' layer sup analogue drums and woody hits with wispy cosmic leads and 'Edge Damage' is warming, rushing Detroit techno soul. 'Square Dance' is a rhythmic shuffle with pinging bass and cute melodies. Welcome back, Dave.
Review: Berlin-based producer Arkan lands on SK_Eleven with four immersive techno cuts that draw tension from subtlety. 'Attraction' opens with icy, glistening percussion and a subdued, shifting groove that balances dissonance and flow with careful restraint. 'Nasty Tool' is more skeletal still-built on pulsing low-end and whispered gestures that feel almost internal, less club banger than whispered command. On the flip, 'Raubtier' brings some pressure with rolling drums and warped bell patterns, its odd claps puncturing the trance with mechanical precision. 'Up & Down' closes the set on a more introspective note, its rubbery tension and detuned chords conjuring the hazy recursion of memory. This is techno that moves less with velocity than gravity.
Review: The second part of Garage Hermetique's ongoing trawl through the archives of Kirk Degiorgio's acclaimed As One project offers up some classic, previously album-only tracks from 1994 and '97. First up is "Mihara", a wonderfully spacey, positive and dreamy fusion of elongated synth chords, funky, Clavinet style motifs, rich bass and skittish, Detroit-influenced drums. Deep breakbeat-techno cut "Destination Other" showcases two of Degiorgio's primary influences - namely jazz-funk and Motor City electro - while "Shambala" (B2) is a breezy, attractive and aesthetically pleasing chunk of techno/electro fusion. Fittingly, Convextion man Gerard Hansen dons his E.R.P alias to deliver a 2018 update of the latter track, in the process turning it into a warm, yearning and loved up chunk of deep electro full of lilting melodies and drifting pads.
Review: Juan Atkins's iconic Metroplex does everyone a solid here by reissuing the long-lost Future Sound EP, a rare gem from 1993 that was originally released on UK's Underground Level Recordings and Belgium's Buzz. Never reissued until now, this bit of techno history features four standout tracks: the late, great Mike Huckaby's lush 'Urban Tropics,' Reel By Reel aka Marty Bonds's deep and spacey 'Sundog' and 'Interpret' and 'Serene,' a soulful collaboration with Detroit don Anthony "Shake" Shakir. Carefully restored and remastered for the occasion, these tracks shine brighter than ever with classic Detroit-rooted futurism, making for a crucial time capsule.
Review: The long-awaited debut LP from Atlantik does not disappoint. Hailing from Cologne, childhood friends Georg and Clemens have spent over a decade perfecting their hardware-driven live techno and are residents at Berlin's Sisyphos, and openers at Fusion's Turmbuhne. While their sound evolves on this record, its roots still lie in Cologne's minimal techno golden era. With that as a foundation, they blend glitchy percussion, delicate melodies and hypnotic atmospheres into evocative cuts that retain the precision and restraint of minimalism. From the loopy seduction of 'Stay The Fuck Home' to the darker breakbeat energy of 'Oblivion', it's a rich listen.
Review: Turkish producer Alec Attari harbours a passion for minimal wave, EBM, and underground Italo disco, condensing each into a striking end result with 1982. The record is said to have kept in mind the early foments of electronic music, where vanguard technologies helped heroes such as Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles bear the best in earliest house and techno. The standout track is an exceptional remix by Italian legend Alexander Robotnick, whose version channels the spirit of his classic 'Problemes d'Amour' with a mysterious, hypnotic reversal. His remix of 'Visage' on Side A comes followed by 'Time Machine', a powerful nod to EBM and techno reminiscent of The Hacker, not long before the original 'Visage' follows, oozing a serpentine elegance. '1982' ends things on a buccal-licking, mucous acid finale.
Review: Glasgow-born veteran and techno heavyweight Gary Beck drops the much-requested ID 'Hopper' on SHDW's Mutual Rytm sub-label, Spectra. He's already well-known for underground anthems like 'Upside Criminal' and 'Fold' but now unveils this long-awaited club cut, which was born from a spontaneous studio session. Featuring a syncopated disco bassline, nods to funk and with an irresistible groove, 'Hopper' lingers long after the dancefloor empties and showcases Beck's production nous in more ways than one. Remix duties go to Bulgarian hardware wizard KiNK, who first delivers a warm, house-leaning version, then flips the script with a high-octane blend of techno and UKG.
Review: Veteran German techno producer Steve Bug returns with The Dark Lion, a stellar release on Dubwax, showcasing his signature brand of deep, demented techno grooves. Side-1 kicks off with 'Ebb & Flow', a snappy dub techno track with clean production and sharp chord stabs. The groove is tight, minimal, and expertly crafted, perfect for late-night sessions. 'Back From Eternity' follows, offering a bubbling, deep techno vibe with a minimalistic approach. It's hypnotic and gradually draws you in, a subtle masterpiece in groove construction. Side-2 begins with 'Lost Sector', bringing a more melodic and soulful touch reminiscent of classic Detroit house. The big, sweeping strings add a lush element, giving the track a timeless, emotive quality. Finally, 'Shadow Master' dives into darker territory, with a groove that means business. The production is masterful, driving yet mysterious, showcasing Steve Bug's ability to balance depth and power. The Dark Lion EP combines elements of dub techno, Detroit house, and Steve Bug's flawless production skills into a refined and complete package.
Review: Techno’s very own London left-fielder Andrea Greco aka Burden unburdens himself of the tired old techno EP format with his first ever album through Planet Rhythm, entitled The Circle’s End. Paradoxically named but making sense in practice, you've but six long-haul endurance tests to try out here: ‘Bewitched’ and ‘Long Coming’ lure us in with their soft-bellied but hard-ribbed undertows, followed by a tricksy title track topped by what sounds like a peaking modular synthetic light display. ‘Probe’ curves the flight path with an unpredictable jink towards impactful but arcane FX design with a decided rhythmic focus; ‘Optimism Of The Will’ and ‘Rite’ further take this tonal shift towards conclusively tribalistic ends. A focused debut LP statement from the London firebird, with much love poured in.
Review: Chicaiza, co-owner of Berlin's Kimchi Records, makes a confident solo debut on Off The Grid. These tracks strike a balance between warm, melodic textures and a subtle melancholy that feels both introspective and grounded. Each piece reveals a careful attention to detail, with rhythms and atmospheres that evolve naturally. Perfectly aligned with the label's aesthetic, this release captures the understated refinement of an artist exploring new creative spaces while staying deeply connected to his roots in Berlin's underground.
Review: Following the success of his recent 'Sonic Surge' EP also out on Sublunar, Cirkle follows up with a fresh, all-rights-reserved circumphony, 'Shadows Of The Past'. This record sounds like the chemical interaction of stalactitic droplets and evanescent mists, as they dualistically fall and rise from the cave floor of a wild grotto. Untrodden techno, these are unperturbed caves, nether spelunked nor exploited. Even the drier 'Shamanic', which honours a relatively more classic techno sound, could easily evoke the wing folds of a rare bat, with its sudden stringy stinger set against a calculated continuum of FM bass. 'Tears Of Light' provides the record closure and contrast, as we clamber out of the stony darkness, teary-eyed, to a jurassic great-outdoors of padwash synth and constellating harmony.
Review: The impeccable Spanish label Non Series revises some D Leria material here with a quartet of brilliant remixes from different artists. Shoal is first to step up and remixes 'Kaleidoskop' into a deep, heavy mind melter with spangled leads taking you down the rabbit hole. 'Voodoo Magic' (Polygonia remix) has an eerie and post-human energy to it with rolling drums and slithering synths all getting you on edge. Anthony Linell remixes 'Apnea' with a superbly meditative take on atmospheric linear techno and last of all, D Leria steps up for a live mix of 'Goccia' that fizzes with static and describes an otherworldly landscape with great detail.
Review: Berlin-based live techno duo Data Memory Access bottle the voltage of their 2024 stage show into four no-nonsense cuts for the third DMA label release. 'Powah' opens with piston-tight drums and a rising synth line that bites hard, while 'We Are' layers chopped vocal shards over a relentless rolling bass. Flip the vinyl and 'Neukolln' dives into darker territory, its tunnelling groove paying clear homage to the district that inspired it, before 'Reflexion' stretches gauzy pads across broken percussion for a final surge of after-hours momentum. Captured straight from their tour arsenal, these tracks are purpose-built for peak-time control-machine rhythms, crisp programming and zero excess. 'Live Chronicles Vol. 1' is a fresh release that proves Data Memory Access can translate stage heat to wax without losing an ounce of precision or power.
Review: Karol Mozgawa is the Polish talent known as Deas, and one of the most expressive voices in techno. For the first one, he hooks up with the legendary Chicagoan DJ Rush on 'Geeks On Hubbard'. It's a thrilling affair with toms fluttering over the loopy kicks, menacing spoken words and fizzy, dusty synth lines. 'Cabrio' brings more frosted textures and icy cold techno raucousness, and 'Track Zero' keeps barreling on with more immovable kicks and panel-beaten loops. 'Resistance' is the most minimal of the lot - an eerie brew with precision kicks and sheet metal snares blowing in a stiff breeze.
Review: Deenamic steps up on French label Syncrophone with the aptly titled 'Dub Reflections EP'. Having released on high-grade imprints like Neroli, Yellow Jackets, Visions Recordings and Mate since debuting in 2019, David Pradera has been slowly but surely carving out a fine reputation with his profound house sound. His latest effort features four dubbed-out house jams full of atmosphere and texture. Opener '800 Mistakes' sees moody chords drifting over stripped-back drums, staccato noise and understated bass, before 'Hal 2024' maintains the rich atmospherics with simmering swells, driving stabs and propulsive bass notes. The chord progressions on 'Moonbus' echo into the night as a pounding kick maintains the rhythm, while the undulating bass and piercing drums of 'Think It's Not Illegal Yet' combine with a dramatic arrangement for a gorgeously nocturnal finale.
Review: Hush label head and American techno mainstay DVS1 is back on his own label with more of his expertly reduced and impossibly hypnotic techno sounds. His famously slow building sound means his tracks are meticulously crafted to make maximum impact from minimal ingredients making them perfect for loud deployment on supersized sound systems. Opener 'Shatter' has a phased synth spraying about the mix and paddy drums that never quit. 'Unravel' is more heady with a burrowing lead going ever deeper and 'Merge' closes out with more smart interplay between elements that rise and fall in the mix and keep you on your toes.
Review: Exos, the veteran Icelandic techno producer, delivers a powerful release with 'Green Light' on the iconic German label, Tresor. Side-1 opens with 'Dark Light', a relentless, hard-driving track that sets an intense tone with pounding beats and mechanical energy. 'Fire Chant' follows, offering a deep, sci-fi inspired journey, mixing subterranean sounds with an uptempo pace that keeps the tension high. Closing out the side is 'Gratt Silfur', a pulsating and mechanical cut that feels like it's forged in a factory of sound. On Side-2, the title track 'Green Light' is a heavy hitter with thunderous bass and pounding rhythms, perfect for the peak hours of a club set. 'Radabrugg' rounds things off with more solid, no-nonsense techno goodness, maintaining the energy while adding subtle layers of depth. Exos proves his mastery of deep, driving techno with this release, balancing mechanical intensity with intricate sound design.
Review: Wisdom Teeth co-boss Facta joins the cats on Incienso with this beautify and wide-armed four track 12". Packed with all flavours you'd expect from the young producer, and more, we're treated to a whole menu of vibes. 'Emeline' starts the trip with a jacking, trippy house note that's comparable to the old Classic Music grooves. It's in good company as 'Felt' soothes the soul with its super woozy, off-key waves, the bumpy rolling breakbeat bleeps of 'Mirage' give us pep and the wonderfully dreamy downbeat sludge of 'Sick Pup' sends us off to the cosiest corners of our mind. Sick is the word.
Review: To mark the passing of three decades since he established the now iconic Environ imprint, Morgan Geist has decided to reissue the label's long-deleted debut 12" - a solo EP that was just his second release. At the time, Geist had yet to develop the disco-leaning but naturally synth-heavy trademark sound he's become renowned for. Instead, he was investigating the stargazing potential of Detroit-influenced techno and jacking-but-spacey house. Check first the lightly bleep techno influenced excellence of 'Sands' and the more driving, upbeat and jacking 'Airpour', before diving deeply into the percussively rich deep techno wonder of 'Smear'. To complete the package, we get a suitably cosmic, pitched down ambient techno revision of the same track by The Connection Machine - back then a duo who had just released a fine EP on Planet E.
Review: Gesloten Cirkel was hero worshipped for a whole by hardcore techno nerds and for good reason. Years after his time in the spotlight he continues to turn out cutting edge techno sounds. 'Cryformechicago' has and old school Windy Cit house feel but with more muscular drums, 'Pkbday' then cuts loose on broken beats and frosted synths for another world. 'GPU_Didit' (Turbo mix) is tightly coiled and loopy, fractious and relentless and 'Detoon' rounds out with the EP highlight - a big, bold electro stomper with fizzing textures and real machine soul.
Review: Detroit dub techno don Luke Hess says that this is his "most eclectic and techno-driven album to date" and that it blends together his signature subterranean sounds with his indelible Motor City touch. It again works well on cultured dance floors but is also a deeply spiritual album that will have your mind wandering to some lovely places. From the opening moments of 'Dokimion' you're sunk into widescreen soundscapes that pair painterly synths with immersive low ends. Cuts like 'Stoicheo' bring serene melodies and closer 'Hiketeria' is a misty, foggy cut that oozes late-night intimacy.
Review: British producer Hurdslenk arrives on Vault Recordings with four tracks of fiercely propulsive techno. Following recent outings on Key Vinyl and Frenzy Recordings, he maintains his floor-focused trajectory on 'The Myst' EP. The pounding drums, paranoid swells and discreet vocal textures of 'Rain' start with direct intention, before the dissonant stabs and driving claps of 'Sirens' add further four-four fuel to the fire. The quick-fire cymbals of 'Reversed' soar over thumping kicks and haunting vocal cuts, before the moody atmospherics and magnetic rhythms of closing track 'Focal' somehow manage to maintain the EP's breathless tempo. No nonsense here.
Review: Milan's Inner Lakes takes care of the tenth outing from the Earth Dog Records crew and its suitably fresh techno is designed to melt your mind. 'Bongdrift' is supple and warm with acid fuzz and spangled bones, droning pads and trippy effects all making it perfect for 4 am zone outs. The aquatic textures and tightly wound drums keep coming on 'REM' which has subtle vocal sounds marbled the airwaves while 'Driven By Misfire' keeps on the perfectly layered approach with each element unfurling with its own sense of time and space yet all held together in perfectly hypnotic fashion. 'Hightides' shuts down with cubby undercurrents and phased lines smudging the divide between dreams and reality.
Review: Carl Hardy's Animals on Psychedelics label doesn't rush things. It has put out a small number of relays over several years but each one is a classic. Swiss-Tunisian producer Ish is behind this next one and offers three mind melting jams. The epic adventure that is 'The Mind Is A Labyrinth' opens with sci-fi samples and warped basslines, trippy arps and silky pads that leave long tails in their wake. 'Humans & Robots' hits harder with hunched, thudding drum and more tightly looped synth phrases and 'Timewalk' has broken beats and swilling astral synths for mind, body and soul.
Review: Italian producer J.P Energy resurfaces with a reissue of two rare late-90s works-deep, percussive hybrids from a fertile moment in underground Italian club culture. Originally released in 1997, 'Prima Dell'Alba' and 'Forbidden Planet' blur the lines between early trance and stripped-back techno, brimming with cinematic tension and pulsing groove. 'Prima Dell'Alba' is the more mysterious of the pair: tribal rhythms, eerie pads and a gradual rise in intensity evoke a kind of sunrise ritual for the dancefloor. The original mix of 'Forbidden Planet' delivers a leaner, more mechanical energy-icy and forceful but with a meditative undertow. A 2025 revisited mix by J.P Energy himself kicks things off on the A-side, reimagining the track with updated production and added spatial depth, without losing the spirit of the original. As part of the Sound Migration series, this reissue pays tribute to a singular voice in Italian electronic music-subtle, rhythmic, and visionary.
Review: Montreal alias and label Jump Source offer up their fifth future-facing dance cut, 'JS05', to the world. Though not a motif of theirs until now, the artist describes this latest iteration of their sound as "restoring balance", as 'Balance' would at least seem to suggest with its two-phrase phrenodies, tweezy topsynths and four-note bouncy-ball-basses. The ensuing 'Tonearm Extender' and 'Sad Salad' continue to squeeze out Jump Source's impressively superdistinct sound; we can imagine them as born of a future universe in which prosthetic limbs might double up as tonearms (among other gadgets, as of a cyborgish Swiss army knife) and salads are not consumed in leafy green, but rather pill form, hence the sadness. Sadly, this isn't COVID-19 nor pill-food; on 'JS05' there's no loss of taste. In fact, it's a wonderfully whimsical release, a gleeful future vision.
Review: UK-New Zealand producer Keepsakes delivers five tracks that swing between industrial techno and pointed satire. 'Impossible (Eating the Sun)' opens with slamming percussion and detuned stabs, sequenced with just enough space to avoid overload. 'Bongo Funeral' leans on polyrhythmic loops and off-centre sample placement, loose but deliberate. 'Snacks at Waco' stretches into heavier territory, its low-end distortion tempered by clipped FX and a mid-tempo drag. 'Parasocially There for You' takes a slower approach, pulling from broken rhythm structures and uneasy atmospheres. Closer 'Nimby Orgy' brings the most cohesion, a locking groove underneath flickering edits and slow-filtered synth noise. The production remains dry and forceful, with few embellishments beyond structure and tone. It's not aiming for range i more a focused, well-tuned set of club tools with just enough personality to stand apart. Keepsakes keeps things loud, functional and self-aware, which feels like the point.
Review: London's Keplrr continues to make moves here with a debut on Midgar that comes after plenty of assured outings on the likes of Control Freak Recordings and Pressure Dome. His take on techno is about broken beats and forward-thinking sound designs and that is evident once more. 'Plumes' comes in two versions - one is a subtle, percussive and playful groove while the 'Meditation Mix' is more airy and atmospheric. Third and final cut 'Pulse' then builds on that breezier vibe with a smooth cruising deep trip for eyes closed-dancing. Classy and effective stuff throughout.
Review: Vinyl debutants The Kid N Cliff (most likely an alias for a better-known artist or artists) are the latest outfit to join the ranks of "interpretation" and "homage" specialists Dirty Blend. There are two tracks on offer, both of which are pleasingly epic and stretched out. A-side 'Don't Be Alarmed' is raw, spaced out and analogue rich, sounding like a light-tough rework of an early jacking Chicago house cut or obscure proto-techno treat from the early 1980s. 'Heavy Thump (Bangdatshyt)' sounds like an edit (or tribute to) something from a similar period - all jacking, lo-fi machine drums, deep and filtered bass, vinyl crackle, Ron Hardy builds, and more sampled drums. Whatever it references - and early Chicago house is the obvious comparison - it's breathlessly brilliant.
Review: French techno DJ and producer Klint has forged a long, panhandling utility belt of digital and physical for himself - Truncate, Planet Rhythm and Molecular Recordings outputs among them - and now he makes his debut on the milestone Rotterdam label Arts with a definitive attestation to his own creative drive. The Greek "dynamis" simply means "power", and its etymological link to "dynasty" is meaningful, not least since Arts are among the foremost families to do it right now. 'Subculture' and 'Time Flies' stand out on this release as the best gurgling, weirdo sound design cuts to typify both artist and label, mingling undeniable heaviness and impish experimentation.
Review: Swedish producer Martinou returns with his tenth single which is a double pack that cements his deft hand in sculpting deeply emotive and rhythmically rich electronic music. Spanning six tracks, this latest straddles techno, house and ambient techno with a balance of subtle innovation and classic sensibilities. 'You Took Me In' is an immediate hit with its broken beat structure which allows airy pads and a melancholy melodic line to float atop crisp, polished percussion. It's evocative, the kind of track that slips into your subconscious before you realize it. 'Blur' follows with an electro-tinged beat and a deep, rolling bassline that anchors its shimmering, crystalised melodies. Mid-tempo, it carries a quiet beauty that feels timeless. Other tracks worth mentioning are 'Somewhere', which pushes into ambient techno dub territory, rich in spatial textures and restrained pulse. It's both meditative and propulsive, inviting repeated listens. 'Light (From Within)' takes a more radiant path, channeling melody-forward trance motifs with a subtle emotional charged euphoria that is never overstated. Throughout the double pack, Martinou moves fluidly between rhythmic frameworks and emotional tones. Even at their most restrained, these tracks possess a clarity and purpose that make them idea and suitable for solitary listening. It's a release that reaffirms his position in the modern deep electronic scene, balancing precision and feeling with each track.
Review: Electro is the gift that keeps on giving - a genre that never gets the headlines of house or techno but that, because of that, also never really falls out of favour. Meteor has long been championing the sound and now as Mascarpone heading up this new Plasmapheresis EP. 'Anger' is a turbulent cut with knick-snapping hits and lashings of chrome-plated synths that never let you settle. 'Ventatrax' picks up the pace with hurried beats and sheet metal snares blowing in a stiff solar wind. The Unklevon is pure future music with alien life forms darting about inside the mix and 'OBM Machine' shuts down at a high pace with more unrelenting electro energy.
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