Review: Adlas steps up to the Hayes label here for the very first time and impresses while doing so. His take on techno is economical and stripped back but never light on impact. 'Deadstock' opens with glitchy textures and creepy, subterranean sonic echoes while a linear beat rolls on. 'Magnetic' is a little more punchy and is powered by a pulsing bassline while 'Open Question' is a dubbed-out cut with beats that skate along and twanging hits reverberate throughout. 'The Rumors Are True' shuts down with another glitchy broken beat and coarse claps with some tripped-out synth work up top.
Review: Coyu's Barcelona-based Suara label continues to push the thresholds of hard techno, with this new one by legend Cisco Ferreira under his reknowned The Advent moniker. Brace yourself for The Movement EP, featuring heavy duty sonic artillery that must be handled with extreme caution. From the brutalist dystopian slammer "Witches Spell" to the unrelenting peak time fury of "Live 98 Tour" which is reminiscent of timeless classics like "Bad Boy", to the Detroit style breakneck electro funk of "Same 4" which is a collaboration with his son Zein. Ferreira proves yet again that even after 30 years in the game, he is still miles ahead of the rest - respect!
Review: Ellen Allien remains at the top of her game for big, pounding Berlin techno with a deviant edge, and that's no more apparent than on 'Rave Luv'. Chopping up vocals and messing with the synth shapes, she proves that just a few tweaks can take a tried and tested formula into wild and weird new territory, which is why she's such a vital artist after all these years. Backing up that consummate A side is 'Lust', a more melancholic affair balancing menacing undercurrents with mournful melodics in the middle distance, strapped, of course, to a 4/4 beat.
Review: Fourth 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.
This EP features Ellen Allien, Kreggo, Timeslip89, Itinerant Dubs and Heith.
Review: Altone, an emerging talent in dub techno, delivers the Invincible Nature EP on Denmark's Echocord Records, a label revered for over two decades. The EP showcases Altone's knack for crafting deep soundscapes. Side-1 features 'Naturally Unnatural,' presenting two distinct takes: the first is sparse and minimal, epitomizing classic dub techno, while the second version is more techy and aggressive, adding an edge to the composition. Side-2 brings remixes of 'Unnaturally Balanced.' Thomas Fehlmann, a legendary producer, lends his expertise to the 'Naturally Flowing' remix, infusing it with a fluid, dynamic quality. The 'Another Channel' version rounds out the EP with a quintessential dub treatment, staying true to the genre's roots. Invincible Nature EP is a compelling showcase of versatility in dub techno and Echocord's enduring influence in the scene.
Review: Danza Nativa is rightly celebrating its fifth anniversary recently and now follows up the first part of its anniversary compilation with part two, featuring tunes from across a broad spectrum. The first side delves into tribal rhythms and strident synths with Amandra keeping it stripped back and minimal and Dino Sabatini going deep and dubby on 'Danza Tribale'. Polygonia and Plants Army Revolver then set your mind free to wander among lush sound designs and captivating rhythms that head deep into a humid and futurist jungle.
Review: Amorphic and Tensal hook back in to the machine to dialyse their crafts once more, with 'Highland Frequencies' offering up four, machine-numbered atoning lambs to our mech overlords, following up the equally arrayed 'Distant Landscapes' EP (2024) on Blueprint. Now bringing their distinctive cataloguing system to the discographic vanitas Mord, four more 'AT' tracks make for an irresistibly well-layered, synthetically one-of-a-kind release. Only 'AT4' gets a subtitle, 'The Sleepwalker', where a sandman's slumbrous, lollygaggling beats somehow, at the same time, betray a subconscious, paradoxical restlessness.
Review: Anatolian Weapons has always brought intriguing influence to techno. His exploration of rhythm and texture is central to what he does and once more here he takes us on a winding journey through slow down techno and mind altering synths. There is a new age charm to the synths of 'Desert Sun' while the drums chug below. 'The Desert Track II' is a snaking techno sound with creepy sci-fi melodies and twitchy pads off in the distance and 'Ivan's Track' kees it celestial with more otherworldly melodies and rugged mid tempo drums. Two further unhurried sounds make a great mix of airy melody and metallic drum forms.
Review: Ilian Tape staple Andrea returns to the imprint, marking a big one for the Munich-based operation with a massive album by Skee Mask also this week. As always, UK and rave influences are abundant throughout the talented producer's work and this one is no exception. This EP is called Sktch and features the cavernous, glacial and downright knackered dub techno of 'Sarec', followed by the sinister subterranean breaks of Auxl and the meditative deep dubstep frequencies of 'Kjones' which sees him delve deeper into off kilter territory.
Review: Dan Andrei is arguably one of the finest selectors of this generation and a master minimal producer who makes electronic music of the highest order. His latest outing sees him inaugurating his own brand-new label alongside Claudiu Stefan. Rainbow Hill is a platform for their more personal ideas and starts with four more of Andrei's brilliantly deft yet dramatic tracks. 'Numan's Touch' kicks off with rolling drums and bass and a fine eco-system of cosmic pads, twinkling keys and fizzing synths that are theatrical and involving. 'What Else?' then gets darker and more intense with heady loops and wispy pads, and again the ante is upped and the darkness pervades once more on the tense and taught dub-tech roller 'This Is What I See'. Last of all, 'Bluer Than Ever' floats above the floor with airy pads and radiant chords. A perfect 5am vibe.
Review: This is the first in a new collaborative series between Derailed Records and Planet Rhythm who have teamed up for a new vinyl series that launches with Rotterdam's ARKVS. 'Sonus' rumbles with low-end threat and fizzy static that locks you in the moment. 'Deviate (feat Ronald Nels)' is more sparse with claps echoing out to an event horizon as supple acid tones linger in the air. 'Amphibian Velocity' layers up gurgling synths and pent-up drum tension and 'Crashing Rhythms' is a punchy but deep closer and a fourth and final evocative and sophisticated offering which gets this series underway in style.
Review: Atimpuri emerges from the Italian prog techno scene with Present Magnificus, a sublime new EP for the small but already well formed Spaziotempo (or 'space time') label. Giordano is already known amongst those who know as a fine DJ and producer, as the uninitiated will now discover with this top label debut. He explores fusing of an array of styles form techno to prog, trance to Italo, breakbeat to electro on an EP that is thoroughly of the moment. all the sounds are sci-fi in design and futuristic in mood with compelling grooves and plenty of great designs that work as well on head as they do heel.
Review: One of the genre's funkiest groups, continuing where Cybotron, Model 500 and Drexciya left off and heading to a style all of their own, Aux 88 aka Tom Tom (Tommy Hamilton) and Keith Tucker (DJ name DJ K1) give two tracks from their classic 2009 album Mad Scientist an inaugural outing on vinyl, getting electro fans everywhere dribbling with instant Pavlovian desire in the process, no doubt. 'Voice Modulation' is slower, heavier and steadier, built around a shuddering b-line that anyone with a pulse will find hard to resist. 'Mad Scientist' the track, meanwhile, is faster and, with its vocoder-ed vocal delivery from Tucker, gives a good flavour of what makes the Michigan pair a vital live act as well as a legendary studio prospect.
Review: This new 12" from Glaswegian producer Harvey McKay sees him reworking Daniel Avery's 'Drone Logic' into a driving, big-room missile i and it absolutely slaps. Upping the tempo and leaning into a more percussive framework, McKay doesn't just touch up the original's swirling psychedelia, he rebuilds it for peak-time pressure. The acid line is still there, twisted and stretched, but now it rides atop galloping drums, shimmering hi-hats and the kind of pneumatic swing that's become McKay's signature. It's a brand new release on Phantasy, pressed in a limited run of 500 and already a fixture in the sets of Avery, McKay and Erol Alkan. The sound is somewhere between soulful techno and heads-down warehouse hypnosis i powerful without being punishing. What's clever is how it stays true to the hazy mood of the source, but flips it into something entirely more immediate. As a one-sided 12" it's a bold statement, but one that's easy to understand: it only needs one track when it hits this hard. Built for high ceilings, smoke machines and stretched-out moments mid-set, this is an edit that earns its hype. A slow-burn classic reborn as a proper dancefloor weapon.
Review: Two sides of mega-minimal, textural minimal and a dash of drone here, shared equally between friends Bastian Balders and Anton Kubikov. The producers bring a sophistication to the tech, reflecting the huge variation in the emotions they indulge. Something between ecstasy and horror is heard on Balders' 'Machinery', while Kubikov's 'Introland' is comparatively hopeful and tearjerking, with its delayed piano refractions and filtery-in-and-out strings.
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: Needs' commendable charity drive continues to bring forth the goods, both in terms of good causes and world class club music. Rallying round in support of World Mental Health Day 2020, Shanti Celeste kicks the record off in style with the rapid fire, deep-diving workout 'Fantasma'. OCB keeps the pressure up with the psychotropic techno of 'RS3', while Michelle works up some delightfully freaky synths on playful jacker 'Aesthetic'. Bobby's 'Free Your Mind' is a 90s-tinged, full fat techno production indebted to Detroit, Peder Mannerfelt keeps things stripped and raw on 'Our Levels' and Yu Su weaves a beautiful tapestry of interweaving rhythms on 'Brittney'. Adam Pits' trippy techno sounds resplendent on 'Wind Tunnel' and DJ Sports completes the set with the inventive, dembow slanted funk of 'Needs Dub'.
Review: Ostgut Ton reach the midway, or Funf, point of their programme of 12" issues from last year's mammoth Zehn boxset which draws for the contributions from DVS1, Answer Code Request and the Dutch connection Doms & Deykers. DVS1 is up first with "Ecks", a blinding little DJ tool rife with skittering drums and trademark touches of psychedelia, whilst Answer Code Request's "Zeitspielraum" has a touch of the Underworld classic "Rez" to it. Plenty of broken drums too, naturally! Martyn and Steffi have the keys to the B-side and they use the space to lay down their own breakbeat house epic "Whirling" which bodes well for the mooted Doms & Deykers album that is supposed to be out this year.
Review: Over the past couple of years the Ohm Series of 12"s has quietly become one of the best in the field of dub techno, always carrying a respectable range of artists pushing the sound forwards, and now carrying the kind of weight which tells you you're getting the best these artists have to offer. On the seventh entry we can hear Ohm himself, aka Bjarnar Jonsson and Octal Industries teaming up for the deeply submerged creeper 'System (vs Federson)', while Lee Holman brings something brighter, more Motor City-inspired to the table on 'Absorbed By The Elements'. Andrea Cichecki slinks into a mellow, swung house mood on 'Universe Blue' and El Choop leans in on the sound design around his chord sounds to create the rhythmic heat in his outstanding 'FORPOD'. As ever, the bar remains high with the Ohm Series offerings.
Review: Interruption Records 007 delivers four techno monsters, each track a distinct force within the genre. Side-1 opens with Punto's 'La Trampa,' a heavy pounding techno workout that brings no-nonsense, big sounds to the forefront. Following is Marcio M's 'Spacetime Stone,' an ominous builder with rising energy and a catchy vibe that keeps the momentum strong. Flipping to Side-2, Acerbic's 'Way Of The Underground' introduces alien-sounding retro techno, evoking rave nostalgia with its unique blend of sounds. Finally, Phazegenerator's 'PartyLine' offers a loopy, underground track that's a strong DJ tool, perfect for driving the dancefloor. Powerful and diverse, this blend of heavy beats, rising energy, and nostalgic elements ensures the techno party will not stop.
Review: There's long been debate about the definition of "deep house", with different DJs, producers and labels offering their own interpretations of what "deep" means musically. In our opinion, you'll struggle to find better examples of pure, properly deep electronic music than the tracks released by Bristol's We're Going Deep label. Here's Exhibit A, the Facebook group-turned-label's sixth multi-artist EP. It begins with a wonderfully spacey, sci-fi-fuelled chunk of intergalactic deep house/deep electro fusion from Versalife and ends with the Larry Heard style stargazing of Morthen Kiang's 'Enter The Dream'. In between, you'll find the softly shuffling, deliciously dreamy deep electro of Mariska Neerman's 'Twin' and the deep, acid-flecked house hypnotism of 'Counterpoint' by Analog1.
Review: South Africa is a country celebrated for much great music from house to jazz, but it's not often we hear techno from all the way down there. This new label Knowledge Imprint looks to change all that starting with this first EP, Selected Reissues. Rene Wise opens up with 'Mover' which is a linear, chunky techno roller. 'Primal Fever' is a percussive cut with warped basslines and chattery perc and on the flipside, Arthur Robert opens up with the more dark shades of 'Traveller' and closes with 'Wither' which is pure tunnelling techno for 5am.
Review: "It's like painting with button and sliders... Melting and dripping, seeping yourself liquid into the machinery." So said Darren Cunningham when discussing the creation of R.I.P, his long awaited follow up to Splazsh. It's a compelling image that works in practice too. R.I.P creates microcosmic sound worlds within each track: "Holy Water" for instance tumbles in on itself in a melange of shimmering sine wave droplets, while the pitch shifted waves of "Tree Of Knowledge" seem to inhale and exhale like a living being, crumpling inwards on itself to repeat the same motion ad infinitum. And although it uses much the same, occasionally abrasive sonic building blocks as Cunningham's been developing for many years, the pastoral tones of "Uriel's Black Harp" and the Alva Noto styles of "Jardin" make R.I.P a surprisingly graceful album. It may not be techno as many will know it, but Cunningham has never made techno in the traditional sense anyway - and it's clear on listening to R.I.P that he's only just beginning to realise the musical forms that have been swarming inside his brain for years.
Review: Some 25 years after delivering his debut 12", Richard D James hasn't lost the ability to thrill or inspire. By his obtuse standards, the material that makes up the surprise Cheetah EP is actually rather laidback and melodious. "Cheetah2 (LD Spectrum)", for example, sounds like a slow house jam written by robots, while the even deeper "Cheetah7B" shuffles along in a metronomic fashion, seemingly oblivious to the increasingly aggressive World at large. Of course, those trademark skittish IDM rhythms are present and the Cornishman has thrown in a couple of hazy ambient cuts for good measure.
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