Review: Welcome to the Slippery Yard, a new label out of Spain which is sure to turn heads with this fine first release - a psychedelic blend of techno from various artists. A Morgan's 'Air' is urgent and cosmic a la Jeff Mills, Dc11's 'It's All An Act' layers up deft synth details with sleek linear rhythms and Judy's 'Bide Luzea' is a hurried, pulsing, late-night mental techno trip. A further deep and heady trio of tunes features on the B-side with Bassywax's sub-aquatic sound world on 'Amona Left Us Overnight' taking the headlines for us.
Review: EPM20 Ep2 goes off on an electro tangent here. On this one, we have veteran producer Cisco Ferreira aka The Advent teaming up with his son Zein on the ferocious electro dystopia of "Strangeform" and as if that was not enough, another legend, the one and only Carl Finlow appears next with the abstract, cybernetic beats of "Optogenetic". Over on the flip, we have someone by the name of Detroit's Filthiest (quite an accolade!) who is in fact Motor City stalwart Julian Shamou (Motor City Electro Company) known for his work as 313 Bass Mechanics or Digitek, and longstanding hero of the Midwest Freddie Fresh should need no introduction; his contribution here under the Modulator alias is the deep mind IDM journey "Promars".
Review: The sixth release in the 303 Pattern series marks the first time artists' identities are revealed. What doesn't change is the fact this is a powerful 12" of hard-hitting, hypnotic and atmospheric acid techno with the legendary Roland TR-303 at its core. Alien Rain makes his debut on the label with 'Holosexual's' raw drums and distorted acid lines, Akkaelle's 'Acid Mood' delivers funky, bouncy techno energy with atmospheric depth and Sour returns with another hypnotic, high-intensity bomb. Closing in style is Dima Gastroller who drops a banger of an acid techno track that should come with a health warning for anyone with a weak heart.
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: OMEN Recordings's next release is a big one that unites Axkan and Duellist on the same slab of wax. They take care of one side each and we're told the inspiration for their sounds was making a "shared response to the turmoil of global conflicts." Duellist kicks off and suggests with his offerings that he is anxious, unsettled and in fight mode because 'Oxidative Stress' is front-foot techno with monstrous bass energy. 'Stains Of Time' is another one with brash drums and perc and plenty of tension, then Axkan offers the hypotonic loops of 'Warfare' and broken beat menace of 'Thermobaric.
Review: Two right legends of techno unite here for the latest release on Drumcode. Label chief Adam Beyer presents 'Restore My Soul' featuring Chicago hard techno veteran DJ Rush, their relationship stretching back nearly three decades from when they both started out in the' 90s. The title track is aimed squarely at the main room dancefloor; a seething, mental groove featuring Rush's stern vocal delivery atop, before taking the energy levels into the peak time on the adrenalised thrasher 'Control'. Over on the flip, you are treated to a rework of the title track by DJ Rush himself in his typically stomping and orotund style.
Review: Blue Hour have dropped a couple of essential new 12"s this month and here is one of them. It's another of their famous various artist's collections, all with a focus on the deeper end of the techno spectrum. The eponymous Blue Hour kicks off with 'Afterglow' which has wispy neon synth trail and soft, rubbery drum and bass blends that take you into a cosmic sky. Dold's 'Warning' is more textural and raw with its percussion and synth energy and Steffi's 'Volley 5' is driving, dynamic, dubby techno for intimate basements. Newa's 'Seduction' is a psychedelic wonder to close.
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: The recently formed Alienist Rec has done a fine job of setting out its sonic stall so far and now the label looks to a pair of artists to take care of one side each of their third 12". Starting things off is promising young Moroccan producer Chaou B with the twitchy disco-techno of 'Instinct' and its flashes of synth light. 'Untitled Groove' is another intergalactic stomper wired up with pixelated leads. It is then season Vienna mainstay DJ Void who takes over with the pulsing and 90s style prog techno of 'Frankfurt Jaam' and bleeping future house funk of 'Transaction'.
Review: The Spanish Hypnotic Collective label attempts to capture its take on the Detroit Legacy with what looks like a new series of various artists' EP. There is plenty of Motor City soul in the gorgeous synths of Cignol's muted acid and deep house opener 'Distance' which is a soothing and reverential groove, but then its pure party from Barce, Alex Martin offers up 313 style tech and three further tunes on the flip explore blistering electro with high-speed funk and cosmic intent. Mission accomplished and we're already looking forward to the next one.
Review: There's only one word for this 1996 release from Donnell Knox aka D-Knox - blistering. Originally released on Jay Denham's Black Nation Records in 1996, it's become a highly sought after 12" and now appears having been remastered by Tim Xavier and reissued on Knox's own Sonic Mind label.
It's not hard to see why it was so in demand. 'Total Concentration' starts with drum machines set to stun and the mixing desk pushed to the edge of distortion. 'Deep Meditation' is smoother but still has the speed and crunch of its companion on the A-side. 'Mind Calming' has an almost industrial thump to it, minimal and brutal in all the right ways. It hurts, but it hurts good.
Review: Uruguay has been a rich source of minimal goodness for a number of years now. This label has been one of them since 2022 and despite only being up to a third EP here has already become trusted by those who know. Juan Daireschsion (Harry Styles, is that you?) kicks this one off with a mix of warped bass and more precision-tooled drums on 'Hijo Del Rigor.' 'Billy Bond' is a wonky one for the afters, 'Medeski' has serene widescreen synth spaces underpinned by tinny drums and 'Santa Isabel Dub Company' is more heavy dub tech.
Review: Dajusch brings the rave to CROWD here with some feral techno beaters that will get floors going mental. 'No Mas' is lit up with euphoric vocals and trance-y pads that are impossible to ignore. 'Ambition' has barreling beats that fizz with texture and are topped by nimble chords that dance about the mix. 'Split' is another one overflowing with energy and dusty analogue edges while '36G' shuts down with a tunnelling lead and bouncy low end. This is full fat techno with real machine soul.
Review: Planet Rhythm must be one of the hardest-working labels in the game - it seems to drop new music on a nearly daily basis but all of it is essential. Dajusch is the man at the buttons here with 'Gazell'e exploring a techno sound as lithe and quick as the animal it is named after. 'Average Channel' brings some dub chords to the party over cantering drums, and it is to Detroit for the machine soul and serenity of 'Ster One'. 'Beginner' closes down with more minimal stripped-back rhythms but no less impact.
Review: Death, taxes and quality techno from Planet Rhythm are the three sureties of life. The label that maintains a high laity output and never strays from its blueprint is back with more functional and well-formed sounds, this time from Mattia Dambrosio. He opens with a cut doused in static, fizzing synth lines and with a funky, mid-tempo beat on 'Spring.' 'Ossidiana' dials it back to allow the dub chords and deep roaming bassline room to lure you in then 'Domani' mesmerises with silky synth sequences that glow bright above an implied rhythm. 'Stabs' is an upright and warm techno pumper with Detroit chords and 'Warmer' then takes you way down deep into cavernous underground dub worlds.
Review: Here is the third and final chapter of the 'Systema Naturae' series on Berlin-based 012, with fresh deep techno visions from newcomers such as Daniel(i) from Belgium (Whispering Signals) who ventures into foreboding and murky territory on the off-kilter journey of 'Carabus', and there's the return of Greek producer Alex Tomb who gets into some hypnotic minimal techno on 'Paradisaea'. Elsewhere, Leipzig-based Kontinum pushes into full mental overdrive on the strobing cut 'Octandria' and finally you have the collaboration between Mary Yuzovskaya and label head Claudio PRC titled 'Marmor' which perfectly nails that ethereal Sound Of Rome vibe.
Review: Darwin Chamber and DJ Spun unite for a bold four-tracker here that draws on all their decades of experience to push the boundaries of trance and techno. This self-titled release is nostalgic without sacrificing innovation and opens with 'Find The Missing Letter,' a dub-tinged techno builder with hypnotic synths. 'Digits' follows with relentless beats and dark, robotic energy. The sultry 'Do It All Night' anchors the EP with a seductive groove, while 'Ants' closes with mid-tempo warmth and acidic undertones. Combining Darwin Chamber's engineering expertise and DJ Spun's club culture mastery, this one is perfectly pitched for dancefloor mayhem.
Review: Two underground artists with many years in the scene behind them in Darwin Chamber and DJ Spun come together for the second in their Episode series on Rong Music. Once again they dig into the sounds of their formative years while also looking to the future as they blend dub, trance and techno into lithe new forms. 'The Revolution' is a mid-tempo and atmospheric roller with hypnotic vocals, while 'The Playa' is a deft bit of electronic minimalism with a deep space feel and ticking 808 sounds. Things get more loose with the warped synths and dusty tech beats of 'Dysfunction' while 'Acid Tounge' closes with trippy designs, a skeletal rhythm and a sense of late-night melodic and afterparty mischief.
Review: Shall Not Fade has proven over the last five plus years that whatever sounds it turns its hand to it does with style. Mostly that is deep house and garage but here we have some warehouse-ready techno from Dasco. 'Powerful Woman' has mid-tempo drums that are run through with a supple and subtle acid line and repeated vocal phrasings that lock you into the trip. 'Acid Queen' jacks a bit more, with raw analogue drums and vintage cow bell sounds before the 303 takes over, then Johannes Volk really bangs the box with his hardcore house remix, full of splintered kicks and dusty hi hats. Chicago Skyway brings plenty of Windy City texture to his version.
Review: Dashiell has been road testing these two tunes in his sets for a while, and they have always done a job. They finally arrive on wax courtesy of Foul Play and are sure to get dropped all over the place this summer. 'dfuse all the tension' is the right mix of driving tech but wonky minimal. The bassline is drunk and all over the place while the lead synth has a retro video game feel, and some crisp melodies and refracted vocals finish it well. On the flip, 'da nastiest' is faster and more direct with some turbocharged and bass-driven tech house characterised by another sleazy vocal and phased synth lines that bring a playful twist.
Review: Sound Metaphors has lined up a bunch of killer EPs to drop in quick fashion and this one from Data features several different versions of one fantastic single. 'Extroscopic' is deft techno with nimble baselines and light synths that float through space on the Extroscopic version while the dub is even more warm and bubbly. 'Extroscopic' (Trancextro Scopie) has more trance-tinged chord work and then Anatolian Weapons turns out a more psychedelic version with silvery percussive chatter and last of all a Deep Mix that is indeed a heads down back room techno trip.
Review: DATA17 is back with more of that irresistible hand-stamped white label minimal and tech house goodness. 'Pour Toi' kick off this particular party with high speed tech funk loops and crashing hits that demand you dance while wonky synth lines unfold up top. The clipped and kinetic funk continues on 'C La Vie' which has distant playground found sounds and balmy pads and 'Sous Influence' that slips down into superbly icy and economical minimal grooves, with nagging leads hooking you in as the militant drums march below. It's an eerie and futuristic sounds completed with some spoken words from Blade Runner.
Dawn Razor & ArcheTech - "From Another Galaxy" (8:05)
Dawn Razor - "Good Morning MIR" (4:59)
Dawn Razor & ArcheTech - "From Another Galaxy" (Shed remix) (5:40)
Dawn Razor - "Jupiter Thrill" (4:37)
Review: Dawn Razor makes his mark on DEXT Recordings with a fresh release of deep, minimal, and atmospheric breakbeat techno. Blending intricate rhythms and ambient soundscapes, the tracks push the boundaries of the genres in a stylish fashion. The release opens with a collaboration with ArcheTech which is loopy and kinetic. Additionally, legendary German experimentalist Shed provides a remix that reimagines the original track with his unique, forward-thinking approach and physical drum programming. Two Razor solo cuts explore floating and airy techno rhythms that soothe the mind.
Review: Dub Wars is a series from the mighty Planet Rhythm label that serves up killer cuts with a dub inflection. This new one comes on flame red vinyl from DBFB and kicks off with the driving dub techno intensity of 'Akord.' The superb 'Reminisce' then has more frosty chords rallying over the face of the track as ticking hi-hats keep time. 'Source' is a bunch one with lithe pads and silky drum loops working you into a hypnotic state and 'Radiant' closes out with some kicking broken beats for a more direct vibe.
Review: We love a trip to Planet Rhythm because it always results in hearing some fad-free, high-quality techno from key players. DBFB is behind this new white slab of wax and it starts with the hammering drum funk and rippling synth lushness of 'Stroke' before progressing into the pulsing late-night sounds of dubby cut 'Rummage'. '91' takes it back to a simpler time when jacked drums and molten dub chords are all you need for a good time and 'Resistance' shuts down with a more raw edge and driving, percussive techno slammer.
Review: Hardwax affiliated label The Final Experiment is back with some real proper stuff by scene staple Rene Pawlowitz aka Shed/Head High, who premieres a new alias here as DD 2. The soulful and suspense-filled drama of A side cut 'Infinite' is a true zeitgeist of the early '90s Detroit-Berlin connection, and reminiscent of Tresor releases during said era that will have you reaching for the lasers. Over on the flip, we have something a bit more familiar of him in the form of galloping 'power house' cut 'Scattered Blue' with its epic chord progression and trademark drum programming, reminiscent of his Wax series some years back. Shows Pawlowitz is still at the top of his game, tip!
Review: There is no messing with this new EP from The Final Experiment crew in Germany. They tap up DD 3 for two tracks of stylish, impactful techno that locks you in from the off. It's 'Fences' which does so with its tightly woven kicks and bass - punchy but fluid, they are overlaid with dancing synth arps that bring light and soul. 'ATCX' is then a minimal cut with frosted synths fizzing about the mix over jangling chords and deeply buried kicks that grow ever louder in the mix. It's a thrilling and fresh sound for sure.
Review: Dark Entries label regulars De-Bons-en-Pierre are back with more of their scuzzy delights in the form of their Card Short of a Full Deck EP. It's drenched in textbook sludginess as is often the way with Beau Wanzer and Maoupa Mazzochetti ever since they came together in 2016. These tunes were all originally written back in 2019 for live performances and really find the pair pushing at the boundaries of accepted social norms. The absurd sounds pair skipping rhythms with dark and freaky basslines and plenty of eerie rave chords to make for an all-new kind of dance floor energy.
Review: Spaniard Eduardo De La Calle is one of those producers who have spent their whole musical life exploring a fairly well-defined techno sound yet always managed to find nuance within it. Here he lands on Key Germany with more of his signature belts of heady synths and physical drums. 'Kardama' is a rather edgy one to start then 'Khatvanga' slips into more smooth techno hypnosis. There are alien in his machines and they want you to know about it on 'Kankas' before 'Kala' closes with a peak time, strobe-lit energy that will send hands in the air.
Review: Drei Vinyl launched back in 2023 and has slowly but surely amassed a respectable catalogue of various artists' releases. This sixth outing is the most straight-up techno offering yet and it opens with one of Spain's finest in Eduardo De La Calle. 'Deva5Vyasa' is heady and otherworld loop techno perfection with synth daubs and conscious vocals peppering the rubbery kicks. DJ Shufflemaster brings more texture to the raw, percussive madness of 'Axiom' and Tensal layers up unsettling and anxious synth murmurs with rising drum tension on 'Thermal Cycler.' Pergo's 'Lume' is a brash, industrial closer full of urgency.
Review: Eduardo de La Calle has always excelled at crafting economical yet impactful techno. It is often long and settled in its groove, dubbed out to the max and sprinkled with grainy chords. That simple MO has kept him at the forefront for years and here he hooks up with Reeko to serve up four more tracks of his distinctive techno gold to get 2025 underway on a fine footing. 'Track 1' is a real pressure builder with waves of synth and icy hi-hats washing over you, 'Track 2' then pulls back into murky minimalism and 'Track 3' brings the brain-melting bells. All that leaves is t cast you off into the deepest corners of the cosmos with 'Track 4' full of celestial wonderment.
Review: Kevin de Vries collaborates with rising stars Y do I on his latest EP and it is a three-track journey showcasing the signature Afterlife sound. Merging emotionally charged moments with driving basslines and electrifying energy, the duo strikes a balance between light and dark while cooking up grooves that resonate deeply. Each track embodies the label's ethos of fostering close dancefloor connections through rhythm, emotion and vibration. This is evocative, painstakingly designed melodic techno with pristine synth work and sleek drums that carry you into all new worlds.
Review: It would be fair to say that Tobias Menguser's sole single as Leon De Winter, 1997's Apollo Jazz, has become a sought-after item in recent times - and with good reason. One of the earliest releases on the fashionable-again Eukahouse label, the two-tracker confidently blurred the boundaries between futurist early tech-house, electro and more psychedelic dancefloor flavours. Finally available again in remastered form thanks to this Mint Condition reissue, the A-side title track is simply sublime: a gorgeous and timeless fusion of deliciously dreamy chords, high-register acid lines, bittersweet melodies, smooth but deep bass and shuffling electro-not-electro bliss. It's emotive dancefloor perfection! Flip-side 'Metamat' meanwhile is darker, squelchier and moodier, with chunkier beats, rougher TB-303 motifs and weightier bass.
Review: On Rave On Time, her third EP of 2020, Charlotte De Witte giddily pays tribute to the throbbing, warehouse-ready techno sound of her home city of Ghent - and particularly the intense, mind-bending brand particularly associated with R&S Records in the early 1990s. De Witte sets the tone via the razor-sharp and insanely heavy title track, where ragged acid lines and spiky synth stabs leap above a stomping techno groove, before opting for drums, drums and more drums on the restless 'There's No One Left To Trust'. Acid techno is the order of the day on 'The World Inside' and 'Common Era', while triple-time closing cut 'Wahr Ist Sie Dann' is an odd, alien-sounding treat.
Review: Following up some great releases recently by ONYVAA and Alignment, Belgian techno heroine Charlotte De Witte is back with a vengeance this week on her beloved KNTXT imprint. The Formula EP features three ferocious cuts, all aimed squarely at the main room dancefloor at peak time. From the strict, heads-down shuffle of 'Doppler' and its ravey, infectious chord progression playing centre stage, to the cerebral stomper 'RPM' taking you aboard a wild ride on the acid express. It ends with the adrenalised energy flash of the title track, which goes out all guns blazing.
Review: Charlotte De Witte has long been a leader of the new school of techno. Her sound is tough an uncompromising and borrows from trance, hard techno and ambient often all at once. Her own KNTXT label is where she releases it and that is where she appears once more now with another fierce peak time EP. 'Power Of Thought' has big unrelenting drums, guying acid and some subtle smoked words for maximum anthemic effect. 'Pria' then brings some Middle Eastern melodic and vocal exoticness to her tightly clipped techno grooves and 'Abada' is a dramatic and cinematic ambient closer.
Review: Here's something to excite fans of Detroit techno and far-sighted Motor City deep house - a full release for Underground Resistance member Gerald Mitchell's EP, previously available in strictly limited numbers as part of UR's Battle Weapons series of DJ tools. It's as immersive, deep and classy as you'd expect, with Mitchell sashaying between hazy late-night hypnotism (the 'is-it-house-or-is-it-techno' warmth of 'Midnight Inspiration'), bustling deep and jazzy techno ('Essence of Bass', where crunchy drum machine snares and twinkling electric piano motifs catch the ear), surging sci-fi techno (the unsurprisingly futurist flex of 'Funky Revolutions') and rolling, warehouse-ready fare (the tight looped bass, intergalactic synths and deep, hypnotic vibes of 'In Traffic'). In other words, it's a high-grade EP from one of Detroit techno's most storied producers.
Review: After debuting with an on-point reissue EP, this new label out of South Africa is back with a set of superb remixes. On the A-side, Border One and Quelza bring their individual styles to some sleek techno sounds, while the B-side features contributions from CONCEPTUAL and D-Leria, each adding their own distinct touch. The remixes take listeners on a journey from driving, energetic beats to warm, hypnotic soundscapes while each new rework manages to be fresh but also sympathetic to the vibe of the original.
Review: Deas shows he has plenty of ideas (no? sorry) on this stark and futuristic techno missive from Bau Muzik. 'Red' drops you right into the heart of the dance floor at 4 am with wide eyes, flashy strobes and sweat everywhere. 'Yellow' is another hurried, hunched over, fizzy techno bomb that wrestles you along for the ride whether you like it or not and then things slow touch with the more paired back sounds of 'Black'. It's a wispy and airy blend of loops that move at pace but invite you in rather than pushing you away. 'Blue' is a lithe, funky number that exudes a sense of cool.
Review: Karol Mozgawa is Polish techno talent Deas, and he brings his class to Planet Rhythm here, although it's Ferdinger remix of 'Dissociation' which gets things underway. It's a speedy and supple techno pile-driver with euphoric chords sure to elevate the 'floor. '8 AM' is much more mechanical and industrial with unrelenting drums and textured hooks peeling off the beats. 'Dissociation' in original form is a classic bit of soulful hi-tek Motor City goodness and 'Error' closes with some raved up synth madness and super-sized hi hats.
Review: Bau Muzik continues to establish itself in the new school techno realm with another backs-to-the-wall banger. Deas is in control for this one and kick off in potent fashion with dense layers of drums and-etc run through with a surging synth pulse that powers things forwards. 'Concentrate' is another cut that quickly establishes itself then rolls on and novels only subtly as it draws you into its mental maze, then things switch up with 'Flow'. It's a more wild and unhinged sound that will have the floor in raptures - if they can keep up - before 'Form' finishes things off with heavy and industrial techno loops.
Border One - "Organoid" (Jeroen Search remix) (5:47)
Review: Binar's fifth outing looks to a selection of talented remixers to add their own spin to some stylish techno originals. First, it is Decka's 'Alignment' that gets reworked by Efdemin, who we haven't heard from for a while but are glad to do so now. He flips it into a straight-up and smooth techno pumper with fuzzy pads softening the edges. Next, Amotik brings some urgent synth pulses and hunched-up drum funk to 'Remains Mystery' and The Lady Machine remix of 'Run' is all fat, drunken synths tumbling about with jacked-up drums and analogue hits. Jeroen Search brings some signature future cosmic energy to his take on Border One's 'Organoid.'
Review: Deep88 is a producer who deals in real depth and stripped back analogue sounds. He's well informed by the classic Chicago and Detroit sounds and brings that to his own always atmospheric work. Here he arrives on Dutch label What About This Love with four more mindful cuts of classy backroom action. 'Multi Final' has hissing hi hats turgid chord stabs over rolling drums, then 'Intergalactic' releases the pressure with more lazy drums and claps, sweeping chords and wispy melodies. The cool rolling rhythms return for 'Leggera' then 'Regardless Of Everything' is a kaleidoscope of deep house colour.
Review: One of the best compliments you can pay a minimal techno producer is that they have an ability to make a lot with few elements. While Deepchord's layered, textured sound could be described as maximal techno, on this release for Soma, its simplicity is its strength. In reality, not much happens over the course of the ten-minute plus "Luxury 1", yet its dubby beats, sub-aquatic chords and occasional diversions into dreamy reveries is over before the listener realises it. "Luxury 2" is more dance floor-friendly, but despite this, the break beats are gentle and unassuming and the melodies subtle yet insidious. It makes for a straightforward but seductive combination.
Review: Deepchord serves us the second taster of his upcoming full-length, 'Functional Extraits', out later this year, piling on yet newer layers of texture to his trademark dub techno sound. On this sneak preview EP, 'Glyphs' pulsates through a bed of rattlesnake shakes, swirling ambience, and thunderous knocks, as though it's documenting some bioorganic brain's inner workings. 'Orbitals' entrances us further, inviting us into a melancholic garage rave submerged in a gas giant, while 'Leafiness' barely utters a kick through its emulsive pulses.
My Favourite Stranger (Boris Brejcha remix) (7:10)
My Favourite Stranger (Ela Minus remix) (3:46)
My Favourite Stranger (Lond Island Sound remix) (4:48)
Review: Much loved doom monger emo kids Depeche Mode have always been ripe for remixing by new generations of electronic music artists and so it is that there 'My Favourite Stranger' gets a series of re-rubs here on Columbia. Tech house mainstay Boris Brejcha remixes first and elongates the grooves with mournful pads up top. The Ela Minus remix of the same tune brings some extra textured and darker moods and the best is saved till the last if you ask us. The Lond Island Sound remix is high speed and tinged with electro synth work as the moody vocals echo about the mix to trippy effect.
Review: Design Default first emerged back in 2018 with a release on Fragil Musique - the vivid, finely sculpted ambient LP Dawn Chorus. Now they're back with a new album, this time on New York label Club Night Club (who put out the excellent Herron Lowflow EP. The vibe is decidedly different, dealing in punchy electronica workouts with ample sonic manipulation and high production values. 'Lyrids' has enough brute force and deft dynamics to snap your head clean off, in the club or elsewhere, while 'Quarantids' teases between lush ambience and gravelly future-tech beats. 'Geminids' ramps up the industrial strength drum hits and nudges the tempo in kind, but still the artful programming and visceral mixing prowess is on full display - something Significant Other steps up to on their remix too.
Review: Developer heads up the Modularz label and now returns to it with some increased BPMS and sounds that are more dark and driving, tribal and funk-infused than before. This hugely prolific producer has put out more than 100 records in the last 10 years and always finds new sonic territory to explore each time. 'Hexican 75' kicks off with some blisteringly quick deep techno rhythms, 'When They Come Knocking' is glitchy and dubby and 'She Says She's Good' then taps into more mind-melting synth and drum tapestries before 'Black Oceanz' goes sub aquatic with heavy, rolling drums and shards of light pairing the ocean surface.
Review: Developer is a core part of the LA underground not just known for his work as a DJ and producer, but also his vital events which have breathed fresh inspiration into the scene. He also heads up the Modularz label and returns to it here with four more future-facing sounds that take techno into new realms. 'Ethnicanz' is rife with eerie synths that have an impish spirit. 'Modetrex' marries firmly rooted and ice-cold drum loops with more evocative synth motifs that lure you in for the chase. 'Viamont' is dense, like being trapped in the midst of a swarm of squawking birds, then 'Panotronix' completes this chilly retro-future offering with more stark synth loops that are unresolved and keep you on edge.
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