Review: Emerald's 25th outing takes the form of another superb compilation with four artists who have already released on the label and plenty of new names making an equally good impression. ANNE kicks off with the deep, thudding kicks of 'Coral Reefs' complete with lush hits to smooth the groove. There is more weight and intensity to the oversized hi-hats ringlets on Mike Konstantinidis's 'Apocalypse', DJ Plant Texture layers in plenty of gritty and grime to his gritty 'Swingers' and Jarrod Yeates goes for a twisted after-party vibe on his intense and unrelenting 'Sesh Gremlin', with many more highlights besides.
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.
Happy707 - "Where Does That Noise Come From" (4:28)
Review: Menacing EBM and dark synth billows from a Netherlands hinterland; our heralds speak of an esoteric encampment by the name of Espectro Oculto, said to be the remote incantators of an unstoppable curse in sound. Six shadowy emissaries have been sent to spread the pestilence; Trenton Chase, Martial Canterel, DJ Nephil, Exhausted Modern, Fragedis and Happy707. Clearly, the faction have recruited only the best, trusted and yet most nefarious of spies from as far-flung regions as Czechia and Argentina in the administering of such a sordid sonic plague. We're left most quivery at the centrifugal doom drones of Exhausted Modern's 'Fear Of Focus', across whose breakdown banshees are heard wailing and snarling, and Fragedis' 'Landing In Reality', a lo-fi techno freakout and sonochemical anomaly, channeling militant two-way radio samples and hellish FM synthesis.
Review: Dagobert & Kalson deliver the third instalment of their serial Stellar Mode project, which sticks out like a rogue planet amid a sea of drab and unremarkable stylistic orbiters. This four-track cosmic fulguration consists of two tracks by each artist, and is notable for its ultra-glossy action-packed ambient breaks content; they've just done something wonderfully extra to the sound here, treating each element like exoplanetary objects of study and refinement. As Kraftwerkish sequences and ambient soundscapes collide with planetary ring systems of bass and plucksynth, what's not to love here?
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: 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: Trident is dropping a couple of top EPs this month. One is from Derrek Carr, and one is this double white 12" that finds Deltamaxx and O En One join forces. They take us on a storytelling trip through cosmic techno that varies in mood and tempo. 'Conexxion' rides a nice rubbery, bumpy groove with incidental and wispy synth sounds, then 'Delta Pavonis' seems to soundtrack a beach party up amongst the stars. There are darker, more heady cuts like 'Donnager' and icy electro cinematics on 'Isonoe' to make for a worthy collection of sounds that work on the dancefloor and beyond.
Ready When You Are (feat Hugh Newman - previously unreleased) (6:55)
Osho Drums (5:24)
Figments Of Reality (Trance mix) (5:29)
Review: Seb Taylor is a veteran of the UK's coastal psychedelic and goa trance circuit, operating under many a name but none doing so much justice to the sound as that which came out as Digitalis. Madrid's Organic Signs know this, and have set about paying tribute to Taylor's influence with a sequel release to 1998's The Third State LP. Its psycho-spiritual successor, The Fourth State now makes up a pair, both of which are ascendant trance trouncers, aural aids for the psychonaut music fan's life's work of escaping systems of global social control.
Review: DIMDJ's newest 12" seamlessly fuses techno, electro to ambient and house, with opener 'Next On Next' proving to be a deep, heavy analogue production that features expertly sequenced toms and rave-inspired claps, creating a rich, driving beat. 'The Path' follows with its electro-machine aesthetic, brimming with mechanical warmth and rhythmic intricacy. 'Cashe' rounds out the side with vintage electro-funk vibes, blending futuristic melodies with timeless grooves. Side-2 shifts into more atmospheric territory. '10th Of May' is a dreamy balearic gem, wrapping ambient house textures in a sun-soaked haze. 'Crash' slows the pace, offering heavily processed downtempo with a reflective, cinematic feel. The EP closes with 'Ampi 00 Patern', a haunting piece of alien ambience, evoking the eerie stillness of a distant, uncharted planet. An inspiring journey through DIMDJ's artistry, weaving diverse moods and styles into a very enjoyable trip into melodic electronic music.
Review: Named after the classic Czech sci-fi animated film of the same name, veteran producer DIN returns as the nextmost focus of the Coming From Returning To label, who offer up a fresh reissue of his 1992 techno classic. Then five good years into the alias (DIN was formed in 1987), producer Pupka Frey began making his distinct brand of electro-disko as a personal exploration of futuristic and analog dance textures. This EP is an 'artificial' alt soundtrack to the movie, which was otherwise histrionic and over-funky for the tastes of most techno enjoyers. Highlights here have got to be the glassy 'B-Minis' and the opening 'Travesty' (the tune's ironically anything but).
Review: You might well have caught two thirds of Dina Summer lurking around modern minimal wave circles as Local Suicide, but now they're pressing on into further sinister synthscapes as Dina Summer. Following their standout debut LP Rimini in 2022, the trio are back with a seductive new EP that sees them strutting into 2024 with some of their best material to date. The synth hooks on 'Unter Strom' are towering triumphs of pop-minded sound design, with some discernible Italo throb happening in the low end. 'All Or Nothing' is a fierce and formidable peak time slammer, while 'Excess' is the kind of supersized electro-goth workout you'd equally expect from Miss Kittin & The Hacker.
Review: More funk for your trunk! Brussels most provocative player DJ Elephant Power stampedes back into the mix with more subversive, fully uncategorisable gold. Pick a genre, any genre and we guarantee you won't be thinking of what's here as we gently melt from the nifty ravey breaks the opening title track to the sleepy, woozy tension of the finale cut 'Infinity'. In between we have bumping bewitching house ('I Got You') and strange slow-mo electro ('Shades'). Thinking of sleeping on this? Tusk tusk tusk on you.
Review: The DJ Producer goes in hard here with a special one-sided 12" that uses all of its almost 11-minute lay time to pack in as many hardcore references, sounds and motifs as possible. It is a head-spinning, ear-tickling medley of legendary status that comes as a massive tribute to DJ Hellfish and the 100th release of his Deathchant label.
It's an absolute bomb of a tune, packed with energy and intensity, rave sirens, caustic pads, distorted bass and chopped-up shout-outs. Brilliantly mad.
Review: After over 20 years of collaboration, Reggie Dokes and Red D continue their musical journey with a new release on Reggie's renowned Psychostasia label. Their first joint EP was released on Red D's We Play House Recordings and launched the label's celebrated U.S. Series. On this latest offering, Reggie showcases his signature deep house style with melancholic tones and solid beats adding up to a timeless deep house vibe. Meanwhile, Red D channels his Detroit roots into a swinging techno track reminiscent of Scan 7 and featuring a vocal homage to an Underground Resistance classic. It don't get much more authentic than this.
Review: Belgian techno bossman Insider has unveiled a masterful remix of the equally iconic Belgian classic by Dr Phibes, aka Bruno Sanchioni from Age Of Love, on the esteemed Diki Records Classics label. This exclusive 12" showcases two distinct versions on nice white vinyl: a high-energy, pulsating techno mix and a deeper, UK-inspired interpretation. Both capture the era's essence and have been crafted akin to the way that producers from techno's golden age wild, but with a contemporary edge. First class tackle to get modern floors in a big old state.
Review: After lurking on the internet as an outlet for Dreamlogicc's solo and collaborative work, cheeky Peak Time Dance Music launches its physical imprint with a half dozen tracks of drum-driven madness. Drawing raw rhythms and rugged sound design from gqom, integrating elements of electro, grime, and techno, these flexible beats absolutely stomp. While the core sound remains, the moody grooves from his Kimochi Sound releases and bassy halftime from Main Drain Studios take the back seat here: it's a 12" for the club.
Review: Dsum's latest outing Double Distance on Back Door comes on clear vinyl and is another celestial electro voyage. Opener 'Protons' has all the energy of the particles it is named after while 'Running Around' is a deft blend of melancholic chords and silky electro drums. The title cut is an introspective one with pristine electro soundscapes imbued with plenty of thoughtful pads and a touch of acid. 'Nebula' takes off a little more of a pace but never forgoes gorgeous ambient melodies and closer 'Silent Spreaders' is a suspensory bit of interplanetary ambient with synth sequences riding up and down the scale to beautiful effect.
Review: The House Of Web is a new project that brings together music with a range of international origins across two EPs. They feature material originally by Takuya Sogimoto on this label in 2020 and 2022 as well as some unreleased cuts from 1994 and 1995. Dynamo Dreesen & Robotron go first as Dynatron ahead of a debut solo EP on SUED that is due soon. Then comes Dresvn aka Dynamo Dreesen & SVN, YPY aka Koshiro Hino from Osaka and a member of the Japanese band Goat, plus the next level beat maker A Made Up Sound. All four of these cuts offer superbly fresh takes on techno.
Review: Shout out to Greek powerhouse Kinesthetik Recordings for making it all the way to a half a century of releases there. They celebrate in the best way they know - with more tranced-out sounds from artists in their orbit. Giorgio & Andreas open things up with 'Nice One' and its thudding tech drums and cosmic synth lines. Diskinesia gets much more raw and moody with the edgy drums of 'Back & Forth' and Interphase then drops a pair of industrial tech thumpers. Giorgio & Andreas reappear with a raw, roughshod and deep groove and Marcelino Sanchez's 'Motive One' offers dub techno to close.
Review: The young but already impressive Headset label is back with a third outing and it is a various artists affair with a distinctly futuristic edge. Kami O's 'Blutak' rides on lurching rhythms that sway up and down with great force as percussion percussion and wiry electronics bring it to life. smiff's 'Blinker' is a broken beat with thudding kick and hits and clanging metallic sounds while Sweet Philly's 'Acid Siren Tool' is a raved-up jam ready to blow up the dance floor. Dubmonger & 9 Tails Fox tap into an old school,. high energy judge sound with darting rhythms and drilling sub bass nailing you to the floor on 'No Profit.'
Review: Queensland's DJ Whipr Snipr joins forces with Brazilian artist Norus for this superb new EP, Gravitational Attraction, on the also brilliant Nerang Recordings. Since 2016, Whipr Snipr has helmed the label and steered it through plenty of innovative sounds as he does again here, this time with Norus who brings his expertise from Gestalt Records. This collaboration marks their second EP and it is a clean and crisp blend of emotive breaks, electro, techno, and serene synth sounds. 'If I Could Fake One Emotion' is our favourite for its thrilling mix of deft jungle breakbeats and sombre piano chords.
Review: AD 93 is fast approaching a century of releases and helping them on their way is this fresh 12" from TSVI and DJ Plead. It brings plenty of bouncy to the party with elastic opener 'Triple It' layering up big kicks and hits with playful bass. 'Swanky' is another blend of Afro rhythms and UK funky, fizzing synths and heavy bass and 'Gallop' picks up the pace with a more lithe and loopy groove. 'Breath Work' flips the script with Eastern string melodies and percussive beats and 'Twos & Fours' is a fourth and final fantastically inventive sound that will stand out in any set for all the right reasons.
Review: After a slew of teasers out earlier this year, Deepchord (Rod Modell) eases ever deeper into his overarching chordal masterscape, continuing the 'Functional' theme expressed in his music in recent years. Functional Designs is first full-length LP from the producer in five years, and the teaser 'Strangers' promises more musical development than ever before heard from the enigmatic Detroit producer. It might be best describable as 'progressive dub techno'; airier and more breathable than his early, more subdued works, we're thoroughly impressed by the movement from percussive resonances ('Strangers') to fully ambient finites ('Drassanes').
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