Back catalogue: Techno (すべて)

Review: Oscar Escapa continues to carve out his space in the techno scene with his latest offering, a pair of tracks that are as compelling as they are inexorable. Hailing from Barcelona, Escapa has made a name for himself with productions that blend hard-hitting rhythms with atmospheric intricacy. On 'Enemy Returns', he delivers an unremitting onslaught of hyperactive techno, driven by a pounding kick drum, a gnarly bass riff and dissonant industrial stabs that dart in and out with menacing precision. The track's chaotic energy is held together by subtle shifts in texture, creating an almost hypnotic effect despite its aggression. Flip-side, Escapa teams up once again with Joanna Dark for 'It's My Life', a track that balances industrial intensity with an odd sense of melody. Dark's robotic vocal, repeating the track's title like a mantra, contrasts sharply with the swirling percussive layers and fuzzy bass arp. The track's unsettling atmosphere is heightened by unexpected guitar notes, which provide a brief respite from the techno madness. Escapa once again proves his mastery of balancing fierce, implacable energy with nuanced, finely-tuned composition, solidifying his role as a rising star in the genre.

Review: Grenoble DJ and producer The Hacker, known for his dataphile dark trance excursions, teams up with newcomer Endrik Schroeder for a full-blown creative grand slam, 'Puissance 4', betraying decades' worth learnedness in the knob-twiddling manual arts. The title track here builds from a classic beat into a euphoric hoover-rave crescendo - luring dancers in with hypnotic acid textural decoys - but then finds mercy on said prey, giving the dance what it needs: a rave riff on loan from heaven. 'The Voyagers' contrasts with an 808 soul slapper, its sensuality and understated heavenliness recalling obscure 7th Plain releases.