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: Coeur De Glace on DKO Records (DKO 34) delivers four fantastic electro tracks, each with unique influences and directions. Side-1 kicks off with Binary Digit's 'U Want Dis,' an exuberant, high-energy track that pays homage to old-school rave with its lively vocal samples. Fasme's 'Morning' follows, blending smooth electro with soft keys and a whimsical AFX melody for a perfect combination. Side-2 features GGGG's 'La Cueillette,' a feel-good, fun and melodic electro tune. The EP concludes with Mud Deep & Sans-Qui's 'Mesonyx,' offering IDM goodness reminiscent of Rephlex, Squarepusher, and AFX. Coeur De Glaceis a vibrant and diverse collection, sure to delight fans of electro and techno.
Review: Wisdom Tooth co-founder Facta has always brought plenty of colour to his blends of house, bass and club music. Both rhythmically inventive and dancefloor-ready, his work is also always full of playfulness and emotion. So is the Sun is another EP that follows in that fine tradition with opener 'A X I S' laying down bumping drums and warming sub-bass under crisp hits and whimsical neon pads. 'Innsbruck' is another sugary sweet blend of thudding, rubbery drums and naive melodies that truly captivate. Add in two more charming club cuts and you have a superb return from this ever-green talent.
Review: Sardinian duo Enrica Falqui and Claudio PRC bring their respective signature sounds to this new collaborative EP on the Swiss label Adam's Bite. The two experienced studio hands kick off with 'Synapse', which has an enthuse, throbbing low end that forms the foundation for expressive synth craft. 'Amygdala' is named after the mass of grey matter in our brains which is involved in the experiencing of emotions and pairs deft, curious melodic waifs with chunky tech drums. 'Receptor' sinks back down into a moody, heads down and dub tech roller and 'Lucid Dreams' brings the sort of synth colours and low-end tension that will keep you awake all night.
Review: Fango lives in Venice in the middle of nowhere and works in a home studio when not practicing with his live band of the same name. He has been serving up his own take on techno for over a decade now and that vast majority of it has come on Degustibus Music.This is his first EP for a while and as ever it is well designed and atmospheric. All three cuts will work their magic on floors filled with serious techno heads and once more this is Fango in fine form.
Review: Analog Concept Vol. 3 delivers a striking collection of forward-thinking deep techno, blending electro, acid, and sci-fi elements to push boundaries across its four tracks. Fasme opens with 'Crying Robot', a standout acid electro monster that's both raw and energetic, setting the tone with its sharp, robotic intensity. CCO's 'Solar Sail' follows, bringing a darker, sci-fi edge to the mix. Its blend of EBM and new beat creates a timeless, futuristic trip that feels immersive and cinematic. Side-2 kicks off with Unwonted's 'Frontier', a high-energy electro track laced with trance elements, adding a hypnotic, rave-ready vibe. Serge Geyzel closes the compilation with 'Flash', a heavy-hitting deep electro cut that dives into darker, alien soundscapes. Its deep techno undercurrents enhance the track's sense of foreboding and mystery. Overall, Analog Concept Vol. 3 captures a thrilling array of deep, futuristic sounds. Take a journey through techno's more experimental and atmospheric realms with this Russian label. Each track stands strong on its own while contributing to the cohesive, forward-thinking vision of the compilation.
Review: The fifth release on Kimchi Records comes wrestled from the hands of Ecuadorian mastermind Fauna Extinta, aka. Nicola Cruz. The First EP under the alias, we hear Nicola make use of electro analogia to explore idea of a biology that once was, but no longer is, and now lingers only in memory or myth. Drawing on ideas of creation, biogeography, evolution and extinction, the likes of 'Everything Is A Green Screen' and 'Features Of Human Beings' serve as biosynthetic, existential meditations on change, urging us to imagine new realms, alternative means for actualizing the human spirit.
Review: Blackinstock Records is a new branch of Mixcult Records and it debuts with the Reel Phase EP which is a showcase of the purest essence of dub techno. This most timeless release features the legendary Federsen alongside the innovative talents of Yagya and Ohm who are in remix mode. Each track on this 12" delves into minimalism and sonic depth to make for rather profound grooves that sweep you up and never let you go. The spacious, intricate soundscapes crafted by these artists explore every facet if dub techno with a slightly different personality which makes it a must-have for those who like their sounds deep, cuddly, and propulsive.
Review: Classic alert! This tasteful reissue by Raw brings back to the fore some essential tunes, including the brilliant 'Players Anthem' which was on the 2003 Electrofunk reissue of this EP. It is notable overall for being possibly the first ever time P-funk was sampled in techno and for that reason it has remained an ever-green favourite. To be specific, it was the P-Funk Stars Allstars's 'Hydraulic Pump' which made for the bedrock of Flash, while George Clinton's 'Man's Best Friend' is the sample that defines 'Dope Computer'. Brilliant stuff that still tears up any party.
Review: Most of the time you expect Terence Fixmer to deliver a steely strain of techno which reliably moves monolithic crowds in any temple you care to mention, but on this album for Novamute he's purposefully opened his palette to the EBM and industrial sounds which sparked his imagination as a teenager. It's instantly apparent on the abrasive jackhammer sonics of opening track 'Test of the Times', while 'In Synthesis' comes on with the sort of tough but sexy arpeggios you'd readily associate with Nitzer Ebb or Front 242. There's still a dancefloor functionality in these tracks, but pure techno is not the order of the day, and the results are thrilling from start to finish.
Review: Flabbergast's latest offering is a meditative exploration of house and techno, perfectly capturing the sensation of drifting between states of consciousness. '11:15 in your dream' begins with a haunting, ambient intro that gradually pulls you deeper into its rhythm. The track's driving bassline is complemented by delicate, atmospheric synths that flutter like thoughts half-remembered. The interplay between the deep groove and swirling textures gives the track a sense of floating, evoking both serenity and unease. It's the kind of hypnotic journey that blurs the lines between reality and reverie, a late-night moment to lose yourself in.
Review: An innovative EP emerges from the collaborative work of two accomplished music producers in Stockholm's Weirdvin, founder of the thriving Maraton label and here making a debut on Lyssna with the label's own Flord King. Their music finds a perfect common ground between electronic minimal funk and atmospheric textures, with overtones of ocean-faring trips on a voyage to the depths of the Baltic Sea. From the snappy percussion of 'Navigation' to the ambient synths of 'Oyster' via the nice and delicate drum loops of 'Telefunken' the more warped lines and turbulent bass of 'Bende' this is an EP with a unique sonic aesthetic.
Review: Techno-titanic title-holder Roman Flugel needs no introduction. On his latest vinyl EP, 'No Solutions', the artist returns to Erol Alkan's Phantasy Sound with his second release of 2024, keeping the hype afloat with just three short rain-makings in the vein of glistening, retro trance and house - contrasting to some of his earlier, more percussive outings released round the turn of this decade. This time, Flugel plugs the sensibility of 80s dance music and pop production into a more kick-implantable, danceable dream, bridging gaps between retro and modern dancefloors. 'No Solutions', 'Sapphire' and 'Dragged' each plod through finessed synth flicks, torrential Moog mambos, and dizzily detuned decontractions, all of which portray a blued, armoured alternate vision of an eighties that never crossed the threshold of the next decade, continuing frozen in time while we nonetheless bowled towards the oncoming singularity.
Review: The intriguingly named Perfumed Freedom makes its debut here with a seductive new minimal EP from Foehn & Jerome. The Frisbee of No Return is the sort of well-designed outing that lovers of those intimate yet zoned out 4 am moments will love: opener 'T-Dive' layers up synths that convey an unsettling sense of mystery and malevolent energy over flappy drums. 'Happy M'June' pumps the drums a bit harder while wonky synth details unfurl up top and last of all is the most raw of the lot - 'New Soul Interruption' has rasping bass and more cluttered arrangements.
Review: Forest On Stasys takes the plunge here and launches a new label, Aura Sonora, which debuts with a hugely limited and high-quality new 12" from the boss. The imprint will be "a platform designed for sound experimentation" and the first missive backs that up with a great blend of drum & bass, half-time and techno. 'Magnetismo' is a prickly opener with slippery rhythms underpinned by bold bass. 'Domo' is a darker sound with menacing low ends and prickly percussive patterns while 'Sideral' is another late-night prowler with low sling sounds, eerie atmospheres and a real sense of futurism. A great start to life for Aura Sonora.
Review: Frankey & Sandrino's 'The Moment' EP is a big sounding fusion of techno, infused with elements of trance that are sure to get people's attention. Side-1's title track, The Moment, skillfully blends trance-like elements with a big breakdown and drop, all set at a house or lower techno BPM. This slower tempo gives the track a refreshing twist, with melodic elements that build and create a captivating atmosphere. On Side-2, 'Intrinsic' takes center stage as a techno builder, offering a serious burner that's primed for peak-time play that has you on pins and needles. It's intense, driving, and perfectly crafted for big room impact. Motivation closes the EP with another powerful techno burner, featuring major sounds that push the energy even further. 'The Moment' EP is a well-rounded offering, balancing melodic depth with dancefloor-ready intensity.
Review: There's a reason that Future Sound of London's 1991 debut single, 'Papua New Guinea', is periodically reissued: it's a stone-cold classic that sounds unlike anything else. In its original mix form, the track combines traits borrowed from early breakbeat hardcore (booming bass, house-tempo breakbeats) with saucer-eyed vocal samples, twinkling pianos and sounds more often found in ambient house and chill-out tunes from the period. This remastered, hand-numbered vinyl reissue boasts all of the 1992 remixes (as well as the original mix), including a suitably psychedelic, tribal-tinged Andrew Weatherall revision, the duo's own spaced-out ambient style 'Dub' mix, and a sax-sporting Manchester re-wire courtesy of 808 State's Graham Massey.
Review: Soundscape Versions delivers its third edition of the various artists series and offers four effective cuts between subtle house breaks, acid house, electro and atmospheric techno. Featuring Kintaro 89, Faune, Arian Alexander and Douala.
Review: Shift Records debuts with a potent collection of four techno tracks on their first release, bringing a dystopian future to life through sound. Set in the year 3666, the label's narrative is one of a world where humanity has lost hope, and a clandestine operation, SHIFT, emerges to breathe life back into a darkened Earth. On Side-1, it opens with Sanktion Libido's 'Dream on You,' a haunting track that pulses with deep, hypnotic rhythms, that blend EBM and techno. A2 follows with Fakk's 'Naturalenza,' blending organic elements with mechanical precision for an intense, driving groove. but also, a nostalgic trip. On the flip side, B1's 'Fuzschal' by P.O. is a sonic weapon, its relentless beats and dark atmosphere pushing the listener further into the dystopia. B2 closes with AMQN's 'Persecuta,' a track that combines futuristic soundscapes with a raw, industrial edge. Shift Records #1 delivers top-tier techno that captures the essence of a future in need of sonic salvation.
Review: Thomas Schumacher's latest project brings together a vibrant mix of artists, channeling the raw energy of contemporary techno. The first track strikes with unrelenting force, its driving rhythms and layered atmospherics creating a powerful opening statement. Franco Smith and TimiR take a slightly different approach, crafting a hypnotic blend of pulsing basslines and tight, percussive details that hit with surgical precision. On the flip, Mark Porter's contribution strips things back to their bare essentials, letting subtle, looping melodies glide over crisp, metronomic beats. Gonzalo Cavalli rounds off the collection with something more emotive, layering shimmering synths over a steady, groove-laden foundation. This release is as much about showcasing individual artistry as it is about exploring techno's evolving formsia versatile and deeply considered collection.
Review: Sweet Harmony is back with a compilation bursting with colourful shapes, textures and fresh techno rhythms. Anatole Serre's 'Hyperdulia' is a fast-paced fusion of drums, breakbeats and subtle allure that is followed by Xiaolin's 'Breath of Water,' a more ethereal yet still-driving percussive trip. On the B-side, Feenicks' 'All Fairies Tell Tall Tales' delivers an uplifting blend of trance and new wave that has a dreamlike energy and the closer from Alfred Czital is a fast, progressive wonder.
Review: Future Romance's Collector II release is a futuristic trek into through the realms of melodic trance and techno, featuring four melodic tracks by different distinct artists. Solee's 'Euphoria' takes trance into the future with a smoother, more reserved approach, toning down the over-the-top elements for a refined experience. Paul Angelo & Don Argento's 'Harpe' delves into a deeper style of trance, characterised by snappy percussion and growling basslines, with influences from goa trance. On the flip side, Drumcomplex & Frank Sonic's 'Ultra Hex' offers celestial-sounding techno that builds euphorically. Closing the EP, Off Night's 'Definition' presents the most peak-time trance track, with epic and big-sounding elements. If you are looking for the future of the trance and neo-trance, check this out this EP from the birthplace of the genre.
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