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: EC Underground is back with more inquisitors of low-end heavy sounds on Bass Scene Investigation vol 1 and again digs deep into the worlds of electro, techno, breakbeat and IDM. The compilation kicks off with the skittish percussive patterns of Illektrolab's 'Making Heads Dip', then heads into moody ground with ADJ, Pablo Funk brings some menacing synth work and Errorbeauty gets all weird and trippy with some mad electronics. Francois Dillinger offers a dystopian electro sound full of irresistibly jacked-up drums. A fine investigation indeed.
Review: Fans of mechanical techno-not-techno sounds will be all over Minimal Wave's latest transmission from 80s French underground heroes In Aeternam Vale. Having reissued several essential lost works from the outfit last year, most notably the proto-Sandwell sound of "Highway Dark Veins", Veronica Vasicka delivers another two tracks from the vault. Stylistically mirroring that previous two track release the title track is an equally brilliant synth-techno beast which could easily pass for a Function track today, while B-side "Calling Somewhere" sounds like a cold wave version of proto-halfstep. Needless to say, the fact that these tracks are 22 years old literally left us speechless.
Review: The Fourier Transform label outlay an arresting sonic journey on their debut release, bringing together breakbeat, ambient IDM, ambient techno, and prog house under a single banner. Opening with Inkipak's 'Betwixt', we're met with sonorous low-mid square waves and machine-gun-fire breaks, recalling the breathtaking, verging on apocalyptic expanse of a warehouse rave turned laser light show turned warzone. We break from this warring weir with 'Omnicron Acid' and 'City Of Tomorrow' by Gimmik and Brian Kage respectively, which lowers the intensity and sonic flow via spacious atmospheres and dudding percussive pops. Finally, the perfect fusion of the former two moods is achieved on 'Corrosive Tongue', the lead synth on which sounds like just that.
Review: In 1994, Vienna-based project iO, which was composed of Patrick Pulsinger, Erdem Tunakan, Umberto Gollini and Gerhard Potuznik, released a series of 12"s titled 'Attack', 'Decay', 'Sustain,' 'Release' on their iconic label Cheap Records. Known for their minimalist, Detroit-inspired techno, one standout track, 'Claire', broke the mould with its mid-tempo beat at around 110 bpm, jazzy chords, sample-based groove and sharp 909 drum sounds. It bridged techno, trip-hop and house and caught the attention of Mo'Wax Records in London, who re-released it to great acclaim. Embraced across genres, it quickly became a DJ favourite and remains a beloved classic to this day which is why it reappears here.
Review: By now a very well-recognised trailblazer of the minimal house and techno circuits, iO Mulen (Aleksandr Voznichenko) shares his third album, Rock Like This, through his own Mulen imprint. Refusing to fall back on heavy-handed press notes, the eight tracks on this perfect composite storm are enough to bewitch us of their own accord. These house and techno retrofusions play out like the kind of sounds that the impossible dangling contraption depicted on its front cover might generate; 'Rock Like This' throws back to Chicago deep house and jankout acid trance, magicking up a shockingly good fusion of disparate styles in a bionic mode, while the rising actions of 'How Do You Say' and 'Emergency' teem with twin enjoyments of and reverences for 90s Euro and acid techno. There are cosmic-trancier subplots on there too, such as 'I'm Waiting For', which selects its constituent sounds with an aesthete's ear, striking a difficult balance of the raw and the fine. Voznichenko refuses to privilege one referent genre over another, and it results in a respectfully done, carefully made and truly exciting dance record, unafraid of cheese nor sophistication, and reconciling the two.
Review: Berlin's Exit Strategy began their 12"s game releasing EPs in browned sleeves, shortly before branching out into digital-vinyl combo releases with original artwork in the 2020s. Now with over ten years of experience under their belts, they welcome five new artists for a playful bricolage in deep and minimal techno, privileging elite, razor-sharp additive sound design and future-soulful vocal tasters. Ivory's opener 'Rain' epitomises this, while Jimi Jules squelchifies the same formula, and Aera's 'Future Holdings' rolls out the same logic to its ultimate conclusion, veering towards complex, 3D-graphic melodic techno composed entirely of climbing saws.
Review: Brian Dougans and Garry Cobain, the masterminds behind Future Sound of London, return with The Pulse EP Vol 3, a reissue of their classic work under various aliases on the Jumpin' & Pumpin' label. This highly anticipated 12" features tracks that showcase their 90s techno brilliance. Side-1 opens with Smart Systems' 'Tingler' (Four By Four mix), a dark, sinister track that channels Beltram's 'hover' sound into a hardcore rave anthem. Indo Tribe's 'Owl' (I Can See You mix) follows, hailed by fans as one of the greatest breakbeat hardcore tracks ever made, a retro-classic loaded with chunky, energetic beats and an unforgettable sample. Side-2 kicks off with Indo Tribe's 'Bite The Bullet Baby' (Jacques Reynoix mix), another gem that blends early 90s rave energy with a unique edge. The real highlight, however, is Yage's 'Calcium' (Elementary mix), which first appeared on Future Sound of London's Accelerator album. Even today, it sounds transcendental and timeless, its melodic piano lines and otherworldly ambiance continuing to win over listeners. This EP is a vital piece of underground rave history and an essential listen for fans of early techno and breakbeat hardcore.
Review: To date Wata Igarashi has released most of his work as singles. The Japanese techno producer has steadily risen in profile thanks to releases for the likes of The Bunker New York, Nidgar, Bitta and Delsin, but now his trajectory shifts into a different gear as he offers up his first fully-fledged artist album outside of Japan for the mighty Kompakt. It's clear from the offset he's relished the opportunity to stretch out on an album and we're treated to some stunningly rendered ambient and downtempo soundscapes - just listen to the slow rise and fall of 'Searching' and you'll be instantly sold. There's space for drama and accomplished composition as on 'Ceremony Of The Dead', jazzy exploits on 'Burning' and much more besides, showcasing the unbridled imagination of one of Japan's brightest talents.
Review: Juan Atkins' Skynet under the Infiniti alias showcases a different side of his sound compared to his iconic work as Model 500 or Cybotron. This album leans towards a minimalist, soulful Detroit techno approach, with fewer layers and a relaxed, mid-paced flow that allows the rich synth sweeps and harmonic pads to shine. Tracks like 'Postcard From The Future' and 'Higher' are tracks that blend subtle melodies with atmospheric percussion and a groovy, uplifting energy. 'Thought Process' is stunning with its ticking, minimal beats, while 'Walking On Water' and 'Coffee Shop (Connection)' explore dub techno influences and soulful elements. While Skynet may not be as recognisable as some of Atkins' most celebrated works like Deep Space, it's still a very enjoyable album that in some ways is more well-rounded. The hypnotic repetition and sparse arrangements offer a fresh perspective on his sound, reminiscent of Detroit techno legends like Carl Craig and Kenny Larkin. For fans of pure Detroit techno with a lighter touch, Skynet delivers.
Review: The second full length from this Croatian artist's been highly anticipated and it's already won favour from the heavyweights likes of Rodhad, Stephanie Sykes and Nastia for its high-energy bangers and experimental melodies. Full Disclosure shows Insolate's evolution as she embraces creative openness in her artistry. Tracks like 'On Your Knee' and 'Stand Strong' deliver powerful dub-infused rhythms and sharp vocals and, collaborating with guitarist PEP on 'The Proof' brings forth top techno with intense arpeggios. 'Full Disclosure' pulses with glitchy sequences while 'Big City' offers haunting melodies. A fine album from a venerated veteran.
Review: Interferon's classic 1994 album 'Seance Room Music' gets a special deluxe edition reissue here which includes all the original tunes as well as a bonus disc which has three extra and previously unreleased tracks, all of which have been newly remastered. Raf name Kiyoshi Hazemoto, this was Interferon's only release under this alias and one that explored a blisteringly futurist take on techno and a wide range of serene synth scapes. Cuts like 'Dawn of Rainland' are best examples of this with subtle vocals worked in for extra soul.
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