Back catalogue: Techno (すべて)

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: Upstairs Asylum is kicking off the year in some style with a couple of killer new EPs. This one is the first in what is presumably a new series to showcase the talents of the Motor City. Mike Clark & Marcus Harris get things underway with 'Hey' which has a subtly uplifting feel thanks to the bright, sustained chords and cuddly drums. Santonio Echols's 'Piano In The Light' (DJ Emanuell Echols mix) is laidback, playful deep house with magical chord work and Brian Kage brings his classy depths to the smooth grooves of 'This Saturday Night.' Ryan Sadorus brings things to a close with the smoky 'Down Below.'

Review: FOXBAM INC is back to build on the momentum of their first EP with a second one that packs a mighty punch. This one kicks off with EBY, who this year has been cooking up acid for 40 years and here offers the warped low ends and garage-techno power of 'Goldtooth'. Foxtrot vs Ma Bla then mashes up old school samples with earth-shattering bass on 'Deep Down Inside' and bRz vs Stije is a double-time hard techno stomper with warped synths and twisted bass that is inspired by and named after ISCO, a concept from Einstein's general theory of relativity that makes predictions about the dynamics of black holes.

Review: The sign of a truly great artist is that you can put on one of their records from some 15 years ago, as well as one out next week, and not tell which is which. Mr Pittman is one of those - a Detroit flag bearer with a raw, otherworldly take on house and techno that always sounds futuristic. 'The Midwest Advocates Part One' first dropped back in 2007 and is being repressed now and is just as good as ever with ramshackle and dusty grooves, wonky synths and eerie textures all getting you into a trance and keeping you there. Both cuts on this are standouts in his impressive discography.

Review: Berlin-based Equilibrisme keeps up the fine early work here with a third vinyl release. It continues its tradition of delivering a masterful fusion of deep minimal techno, lush chords and dubby grooves that slowly but surely bring a dance floor under their control. A collaboration between Berlin-based Uruguayan producer Martin Teysera 'Oniric' opens up with seven sublime minutes of leggy, reverb heavy dub swing, Canadian dub techno legend Altitude, aka Matt Thibideau offers the more bright and textural 'Liquid' and Man-L goes it alone with the delicate melodic delights of 'Animal Crossing.'

Review: Bunker and Mantra are bringing the classic Chicago sound back to the dance floor with this incredible mini album full-on old school '88 style acid house tunes entitled 'The Second Age'. Retro drum machine rhythms pump out some infectious acid grooves to go along with repeated vocal edits, classic analogue synths and funky acid basslines.

Review: It's time to strap yourselves in for another bumpy techno trip at the hands of the Eya label. Manuk kicks off with surging drums and cantering synth lines that all face into a future space on elastic basslines. Oli Silva will be known atop any fans of Craig Richards' The Nothing Special label as that is where he debuted backed in 2017 and firstly here he goes solo on 'Mutant Mindset,' a twisted bit of cyborg techno funk. Then he links with regular collaborator Manuk for the airy jungle breaks of 'Multiple Minglings' before a punchy analogue Hi-Ryze Freedom mix closes out.

Review: For a long time Gary Martin was referred to as an "unsung hero" of Detroit techno, but with the DET 313 label, run with Yossi Amoyal, he's finally cemented a fearsome reputation as one of the Motor City's finest. With such reputations come the exchange of the proverbial "silly money" for the more hard to find recordings, thus the existence of this double 12" which collects eight of Martin's efforts from the mid to late 90s into one package available for a slightly more sensible exchange of currency. Among the highlights are the Latin-enhanced beats of 'Manhattan', two mixes of the sublime 'In Rythem' complete with a gospel preacher in full flow and a seven minute extended remaster of 'I'll Be Back I Promise' from Yossi Amoyal. It's no surprise to see Martin's work picked up and played by the likes of Ben Klock, given his unique take on rhythm, but there's plenty of soulfulness going on here as well.

Review: DJ Tennis's Life and Death label welcomes Italia pair Mind Against for a new single that comes with a version and remix from the much-loved Ama duo. 'Love Seeking' is a playful end-of-summer jam with taught bass sequences tumbling down the scales, hip-swinging in claps and a nice catchy, breezy female vocal up top that recalls the early sound of Hot Creations. The club mix strips it back a bit, beefs up the drums and bass and adds some more raw synth texture while smudging the vocal into a blur. Finally, the Ame remix ups the melodic feel with epic synths looping up to the heavens while some dramatic percussion and snappy drums ensure a big impact in the club.

Review: Last year Woody McBride's Minnesota label Sounds. reissued the Lovers EP, a 12" he originally released back in 1996 under his Modal alias. Now the remixes gets reissued to follow up, leading in with some Mariana trench depth charge gear from Roy Davis and DJ Skull. The Terry Mullan mix is a springy, 909 techno workout, while the Boom Box mix takes a lighter, drum machine jazz approach. There are so many old-school heroes involved here - Hyperactive, DJ Slip, Mystic Bill - but then what else would you expect from someone as invested in the scene and community as Woody McBride?

Review: Release Sustain, a London-based underground label, is pleased to introduce a new EP by Moody Waters, the label's founder. "Beneath the Moon" is a four-track EP that offers a refreshing blend of deep techno and house sounds. With steady beats and intriguing vibes, "Beneath the Moon" is a versatile addition to any DJ's collection. This EP explores an underground sound that combines the essence of house and techno, making it an enjoyable listen for those interested in electronic music in 2023. Don't miss the chance to check out this latest offering from Moody Waters and and awesome remix from Fred P. Grab your copy of "Beneath the Moon" and discover why fans are appreciating this new release from Release Sustain.

Review: London-based underground label Release Sustain is proud to announce the release of a brand new EP by Chicago's Jamal Moss, Mathematics Recordings label head, is one of the most uncompromising artists in the game. Famed for his raw, lo-fi approach to house, he messes with the rules and makes unpredictable, unforgettable sounds like few others. Here he arrives on London's Release Sustain with four cuts of relentless drum programming and acid melodies that traverse the line between house and techno. From the slow and wonky opener to the coruscated 'The Dark Hold of the Bold' via the distorted and deprived 'The Nu Glance Sound' this is a fine EP.

Review: Last year saw Gerd Janson and Maurice Fulton shake hands on a deal that Bubbletease Communications fans had long been hoping for, with Running Back penning a deal to reissue some of the producer's digi only work on vinyl. The first fruits came in the shape of the Syclops album A Blink Of A Eye (featuring THAT track) and now Running Back turn to the sublime combination of Fulton on production and Mutsumi on vocals. Both tracks here are taken from the artist formerly known as Mu's 2010 self titled LP. As with most, if not all, Fulton productions, the music here sounds like little else and still totally ahead of the game some four years after it's digital release. Described by Running Back as "hard-hittin-freak-out dance tracks", those looking for the perfect blend of Fulton's squelchy acid instrumentation and Mutsumi's wild vocals are advised to check this post-haste.

Review: Serenity is a mental health charity label that is now back with more sonic gold, this time in the form of a reissue of Marco Bernardi aka Octogen's 'The Journeyman' from 2008 on Soma Recordings. It is an immersive, emotive sound with lush and ethereal pads and a moody bassline that keeps you locked. The B-side offers two original tracks from Bernardi 'Travelling to the Sun' is one to hypnotise floors with its hypnotic chimes and raw drums, while 'Little Tiny Crickets' delivers a fast-paced IDM twist with some killer synth work. As always, proceeds go to charity this time Papyrus UK who support youth suicide prevention and MusicSpace.

Review: The entrancing tribal house groove of Jerome Sydenham, Fatima Njai's and percussionist Mario Punchard's Kraftwerk channeling 'Trans Afro Express' is one of this year's biggest tracks for Rekids, which now receives a series of impressive reworks by the biggest names on the scene. Running Back's Gerd Janson delivers a sunny and blissful rework in his signature neon-lit disco style on the A side of the disc. Over on the flip, it's over to the master of minimalism - none other than Ricardo Villalobos - who takes the track deep into the afterhours with his heady makeover delivered in his idiosyncratic style.

Review: The young but already well-formed Deep Inspiration Show label continues its dedication to quality deep house with a new EP that comes as part of their international artist series. Zarenzeit from Zurich and Roger Versey from Arkansas open with 'So Smooth', a blend of rich keys, soulful loops and dynamic vocals over a sensual bassline. Melchior Sultana hails from sunny Malta and follows with 'Nothing Like It Seems' which features silky chords and a shuffling rhythm ideal for late-night sets. On the B-side, Jan Kincl from Zagreb delivers 'Sugar,' a fusion of house and cinematic disco with organic drums while Spain's Barce closes with 'Stigma,' a melodic union of deep house and techno.

Review: Berlin-based artist Pavel Milyakov collaborates with Yana Pavlova, Martyna Basta, Richie Culver and Torus on Enthropic Vision, an album-length collection of tracks spanning diverse genres. The A-side starts with the melancholic ambience of 'Moon Chant', featuring the ethereal vocals of Krakow experimental music scene veteran Martyna Basta, before 'Tesco' brings bleak trancey loops blended with British contemporary artist Richie Culver's spoken word poetry. 'Eternal Break', with Netherlands-based artist Torus, is all low subs, ecstatic pads and abrasive breaks, then the B-side kicks in with 'Gabba 17' - not a 170bpm gabba anthem, but rather a ghostly techno workout with an admittedly urgent 4/4 kick - and continues with another tune featuring Richie Culver's spoken word fused with breaks. The album closes with the grim beauty of 'The Thrill', recorded in collaboration with Ukrainian singer Yana Pavlova and transports more wised up listeners back to the hypnagogic universe of the duo's 2021 Blue LP.