Back catalogue: Techno (すべて)

Review: Portugal has always had its own thriving scene right back to the days of 90s rave and techno. But in recent times it seems to be having a wider cultural impact with the arrival of plenty of great artists, labels, radio stations and collectives getting proper recognition across the global underground. Just over the Tagus river from Lisbon comes this new label oDYSea from the Caparica coast, and it's headed up by Penelope. GNMR's 'Zen' kicks off with cosmic tech and snappy kicks then Pakzad's 'I Could Never Imagine' is a mid-tempo and warped tech cut with hissing hi hats and psyched out colours. Eversines's 'Randomized Controlled Trial' is taught and trippy techno then Oscillator Man's 'Turning The Mix Up A Bit' is an acid-laced sleaze-fest.

Review: The Positive Reaction label is looking to build bridges between North Africa and the rest of the world with the music that it puts out. It has roots in both Tunisia and Berlin and has a healthy respect for 90s electronic takes on electro, breakbeat, techno and trance, which all shine through this new six-track VA. OA gets underway with hard-nosed techno, H0ney serves up lashings of peak time energy and BENKHLIFA drills down into the darkness with a blistering baseline and white-knuckle techno intensity. Elsewhere, MZA's 'Thelea' brings more low-end dirt and DEV's 'Love Affairs' brings lush euphoria.

Review: Slovenia has been a hotspot of techno since the mid 90s. With its fourth release, Moving Pressure hands the reins to Slovenian producer Obscur, who delivers a sharp and distinctive EP that fits the label's ethos like a glove. His debut strikes a balance between minimalism and physical intensity, carving out a space that feels both hypnotic and visceral. 'F135' kicks off with a brooding atmosphere. Metallic percussion hisses and flexes around a pulse that feels alive, while distant vocals add a sense of alien unease. It is a dense, eerie opener with a beat that crushes forward. 'Soul Eater' follows with a deeper groove. It is rhythmically tight and subtly psychedelic, letting detail simmer below the surface rather than flash on top. On Side-B, 'Stockholm Syndrome' dials the pressure down but keeps the tension tight. Its dry rhythms and austere textures are playful in their restraint, letting negative space do the talking. 'Blasphemy' brings the heat back, adding sharp modulations and tightly coiled percussion that flirts with chaos but never loses form. A well -roduced techno EP that's a cut above the imitations.

Review: You might think that Yassin Omidi is a newcomer, but in fact it is the new-coming of an already accomplished and respected head who now delves deep into the world of dub techno on Steve O'Sullivan's Mosaic. The beatless 'Sluder Dub' is coated in heavy fog and static with conscious vocal musings and the roomiest of chords landing with great drama and tons of echo. On the flip is another analogue sound that features buffed metal dub chords, classic effects and a shapeshifting ambient hiss. It's dramatic despite being such a minimal piece.

Review: Madrid's Oscar L and Sofia's Metodi Hristov come together for a heavyweight two-tracker that stretches the Drumcode sound between two distinct techno poles. 'Gravity' crashes in with brute-force energy: jagged hoovers, a fluttering chopped vocal, and thick industrial textures square up in a storm of distortion, like two machines locked in dissonant conversation. It's cinematic, dark, and demanding. 'Up & Down' keeps the pressure on, bursting forward with piston-fast percussion, cavernous reverbs and a flickering synth motif that teeters between menace and euphoria. A spoken male vocalistark and monotoneigrounds the track with a cold-eyed edge. Techno as terrain: Madrid's pulse meets Sofia's shadow.

Review: Image Recordings continues to establish itself in the techno world, this time with Other serving up some sounds that nod to the 90s but never get too slavish. 'By No Means' is one of those busy, jostling cuts that makes you wiggle ass, head and hips as you get lost in the looseness. 'Full Compliance' is a wonky one for the afters with bubbly bass, 'We Didn't Know' then strides on with loopy pads and cantering drums that exude a cool energy and 'It's Wicked' shuts down with more textured percussion and fractured vocals for a freaky finish.

Review: The third and final chapter of R3volution Records' 3volution trilogy is a powerful meeting point between past and future. Bridging sci-fi-laced techno with 90s minimalism, it features deep sound design and muscular drum patterns that combine for real club potency. UVALL from Tbilisi offers refined, deep rhythms with his cut, then Operator brings seasoned UK innovation and label co-founder Divide delivers precision and weight with global pedigree. Elsewhere, Belgium's PTTRNRCRRNT tunnels through textures with futuristic, conceptual drive. Each track is a standout weapon but together they make for a cohesive, forward-thinking statement from a label closing its vinyl trilogy on a high.