Back catalogue: Techno (すべて)

Review: Now resident artists on Point Of Departure, the techno collective Sandwell District present their latest blooping contradiction in transparent blue vinyl form. Drawing on the well-defined Birmingham techno idiom that made them, the elusive revolving-door trio also here welcome temporary stopovers from fellow floor functionaries Function, Regis, Monic and Rivet on each track, treading roads 'Less Travelled' with a 'Restless' intent. From the synaptic promo forerunner 'Hidden' to the tartly corrosive 'Citrinitas Acid', an unsurprising variety of new techno hurlers follows 2023's Feed Forward reissue, augmenting the free-partisan's immune system by hooking it up to a kind of patchwork electric lattice. Controlled chaos ensues.

Review: Aftere their unexpected reformation - apparently after key member Karl O'Connor was persuaded by none other than grunge king Mark Lanegan to end their decade-long hiartus - comes an even less expected new album from the cult Birmingham (or Black Country, to be more precise) techno gods. The album is a tribute to the late Juan Mendez, a key member of Sandwell District who passed away in early 2024. Mendez's unfinished artwork, originally intended for the album cover, serves as a poignant memorial to his contribution to their legacy. It's anything but functional techno, thouhg, with plenty of skittering, sidewinding beats and pared back rather than utterly banging rhythms. See the cinematic techno and dancefloor energy that blends Drexciya's innovative approach for reference, but also Autechre and more esoteric electro across the eight cuts. Plenty of sonic rebellion and meticulously crafted rhythm with a dark energy, not to mention edgy atmopsheres that will leave a lasting mark.

Review: A poignant and triumphant new chapter for the legendary Brum techno icons, hot on the heels of the reissue of their seminal 2010 album Feed Forward and a year of live shows and archival releases. Its creation is rooted in the tragic passing of Juan Mendez, aka Silent Servant, in early 2024. A founding member and visual artist for the group, Mendez's influence resonates throughout the record, with the title End Beginnings serving as a tribute to his enduring legacy. The eight-track album, crafted by Regis and Function alongside collaborators like Rrose, Rivet, Simon Shreeve and Sarah Wreath, embodies a balance of cinematic depth and dancefloor impact. Tracks like 'Dreaming' weave layered rhythms with atmospheric melodies and elastic vocals, while organic elements peek through Sandwell's signature grit. Rrose's contribution to 'Self-Initiate' amplifies this intensity, with low sirens and urgent percussion creating a bubbling, hypnotic effect. 'Hidden,' is a warehouse anthem, drenched in acid-drenched lines and crisp, menacing percussion. Its dark energy and meticulously fine-tuned production signal the collective's evolved direction while honoring the spirit of innovation and rebellion central to their ethos. End Beginnings is more than an album; it's a moving tribute to Mendez and a new start to Sandwell District's enduring commitment to techno as both an art form and a source of joy.

Review: For two decades Buenos Aires-based electronic music producer Sebastian Galante aka Seph has been honing his craft in the Latin American underground with his label Aula Magna Records, which in turn gave rise to releases on Echocord, Insurgentes and many more. Recently he's been dropping bangers on Tresor as one half of Oscean, alongside Andres Zacco, and now arrives on Lapsus Records with Septimo Sentido. Here he brings his expert sound design to the fore, channelling classic mid-'90s electronica ala Aphex Twin, Skam, Reload, and/or u-Ziq, except Galante's approach is a lot more digital-esque than those artists' otherwise largely analogue stances. Opener 'OBI' recalls the daydreamy pad-n-stuttery neo-IDM of Lanark Artefax or Quirke; this mood is maintained for quite a while until the first whiff of acid is smelt on the A3 'Felina'. The record gets better and better, airier and airier, in fact; 'Skyways Shuriken' is especially sharp and recondite, and 'Dragonscale' blows us instantly away with its D&D-soundscape-worthy finesse. An aetheric release, one that wouldn't sound out of place as the next Mirror's Edge soundtrack.

Review: Tresor's extended focus on reissuing old Drexciya and Drexciya-related projects continues here with this version of Shifted Phases' 'The Cosmic Memoirs Of The Late Great Rupert J Rosinthrope'. A short-lived alias of Drexciya's beloved James Stinson, Shifted Phases' only LP here is one of few affiliated projects that has remained out of print ever since its rather low-key release in 2002. Wildly popular despite it, the music heard on the album is undeniable early electro, locking in a characteristically frank, almost meek, yet astro-nautical electro sound. Scratchy crud and sonar feedback beeps extend to the deepest sonic reaches on this one; you better salvage it from the abyssal waters of history (by copping it), and quick.

Review: 'The Cosmic Memoirs Of The Late Great Rupert J Rosinthrope' is an obscure rarity by a short-lived alias of Drexciya member James Stinson, Shifted Phases, which is now getting the full, refocused reissue treatment by German clubbing giant Tresor. Having remained out of print since its initially tiny release for over two decades, this bubbly yet grim electro album reflects an epistolary concept expressed musically rather than in written form. Rupert J. Rosinthrope is a mysterious character, but these cosmic memoirs hopefully shed at least some light on "his" misunderstood memory.

Review: Given the reissue wave of Drexciya-related material has been trucking for more than 10 years now, it's quite remarkable this masterpiece from the late James Stinson has waited so long to be reissued. Originally carried on Tresor in 2002 as one of the final releases he put out in his lifetime, the one-off Shifted Phases project feels loaded with context not least with the album framed as 'Cosmic Memoirs'. This is unmistakably Stinson's work, veering from rubbery machine funk freakery to the melancholic, back room electro mood of The Other People Place, all presented with due care across three discs by the Tresor faithful and including two outstanding tracks which were previously only available on the CD edition.

Review: As one of the leading lights in Norwegian techno with guts, heart and soul, Skatebard has long skirted scene recognition to simply focus on slipping out his own strain of wayward machine matter. Given his track record with Sex Tags Mania, it's no surprise he'd trust DJ Sotofett with access to his archives, and so Spektral has come together as an exploration of long-buried recordings from the early 00s, edited by Sotofett and wrestled into a digestible form for this record. Capturing the best aspects of freeform jamming while cutting everything into shape, there's an inherent dirtiness to these recordings which instantly tells you it comes from an honest place.

Review: DJ Sotofett is a cult hero with a sound that is never less than eccentric. This new album Braindance on Sued is a collection of material the mercurial one has written between 2002 and 2020. All of the tracks are short but high impact in different ways and despite some of them being the best part of 20 years old and pre-dating all the famous Sex Tags projects they still bang. Thrilling breaks, icy techno, mashed up jungle and deeper, more acid laced late night grooves all feature and offer a window into the mind of one of electronica's most vital talents.

Review: Sound Synthesis is the alias of a Maltese producer with a brilliantly evocative and rich take on electro. He proves that beyond doubt with this new album of accomplished sound design across four sides of vinyl. Right from the off this one sucks you into its own singular world. 'Finding Balance' pairs a pensive melody with slick rhythms and from there the goodness never stops coming. 'DRG Branch' is a double-speed workout, 'Realm Of Human Understanding' is ambient for star gazing and 'The Cosmic Highway' is a lush brain dance.

Review: mindSET is the ninth album from elusive producer SW. and it comes after his well-received myDEFINITIONS Vol II release. In mindSET, the producer explores the more abstract, leftfield elements of electronic music and departs somewhat from traditional techno and IDM sounds. The album draws inspiration from the off-kilter house and broken beats that briefly emerged in the early to mid-90s and are made using classic analogue equipment to capture the essence of that style. The eight tracks take in de-tuned techno synths, syncopated drums and warped harmonics to create an eerie, otherworldly atmosphere. mindSET is a tribute to the oddball moments on the dancefloor and we love it.