Back catalogue: Techno (すべて)

Review: Kompakt's legendary Speicher series is up to its 130th installment here and none other than electroclash forefather and International DJ Gigolo label head DJ Hell features, firstly with his cut 'Anything Anytime' remixed by Voigt & Voigt. It's a mid-tempo electronic sound with dwarves of fizzing synth and filtered robot vocals that bring a melancholic note to the wavy beats. Then Hell himself steps up with his own flipside remix. He brings plenty of raw strobe-lit energy and snappy drum funk to Wassermann's 'WIR'.

Review: We rue the hypothetical day that 'Raving Disorder' gets added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Luckily, our no-nonsense Neapolitan pummel-peddlers Carbone Records have reclaimed the term before any dodgy psychiatrist could possibly summon the gall to misdiagnose a perfectly healthy (albeit still sometimes pill-popping) cohort. What's more, they've laid down six ultra-intense hard kernels of maximum enjoyment here, from Warind's tongue-in-cheek 'Give Me Your Money' to DJ Almighty's hardstylistic 'Underground', all on distinct smiley-faced green wax. Administer that, chumps!

Review: Overthink Records marks its 10th release milestone with Waveratio 618's blend of techno and EBM. Following his standout contribution to the label's Split Series, the Italian producer delivers an intense collection crafted entirely from live jam sessions that capture the raw energy and spontaneity of such an approach as he translates hardware explorations into dynamic grooves filled with tension and drive. With a mix of analogue warmth and digital waveforms, this one is perfect for both dark dancefloors and more introspective moments.

Review: Takuya Sugimoto AKA Web is an electronic innovator who released a slew of essential albums in the mid-nineties. This new EP - except for a re-issued track that first appeared in 1995 - is a continuation of his fusionist style where he layers up wonky rhythms, detuned synths, IDM, ambient and techno into something new, something spiritual, something utterly fresh. Everything from Herbie Hancock to Larry Heard to Yellow Magic Orchestra can be heard if you listen closely to these rhythmically complex tracks, and you really should, because there are all kinds of magical sonic sorcery to be found.

Review: The Take It Easy label returns with a red hot one and limited edition one-sided 12" that features a Bugsy 'ReDrum' of Wema's 'Kiherehere' cut. The original artists are a five-piece Tanzanian outfit founded on community and they have a global approach to sound that plays out here. In Bugsy's hands, it becomes a club-ready cut that fuses house and techno with the original's traditional Tanzanian instrumentals and Afro-Latin rhythms. Add in a fiery vocal and the sort of unrelenting drum funk that sends crowds mad and you have another standout from this fledgling label.

Review: Wheelman started the Glasgow club series Stereotone almost six years ago, which then evolved into a label in 2016. He has since become a staple of the local club scene and released music on Studio Barnhus, Don't Be Afraid and Belters - which furthered his standing in the UK scene and beyond. His latest release is titled Reaching For A Higher Place, which features a selection of emotive cuts: from the dark melancholia of 'Hit' and its factory floor aesthetic, to the low-slung funky disco loops of 'Grey Vision' and the Basic Channel influenced closer 'Train Track' hypnotising you into submission with its cavernous and glacial cyclicality.

Review: Damon Wild steps up to Synewave with 'The Mood Machine', a thrilling exploration of some sleek and stylish techno. 'Make Believe' opens with a dancing line of hi-hats over pulsing sonar-like blips and driving bass. It's a future take on Detroit techno that leads into the mystic sounds of swirling pads of 'Reflection'. 'Elevate' slows things down with a more moody blend of pads and glitchy beats over rolling drums and 'Starliner' then melts theming with intricately woven layers of sheet metal snares and linear kicks. All four of these are timeless and high-quality techno tools.

Review: There's plenty to set the pulse racing within this new set of remixes of tracks from Seb Wildblood's superb album "Sketches Of Transition", which dropped on All My Thoughts earlier in the year. Our pick of the bunch is the superb Suzanne Kraft remix of "Amelia", which wraps glistening '80s guitar sounds and fretless bass notes around a chugging, arpeggio-driven groove, though many may gravitate towards the tight but undeniably groovy and melodious Jenifa Mayanja deep house version of "Small Talk". Elsewhere, Ciel re-imagines "Bahn" as an intoxicating chunk of bleep-laden broken electronica/Balearic fusion, while object blue impressively chops up "Sketches" into a sludgy, mind-altering style.

Review: This dynamic UK born producer returns with the third release on Moving Pressure Records, delivering a deeply hypnotic and percussive techno experience. Known for his precise, minimal yet groove-heavy sound, Wise crafts four cuts that are both functional and grooving. On Side-A, 'Relax' is a tribal-tinged stomper, driven by rolling percussion and a stripped-back, looping groove that feels built for the late-night hours. 'Chomp Chomp' follows with a subterranean pulse, where deep basslines and eerie, alien atmospheres create a mesmerising, heady effect. Side-B continues the journey with 'Cave', a pumping, evolving builder that slowly unfolds, layering subtle textures over a locked-in minimal grooveithe kind of track that sneaks up on you. Finally, 'Deep Under' lives up to its name, offering subliminal, well-crafted techno with clean, rolling momentum, perfect for deep dancefloor moments. Rene Wise once again proves why he's one of the most exciting names in stripped-down, groove-oriented techno, delivering a tightly produced, hypnotic collection that will satisfy both DJs and discerning listeners.

Review: South Africa is a country celebrated for much great music from house to jazz, but it's not often we hear techno from all the way down there. This new label Knowledge Imprint looks to change all that starting with this first EP, Selected Reissues. Rene Wise opens up with 'Mover' which is a linear, chunky techno roller. 'Primal Fever' is a percussive cut with warped basslines and chattery perc and on the flipside, Arthur Robert opens up with the more dark shades of 'Traveller' and closes with 'Wither' which is pure tunnelling techno for 5am.

Review: After releases on I Love Acid, Balkan Vinyl and Noise Manifesto, WTCHCRFT from Brooklyn gets a six track showcase of his skills, that is if you include remixes from HAVEN boss label Keepsakes and Valerie Ace. The sounds are from the tougher end of techno, for sure, but the likes of 'OOO' - speedy and pepped with a super cool vocal snippet - 'The Kink' and 'VVV' all retain an element of essential funkiness that shines through the sonic brutality. Our favourite is the still heavy but less full on 'New Friends', with its creepy film samples, but this is quite the collection. Just keep the lights on.