Back catalogue: All genres

Review: After the first volume went down so well it's no wonder we now get treated to The Sound Of Garden Vol 2 Part 2. This various artist affair comes right from the cutting edge of minimal house and tech with Lee Burton opening up in bold, strident, bouncy fashion as he allows zippy acid to flash about his full-bodied beats. Maggio's 'Rolling Phunk' is just that - perfect effective rhythms with machine soul. Jamhar and Franko Lopez then combine for 'Lost Act' which brings more undulating drums and techno-leaning synths before closer Matteo Point shuts down with the future-facing prog pomp of 'Great Weekend.'

Review: Nicola Facchineri's Prog EP on Twig is a masterclass in hypnotic, groove-centric electronic music, demonstrating the label's knack for crafting compelling club tracks. Each cut on this EP reinforces Twig's reputation for pushing boundaries while keeping it grounded in dancefloor practicality. The opener, 'Lighter Cubes', immediately sets the tone with its spacey atmosphere and mesmerizing bleeps. The track's subtle melodic elements weave through a tapestry of electro sounds, creating a suspenseful build that's perfect for those crucial moments in a set when you need to heighten the tension. 'Juggle' shifts gears with a deeper groove, featuring a blend of bass and acidic synths. Its understated yet infectious rhythm makes it a standout, effortlessly blending subtlety with impact. On the flip side, 'Climbing' lives up to its name with a relentless build-up that turns the dancefloor into a dynamic playground. The track's chuggy bass and intricate drum patterns keep the energy high, demonstrating Facchineri's skill in maintaining momentum. The final track, 'Right Way', wraps things up with a touch of acid and a cool, spacey melody. Its bleepy, synth-driven vibe ensures it fits comfortably into any set, bringing a satisfying conclusion to the EP. Prog EP affirms Twig's status as a go-to label for quality deep club tracks, adding yet another gem to their impressive roster.

Review: Francesco Farfa's iconic 1991 club EP is reimagined three decades later here with fresh remixes by four of Berlin's top DJs and producers. Their various different takes make for a versatile selection of dancefloor tools crafted by DJs, for DJs, ensuring it fits a variety of occasions. The A-side features Trent's deep, big-room darkness, complemented by Juan Ramos' trancey rework which mixes in key elements from the original. On the B-side, E-talking delivers an uplifting progressive remix while Hamsa strips it down for a more minimalist, enhanced version of Farfa's classic theme. A must-have selection of reworks here.

Review: Fata Morgana reissue is here and is a standout progressive house record originally released in 1993. Certainly, a key release from an era when the genre was dominating the electronic club scene. This 12" features four versions of the track, each adding its own nuance to the original's hypnotic groove. Each mix is meticulously crafted, showcasing the complex, layered sound that would define late 90s and early 00s progressive house. Transmigration Records continues its excellent work with this reissue, reminding listeners why Ulterior Motives is often cited as a lesser known gem in the genre.

Review: Felix Da Housecat returns to his squashy electro roots with 'Test Press'. A megaphoned monologue by the artist and vocalist NEZ straddles this serious slice of electro-house weight, urging the listener to give up the exclusive goods or work to procure them: "test. press. please." Then there's 'Simulator', laying down a humorously broken meditation on video-game playing and joystick flicking in the name of life, eking out the tricky contours of such a lifestyle with hyper-limited, mega-flattened snares and clacks. Finally, the 'Pressapella' appears as the remixable base with which you, too, might make your own version.

Review: Fio Fa is back in his own label Sunset Drifters with four well-crafted and progressive cuts. 'Strengthen My Delusions' opens up the Delusions EP with twitchy electronics whipping about a steely arrangement with potent bass. 'The Wrong Side Of Doubt' has a winky lead taking centre stage over well programmed and crisp drums and hits and 'Partys Over' on the flip then layers up more future-retro sounds and slivery synth lines with a more moody low end and some sleazy vocals. Last but not least is the rather more serene and cosmically minded 'Another Epiphany' which cruises on acid-laced prog beats.

Review: Corsican label Isula Science drop a fresh brooder of previously unknown electro knowns, this time from label founder Flash FM alongside HDV, Sweely and Man/ipulate. Spanning vertiginous dark acid, then moving on through to dreamatic neon breakbeat and expedient Italo - 'Vol de nuit' especially makes signature use of a classic slap bass synth - they've got us entirely covered here. Enticing bumps in the night from the exquisitors.

Review: Floorfillers deliver the third in a series of original EPs, following three prefatory Edits editions, which first laid out the label's modus vivendi as brim-fillers of the dancefloor. The unknown artist behind this one hears the white horse of reason steered in the direction of paradise: perhaps drawing on a similar and widely recognised French house release of similar repute and name, 'Paradise (Special Edition)' brings string-caked and softly intoned FM leads to an overall peaky emoter. For fans of The Paradise or Rising Sun, this is another bony labyrinth of progressive house bliss.

Review: The Florentian Cabaret return with a four-track EP that traverses progressive and tech house. 'Cerere' sets the tone, its hypnotic groove and atmospheric textures creating a captivating sonic landscape. 'Rippol' picks up the pace, its driving bassline and infectious melodies building towards a euphoric climax. On the flipside, 'Love Me Or Leave Me' takes a more introspective turn, its melancholic chords and haunting vocals exploring the complexities of human connection. 'Salto Quantico' closes out the EP with a burst of energy, its pulsating rhythms and soaring synths taking the listener on a thrilling sonic adventure. Deep grooves, emotive melodies, and captivating soundscapes.

Review: Where dub and ambient house meets tense techno, Sascha Funk has us covered. The prolific Berlin DJ and producer has here created a monument to a nearly lost cultural artefact: the Germina Speeder, the only skateboard made in East Germany before reunification in 1986. Known for their unwieldy quality - likely the result of technical limitations faced by the chocolate factory improperly tasked with making them - the title track on this record rolls much more smoothly than the Speeder, its trucks comparatively loosened and boardside waxed. But most skateboards out there would likely pair well with this glorious, wind-in-your-hair dance EP; 'Bo Knows' and 'Master Mind' are easy-rolling, manual cascaders of equal calibre.

Review: Musek deliver a fresh V/A comp in the varicose veins of lively progressive house and dilly acid trance (ish), cycling through three originals whilst closing things off on a reimagining of a classic. First there's Joy Kitikonti and Hamsa with 'Tricks Of The Time', a burgeoning journey packed with metallic clanks and scraping basses; next it's Farfa's retouch of Hamsa's 'Overthinking', which does an impressive job at depicting overthought with rabbit-hole filtercut arps and manic calculative leads. Farfa and Hamsa return for the comparatively brooding 'False Cruelty', which peppers its on-a-mission pluckstabs with the odd spaceship UI blurt; and finally, the classic-remix in question is Hi-Ryze's brutal rendition of his Ubik alias' 'Command', the original version of which was released in 1991, and to which Ryze multiplies its deathly yet seductive vibe through madhouse chirp leads and doomy diminished chords.