Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Latvian label Micronica is back in action with another round of its various artists series, shining a light on some emergent talent from the minimal tech house scene. First up on Volume 3 is Daniel Broesecke with 'Black Matter', a swirling, hypnotic joint draped in exquisite synth work. DIN follows that up with the tricky percussive wrangling of 'In Mind' - a quintessential minimal workout if ever we heard one. JNJS brings a little more uptempo funk to 'Thinking About Money' with some playful speech samples woven into the mix and Electricano & Adroit follow a similar approach with their slinky workout 'Space Adrift'.

Review: Mark Grusane presence on Disctechno brings with it a compilation of five unique house tracks from Chicago and Detroit-based producers, as you will probably have guessed from the title. The A-side features DJ Slush's synth-driven 'Memory Blank' and Deon Jamar's bass-heavy 'AYYYO' which offer different but both killer sounds. The B-side opens with Jordan Zawideh's reverb-drenched 'Axolotls' followed by Grusane's intense, atonal 'The Recoil' and concludes with Thomas Xu's groovy 'School Street.' All of these are the sort of off-kilter sounds you would expect of these revered and enduring electric hotbeds. Raw, stripped-down and authentic, this is the contemporary Midwest underground.

Review: This new 12" on Aliens On Wax declares that Chicago Jack Is Back and we are fine with that. The raw, early, street wise sounds of the Windy City are still some of the best house has ever given rise to and that is encapsulated across four new cuts from Gettoblaster and two collaborators. First it's Baggi on 'Throwin' Down' (feat Chip E) then it's Terry Mullan on 'Armando's Ghost'. The flipside has the solo cuts though both feature house legends Chip E and Joe Smooth making this the most authentic package of jack you will have heard in some time.

Review: Functional house experts Toolroom are back with Toolroom Sampler Vol 11 which is again packed with maximal club cuts for big dancefloors. Martin Ikin's 'Make U Sweat' is indeed sweet tech that never stops pumping under libidinous vocals. Flashmob's 'My Body' is loopy and manic tech with peak time intent and Nathan Barato and Matheo Velez offer up the macho grooves of 'Weapon.' Last of all, Jenn Getz & Alfie offer another slight tweak on try Toorloom sound with the grey and gritty white knuckle beats of 'Vibration.' A great EP for working DJs looking for instant impact.

Review: Berlin's Exit Strategy began their 12"s game releasing EPs in browned sleeves, shortly before branching out into digital-vinyl combo releases with original artwork in the 2020s. Now with over ten years of experience under their belts, they welcome five new artists for a playful bricolage in deep and minimal techno, privileging elite, razor-sharp additive sound design and future-soulful vocal tasters. Ivory's opener 'Rain' epitomises this, while Jimi Jules squelchifies the same formula, and Aera's 'Future Holdings' rolls out the same logic to its ultimate conclusion, veering towards complex, 3D-graphic melodic techno composed entirely of climbing saws.

Review: Gideon Jackson and Eddie Richards are bona fide tech house titans who have more than helped to shape the genre since day dot and the All Rise EP sees three of their finer past glories gathered together and remastered and pressed on lovely red wax. The excellent 'Biscuit Barrel Blues' opens with exactly the sort of compelling drum work you would expect and it is imbued with some prying synths and sultry vocals. There is an irresistible glitch and dryness to 'Pull Tab 2 Open' and its smeared pads that make it perfect body music then 'Crying' (Gideon Jackson remix) brings a more heavy tech house sound with extra dub weight. Perfection.

Review: Max Jacobson's 'Green Mill' EP on Tied channels the raw, immersive vibe of Chicago's underground, weaving minimal, deep, and tech house into a cohesive journey. Opening with 'Green Mill,' the EP sets a deep groove with atmospheric layers and subtle melodies. Sepp's remix on the flip strips things back, adding his signature minimal touch and fresh textures to shift the track into new terrain. Side B brings 'Automatic,' a punchy, rhythm-driven piece, while 'Mortal' closes with introspective soundscapes and fluid grooves. This EP is a late-night essential for fans of intricate house rhythms.

Review: He may come from noted house stock (his dad being one of the residents at Glasgow's Sub-Club for decades), but Jasper James' continued success has been built on his undoubted qualities as a DJ and producer. The latter is clearly evident on the Glaswegian's first EP for ChiWax, which follows earlier lauded releases for the likes of Steel City Dance Discs and Optimo Trax. He goes for the jugular on opener 'Factor 50', peppering a raw, analogue bassline and sweaty acid house beats with sparkling piano riffs and occasional hands-in-the-air moments, before opting for a more Kerri Chandler-influenced sound on 'NY Fuzz'. 'Lost Trax' is a riff-sporting jack-track that sounds like it could have been made in Chicago in 1988, while 'Webster' is a gorgeous, analogue-rich deep house workout.

Review: Haggerston-based production wizard Jeigo kicks off the year after a standout 2024 by serving his own label Fleurella Records' first release. For the occasion, he reissues his track 'Pearl Leaf' which sits in between the worlds of Bicep, Sasha and UKG. It has floating pads and airy, organic beats that carry you away on a melancholic mood with deeply buried vocals adding a blurry, heart-tugging hook. On the flip are two new and unheard jams. 'Headpains' is full of a flurry of breaks but is also laden with introspective emotion in the vocals and chords and 'The Days You Were Here' is a more downtempo cut with shimmering pads, pitched-up vocals and languid bass.

Review: Today Not Yesterday Records kicks on with a third vinyl outing that once again blends the roots of house with fresh production and plenty of attitude. 'Is It OK' has sensationally taught kick drums and raw claps with a big camp spoken word that brings great sass. The Less Sweet version is more paired back and physical, and 'Treat Me Good' then brings soulful vocal hooks and detailed percussive drums that ride on a bumpy and sweaty groove. 'Don't Go' closes out with a balmy and summery feel thanks t the humid chords and upbeat house drums. A stylish EP full of flavour.

Review: The ninth addition to Mineral Cuts' two-sider 12"s series comes courtesy of producers Cle Acklin, Sharam Jey and Stressman, offering a tritonic trance tranche of geologic audio wonders. Jey's 'House To The Party' moves glassy and vocal, its central vocal sample resounding again and again to the point of semantic satiation, as refractively syncopated synth sevenths burst atop the mix. The crystalline moods continue, with FX resembling dial-up tones trilling away on Acklin's 'No Need To See'. Both tracks proffer a polished torso-tucking sound, perfect for the lightfooted dancefloor.

Review: Mole Music branches out for the first time to vinyl here and shows it has a great wealth of talent to call on with a various artists' EP that is presumably the start of a new series. Holy Guacamole Vol 1 kicks off with JHNS keeping it deep and lively with 'Nevermind' while Steve End and Colau hook up for 'Back Spin' and lay down some magnificent drum loops that are silky and infectious. El Funkador's 'Shame' brings some 90s New York vibes with lovely snare sounds and warm bursts of chords. On the flipside, Alben & Laje & Errat, Hot DLVRY and Craftsmanship all cook up more fresh fusions of old and new school house.

Review: Jhobei, an emerging artist with a growing reputation in the electronic music scene, is set to make his mark with the Age Of Virality EP on Enzo Siragusa's label. Known for his deep and expansive sound, Jhobei kicks off this EP with 'Swarming,' a dynamic track that uses a slithering bassline to lead a garage-influenced journey through punchy lows and catchy vocal snippets. Following this, 'Machine Language' blends playful, sweeping melodies with a dose of robotic funk, creating an engaging auditory experience. On Side-2, 'Defusion Solution' takes listeners on a late-night odyssey with its syncopated percussion and cosmic vibes, while 'Rising Sun' offers a refined, laid-back progression with smooth organic rhythms. Overall. a very enjoyable record with a lot of creativity.

Review: JS is an alias of James Zeiter and is also the name of his own label. This seventh transmission once again showcases his signature take on minimal, dub and techno. 'JS-07' rolls out with deep, pillow drums and well buried sub bass that slowly sweeps you up and locks you into a state of hypnosis. 'JS-07R' on the flip side is run through with slightly more warmth and light, like beams of sun piercing the surface of an ocean and catching microscopic organisms floating on the sea bed. It's a heady sound full of soul.

Review: Juaan's debut on Kalahari Oyster Cult channels the Argentinian producer's ability to merge gritty, hypnotic house and electro with an unmistakable dark edge. With these four cuts, he expertly navigates a sonic landscape where urgency and allure coexist in perfect harmony. 'O Bianco O Negro' opens with a deep, rolling bassline, leading into acidic bursts and sharp percussive hits. It's a track that demands the dancefloor's attention, moody and relentless. 'Ladron' takes a slightly more sinister turn, with rumbling synths and a touch of tension, while still maintaining Juaan's fluid, dancefloor-driven momentum. Over on the B-side, 'Puntual' drops into an intricate mesh of stuttering rhythms and hypnotic arpeggios, perfect for those late-night sessions. Closing with 'Apego,' he draws the EP to a close with a darkly seductive groove, laced with eerie atmospheres and an unyielding forward motion. Informed by 90s influences but firmly grounded in the present, the EP delivers the kind of atmospheric, high-octane dancefloor heat that's made Juaan a standout talent in the underground scene. It's dark, sleek and perfectly calibrated for the dancefloorian intoxicating blend of funked-out futurism and dystopian allure.

Review: Freerange's City To City series returns with its second edition, this time spotlighting Lisbon. Known for its stunning views, beautiful beaches and vibrant nightlife, perhaps one of the city's best-known hotspots is the iconic Lux Fragile, which has shaped the city's sound since the late 90s. Longtime resident DJs from Lisbon are now gaining global traction; to butterfly-net the essence of the coastal metropolis, this new mix LP hears six original tracks from local talents, chief among whom are Megatronic, progressor and ambassador for the city, and Yen Sung & Photonz, two names closely tied to the circuit's deeper-underground corners.A

Review: Toolroom's 'sampler' series, which rounds up previously digital-only releases and sticks them out on action-packed 12" EPs, reaches its sixteenth instalment. Given the format, you'll be unsurprised to discover that there's plenty of bona-fide peak-time heat on show, starting with Mark Knight and James Hurr's excitable, filter-heavy, string-laden disco-house bomb 'You Take Me Higher'. Friend Within offers a scintillating blend of heavy acid bass, glassy-eyed female vocal samples, weighty beats and subtle disco samples on the superb 'Chain', while Martin Ikin and Winnie Ama opt for even heavier drums, warped bass, creepy electronics and dead-eyed spoken word vocals on the sweat-soaked 'Control It'. To round things off, we're treated to the tech-tinged funky house bounce of Flashmob and Raumakustik's percussion -rich 'Club Talk'.

Review: Short Attention Records makes a welcome return here with a new drop of wax that fits the label head into its roots in deep techno sound worlds. This one takes the form of a various artists' EP crafted with an intake feel for cosy floors and who better to kick off in that vibe than the revered Lawrence whose 'Hawser' is a groovy and melodious track. Next, New Jersey don Joey Anderson sets a slow and deep tone with 'Human Kind' which has moody vocals and Japanese artist Takuya Matsumoto follows with 'Three Flowers', a more potent and driving cut with a fine acid bassline. Rounding off the EP is 'Desired Spring' by R/K, a loop-driven deep house gem designed for both listening and dancing.

Review: Eight further sonic spirits are conjured on the seventh edition in Damian Lazarus' annual compilation series. Emphasising deep house and techno grooves with a hypnotic flavour, the procurement here is exemplarily brooding; Dino Lenny's 'I Have Sampled Father' marks a sure turn away from the openers' cleaner-cut mesmerisms with a smoky, funk-inflected haze, bringing rhythm guitar and paternal murmurations to a surreal montage. The monologuing mood continues on the equal highlight that is Upercent's 'Where Are You', whilst Enamour's 'Jackpot' rounds out the show with the record's only brightly-lit minimal triller. The record is marked by sensuous, distant, familiar voices throughout.

Review: Francesco Mami and Julien Chaptal deliver a compelling deep house experience with their 'Reconnect' release, blending smooth minimalism and melodic tech house grooves. The title track, 'Reconnect', is an addictive mix of fluid rhythms and rich melodies, striking the perfect balance between sleek production and dancefloor appeal. Reboot's 'Outahere Rework' of the same track deepens the vibe, adding a fun, groovy energy that's primed for late-night sets. Side-2 shifts gears with 'This Is My Ticket', a standout deep tech house cut that pairs intricate production with a memorable, catchy drive. The track's hypnotic layers create a textured soundscape, ideal for dancefloor workouts. Johnny D's remix of 'This Is My Ticket' ups the tempo, injecting high-energy beats and an infectious bounce that transforms it into a peak-time anthem. Each version bringing a unique energy while remaining cohesive. It's a well-rounded EP for dance music fans.

Review: This compilation is a sonic tapestry woven from the threads of diverse electronic soundscapes, each track carefully crafted to evoke the liminal space between dreams and reality. It's an invitation to immerse oneself in a world of intricate textures, hypnotic rhythms, and evocative melodies, where the boundaries between genres blur and the music takes on a life of its own. Jonny Rock's 'Legenda' sets the tone with its purposeful groove, its driving energy balanced by a sense of introspective depth. Thanksmate's 'Take A Chance' adds a meditative touch, its gentle melodies and atmospheric textures inviting contemplation and reflection. Dobao's 'Oceano' plunges into a deep, liquid dimension, its swirling synths and hypnotic rhythms creating a sense of weightless immersion. Giammarco Orsini's 'Whirlwind' picks up the pace, its pulsating energy and infectious groove propelling the listener forward. Hiver's 'The Frontier' explores the tension and release of electronic landscapes, its dynamic shifts and evolving textures keeping the listener on the edge of their seat. Sam Goku's 'Lucid Oscillation' closes the compilation with a sense of ethereal beauty, its airy melodies and floating notes leaving a lingering sense of wonder.

Review: Tricky UK garage via tech house from Moxy Muzik's ongoing V/A series. The seventh top-up hear harks back to a little-sung stylistic moment, when UK garage carried with it an unpolished flair, and focused purely on the elements that made up the form. Sosa's 'Bring It Back', which leads, swings between two femme vocal incantations - "to the beat" and "take it back" - against a sparse but for that reason effective balance of drums; this starkly contrasts to Jordan Peak's 'Disco Nights', which deftly weaves samply vocal science around a future disco tool, an unusual method to be sure. Adam Lance's 'Hip Movement' is the bass-heaviest tune we've heard all year, while Darius Syrossian's 'Tear The Club Up' does just that with its lo-fi, jukey hip-house mantra and a suspenseful string sostenuto.

Review: One Eye Witness rounds up another four acts for their periodic V/A series, spewing forth four breaks-driven whooshers crossing into progressive techno territory. The Hague duo Young Adults nod to a 1997 Loveparade anthem with 'It's Only Temporary', while breaks and kick implants converge on Christopher Ledger's 'Change That', a track which sounds like the starting firings of an interplanetary expedition pod after years of disuse. Joely brings cosmic chug on the cocooning B1 'Transitional', while the Samesame closer 'Novel End' is just that, traversing a noxious atmosphere with a flexoskeletal electro beat.