Review: This new collection offers up a quartet of tracks that are all tailored for slightly different moments on the dance floor. On side A, Dani Casarano kicks off with deep, hypnotic grooves that make for an immersive atmosphere before transitioning to punchy, bass-driven energy with other cuts. Side B introduces a new alter ego from Felian and Bruno Schmidt and the pair explore a robotic, looping groove with incidental breaks and nostalgic synths in the euphoric third track. Closing the release in style, Omar Akrhif & Lucretio present a minimalist masterpiece that is aimed at heady after-hours sessions.
Review: A compelling compilation that delves deep into the cosmos of techno, offering four tracks that each explore different atmospheric dimensions. On Side-1, Charlou's 'Hidefaces' sets a dark, spooky tone with its stomping beats, blending elements of techno, industrial and 90s rave sounds. It's a haunting journey that captures the raw, visceral energy of underground techno. Mar C follows with 'Wentron', a spacey breakbeat track characterised by its crisp production, which elevates the atmosphere with a futuristic edge. Side-2 opens with Lanzieri's 'Vogue', a track that brings a touch of goa-trance influence, combining ethereal melodies with powerful basslines, making it feel like a cosmic flight through sound. Kvrk's 'Haunted Illusions' closes the EP with a progressive house touch, providing a deep, entrancing groove that muystifies. Each track offers a unique exploration of techno's darker, more experimental side.
Review: Fearsome techni-techno through the Swiss futurists ENMODA, whose modus operandi is to actively promote and advocate for the local Swiss scene. With chilling textures and an ear for material, sonic grit, a cloister of ten producers are heard going full Eski-mode here, for the first instalment in their yearly compilation, Alpine Express Volume 1. Aptly described as a set of "dancefloor hurters", this is a record that proves the mid-European enclave still have their ears to the ground: pree the classic trance-techno of Marcism's 'Echo' or Ermatik's 'Funk Alt Delight', The Chronics' restlessly fight-or-flight revenant, 'Sonic Memory', and/or TIS' closing jit-tech piano weapon 'I Don't Mind'.
Review: Originally released for LNS & DJ Sotofett's Japan Tour 2024, this 12" now sees a global repress and it is a fittingly chaotic sonic postcard from the road with unpolished, playful and strictly for the heads cuts. Kicking things off, Tokyo's DJ Gizzard delivers 'Jitter Analysis', which is a tight blend of analogue funk, crisp grooves and rolling basslines. LNS & DJ Sotofett follow with the cosmic 'Electrolium' with its whistling synths and spaced-out, vintage-style rhythms. LNS's solo effort 'Work Them' explores robotic electro-funk with computerised melodies and percussive precision. Closing the EP, DJ Sotofett's 'Out of Place' fuses ominous electro with bold p-funk.
Andrea Bertoli & DJ Bogdan - "Extremely On Line" (5:36)
Review: Exxtra Beats Records backs up its commitment to pushing things on with a new four-tracker of minimal and tech cuts. Edo Ecker's 'Extraluxxo' has warped synth lines that encourage introspection while the snappy beats make you move physically. Leff's 'Future Problems' has hazy and positive arpeggios that toot away over sustained chords and move at a nice inviting pace. Little Sea offers the snappy drums and gurgling acid lines of 'How I Wanna Feel' while Andrea Bertoli & DJ Bogdan's 'Extremely On Line' is a snappy and upbeat cosmic tech cut with wonky lines adding the charm.
Review: The Cimedirapax crew are back with another superb various artists collection that nudges at the borders of tech house and minimal. Eliaz's 'Enbaspremal' is an alien sound with abstract designs and trippy pads and Lapucci then gets deeper and darker on the menacing 'To Be On Top.' F_Phono brings some nu-disco energy and bright 80s arps to 'Sollievo' then Marco Biagioli heads into more occult worlds with the eerie and haunting 'Strange Mirror' before Equinox's 'Intergalactic Space' offers a caustic electro workout.
Review: Clarifying its vision ahead of its ambient and en-tranced origins laid out earlier this year, Sense Code's third release solidifies the Northern Italian label as a hub for introspective and refined electronic music. Following last winter's split EP, 'Sense 003' embraces a multi-artist approach, all the while further establishing Italy's baton-bearing role in deep techno. Formant Value's dynamic downtempo standout 'Deep Core' unfolds with ingenious, perpetual motive basslines set against penumbral textures, while crisper percussive nuances unfold across Biocym's dark forestation on the B-side, 'Forest Blackout'.
Review: Fidelio and Luca Piermattei hook up here to explore worlds where acid, techno and electro all happily coexist. Fidelio's A-side offers three cuts that fuse 90s acid rawness with baroque drama that results in a unique mix of classical organ melodies and razor-sharp basslines. Punchy kicks and sizzling hi-hats drive the energy as you're happily lost on a neon-lit techno odyssey. On the flip, Piermattei's 'Gas' features a fluid bassline and glitching robotic vocals that are eerie yet inviting and 'Third Rec' (with Tascam 122) rounds out the release with pulse-driven electro and intricate percussion, perfect for late-night explorations.
Review: Yay Recordings closes out another solid 12 months with a various artists' EP that showcases right where the label is at. Heavy Mental kicks off with 'Dabro', a colourful and loopy house jaunt for sunny days. Twowi's 'Metaverse' takes off to the cosmos on lithe electro rhythms with ice-cold beats and widescreen pads. Parchi Pubblici & Lucretio's 'Aladdin Sane' brings some wonky deep tech vibes with of-balance drums and muffled spoken words and Rinaldo Makaj closes down with a fresh party sound perfect for cosy floors. There's plenty of variety here, which makes this a great addition to your bag.
Review: JSPRV35 and Line-o hook up for this thrilling split EP on the new but impressive label For You out of the Netherlands. JSPRV35 is first out of the blocks with 'Testing' which is some high-octane and classically inclined techno with punchy low ends and scintillating percussion. 'Funktional' is just that but is not devoid of character with its mechanical loops and bleeping synths. Line O's 'Thelle' is bristling, linear and loopy techno for 5 am wig-outs and 'Layer One' shuts down with dubby undercurrents and menacing pads that are constantly on the creep.
Review: 22Recordings' latest dystopi-lectro outing takes the form of Lachina's second self-titled EP volume, bringing six edge-of-the-map microchip malfunctions to the replicant ear. Spanning every trace influence from chiptune to outrun to Italo, 2024 debutant Lachina continues to explore their very own brand of phlox purple electro, beginning on the twizzling opener 'Sogni E Ombre', marking the midpoint with the synthetic bass guitar pluckers '05.11.93' and 'What Is Love', and ending on the sampler vox-shot cheese-oozing that is 'The Violet Season'. Every track faithfully adheres to the sensibility of 80s synth music, while also getting away with things that only a contemporary artist of Lachina's calibre could.
B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition
De Intros (6:46)
Kolibri (5:26)
Ples Slovena (6:06)
Kolo (Disko edit) (5:20)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***
Lag brings his distinctly textured techno to Swedish label Pohjola here. 'De Intros' fires out of the blocks with tightly stacked kick drum pressure under synths that peel off the groove and flashes of urgent laser. 'Kolibri' is a more stripped back cut, with rusty textures and prickly metal skating over a rubbery groove that seems to float as it races on wards. There is plenty of energy in the pounding, off-grid kicks and hits of 'Ples Sloevna' which has vocal stabs and urgent sirens again adding to the intensity while closer 'Kolo' is more scuffed up broken beat techno machismo.
Review: New label Loopaina keeps impressing here with a split EP that offers up the talents of Swedish artist Lakej and Madrid's Biorc. The collaboration brings together the creative visions of both artists who weave together elements of Swedish and Spanish electronic sounds into rich, detailed soundscapes. 'Readjustment' is a rollercoaster though static-laced techno, 'Null Particle' is stripped back and eerie machine techno minimalism and then a Biorc mix brings more snaking synths and unsettling open space to his version of 'Readjustment' and Lakej's remix of 'Null Particle' is like being trapped in a storm in the arctic, and it sounds great.
Review: Lakker's debut release on Love Love Records happens to be the imprint's first vinyl and it melds shrill melancholy with hypnotic techno grooves. It's both captivating enough for home listening, but also primed and ready for DJ deployment. Following their work on Blueprint and Killekill, Lakker retains their intricate sound while intensifying their focus on the grooves with 'LF9' evolving from chaotic rhythms into a powerhouse of clattering percussion, accompanied by haunting pads. On the B-side, 'Deathmask' offers ambient melodies and precise skittering drums that create fragile beauty. 'PRESET Numb' plunges into cold, clinical rhythms with eerie synths, marking a striking new chapter for Lakker.
Review: Laska returns to his and Re:Ni's RE:LAX imprint for the first time since launching it with 'Body Score' 18 months ago and once again it's a powerful dispatch that manages to hit so many spots without falling down any genre category trapping. 'Wonda' is a mystical, tribal weave of textures and energy underpinned by some booming, warm bass tones. For a slightly slower, more cosmic tango in the stars head for 'Kwaze'. Complete with guidance from Phelimuncasi, this is a beguiling trip into the dreamiest side of the dance without so much as lifting a toe from mother earth. Imagine if Andrew Weatherall and Muadeep once collaborated and you might be dancing the same dance...
Review: The cultured Attic Music crew is back with more sumptuous techno that comes in a trio of different moods. Fabrizio Lapiana's opener 'Deep' is just that - a warm and smeared and smudged world of serene pads and rolling drums. 'Ritmo Ossessivo' is more intense with distant sirens looping over linear drums which are all topped with chattery percussion. 'Repetition' might be the best of the lot - a deep, hubby, heady, stripped back bit of late night techno perfection.
Review: LDS - or German producer Luca Daniel Schwarz - builds techno like a machine whisperer, programming intricate rhythmic structures that breathe with an uncanny human feel. Stadion Progg is a showcase of his algorithmic finesse, where probability-based sequencing drives hypnotic, shifting grooves that evolve in real-time. 'Pow' and 'Diff, Block Mix' weave dubby textures into pulsating frameworks, while 'Zipp Prompt' jolts forward with clipped vocal stabs and needle-sharp synths. The title track stretches into grand, propulsive territory, amplified further in Jean Redondo's remix, which adds extra layers of kinetic energy. The LDS process is equal parts engineering and intuitionimeticulously constructed yet alive with spontaneity. Stadion Progg is proof that machine-driven music doesn't have to feel mechanical; in the right hands, it moves with instinct.
Review: Who doesn't love it when new Legowelt music drops? The Dutch is one of the most prolific producers in the game but he never sounds the same from one record to the next. This time out he lands on Hotmix with a two-track 10" that kicks off with 'DRUMCOMPUTER GLORY.' It's a warped track with acid tinges, mirky synths, weird vocal samples and jacked-up drums that are raw and proudly old school. On the flip side is 'CASIO CTK630 HOMEKEYBOARD', a snaking groove with hissing hi-hats and more smeared, smudgy synths that make for an unusual but alluring atmosphere.
Review: We're glad to finally hear more from Korperspannung after they set a high standard with their first release back in the summer of last year. This one comes from Len Leno and again offers up a high standard of techno invention. 'Echolocation' doesn't have any dolphin sounds in it but it does cruise as freely as the ocean-going mammals in their pomp. 'Corrugation' is one to keep you on edge with nervy synth motifs looping over percussive and linear beats and 'Radio Silence' then cuts more loose with lashing synth sounds, pulsing pads and a sub-aquatic tension that keeps you on your toes.
Review: LFT returns to Mechatronica with a five-track blistering of electro of relentless fervour. Boldly shaped and informed by various drum machines and classic samples, the three originals that make up this one's avant- and arriere-gardes come flanked by a razor-edged remix from Imogen and an occult collaboration with Cardinal & Nun. The result is explosive, mixing the sonic aesthetic of electro with the structural tendencies of techno and booty bass.
Review: Belgian-based producer Ilario Liburni brings some great sophistication to this new blend of techno, acid and bass. 'Tivoli' has a polished aesthetic - an air of serenity exudes from the bouncy drums and sleek synth pules that bring to mind the crisp Alpine air of the European Alps. 'Agree' is another smooth but not overcooked sound with more sonar-like synth pulses, dusty hi-hat adding a counterpoint and rubbery drums propelling things on. 'Wonderful Transmission' has a grubbier acid line and wonky leads while 'Haunted' is dubby, fulsome house with techno futurism and daubs of molten melody.
Review: First released in 2001 on the German label Phono Elements, this classic dreamatic house rendition from Christian Linder leaves us just a stone's throw away from the sea. Just two tracks - whisking, psyching, yearnsome sonic washes - yarn a careful narrative thread of beatifics and intellect, marking out a sexy sixth outing in the equally impressive discography of the Dusseldorf producer. A-sider 'Ultramagnetic' polarises things as much, through piezoelectrically pressurised yet still hair-let-down trance arps and faint vocal cries. 'Dirtyification' adds grit to the cauldron, carefully and tastefully interspersing low gated vocal grunts and synth design reminiscent of waka-wah guitar, to produce a psychic mixed message.
Review: After a superb debut outing, Purveyance is back with another standout EP of driving and hypnotic techno. This second heavyweight offering is a split EP with Linear System taking care of the A-side. 'Unknown Coordinates' kicks off with muscular rhythms and bit hits all made more eerie by some spooky pads and spoken words. 'Unlocated Call' then keeps it deep and heady with more taught synth phrases peeling off the beats. Soul Lazh then steps up for two cuts, firstly the edgy and tense synth sounds and pummelling beats of 'Breda' which is perfect for sunrise wig-outs, then the warped and linear techno menace of 'IJplein'.
Review: The "Rhythms Of The Pacific" series hears Vancouver label Pacific Rhythms reimagine dance music to aid in vast ocean traversals. Returning with another 12" sampler of material - the tracks are slated for inclusion in a celebratory ten year anniversary comp later this year - we hear Lnrdcroy, Waterpark, Kennedy and Active Surplus bring upper-echelonic, chameleonic beats of the much-less-peggable variety. 'Galaxio Salaxio' moves between dark synth and watery dub, scarcely preparing us for the immersive chordal swims that ensue on 'Coastal Plus'. Finally, 'Blue Beam' incurs an underwater search for coves and water pockets, as jets of pressure escape through riser synths and pufferfish drums.
Review: Fierce electronic mavericks LNS & DJ Sotofett deliver a thrilling two-tracker that's built for serious warehouse action. The A-side is a teeth-clenching, bassline-driven beast that is raw, gritty and euphoric with static rhythms, stabbing synths and a halftime arpeggio breakdown that erupts into dreamy pads. On the flip, DJ Sotofett's 'Buzzy Breaker' starts minimal with just kicks, stabs and dubs, then morphs into a breakbeat monster with polyrhythmic tension and soaring pads underpinned with jungle-inflected drops. Both tracks harness deep, hypnotic repetition while sounding bold and system-ready so make for techno with real weight but also edge and purpose that results in high class DJ and dancer tackle.
Review: Horror Corp debuts with a first volume in this new series which is a striking four-track release from rising artist Log In. This collection fuses modern techno with a nostalgic 80s influence to create high-energy hooks and deep, evolving breaks guaranteed to captivate the dance floor. Each one is crafted to evoke a visceral emotional response while bridging old-school vibes with fresh, forward-thinking sounds. The result is a dynamic mix of cuts with a vintage edge but that are not overtly revivalist Perfect for fans of bold, boundary-pushing beats, this suggests that Horror Corp's journey is going to be one well worth keeping up with.
Review: Known for their refusal to use laptops, London Modular Alliance channel their creativity through pure analog improvisation, creating an organic, hypnotic soundscape with every track. A journey through live electro, the trio's decade-long mastery in modular synthesis cis coming to a culmination with this EP. On Side-1, the title track 'Holy Mantle' opens with a stunning progression, rooted in vintage analogue textures, evoking a sense of fluidity and experimentation. The track flows seamlessly, radiating an energy that is timeless. 'Walnut' follows with its deep, melodic electro vibes, incorporating atmospheric, rolling basslines and layers of intricate rhythms that draw the listener deeper into the groove. Side-2 continues to explore the trio's diverse sound palette. 'Scuba' is a melancholic, electro-infused piece that feels like drifting through the depths of an underwater world, full of longing and machine love. Finally, 'A155' delivers robotic, funky electro with tight, infectious rhythms and a sharp, futuristic edge, adding a dynamic finish to the EP. With 'Holy Mantle', London Modular Alliance reinforces their reputation for cutting-edge, analogue-driven techno.
Review: Frustrated Funk is one of the very many labels out of the Netherlands that offers up house and techno music with a through line to the Chicago and Detroit foundations. It is top tackle with a timeless edge and that proves to be true again with this one from Lost Trax. '23' is both dreamy and cancerous but groovy. 'And Or' is more wonky with mad acid, 'It's All Good' is a downbeat synth interlude, 'Grib' is lo-fi and experimental with Omar S style aesthetics and 'The Watcher' closes with more dusty and brilliant depths.
Review: The Young Hegelians once reparteed that Manchester was the geographical birthing place of the Industrial Revolution. Mysterious Manc monarch Louis The 4th nods at this fact with an express delivery straight from the millworks; even in the most brutal of working conditions, one might find love. 'She's From Manchester' evokes plumes of ashen smog as the waste byproduct of an excessively productive, surplus labourious love affair. Foundries founder, and railway workshops curdle under the weight of mechanical process, as the fast propulsions of 'Sub Genetic' and 'Stuck In The Void' quell the soul as much as they do exhaust the body, outstripping and going beyond the injurious demand to work overtime. 'Suffering Experience' closes on a dulled but continual note, as wan reverberations resound in a now abandoned factory.
Review: Louis The 4th made something of a splash in 2024, delivering a string of well-regarded EPs on TH Tar Hollow, Prima Materia and Planet Rhythm. He begins his 2025 release campaign with a typically assured return to the latter label, taking us on an imaginary climb up Mount Agung in Indonesia. Hints of this loose theme can be spotted on opener 'Balinese Morality', a pleasingly melodic (but undeniably tough) techno workout in which rising and falling synth loops dance atop a punchy rhythm track and deep, booming bass. The struggle onwards up the mythical volcano is reflected in the dark, breathless and percussively layered techno stomper 'Drive System'. Elsewhere, 'Memoir' explores similar sonic territory to 'Balinese Morality', while 'End of June' tiptoes a fine line between lo-fi techno hedonism and melody-rich peak-time hypnotism
Review: One year after dropping back in 2023, Jennifer Loveless's bonafide anthem 'Pleasure' is back in the form of three thrilling reworks and a dub mix which expand its appeal into new realms. Parisian maestro Bambounou kicks things off with a jackin' remix bursting with energy while Lisbon-based veteran and Ibiza favourite tINI follows and offers up a bass-heavy electro-inspired rendition nodding to old-school vibes. Jennifer Loveless and label heads Sleep D close the EP with an 'Indubm-3ntal mix' which is a hypnotic, dubbed-out techno journey layered with deep and atmospheric textures. Together, these fresh interpretations are primed to ignite dancefloors once more.
Review: Nantes-based producers Luche and Laton Rave, both rooted in the free-party scene and affiliated with Esprits Sauvages and Chat Manik, channel their underground origins into this latest Acid Avengers split EP. Across four tracks, they tap into the raw, hypnotic energy of early acid techno, weaving together influences from tribe, doom, and Belgium's old-school rave scene. 'Pain Bird' and 'Some Days Don't Exist' showcase Luche's knack for atmospheric intensity, while Laton Rave's 'Celestial Bloom' and 'Hornest Revenge' push deeper into shadowy, propulsive territory. A dark, electrifying release built for all-night sessions under open skies.
For several years Luciano was one of the kings of the underground. The Swiss-Chilean rode the crest of the minimal wave and had his own distinctive Latin edge that marked him out in a class of one. Now he is back to DJing - often with his equally heralded brethren Ricardo Villalobos - as well as producing. Rawax has the latest goods from the man in the form of this suitably epic two-track EP. 'Assanti Sana' is all subtly shifting grooves and stringy percussive lines with some textured, expressionistic synth lines. 'In Xs' is deeper, and warmer, with ever-evolving rhythms and lots of stringy lines all woven together in an intricate fashion.
Review: Deep techno twosome Lucid Void have only put out a handful of releases since making their debut in 2017, but their productions are not only assured and atmospheric, but also genuinely good. It feels like they need a breakthrough and this mini-album for Turkish imprint Benthic (a belated sequel to their 2021 outing on the imprint) could provide it. There's certainly plenty to set the pulse racing and synapses snapping, from the pulsing rhythm, immersive aural textures and hypnotising vibes of 'Escalate' and 'Transporter', to the yearning dancefloor soundscape 'Quasar' and the ghostly spookiness of 'Inner'. 'Signal' brilliantly blends raw, analogue electronics, locked-in beats and bittersweet chords, while closing cut 'Rhythm' is as pleasingly dreamy and heady as it is throbbing and off-kilter.
Review: UK-based electronic musician Luke's Anger (aka Luke Sanger) is a 20+ year scene veteran who a new four-track electro EP that's both nostalgic and future-focused. Known for his genre-hopping rave output and live experimental techno sets, often gracing stages like Berghain, Sanger returns to his banging roots here. 'Particle Swarm' opens with squelchy synth textures, while 'Threshold Rider' bounces with infectious 808 energy. The title track builds euphoria through fluttering rhythms, and 'Silicon Boogie' closes things with funky digital chaos. With nods to sci-fi electro and UK bleep techno, Ceiling Walker is a tightly engineered ride through bass-driven, mechanical funk built for serious body movement.
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