Review: Some six years after debuting via a deliciously angular and energetic EP from Jaquarius and Mono-Enzyme 307, the Acid Avengers imprint notches up release number 20. Like most of the label's EPs, it's a multi-artist affair. Sometime Balkan Vinyl and Bass Assault artist Acidulant handles side A, bouncing between rushing, piano-sporting 1992 hardcore revivalism ('Super Rave'), sub-heavy deep electro haziness ('Save The Last Rave') and throbbing, arpeggio driven trance/breakbeat techno fusion ('Hauz Trax'). Voiron, who last graced the label back in 2016, takes over on the flip. The Paris-based producer first fuses glistening, spacey melodies, twisted acid lines, post-electro beats and dirty bass on 'Bon Kick Voiron', before opting for deep acid house on 'Digital Voiron Workstation' and atmospheric, Orbital-meets-'90s tech-house on 'Sugar Voiron'.
Review: Basel-based experimental labels Amenthia Recordings and A Walking Contradiction join forces for their first collaborative release here in the form of the Flash Crash/Hack Crash EP. Both labels are known for pushing boundaries within their close-knit creative circles and this one features Agonis' heavy stepper and Konduku's whirlpool of low frequencies on the Amenthia side, while Lemont continues the low-end, tripped-out vibe. Varuna represents A Walking Contradiction and delivers swampy, slow-motion sounds in their signature style. This release embodies both labels' commitment to daring, unconventional electronic sounds.
Review: OHM is quickly becoming a quality imprint you can count on for techno and dub techno. The ninth addition in the series, it calls for an excellent blend of composers to balance this EP out. Veteran Jamie Anderson collabs with the brilliant Owain K on opener. The 'Aqua Dub' builds a euphoria for late night smiles. Smooth is an understatement on this linear gem. One artist on here that's been making strong appearances on many dub techno labels is the ever-talented Francisco Aguado. 'Balance' is a great tribal transition track for any DJ who can it creatively to build the means to an end. On the second side, Star Dub offers the very addictive and techy 'Forst'. Ending on a high note, the brisk and flighty 'Ever Growing' by Volpe completes the ninth edition in a rapturous mood. If you like deep techno, the OHM series is a must to collect.
Review: Deeper shades of a finely sifted pedigree. Irish label Appian Sounds, helmed up by Al Blayney, champion only winnowed techno sounds, not threshed. A welcome international team huddle in, with these six artists from locales as far-flung as Amsterdam and Valencia contributing the likes of 'Tsuneo' and 'Persist'. The tunes verge melodic as they move through and beyond jankiness, distending die-cut acids and subtly synthetic humanisations, especially in the percussion department. 'Fuego' is the zen roshi's choice, its gaffered, glass-smithed pads topping off a naturalistic percussive surging forward, one best experienced with your eyes closed.
Review: Adam Beyer shares his first collaboration with Vintage Culture, 'Lift Me Up' featuring Kyozo. A suspenseful covenant formed between three huge-room techno striators, 'Lift Me Up' was born from a fruitful back-and-forth shared on the road to Sonus Festival in Croatia. Packing a clenched sawtooth lead - one that hardly requires the development that the track nonetheless indulges by way of tuned impacts and chord transitions - this one ends up a dramatic build, as a vaunted vocal lines abjures us to "lift me up", as we listeners end up, paradoxically, the ones uplifted.
Review: Having previously tried their hand at podcasting, the Paris and Lille-based La Boomerie crew has decided to launch a label. To kick things off, they've delivered a multi-artist extravaganza featuring four decidedly different takes on the house and techno templates. Bitterjazz kicks things off with a chunky slab of spacey, organ-rich retro-futurism (the rock solid and ear-catching 'Run 'N' Hide', before Aymeric peppers a squelchy synth bassline and crunchy machine drums with spacey pads, wriggling synths and tight acid lines. Over on the reverse, Jos opts for heavy bass and star fall synthesizer melodies on the driving 'Black Sun', before Vivies captures the spirit of early UK bleep & bass on the deep, starry and far-sighted 'Seek and Find'.
Review: This Biscuit release is a fierce four-track punch built dancefloor disruptors. Opening the A-side, France's BOOH (aka BOOOoo! Records co-founder) delivers 'Hidden Between Two Ferns,' a punishing blend of EBM and electro that morphs with dark energy. A2 sees Argentina's Micro.Tron bring pure electro muscle with 'Microclima Robot,' a rhythm-heavy cut that hits with precision. On the flip, JJ Fortune drops the epic and destructive 'Then I Dropped It' while Vloon closes with a snarling, high-voltage electro weapon. Raw, trippy and relentless, this one's built to shake basements and bend minds.
Review: Statica's debut release, 'M2-9: Wings of a Butterfly', showcases the label's dedication to serving up diverse techno sounds. This split EP, STATICA001, opens with two intense and dancefloor-ready bangers by the prolific Central Intelligence on the A-side, and both are packed with visceral drum energy and synth unpredictability. The B0side features Madrid-based Victor Reyes, who delivers two reflective but also emotionally charged 4/4 workouts that create a compelling contrast that embodies Statica's "Forces in Equilibrium" ethos. Inspired by the unique butterfly-shaped nebula Minkowski 2-9, this release is a fresh and impactful fusion of power and sensitivity.
Review: Once again, Malor Records purvey the groove with, yes, 'Purveyors Of The Groove', enlisting the help of four of the foremost techno artists out today for help on this latest 12" EP comp. Weighty Berlin techno makes up its core concept, with Cravo's 'Sem Chance' opening up the thing with its sudden vocal shouts, huge kick womps and cantankerous melodic bubblings, before Chontane's 'Septario' and Regent's 'Satin' elevate the listener to a continually wafting stasis. Finally, Vil's 'Bret' closes things off with an intense kick-led wompy-chord-sidechainer, seeming to emphasise the madness of it all.
Review: Adam Collins has proven his mettle with his work for Omni A.M. and Euphoria Records but now he branches out once more with the new label Aquarius Rising. It kicks off with a four-track various artists EP of next-gen talents Cromie, Dylan Payne, Sasha Zlykh, and Collins himself. 'The Knuckle' opens up with a bouncy and dense house sound that's got a sweet garage shuffle to it. Volume Channel's 'Tony Jacal' is a stripped-back and minimal sound with dubby drums, Sasha Zlykh's contribution gets more raw and abstract with whirring machine sounds and Collins shuts down with 'Andrea 3' complete with warped vocal stabs and high-speed drum funk.
Review: NeoAcid returns with another EP of uncompromising techno, a sonic assault that's sure to leave a lasting impression. Flkn's 'The Jam' sets the tone, a relentless barrage of distorted kicks and acid lines that feels like a descent into a chaotic, industrial underworld. Collaborations with Jacidorex and Vcl push the boundaries further, their twisted soundscapes and distorted rhythms creating a sense of exhilarating chaos, like a runaway train hurtling through a dystopian landscape. On the flipside, Pisapia takes the reins, offering a slightly different flavour with hypnotic grooves and infectious melodies that add a touch of dark energy to the mix. A headfirst dive into the depths of techno, a sonic thrill ride that will leave you disoriented and exhilarated.
Review: The cultured ESHU label has pulled other some more tasteful talents for this four track 'Conrexture' EP. It opens up with Julien Fuentes's 'Jah Justice' (Klaridub Ambient mix) which is a nice atmospheric opener with some conscious dub mutterings and sci-fi pads. Jocelyn & Yasin Engwer then kick on with some watery, sub-aquatic minimal dub tech bliss in the form of 'Sticks & Stones', Voal gets even more dark and dirty with some grubby dub basslines on 'Eight Ball' and Ivano Tetelepta/Christine Benz layer up watery droplets, melodic whistles, static electricity and rubbery rhythms to mind-melting perfection on 'Supreme.'
Review: A label's first release is always a big one which hints at what to expect in the long term and for that reason Introspective debuts with this new five track compilation. They say that "Instinctive Senses is a compilation focusing on precise and cutting sonorities." We say it is a fresh techno offering with plenty of interesting details. Grafin drops 'Vespers' which is tightly looped and quick as hell then SDB & B2 get more dark, heavy and gritty on the twisted 'Reunite.' The flip side kick off with more rough and ready hard edged techno from Specific Objects, sleek tribal loops from Versus on 'Those Things' and Nano Rinnegato gets paranoid and revs up the sirens on 'Ghetto K.'
Review: Molekul's 11th outing is a various artists' affair with each of them exploring high-impact techno with a retro bent. JKS's 'Express Yourself' is a video game soundtrack for a post-apocalyptic shoot-em up. "Bad Boy" Pete brings dark and driving breakbeats infused with fierce stabs on 'Champion Sound' and Jacidorex brings some warped acid lines to the ever ascending and tightly stacked 'Extinctor.' Vikkei shut down with 'E Fallo Uno', which is an update of a manic hardstyle sound with caustic synths running a mock. Pure dance floor carnage, this.
Review: We're fully signed up fans of the work that Hedzup has been doing. It's a house label that works at the electronic end of the spectrum and likes to bring in weird and wonderful sound deigns next to their high speed beats. This new VA is a great window into their world for first timers, or another essential 12" for those already in the know. JNJS's 'Two Girls' is perfectly colourful and vibrant stuff with retro touches and future feels, Vern's 'Sunlake' is a nice cosmic cruise and Enzo Leep and Matpri on the flip both keep the silky and seductive sounds coming thick and fast.
Review: For a couple of years a decade or so ago Visionquest was a DJ collective and label that ruled the world. In the time since it has sunk back to the shadows, regrouped and come back as another vital force in the underground. This EP brings together a wealth of real talents not least the one and only synth wizard Mathew Jonson who opens up with the artful sounds of 'These Tears.' Cesar Merveille's 'Decennium' then gets wonky with tightly coiled minimal drums overlaid with pensive chords. On the flipside 'Wonder Wheel' gets a little more eerie and trippy with hunting keys leading you down a late-night maze and 'Dirty Pathways' from Vinyl Speed Adjust layering up the deft synths and airy rhythms.
Elaine Mai, MuRli Vs Dave Spoon & Nick Reach Up - "Ready" (Mark Knight remix) (6:54)
CASSIMM - "Wanna Feel Something" (5:27)
Superchumbo & Victoria Wilson James - "Revolution" (Crusy remix) (6:07)
Arthur Baker & James Hurr - "Powder In The Nose" (5:12)
Review: Here's a heavyweight suite of club cuts from the Toolroom Trax stable, featuring a whole squad of names linking up for some big room belters that should go down very nicely indeed with any medium-to-megasized party experience. Mark Knight's extended mix of 'Ready' is a proper epic, not least when the 'Insomnia'-esque stabs kick in. CASSIMM's 'Wanna Feel Something' is a heads-down sexy workout, while Superchumbo and Victoria Wilson James get remixed by Crusy for an equally brooding, high-end production. James Hurr and Arthur Baker round things off with chunky monkey 'Powder In The Nose', which teases a whole lot and then delivers even more on the drop.
Review: Your latest acid extraterrestrial jive comes in the form of this four-track EP V/A from Planet Orange. With tracks by Velvet Velour, Mitch Wellings, Tom Frankel, and Planet Orange boss Pete Melba, this second release retains all major aspects of the label's signature sound. Bursts of alien percussion pepper luminous beats, textured by light and shade as fleeting melodies wax and wane.
Review: Following close behind Macarie's Out Of Streets EP, Verum returns with a further expansion of its sound as a new label in the minimal tech house scene. Olivian Nour sets the mood in compelling style with the subtle jazz guitar licks hovering over brooding twilight cut 'Collateral Damage', while Dorothy's Dream explores skittering, modulated forms on psychedelic workout 'Ten Colours'. Swoy leads on the B-side with the snaking, subliminal mastery of 'Tosmur' and Vern completes the picture with the slinky groove of 'Breath', making this another classy turn for Verum and the assembled artists alike.
Review: It has been a rather remarkable three years since Yuko dropped its first release, but finally, they are back with more. It is co-founder Emo Omar who features both solo and in collaboration with Luje from Club Pizza while two exciting new French talents Chud and Vivant also make their mark. 'Pollen' is a bright and hooky melodic electro sound then 'You & Me' gets more percussive, with old school cow bells staying busy next to all sorts of wonky synth work. 'Tomorrow's Made Of Breaks' is built on rigid funk and trippy synth bleeps and 'Zeus' shuts down with some retro-future vocoder vocals. This is a great return from a label we hope now pushes on.
Review: For the seventh V/A EP to be released by the label, End Of Perception welcome four new artists aboard their fleet; Orbe, dc11, Viels and Peryl. Each artist bringing a respective techno cogjammer to the record, the sound laid out throughout is nonetheless thoroughly misty and wayward; 'Raster' and 'Caduta Nel Vuoto' both sound like probing rovers navigating the treacherous topsoils of some far-off darkened exoplanet without breathable air; the B-side moves more subterranean, its grooves toothier and clearer-headed, as though we'd found a pocket of oxygen under a rock, yet also unfortunately the the object of predation by a wriggling, scuttling alien that's made said rock its home.
Review: Two And Half Records make the decision here to try and rid the A and B-side distinction on records that we are all very familiar with and instead they refer to each face of their latest 12" as 'dance' and 'listen.'' It makes sense frankly and is often how things go anyway. Swiss duo Quismi kick off this one with twitchy and narcotic tech house with an old school bent. French artist Groenogen then gets wild with bright melodies and grinding synths, r&b vocals and high speed tech funk on 'Twinkle Dance' while ILyes offers the tech silkiness of 'Starting Now.' On the flip is a trio of less direct, more experimental sounds that sure do offer plenty to get lost in on headphones.
Review: Deep Sleep Robot awakens once more for another offering of slick and seductive late night house and tech fusions. It was Len Lewis who got this label underway and set out its mission to release music that first dropped between 1994 and 2004, but here were get four artists in fine form. Ronin keeps it simple but effective on the silky electronic house depths of 'Mysterious City' while 'Takemountain' gets more muscular and 'Adjust' gets cosmic. Dav closes down with the tightly coiled and kinetic kicks of 'Flight.'
Review: Two years ago, Italy's Balearic Gabba Soundsystem switched from remixing and re-editing their favourite cuts to curating compilation style EPs of similarly minded fare. They're in that mode again here, presenting a trio of cuts that combine the saucer-eyed warmth and loved-up musicality of Balearic music culture with grooves and rhythms firmly focused on the dancefloor. They begin by showcasing Wallace's sublime remix of Sewell & The Gong's 'Better Worlds', a locked-in, hypnotising fusion of semi-organic deep house grooves, new age melodic motifs and the dreamiest of ambient chords. Over on the flip they dip into slo-mo Italo-disco/acid house fusion via SIRS fine revision of My Friend Dario's 'Tell Aro', before treating us to a Pedro Bertho remix of Verdo's 'Belvourdier' in which sparkling Balearic house piano riffs, undulating acid lines and mid-80s "chorus" synth sounds rise above a fluctuating synthesiser bassline and hustling beats.
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