FRANCOIS DILLINGER Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Second instalment from Belgian electro-label ZwaarteKracht, once again assembling a dream team of international producers to bring together this extraordinary selection of dancefloor tracks with dark sci-fi moods. All dynamically mastered by Karel De Backer to keep those subs moving like they should. Features Arsonist Recorder with the hard hitting retro futurism of "Brain Mode",
Deemphasis going deep on "In My Mind" with its underwater acid, Datawave served up our favourite on the darkly dystopian electro bass of "Quadrant" while Francois Dillinger's "Moon Prison" provides the abstract and minimal vibes.

Review: London-based Specimen Records presents a limited edition vinyl release, showcasing some distinct and refined electro producers. Belgium's Arsonist Recorder (ZwaarteKracht) serves up some dark electro bass in the most fierce and futuristic style on opener "React", while the daunting dystopia of Sound Synthesis' "60 Minute Bleeps" will now doubt bear comparisons to Offenbach legend Anthony Rother. On the flip, Francois Dillinger goes for a more off-kilter and experimental vibe on his fascinating contribution "Humans Among Us" and the ever impressive Gaetan V. aka Datawave lunges straight for the jugular on the nefarious beats of "Genotype 1".

Review: Binary thinking has been around since the invention of coinage in ancient times. Indeed, there are two sides to every coin, or slab of vinyl. It's this seeming representation of two poles - heads or tails, 0 or 1, the spiritual world and the physical - that has led us to polemicize them in art, exploring either extreme playfully. On one end of the extreme you've got ultra-lofty new age music. On the other end, there are releases like 'Blue Binary Code', in this case hailing from Spanish label and musical assembly line, Gladio Operations. Their camp specialise in the kind of merciless, rationally-calculating, dystopically functional, robotic electro we all know and love, and these four new tracks, adding once again to their prolifically generative output, range from the scientific and gnarly ('Agitated Particles') to the surreal and sanitized ('NH3'). Of course, what is electro but a mere Operation?

Review: Francois Dillinger brings his futuristic visions to this classy new EP on EC Underground. It finds the sonic sculptor kick off with a warped bassline underpinning an eerie and slow motion electro cut on 'The Pilgrimage.' 'Tangential' is another snaking rhythm with mysterious pads and bouncing bass that makes for a truly original vibe. 'Message Failed To Send' has a hint of Kraftwerk retro-ism to its snappy snares and talk box vocals then 'When It Was Free' classes down with a gritty mix of celestial charm and deep space unknown. These are next level sonics as always from Dillinger.