LAG Schallplatten & CDs

Review: 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: Matt Edwards aka Radio Slave's Rekids label is back with something a bit different here: it is a debut release from Serbian duo XL Traxx who show off their fierce and jacked-up analogue sounds across three bangers. 'M-Bomb' is the early standout with a classic Chicago house vocal over raw, hard-hitting drums surely made with some proper outboard gear. 'E-Dancer' then offers the sort of loopy synth energy you would expect from a tune with such a name and then the bouncy house and catchy finger clicks of 'D-Edge' have slightly deeper vibes.