DJS: MOST CHARTED - TECHNO - MOST CHARTED IN OCTOBER 2013

Review: This two-track single marks Rene Pawlowitz's return to 50 Weapons following the release of his divisive album The Killer last year, which saw him stepping outside of his usual home of Ostgut Ton for Modeselektor's club-focused imprint. Straddling the line between techno, bass and ambient, it was the kind of album that saw Pawlowitz largely leave behind the clubbier focus of his Head High, Wax, EQD or WK7 aliases to the frustration of some. This release however sees two more distinctly ravier tracks: "The Dirt" which combines turbulent synth textures and threadbare but propulsive rhythms, and the hardcore-influenced "Fluid 67", which packs enough '90s tinged euphoria into its 5 minutes to silence the naysayers.

Review: After the recent announcement of a forthcoming L.B Dub Corp album, Luke Slater's other alias, Planetary Assault Systems, provides its first transmission of 2013. Fans of "Bell Blocker" from PAS' stellar The Messenger album from 2011 will instantly warm to the cold chimes of "No Exit", while pink noise cushions the brooding, pitch-dark groove of "Undertow". Slater then introduces agitated mind games on the EPs inner B-side with "Nanendi", which sounds like a school of crickets trapped in a haunted cathedral of distant Gregorian chant.

Review: It's been a busy year for Belgian imprint Token with killer EPs coming from Rodhad, Xhin, Inigo Kennedy and the impending album from O [Phase]. Ctrls now presents his third EP for the label and matches his Northern Structures studio buddy Lasse Buhl with solo releases this year. As usual Ctrls has his Vermona drum machine cranking full tilt with the two tracks "Modular Framework" and "Displacer", with the latter reworked twice by Sleeparchive who turns it into something a little more stripped back and caustic. The Token techno machine marches on!

Review: The freshly revived Dance Mania reaches its third release of its restarted lifespan with a collection of classic tracks from Chicago veteran Robert Armani. Like the rest of his Dance Mania cohorts, the tracks on Collection are as raw as they come - "Ambulance" is all buzzing 303, squealing synths and rattling drums - but they also explore all sides of the producer's oeuvre, with the chopped up diva of "Give You All", the discofied "Circuit Breaker" and lo-fi 80s vibes of "Muzik Man" all essential for fans of straight up unadulterated club trax.

Review: Munich trio Tambien come through with their most high profile release yet, gracing the esteemed ESP Institute with an excellent two track excursion in the shape of Drogato. Formed of Public Possession founders Marvin and Valentino and their Munich pal Bartellow, Tambien first emerged on a killer white label release last year before inaugurating the Public Possession label in final style with the Robusto / Sexalitat EP. The sonic themes explored there - straight to tape analogue techno throw downs where robust, rumbling drums duke it out with sinuous basslines - might not seem immediately suited to an ESP release but you can't fault the two productions on Drogato. The title cut implements the sort of psychedelic qualities amidst the rhythmic intensity that clearly appealed to Lovefingers but it's the 12 minute B Side that really impresses. "Dois" swaggers at mid tempo, teasing out a classic breakbeat over a backdrop of sound rich in emotion and colour.

Review: Gerd Janson and Maurice Fulton continue their mutually beneficial partnership with this Running Back 12" edition of DJ Nori's wonderful Bubbletease debut We Don't Know. Originally released digitally earlier this summer, Nori's four tracks were co-produced by Fulton and, as with anything that blessed with Maurice's touch, are predictably excellent. There's a touch of melancholic, acid-flecked stargazing in the shape of "Spaceg" (all heady synth melodies, fuzzy bass and 808 cowbells), some out-there, beatless space calypso (the unwieldy "We Don't Know"), and a mighty chunk of Syclops-ish wonk-jack ("80s Drugs"). Oh, and a moody, Detroit-influenced Fulton remix of "Happy Sunday" that breaks into a space disco jam near the end.

Review: ** Repress ** Prince of Denmark inaugurates the new techno offshoot FORUM, from the Weimar-based operation Giegling, which takes over from their previous techno sub-label, Staub, which ended with last year's 8-10 EP from Vril. This three disc LP has been a long time coming and it delivers the goods; each record features one full track on the A-side and two tracks on the B, which suggests Giegling cut no corners in giving Prince Of Denmark the 12" real estate his music deserves. All tracks leading up to the LPs penultimate track, the euphoric "(In The End) The Ghost Ran Out Of Memory", effortlessly move, transmute and evolve through magically minimal arrangements of dub techno, deep and streamlined house and that undecipherable Giegling sound. Prince Of Denmark's The Body is one of, if not, the, techno album of the year.

Review: The ascendant production career of Brighton's Leon Vynehall is demonstrated once more with a debut release on Martyn's 3024 label. According to the DC dwelling Dutchman, the genesis of the Open EP dates back to the pair sharing a gig in Bristol, with Martyn impressed by Vynehall's Djing skills but not fully aware of his talent as a producer. Requesting Vynehall send him some new music, four of the five tracks Martyn received feature on the Open EP with three present on this 12" edition. If you're familiar with Vynehall's previous output for Aus, Well Rounded and Manmakemusic you'll be eager to wrap your senses around this release, yet the trademark rugged swagger is complemented by an increased attention to detail that hints Vynehall should no longer be cast as a mere 'up and comer'.

Review: Commencing a new series for Fred P's Soul People imprint, Jose Cabrera and Fred himself deliver four tracks of uncharacteristically tough rhythms that suggest an exploration of more driving, DJ-focused cuts compared to the luscious soulful tones normally found on the label. Cabrera takes up the A side, kicking off with the hefty throwdown of "General Relativity", all thunderous kick, snagging hat and desolate bleep over a fearsome high-pitched tone. "Framework" is housier in its demeanour, but still packs a mean punch as it twists out a chunky chord line. Fred P's "Quantum Effects" on the flip is a perfectly scattered techno excursion, both minimal and engaging at the same time. "String Theory" is more twitchy with its dextrous layers of percussion and discordant notes claging around in the distance, a far cry from the soothing lullabies he can often be found crafting.

Review: The mysterious 'man from Marseille' VernoN joins Marquis Hawkes in contributing a second 12" of rattling, unhinged techno for Glasgow's excellent Dixon Avenue Basement Jams and we think this might be the best release from the label yet! With a title like How To Travel The Universe (Without A Flying Saucer)it's definitely the best named DABJ platter thus far. Musically, the four tracks here build on the instant gratification of VernoN's debut missive, if anything showing a tougher side to the Frenchman. "One Night In Tanzania" is perhaps the stand out track, nestling snugly in the interzone between deep and deranged whilst B Side pair "How To Buiild A Pyramid" and "Nightmares" sit steadfastly in the latter camp. B1 is all jagged acid lines shooting out in various directions amidst cascading drums whilst B2 is pure jacking intensity.

Review: If Donato Dozzy plays Bee Mask then James Ruskin plays Marcel Dettmann. The Blueprint boss turns in three remixes of Dettmann's "Corebox", originally taken from MDR04 (featuring "Lattice"), supplying two club crafted tracks and an ambient 3rd Version. Ruskin reworks the original's famous chords, adding overdrive and reverb in his first remix, while his Event mix strips them dry to sound more like a Baby Ford or Steve O'Sullivan production. Ruskin's ambient version again uses the chords as its centrepiece, but buries them in a soundscape made for a '70s horror film.

Review: Whilst Ron Morelli might have coined the "non-stop" phrase to describe the constantly updating nature of his LIES operation, much the same could be said of The Trilogy Tapes in 2013. Having found a taste for 12" releases last year, Will Bankhead's finely curated TTT has been on imperious form in 2013 with surprising additions announced on a near weekly basis. TT011 is the Deadly Structures EP from New York pair DJ Spider & Marshalitto, whose work together on subBASS Sound System has provided some of the stickiest yet still darkly melodic off centre house excursions in recent times. Unsurprisingly, the four tracks here operate at a similar level, sounding almost like Spider and Marshalitto draw from a different rhythmic palette to standard house and techno operators. Made by freaks for the freaks!

Review: AVN #011 sees Shifted and Ventress' Avian label look to the USA for the first time, as it taps up New York producer Shaun O'Sullivan for a six-track EP under his new 400PPM alias. O'Sullivan already has a deep knowledge of techno developed over a broad range of musical projects as anyone who has heard his excellent releases for The Corner and L.I.E.S. will attest. Bookended by two stark explorations into noise, the EP is joined by four solid techno productions which all marry the hard-hitting industrial sounds of pioneers like Adam X together with the rolling percussion and impressive sound design of the Berghain school of Dettmann and Klock. The off-kilter syncopations and metallic clutter of "Monoculture" is a particular highlight in what is another essential 12" from Avian.

Review: Over the course of ten tracks to appear on Frames Of Reference, the long-time coming debut album by O [Phase], the Englishman draws upon ideas he's been fine tuning for more than a decade. Of the fresh material is the rich bass and sinister crawl of "On The Edge", the haunted glass whistles of "Dirtro II" and the respective electro and dubby leaning "Just Another Dance" and "Shadow Caster". Rearranged riffs come via the LP's opening track "Binary Opposition (process 3)" which sets the tone for a heady mix of no frills techno undeniably designed for club play. It's an impressive debut which incorporates elements of muscular European rhythmics with passages of motor city mechanics and melodic tonality.

Review: Given the fanfare afforded to the two most recent Hinge Finger releases from Blawan and Joy Orbison, the appearance of Mix Mup represents a return to the more low key nature of Bankhead and Orbison's debut release from Madteo. Best known for his work alongside Kassem Mosse, solo output from Lorenz Lindner is however sparse - this four track release is only his sixth EP since he emerged as Mix Mup roughly a decade ago. The Tina Turner sampling title track sets the tone, demonstrating Mix Mup's prowess for crafting broken house and techno via unorthodox methods - there's no such thing as a kick drum here. Instead faltering basslines rub up against rugged clattering percussion. "Copa Jams" is the closest thing to outright floor burner but still sounds like little else, it's roughshod Detroit electro throb pulsating to a literal growl at times. On the flip, "Doomed" sees Lindner excel at fractured rhythms and textures once more whilst "Bungalow" offers some insight into the delicate side of the Mix Mup production palette.

Review: With Silent Servant having inaugurated the Jealous God label alongside the like minded Svreca, the second release sees another founder step up to the plate in the shape of James Ruskin. Taking the much less grander title of Jealous God 02, this 12" from the Blueprint boss will be of interest to fans of the Sandwell District Fabric mix, featuring "Into The Circle" amongst it's six tracks. It's also the first solo Ruskin release since his Sabre / Massk EP for Blueprint back in 2010, and it sees Ruskin return to a sound similar to that of his Fear Ratio collaboration with Mark Broom, whilst also incorporating shades of his more experimental productions for Stroboscopic Artefacts' Stellate series. The famed British DJ and techno producer supplies three full tracks, which sit alongside three shorter excerpts spread across the single 12-inch. The record comes accompanied by an "artefact" in the shape of a Silent Servant designed postcard, and a free mix CD from the Melbourne-based Moopie - who met and played with Silent Servant during a recent tour of Australia - which draws on a far-flung selection of USSR-made synthesis, gamelan-krautrock infusions and American psych-rock.

Review: Having launched Off Minor Recordings with some of his own refined solo material under the Cry Baby J moniker, Jordan Czamanski adopts a more archival tone for the label's second release, digging into the unreleased early nineties works of Move D. Recorded at his KM20 Studio in hometown Heidelberg (hence the name) The KM20 Tapes feel all too appropriate for contemporary analysis, drawing on a smudged and improvised approach to analogue electronics that would pique the interest of fans of LIES, TTT et al. The rugged drawn out acid of "Ovi Riese" in particular bangs the box in a degraded manner that is most pleasing. Excitingly, this is the first of an irregular series of archival material from Moufang on Off Minor with Czamanski apparently sitting on a tonne of tracks.

Review: Moritz von Oswald Trio catch up on the amount albums they've released for Honest Jon's by delivering a new and second EP for the label called Blue. It's a return to dub techno in its most purest form, which is, of course, the spacious minimalisms of mid-90s Basic Channel. Welcomingly, "Blue" is dryer than ever with a smooth groove that's peppered with caustic stabs of saw wave, while the B-side's dub version is slowed down to a 2013 synthesised version of something by dub reggae originators The Upsetters. TIP!

Review: The last release from legendary Detroit label Metroplex was in 2011, but here it returns in style with a collaboration between label founder Juan Atkins and Basic Channel's Mark Ernestus under the name of Audio Tech. Entitled "Dark Side", the pair's collaborative effort, remixed on the A-side by Metroplex artist Kimyon Huggins, combines Atkins' techno and electro style with Ernestus' dub background into exactly the kind of deep and muggy take on Atkins' sound you'd expect from such a union. Remix duties are handled by another legendary pair, with minimal veteran Ricardo Villalobos and renowned experimentalist Max Loderbauer uniting again under the name Vilod. They transform "Dark Side" into a snaking, dub infused version whose irregular rhythms will please anyone who heard the pair's 2011 Re:ECM album.

Review: Blank Slate continue their 2013 charge with the Bergstrom EP from Mirko, who first appeared on the label's debut; a various artist release. The title track signals the EPs intentions from the first beat: muscular, and in parts - like "Ekaterina" - funky techno. On the flip "State & Revolution" opts for something more minimal in sound which is slightly dubby, while the concluding "Damperhof" is a mournful death scene of deep violas and double bass.

Review: Informa makes itself clear with their first release that label's modus operandi is: techno. Four European acts offer the label an "Informa Experiment" each, with Ness and Deepbass looking to droning textures and gloomy soundscapes for their inspiration. Dutchman Jeroen Search's bleeping version mirrors a soothing Jeff Mills production, while Spanish producer NX1 weaves some Deepbass bottom-end and Ness-like pads into his own pummeling remake.

Review: Typical, you wait months for some new Tin Man material and two records from Johannes Auvinen drop in the space of a week! Last week saw Tin Man add yet another sublime Acid Test release to his discography and this week sees Auvinen add a second edition of the Underdog series for the fine Pomelo label. Lead track "Swarm" has that pounding groove reminiscent of so much modern techno but where some might go for the steely eyed approach, Tin Man laces the edges with a subtle funk as the track grinds relentlessly forth over ten minutes. Face down "Hack" has to be Auvinen's homage to the Soundhack work of Frank Timms whilst "Rocky" is Tin Man doing stripped back, reductive techno dominated by the central droning bassline.

Review: Separate Minds, the project of Lou Robinson and Vernell Shelton of Scan 7 and UR fame, first released their underground hit "Scattered Thoughts" back in '93. It's since been largely forgotten, or kept a secret, until now with Sonic Groove's rerelease of the Detroit original 20 years later. Gearing up to resurrect the track, Adam X kept plans close to his chest through fear of bootlegs surfacing, just like they did when Sonic Groove rereleased Blake Baxter's "Sexuality" in 2002 - commissioning remixes from Ben Sims and Frankie Bones. Divulging his secret earlier this month, Adam X breathes new life into the slept-on classic - that admittedly didn't make it onto the shelves of the now defunt Sonic Groove record store in NYC upon its original release - by paying homage to the funky, rave-subtle and jammin' piece of Detroit techno with an untypical Traversable Wormhole 2013 electro revisit. Adam X also tributes the release by having it mastered by original member of EBM and industrial band Klinik, Eric Van Wonterghem, aka Monolith.