Electro Recommendations May 2016

Review: Before his untimely death in 2002, Drexciya member James Stinson recorded a number of killer solo records. Hyperspace Soundlab, initially released in 1991 and credited to Clarence G, is undoubtedly one of his best. It's long been something of an in-demand gem, with copies changing hands for several hundred pounds. Here, Clone have done us all a favour and given it a much-needed reissuevia their Aqualung series dedicated to all things Drexciyan. As you'd perhaps expect, all four tracks explore the Detroit elecro sound Stinson did much to develop, with the producer adding his own rap vocals to the killer "Clarence G's Club", and the ghetto-influenced bounce of "Cause I Said It Right". Elsewhere, "Turbine" is an exercise in industrial-tinged drum machine abuse, while "Data Transfer" sees Stinson doffing a cap to classic Chicago acid.

Review: Veteran Lyonnais Dj/producer Umwelt unleashes 4 new swaggering slabs of Electro.

Review: Abstract Forms sub label Synth Funk seems dedicated to electro auteur Ed DMX thus far and you could see why can't you; the guy's a legend and still showing us all how it's done! Tha Bump! Is his third Synth Funk release after Electro Worm and Dog Funk, and pretty much carries on from where he left off. Opening track "Three Pee" or "Odd Socks" are the kind of happy electro reminiscent of Japanese Telecom in all their frayed and decayed analogue warmth. He soon ventures into electro-funk boogie territory on "Iced Bun" and "Feel-inn Fine" but saves the best for last on the high tech soul of "Catastrophic Bump".

Review: Czech electro upstarts Endless Illusion are back and we're always keen to hear what they're up to next, because these guys are bringing the goods at the moment! This time with label boss Layup who brings us some sleek grooves with a vintage flair on the Functionalism EP. There's some impressively executed reduced retro futurism on "AXA" with all the right amounts of boom and snap to be heard. "Tugendhat" is the most fierce offering on here and probably our favourite with its booming 4/4 assault, razor sharp synth bass and all round analogue soul to admire. Finally "Osada Bada" is an emotive and slow burning drifter whose immersive and hypnotic pads over minimal elements will draw you into the void.

Review: Alexander Neumann has been making dark and disjointed techno under the name of Alex Cortex for almost twenty years now. He has been part of everything from the late dub-techno wave, to the minimal takeover and now the 'outsider' scene, but the artist has always managed to retain his singularity and never get too attached to any one style of fad. He's up on Austria's Trust label for their 26th outing, coming through with the bubbly, grey-scale electro-techno of "We Run Your Life" on the A-side, followed by the minimalistic jitter-beat that is "Foam Rubber Landscaping", and the glitchy bric-a-brac beat of "Memory Overload". All things considered, this dude knows how to bend dance music to its very limits.

Review: Record Store Day can, at times, feel like a gratuitous rehashing of classic material that is only good for clogging up the pressing plants. However, when you're presented with an official compilation of golden Egyptian Lover material from the 1980s, you begin to reconsider and to think that perhaps the world is indeed a good place. Stones Throw have done us the courtesy of bringing together THE BEST material from the man into an eight-sided LP monster containing a 20 page booklet to boot. Within, you have the best material from albums like On The Nile, One Track Mind, 1984. If you're into REAL electro, then you can't possibly look elsewhere - especially if it sounds as good and as crisp as this. Totally unmissable and worth every but of pocket shrapnel.

Review: Frankfurt-based mad scientist M. Boetzl aka Electrodefender has been applying his craft since 2010 when he debuted on local imprint City Beat. Since setting up his own Defendergroove though, he's really found his sound and this is (although technically his second since 2015's Cdr Preturn & Electric Nightmare) is his first official album. A fantastic effort which follows in the footsteps of legends Kraftwerk and local electro hero Anthony Rother. Highlights include the epic and purist vocoder madness of "Dust Invaders", the haunting minimal electro of "Good Machine" (killer arpeggio on this one) and the haunting closer "Display Junkees" calling to mind the work of U.S. legends Dynamix II at their most restrained moments.

Review: FaltyDL's Blueberry label covers a whole spectrum of electronic dance music, and with each new release comes a surprise in one way or another; whether it be glitchy post-drum & bass, or silky deep house, and forward-thinking bass cocktails, quality is never an issue that we're concerned with. This time we have newcomer Tenant liven up the place with six bursts of bass experimentation, and from the utterly bonkers jungle patterns of "Remote Lover", to the minimal electronica of "Unison Yellow", or noisy drum thrashing of "Lunar Gymnast", you will certainly not be bored by the both the originality and diversity of these daring pieces of dance futurism. Sickness throughout.