DJs: Most Charted - Minimal / Tech - Most Charted In April 2012

Review: Autoreply offshoot Stuga Musik welcomes back Apoena, who hails from Porto Alegre, capital of the Rio Grande Do Sul state in southern Brazil. His first 12" for Stuga Musik - Falando Serio - was championed by the likes of Baby Ford, Willie Graff and Jus-Ed among others, the latter proceeding to release the self-titled Apoena album on his own Underground Quality imprint earlier this year. As an accomplished musician of many instruments and nationally renowned reggae artist it's no surprise he knows a thing or two about making a killer record. Here he steps up with "Mover", a warm, hypnotic floor-workout that references the early pioneers and is equally suited to peak time or early morning play. On the flip "Cooler" displays layer upon layer of colorful emotion whilst showcasing the artists love for vintage keys and analogue synthesis. Enjoy.

Review: Ahead of Fool, the fourth studio album from Danish institution Kasper Bjorke, HFN deliver this remix EP of lead track "Lose Yourself To Jenny" which should hammer home the producer's wide reaching appeal amongst the house cognoscenti. The track features the vocal talents of an equally illustrious Dane in White Horse's Jacob Bellens, and the presence of Axel Boman, Rebolledo, Maxxi Soundsystem and Till Von Sein on remix duties ensures there's something interesting for most house ears. Studio Barnhus' resident ink cushion Boman calls shotgun with a decidedly sultry revision that's more befitting of a pole dancer's strip tease than 3am on the dancefloor and fully lives up to it's dub title, whilst South Coast duo Maxxi Soundsystem continue their rich vein of form with a hypnotic, deftly building bumper that takes full advantage of Bellen's smooth delivery. Comeme's Rebolledo is the winner here however, transforming the track into a monstrous EBM tease - all rough percussion falling over itself for a seemingly endless period before the arrival of a clever vocal loop signals the onset of a huge synth arpeggio.

Review: Maayan Nidam & Vera Heindel rekindled their rarely seen Mara Trax project for this Sensibilia double drop on the recently quite impressive Perlon imprint (the heads at Juno were on that Fumiya Tanaka 12"). There's an undeniably intoxicating and unhinged quality to lead track "Words Of Love" which twists a mind bending vocal refrain of "Sister, lover, friend" around the off kilter percussive rhythms and rough hewn bass line with echoing reverberant glee. "Murphy's Laugh" begins equally experimental in tone, embellishing the nether regions of the track with ocean deep echoed effects, though the track adopts a straighter rhythmic poise than the jagged A Side. Bizzarely brilliant.

Review: Utilising the skills he learned mixing tracks for the likes of Pole and Pantha Du Prince, Kassian Troyer delivers his new EP, Stills, on Dial. The record opens with the sumptuous title track, featuring beautifully shuffling hi-hats and a subtle yet mesmerising synth progression. "The Afternoon Grid" offers more of the same, gently building a dazzling listening experience that delivers sheer aural serenity. "Breezy" takes things a bit deeper, and slightly darker, moving the rhythm with a swelling bass line accompanied by the distinct shuffle of stripped down garage aesthetics. "Hunter" slows everything down, closing out the record as blissfully as it began; Troyer using the tempo to open up masses of space and filling it with delicate, sparkling house.

Review: Japanese-born Fumiya Tanaka has been around for donkey's years, having released some timeless techno explosions on Tresor, Sundance and his very own Torema Records. It's time for his shot at the Perlon catalogue and "337" quickly sets the tone what what develops into a lo-fi, glitched-out frenzy of aqueous melodies, distant bass riffs and crunchy percussion - a subtle masterpiece. On the flip, things turn more raucous thanks to the nervous bundle of cowbells and snares spewing from all angles. Another great EP for Perlon's best year in a while!

Review: Rekids offshoot, Cabin Fever has continued their fine line of duty in 2012, ever-developing their familiar tech-step sound. This time it comes in the form of the aptly names "Blow Smoke Up The Ass", a relentless house bomb grooving with mild effects and dampened vocals. The dub version is the one here though, filling the arrangement with a gnarly bass line and a heavier dosage of drum beats.

Review: Long standing Leeds hub 2020 Vision return to Traces, the well received debut set from long term affiliate Simon Baker to give "Let Me In" a much needed twelve inch release. The track was one of two collaborations Baker undertook with label mate and rising talent Debukas, and the Glaswegian's vocals melds perfectly with the playful, bouncing production to sound not unlike a North England variant on Art Department. This is 20/20 Vision so you expect the remix commissioning to be impeccably chosen and Lee Curtiss is undoubtedly that, tightening up the groove, dipping Debukas' vocal in the shallow end of the filter pool and allowing his own infectious synth hook to creep in and take over in cahoots with a subaqueous bass line

Review: World Unknown have swiftly established themselves as purveyors of heady, electronic psychedelia that traverses the tempos and offers friends - and in most cases regular attendees of the South London club night - the chance to release material in its most hallowed form; smartly pressed twelve inch vinyl. Arriving at their fifth release, the two tracks here are perhaps the most potent visions of how the monthly club night plays out, not least the heaving ten minute excursion from Semtek. More commonly known for overseeing the Don't Be Afraid label, Semtek should get more attention for his production skills on the basis of "Taco's For Dinner" which incorporates the entirety of Allen Ginsberg's seminal "Howl" over a propulsive, techno arrangement that fizzes and throbs in a manner akin to Underworld's "Dark & Long" without ever losing urgency. On the flip, Weatherall studio protege Scott Fraser pitches down the tempo some for the equally mind bending "Remains The Same" which has understandably been a set staple at A Love From Outer Space for some time now.