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

Review: One of the more driving cuts from Robert Hood's epic Motor: Nighttime World 3 from last year, "Drive (The Age Of Automation)" finds itself getting a welcome slice of wax all to itself on this release. Pressed up loud, the original is about as Detroit as you can get, where a moody motorik bassline gives way to suitably sci-fi synths, combining a musical take on Detroit's automotive history with a Blade Runner aesthetic. Token artist Phase obviously revels in the opportunity to provide two brilliant reworks of the track; the "Nocturnal Mix", which isolates the original's bass stabs and incorporates them into a rolling juggernaut rhythm tailor made for the warehouse, while the "C-Box Mix" opts to keep the melodic elements but pare them back with the producer's trademark sharpness.

Review: The Surface label, synonymous with hard edged British techno, gives Nick Dunton and the late Richard Polson's The 65D Mavericks project a special (re)release of sorts. It's called Estrangement Of The Past which features a live edit (no details as to when and where is was recorded) and another remix by Surgeon. The original is breakbeat and synth screaming techno at its finest, as industrial thwacks of percussion and smatterings of acid litter the piece, while Surgeon remoulds the kick drum of the original and raises the rest of the mix from a hazy and analogue dredged deep. Seminal British techno.

Review: Seeing the word disco in a techno title for some reason means good things. It of course doesn't mean rhythm guitars and strings, but it does show a cheeky side of techno otherwise unseen. Few people do disco sounding techno better than the Italian Marcello Napoletano who adopts the rarely seen Michael Ferragosto alias for this Synthdrome At The Disco EP. "Amore Jackin Per 77" flares with rolling snares that sounds like crunched up aluminium foil, while single bar loops of bass repeat on itself to jacking percussion, snappy claps and jaq-jaq vocals. "Risque Intentions" brims with bubbling acid, flat tyre kicks and grouchy explanations of real house music, while "V2021" squeals with flanging and phased synths. Naturally the title track is the closest the EP gets to disco with a skippy backbeat, bedroom recorded vocals with feedback horror delays for that techno touch.

Review: Keith Worthy dons a new alias called Lamar for the Guilty Pleasures EP on his own Aesthetic Audio label. A grubby bassline and sprocket wheelin' beats create a smudgy and down-beat groove in "Guilty Pleasures", lightened by flutey keys and a synth line that sounds like a distant buzzing swarm of hornets. "Karma" is as melodious as it it confusing. Locked to a four-four framework, a cathedral organ repetitiously builds in size, surrounded by fluttering and spacey electronics - further defining the producers take on the futuristic Detroit and K-Worthy deep house sound.

Review: It seems incredible to think that despite his nearly 20 years of prodcution experience, Dave Sumner hasn't released a full Function album until this year. Thankfully Incubation proves it's been well worth the wait with the Sandwell District member really stretching his legs out for one of those techno albums that is most definitely an album experience. This nine track set bristles with great ideas and murky atmospherics, combining dystopian sci-fi soundtrack textures with the precision techno he's become known for. There are robust dancefloor tracks - see the murky acid techno of "Against The Wall" and sweaty "Modifier" - but also moments of intense, melodic beauty, from the crystalline bliss of "Counterpoint", to the dreamy hypnotism of "Inter (album version)".

Review: Dat boy u know as Anthony Naples adds The Trilogy Tapes to his growing impressive discography with the superb El Portal EP. It only seems like last week Naples appeared out of nowhere with the modern classic Mad Disrespect EP for Mr Saturday Night and since then his rise has been meteoric, remixing Four Tet, gracing Opal Tapes, founding his own Proibito label and dropping another slayer for Mr Harkin and Mr Carter. Adding Will Bankhead's supreme TTT operation to his arsenal is a true statement and this is impressive stuff; doling out raw abstract deep house that threatens to swell over on the title track, while "Pueblo" provides a rough downtempo rhythm whose scrappy hi-hats come laden with funk and a jazzy piano refrain. On the flip, "Busy Signal" provides house track whose sweet chords are counterbalanced by a particularly driving rhythm. Watch out for the Fleetwood Mac drop too!

Review: Samuel Kerridge was responsible for one of 2012?s most remarkable and self assured debuts in the form of the Auris Interna EP, whose grimy, slow-motion soup recalled the likes of Andy Stott and Powell, and made a stark contrast to the imprint's usual precision techno. Given the producer's experimental tendencies and the undeniably gothic qualities present in his work, it comes as little surprise that Kerridge's latest EP comes on Regis' Downwards label. Entitled Waiting For Love, the record takes the form of a track in four parts which run the gauntlet between white hot noise, moody, dubbed out techno and living, breathing drone, all mastered by Russell Haswell. His debut was auspicious enough, but this is next level - terrifying, absorbing and beautiful in equal measure.

Review: Tales from the Night Sky (Part 1) sees Perseus Traxx continue to mine the acid house past of Chicago across four tracks. Unlike some of his less imaginative contemporaries however, this producer's productions gargle with a frenzied density that shows his own distinctive take on the period. Lead track "Gorgon" has an acid line to rival Laurent X's "Machines", but its main focus is the interplay between the distorted drums and the trance inducing melodies. Complementing this, "Poseidon's Monster" opts for a primitive jacking approach but the unexpected highlight is "Stranger Shores". Here Rogers explores a slower tempo and fashions delicate melodies that are in stark contrast to what precedes it.

Review: Berlin's Killekill crew have seen their label go from strength to strength over the past year or so, culminating in the release of the recent Megahits compilation which saw them open their doors to a wider spectrum of artists. One was Spectral and Creme producer Tadd Mullinix, whose contribution under his JTC alias provided one of the compilation's highlights, and here he returns to the label with a full EP. "Sonic Criminal" is a hypnotic deep techno jam filled with simmering acid tones, while "Pulse Catcher" is a primal piece of mid-tempo Jak put through a rough and grubby filter. "Earth" sharpens the focus again with its high-frequency basement tones, while the EP closer "Black Oracle" combines electro rhythms with a dystopian analogue backdrop.

Review: The Boddika-helmed Nonplus unveil Think & Change, the label's first compilation and what a way to mark such an event. Calling on a cast of the great and the good of contemporary techno and bass music, Think & Change arrives sporting some ten tracks spread across five plates and housed in a box set adorned with the distinctive Non Plus brand work. This box set is undoubtedly a statement of how far Non Plus has come since it's emergence in 2009 as an outlet for the Autonomic family of artists, gradually mutating into a more wide ranging approach, with material from Actress, Kassem Mosse and Basic Soul Unit ensuring a reputation as one of the most respected labels in the bass music diaspora. Desirable to many eyes for the presence of Joy Orbison's much requested "Big Room Tech House DJ Tool - TIP!" you should also be checking Four Tet's contribution "For These Times" (easily his best, least fussy club track to date) and "Bad Chicago" from Martyn.

Review: Repress alert! Whilst we were busy polishing off the Quality Street over Christmas, Ron Morelli decided to launch another LIES offshot with the LIES XMAS series - Delroy Edwards helms the inaugural release. Those who indulged in Edwards LIES debut 4 Club Use Only will see the word "curveball" flash before their eyes when listening to A Side track "Heart & Soul" a production which demonstrates the newcomer is fully capable of a more subtle approach. It's a simple but compelling production where brisk claps are underpinned by a chiming melodic motif and a calming, titular vocal hook that sounds naggingly familiar. It's backed with "Sprk The Dust" a wholly more aggressive affair which submerges a chopped up Lil Wayne deep beneath a relentless 150bpm jack hammering beat. Check YouTube for a rather good fan video for the latter btw!

Review: Len Faki is no stranger to Ostgut Ton having mixed the label's third and possibly hardest sounding Berghain CD back in 2009. Whilst the Berlin fixture has remained resolutely busy since then, Faki has remained absent from the OSTGUT catalogue numbers. Until now that is as the Basement Trax Vol 1 12" signals Faki's return to Ostgut colours in impressive and diverse fashion. Lead track "Btx1" is dominated by the heavily processed treatment of some orgasmic sounding female vocals which are submerged deep in the mix and smeared greedily across the channels chased by whip cracking percussion. The flipside accompaniment "Btx2" is a tougher version with the tribalistic percussion gradually consumed by the vastness of Faki's string arrangements and the final version "Btx3" sees Faki present a swirling mass of ambient calm. How good would it be to hear this at 2pm on a Sunday in Berghain?

Review: Tresor chalk up a whopping 260 releases with Sleeparchive's A Man Dies In The Street Part 1. Roger Semsroth has always constructed dense techno from minimal means: dusty white noise, a handful of bleeps, solid drums and simple sequences melded into new forms by heavy doses of repetition and austere atmospherics created from the waste products of cycling parts. Spooky bleeps only make up the even half of the EP, with "2" dinging endlessly like a quantised but malfunctioning train crossing, while "4" sees Semsroth inject more life into his short wrung tonal bursts. "1" and "3" however are the remit of ringing metrical's, with Sleeparchive seemingly paying homage to Regis' mid '90s style of hard and grubby techno, similar to "He/1" and "He/2".

Review: Following his prime edit material for Cole Medina's American Standard label, Scottish producer Lord Of The Isles has seen original productions land on the likes of Cocktail d'Amore, Ene, and his own Little Strong as well as gracing the Phonica Special Edition Series. Now he arrives on Shevchenko for the label's seventh release, with three tracks representing the many shades and hues of his production palette. "Elgol" sees the producer venture into similarly impressionistic house territory as Legowelt, with nebulous organ chords joined by loosely jacking drums and gentle acid textures. On the flip, "Galicia" delivers a deep jam with all the same free-flowing analogue tendrils and luscious bass, while "Timber Lorries Emerging" combines a bassline with a John Carpenter-inspired tension with neo-Balearic soul, a combination that works a lot better in practice than you'd expect. As with all Shevchecnko releases clear vinyl and exceptional music is the order of the day - highly recommended.

Review: Expert attention to detail across all visual and sonic elements is present and correct once again on this sick release from the Avian nest. Label co-founder Shifted is at the helm, presenting the first of a two part Cold Light series; "Cold Light Sektor A" is all about the contrast between elements as the near incandescent lightness of those dubby chords battles with the growing weight of Shifted's sludgy rhythmic arrangements. Complementing this, "Sektor B" opts to burrow down a plinking locked groove making it a perfect DJ tool.

Review: In what could be the biggest techno release of 2013 so far, Geophone delivers a rarely seen VA package, with Mike Parker only appearing in remixed form. Donato Dozzy and Neel's revered Voices From The Lake collaboration supply their first release outside of Prologue with some throbbing brain pulses in "Reptilicus" - much harder sounding than their album material. Shifted's remix to Parker's "Mnajdra" is outrageously Berghain-centric, as mechanically mutated insect buzzes hammer away to scraping and suctioned percussion. Ukrainian artist Stanislav Tolkachev, who is making a name for himself since his track "Building Peaks" on Developer's Modularz settles into Geophone's 19th release with his usual frenetic pace, this time employing thudding drums and melancholic atmospheres likened to Aphex Twin's more emotional material. This version comes with special artwork from Mr Geophone Mike Parker himself.

Review: Shout outs to Gerd Janson and Running Back for doing the decent thing and issuing the surprise Syclops LP from the master Maurice Fulton on double vinyl. Having seemingly abandoned his Syclops pseudonym following the critical and commercial success of the superb 2008 full-length, I've Got My Eye On You, Fulton elected to resurrect it for a surprise sophomore album. Predictably, A Blink of An Eye is a bit good. Picking up where the previous album left off, it delivers a warped fusion of titanium-plated electronics, leftfield acid jack, freestyle jazz flourishes and intergalactic mutant disco. Formidably twisted but hugely enjoyable, it gleefully charges off in many different directions, mixing shirts-off anthems (see the brilliant "Sarah's E with Extra P"), with curious percussion jams (the afro-centric "Jump Bugs") and curiously blissful, Boof-ish excursions ("5 In"). Stellar stuff.

Review: There's plenty of interest on this three track Charged Particles 12" from the Tsunami Records label. Firstly it brandishes yet more highly charged output from the Spherical Coordinates project of label boss Christian Wunsch and Spanish techno icon Oscar Mulero, a collaboration that debuted in auspicious circumstances with a recent EP on Polegroup. Much like that four tracker, "SCXFG 21" sees the pair lock into a deep, throbbing techno groove that perfectly encapsulates their stated intention to create music "heavily inspired by space and futurism, focusing on liquid textures, harmonic sequences and classic drum machine sounds, yet preserving the danceable feeling." In addition, Geophone and Prologue artist Mike Parker ensures the deepness remains on the flip with the shuddering textural journey below that is "Currents" whilst Reeko opts for a groaning industrial approach on the excellent "Blueshift".

Review: Having emerged with some killer output across Deeply Rooted, Ann Aimee and Tresor, Parisian producer Cedric Bros aka Marcelus struck out and launched Singular, his own label late last year. Electing to allow Viennese producer Claudia Anderson to inaugurate Singular with the respectable Hysteria, Marcelus now graces the label with his own distinct brand of tough techno on the four track Another Way 12". It's a strong release from the off, with your senses dominated by the dizzying, intense shower of alien textures and wild, fractured percussion that steadily builds throughout the opening title track. The superbly titled "Sonic Cigars" begins in tighter rhythmic fashion with a toad like bassline creaking underneath offering a swaying quality, but Bros can't resist letting loose on the percussion with excellent results. On the flip, "Enlightenment" operates more on a rough hewn house flex and showcases his talent for off kilter drum programming as well as the art of the subtle textural build.

Review: Last seen going on a Dawn Walk for the Audio Parallax label, Preston's finest exponent of pitched down house hypnosis Cottam continues a busy 2013 with The Long Walk 12" for the lesser spotted South Coast based Ample Art Recordings. There's no real deviation from the Cottam template on the title track, as ever it's the way the becapped producer teases out the oozing underbelly of acid textures and orchestral swoops over an extended period so that you don't feel the full weight until they are in full flight and smack you square in the face. Flip over and Cottam changes it up with the Afrobeat blessed jam "The Other World" which the mode adventurous DJs out there will find a joy to spin at +8.

Review: The sporadic Paranoid London imprint returns with another single from the outfit devoted to championing acid tracks with old school production values. The A-side features "Paris Dub 1", a bass heavy example of understated 303 manipulations complete with snappy 808 percussion, which is complemented by an instrumental version on the flip for those who like their acid pure. Rounding out the 12" is a cut recorded and improvised entirely live at Manchester's Warehouse Project in 2008, but sounding like it could have been lifted from the mixer of an acid party from Chicago in '85.

Review: The Concrete parties that run for 19 hours on a Sunday have been integral in the rebirth of Parisian clubbing culture, and its own label endeavour which it began earlier this month with a 12" featuring the likes of Awanto 3 and Jared Wilson looks to be the perfect extension of their brand. While the first 12" was made up of relatively lighter house fare, this second seems to go for peak time selections and kicks off with "We Are Made For", a typically deep slice of throbbing analogue loop techno from Swedish producer Bleak, joined on the A-side by Time To Express artist Dario Zenker's "Port De La Dimanche", which combines heaving 909 kicks with sharp dub chords and deep square wave bass in a similarly contemporary fashion. On the flip, Prologue's Abdulla Rashim contributes "Awash River", an intricately texture piece of simmering acid techno which weaves around feathered kick drums; it's a stark contrast to the most impressive track on the release, "Batiment 21" from Behzad & Amarou, a slamming joint that combines loud, jacking drums with severe industrial textures, with a brief moment of house-inspired respite at the mid point which provides an inspired meeting of old and new school.

Review: Originally released on Dance Mania in 1997, Chicago house legend Robert Armani's classic track "Arrow" finds itself the subject of a re-release on Chiwax's Classic Edition series alongside three other thumping tracks from the archive. ON the A-side "Muzik Man" pairs thumping kicks with detuned synthetic bass guitar textures in a classic ghetto house style, while the classic "Arrow" pares things down with its low slung, deep Chicago grooves. Flip mover for "Poison Mind", which offers a dubbier take on the Dance Mania template with swirling chords and abstract yelps circling above thunderclaps of analogue interference, while "The Power" pairs 90s house stabs with floor shaking beats to round off an essential record for Dance Mania enthusiasts.

Review: The latest Mote Evolver release sees a collaboration so obviously perfect its amazing its taken this long, as Stroboscopic Artefacts boss Lucy and Sandwell District alumnus Silent Servant team up for two tracks of precision techno which supposedly sees the pair using digital and analogue elements together to combine Lucy's ability to tell a story with Silent Servant's mastery of noise and distortion. "Dormancy Survivors" sees a steadily rolling rhythm slowly layered up with bright dub chords and echoing chimes, while white hot noise swells in the background. "Victors History" takes a much moodier approach from the off, as a dubby bass deflects bouncing stabs while clockwork percussion drifts in and out of range, before progressing into full blown cinematic techno towards the finish.