Juno Recommends Techno August 2019

Review: Given his stargazing, intergalactic ethos, it's perhaps unsurprising that sci-fi techno overlord Jeff Mills has decided to mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo XI moon landing by releasing an album containing his musical "interpretations of Earth's moon". As you'd expect from an artist of Mills' standing, it's a very good album. Evocative, atmospheric and hugely spacey - this is Jeff Mills after all - the seven-track set moves from scene-setting, string-laden ambient ("Control, Satva and Rama") to sparse, acid-flecked dub techno ("Electromagnetic") via a string of fine cuts that variously touch on electro-fired broken techno ("Stabilizing The Spin"), Steve Reich style minimalism (the brilliant "Lunar Power"), and semi-orchestral electronic positivity ("The Tides").

Review: Robin Ball's Memory Box dips once more into the acid-laced honey pot and comes up with the lysergic maestro Luke Vibert, who delivers a crucial gurgler in "X To C" that ranks amongst his most incisive 303 workouts in recent memory. A snappy 808 drum line and quintessential vocal chops make this an all-round masterful jam for heads down moments in the dance. Robin Ball himself steps up on the B side with two equally proficient cuts, from the big and bold peak time propulsion of "Gripper" to the punchy tech-noir of "The Edge".

Review: Next up on the ever-excellent Oscillat is "Spellbound" by the supremely talented Matthew Dekay. This moving deep house jam uses a few key elements to make a soul-stirring confection for truly spine-tingling moments in the middle of the dance. From the slithers of vocal to the insistent key riff that bounces throughout, this is an outstanding slice of contemporary house music loaded with feeling. Mandar then take the original and inject it with a feisty peak time energy shot through with a little trancey magic and an acidic undertone. It's not a raging beast but rather an energizing workout for the brain and the body - just what you need in the midst of a marathon.

Review: On celebrating 22 years of Josh Wink's cult acid classic "Sixth Sense" on his legendary Ovum imprint, they've invited one half of Masters At Work, Louie Vega, and Israeli techno hero Shlomi Aber for a set of remarkable updates. Vega looks after the A side with a couple of sweltering reworks: from the bouncy, bass-driven groove attitude of the main remix which retains industry veteran Ursula Rucker's powerful vocal performance, to the handy dub version up next. On the flip, Aber certainly has come a long way since the days of Chicago Days/Detroit Nights - it's about spending all weekend at Berlin's Berghain these days - getting on some proper tunnel vision with his steely and austere rework.

Review: Resurgent Welsh techno wizard DJ Guy launches his own label with a fresh batch of deep diving jams that put the soul back in the machine. From the twinkling, starry-eyed delights of "Music Is Life" to the horizontal meditation of "Interplanetary," this is immaculately executed electronica in the fine tradition of UK trailblazers like B12 that sounds as fresh as it did in the 90s. "Warmth In Rhythm" sports a nagging house groove to suck you in with ease, while "Propulsion State" fires off a dazzling arpeggio that heads skywards with a twitchy electro backbone for company. Top shelf tackle from a seriously talented cat.

Review: Prince De Takicardie has been part of the Lumbago family of artists for some time. He's already served up some serious heat via the Signal Phantasm project (alongside studio collaborator Welwert) and here makes his solo debut for the Lyon-based label. He starts strongly via the jumpy acid bass, twisted electronics and thrusting grooves of "Space Dandy", before giving his TB-303 lines more prominence on the retro-futurist techno clank of "Scorpio's Track". Arguably even better is "The Haunted Cabaret", a sparkling and spacey slab of storming techno-funk, while "The Gates of Hell" sees the French producer wrap rave style stabs and jacking machine drums around another Chicago style acid bassline.

Review: Like Delsin label mates Conforce and Claro Intelecto, veteran producer John Beltran seems incapable of producing duff albums. "Hallo Androiden", his first full length outing for two years, is another wonderfully atmospheric, melodic and emotive set that recalls the producer's impeccable 1990s output. The nine tracks are as lushly produced as you'd expect, with Beltran effortlessly drifting between eyes-closed ambient techno, lilting electronica, slowly shifting sunset soundscapes and the kind of grandiose, life affirming ambient compositions that have long been a feature of the veteran producer's work. As with much of his output, there are enough intricate details and emotion-stirring motifs to suggest that the album will sound just as good on the 50th listen as it does the first.

Review: Trustworthy techno outpost Chronicle are the kind of label you can still get behind when they drop an unnamed artist. Whoever's behind Cycle De Motifs, the bar remains reassuringly high for those wanting fresh firepower in the serious techno game. "GPS" is a fist-shaking piledriver, but it's not without its cerebral nuances between the surging low end. Who needs a kick when you can have a relentless sub to carry you through the night? "C-Signature" darts out into equally intriguing territory with a creeping, insectoid array of sound design working around a minimal beat. "Gateway To Infinity" piles the eerie, looping figures on and continues spiraling outwards, and "Nepthys" plies an old-skool drum machine jack in the finest Plastikman tradition.

Review: On the A1 Chekov follows up their moves on Peach Discs and Timedance with a proper peak timer, they've been described by Ben UFO as 'king of the build up' and that's evident on this one. At the A2 London's Doppelate makes their Cong Burn debut with an elegant tech-house roller. Fresh from Russia's underground is Camin, on this, his debut 12" release he drops a useful tool which squeezes between electro and techno. Cong Burn founder Howes closes the B side with some warm hypnosis that could have landed in the golden era of Workshop.

Review: LSD is the techno supergroup of Luke Slater, Steve Bicknell, David Sumner. They launch their new self-titled LSD imprint with a six track double pack of pure techno. Having released their first EP on Ostgut Ton back in 2017 followed by a series of live performances at festivals and venues across Europe including Berghain, Dekmantel Festival, Awakenings, Reaktor and Astropolis they return with their second drop of studio material.

Focussing on psychedelic aspects of techno while drawing on the unique rhythmic sensibilities of each of the three members, between them this group have all had a major impact on the global techno scene over the last two decades. Their new collaborative double pack carries on where the debut left off with six tracks of melodic and mind melting techno with surreal atmospheres and propulsive drum programming that takes you into the next dimension.

Review: The long-serving Psychoskunk label comes back in full force with some unflinching underground techno gear from Error Etica, otherwise known as label boss Victor Martinez. "Inductors V2" sets a serious tone for this record with its reduced soundscape and needlepoint sound design attitude. Hironori Takahashi then makes an appearance remixing "Diatonic Scale" and turning it into a deadly, minimalist bruiser. 65D Mavericks jump on "Schematic Diagram" and laden it with blown out kicks and eerie atmospherics, and then Pelacha tackles "Inductors V1" and embellishes it with creeping, modulating textures that bring the track to life in a most unsettling of ways, as was surely the intention. This is techno for darkened souls if ever we heard it.

Review: Berlin-based British producer Joe Seaton dons the Onno Fudd alias once again, following up a couple of releases on Will Bankhead's The Trilogy Tapes label - namely 2016's terrific Blue Dot EP. Five deep and meditative cuts that merge classic house/techno flavours with IDM and ambient aesthetics - all with a modern experimental twist. We are loving the floaty and entrancing drifter that is the title track, the driving EBM style arpeggio that is central to the epic groove of "Joyride To My Inside" and the hypnotic heads down bounce of "Earth Queen Voice". On the flip, he even dons his more popular Call Super alias for the Rhythim Is Rhythim-ish vibe of "The Mess".

Review: Three years on from his last outing as Head Front Panel, machine-loving acid maestro John Heckle finally delivers a new EP from his techno-focused side project. After opening with a scene-setting chunk of weirdo ambient, Heckle dives into peak-time techno pastures via the sharp, alien synth loops and pounding beats of "Cube" and the grainy, acid-fired dancefloor psychedelia of intoxicating throb-job "Poly Wind". The intensity keeps coming via the minor key bleeps and thrusting drums of "Stretch". There's more tipsy fun on side B, too, meaning this is one wonky techno EP that you don't want to miss out on.