Juno Recommends Techno: August 2023

Review: Aubrey has always brought a detailed sense of sound design to his heavy techno. The Berlin-based artist does that again here on a first EP on his own Solid Groveos since 2016. Two tracks delve into his archives to come up with some rare and obscure jams from the 90s. One is 'Lose Yourself' - a bright and cosmic take on techno that prime-era Derrick May would be proud of then the other, 'Breaking Out', offers golden US-style house with nice frayed synths and smoky depths. Two new cuts are 'Chase Mind' - a cavernous and dubby, with whimsical pads and unrelenting bass locking you in a trance, then 'Mr Muscle', a twisted acid techno closer that completes a varied and vital EP.

Review: Dub techno don Steve O'Sullivan's Mosaic label is back with a new dubs series and vol 1 kicks things off with a real doozy on lovely red wax. The boss himself offers up a Bluetrain special edition dub of Hidden Sequence's 'Synapse' which is all icy lines and liquid rhythms which make you think of some frozen lake on a misty morning. Sub Basics (Temple of Sound, Lion Charge Records) opens up with a fresh dub laden track with rippling chords, tons of echo and rolling drums on 'Quarters.' Both are timeless dub outings, as you would expect from this label.

Review: The Scan 7 collective is known for its archetypal Detroit sounds and meticulously designed tracks. Always with a nod to Underground Resistance, the group put out its 'The Resistance' tune 11 years ago now back in 2013. Here it gets served up once more in its original form alongside some hefty remixes. It's a sophisticated track with lush strings and spoken word musings over buoyant Motor City house grooves. The Terrence Parker mix is even more house, with loopy bass bringing a soulful touch under the more florid claps. Last of all is the UR Detroit Rusted Metal mix, which is all fizzing synth modulations and dark broken beats.

Review: UK artist David Duncan recorded only one EP as Ability II but it is one of those which has become an utter cult classic and much sought-after 12". The story goes that the bassline on this one was so deep the mastering engineer had a problem cutting it. There is no evidence of it on this reissue though - that bassline powers the tune perfectly as the plunging kick drums and dancing synths get you moving your body. Perfectly deployed vocals bring heart-aching soul as this most warm and dubby cut drowns you in timeless deep techno. Next to the gorgeous original mix is an extended dub for even more drawn-out late-night dance floor pleasures.

Review: The Axis Expressionist series, curated by Millsart aka Jeff Mills, is back with a second EP that features a selection of tracks making their debut on vinyl. The music is less focused on the act of dancing and more, says the ever-verbose Mills, "about reflecting on the complexity and simplification of life." The opener 'The Wise One' (Khufu mix) is all steamy and ritualistic percussive sounds and mystic synths over a rolling tribal beat that turns you inwards. 'Wind Walkers' (extended mix) is a beautifully loose-limbed jumble of percussion, off-grid hits and snaking rhythms steeped in celestial charm and 'Don't Ask Me Why' (extended mix) rounds out with another snaking groove richly embellished with ancient cosmic magic.

Review: Robert Witschakowski's tunnel-like focus on the advancement of electro continues apace with this latest Exaltics transmission for Clone West Coast Series, his second album after 2019's II Worlds and his latest since the acclaimed link-up with Heinrich Mueller, Dimensional Shifting. Of course this is electro first and foremost, so the likes of 'Let's Fly The Gravity Together' will hit the pleasure centre of any machine funk aficionado, but even more special is the presence of Detroit Grand Pubahs' Paris The Black Fu offering his unmistakable MC work to 'Lif Eono Ther Planets'. Paris returns for penultimate track 'Did You See Them' alongside Mr Remy, and in between there's an abundance of electro riches to fulfil your cybernetic fantasies.

Review: The dub techno dons at Echocord welcome Mathimidori to the ranks with this new 12" featuring two origins and a remix from New York's Levon Vincent. 'Anata' kicks off in mid-tempo fashion with rolling chords and cuddly-deep drums that are doused in lo-fi vinyl crackle. 'Zanziba' staggers and stumbles on a more rickety rhythm with static electricity passing over the top and oceans of reverb below. The whole of the flip is taken up by 'Zanziba' (Levon Vincent remix) which is epic, elegant and expansive and showcases the sort of fine synth craft Vincent has excelled at all of his career.

Review: Well Street serves up lush broken beats on this new 12" with an insert and sticker included alongside the serious grooves. They come from Cousin who kicks off with the lurching, bass infused rhythms of '88'. 'Ante' then pairs edgy synth work and aqueous droplets with busted synth loops to make for something truly fresh. 'Otta' is a lush suspensory tune that floats you on ambient pads with minimal elastic rhythms. 'Fifth Wall' sits down with more misty ambient and mysterious atmospheres that float through space.

Review: This record is named after Vedanta, an ancient philosophy based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India. The music, originally composed and produced by Joseph S Joyce and later remixed by Sebastian Mullaert of Minilogue, was greatly inspired, after reading commentaries from Swami Rama Tirtha's biography "The Scientist & Mahatma" - Chapter 1 - Vedanta and The Secret of Success. Now, some nine years later, it gets served up as a remix EP. There's a dark El Choop Reconstruct, a gorgeous ambient version from Sebastian Mullaert, a minimal headscape from Van Bonn, Federson SF goes warm and dubby and then a crisp, tech-edged vibe from Paul 90 ends the EP in style.

Review: Soft Traffic is an alias for a well-known digi-dub producer who recently turned heads with an outing on Made Mecum. Now they land on the mighty Sushitech with a super limited, hand-stamped 12" featuring Prince Morella. It opens up with the silky smooth 'Meltem I', a liquid dub techno roller with chords rippling out to an infinite horizon as vocal muttering up top heighten the immersive trip. Part II is more icy and underwater, with rhythmic synth undulations and smooth-as-silk drum rotations locking you into a meditative state. Last of all is part III, an ambient sounds scape with subtly suggestive rhythms as you float in an underwater cavern. Classy stuff.

Review: The latest entry in Cabaret's steadfast run of club workouts comes from Ottber and Katsuya Sano, who team up on the electro-techno charged Good Friends 12". The title track is a playfully melodic, synth-driven freakout for the floor, while 'Common Travel' deals in plenty of cheeky bleeps and snappy drum machine jack. 'Furthur Away' leans in on acid lines aplenty and 'Sentir O Oir' swerves to a more overtly electro style to make this another essential grab for anyone who likes injecting some fun into their machine-driven techno set.

Review: Vital Detroit label FIT Sound has put together its first compilation here, all with the aim of showcasing tracks from revered label artists Jared Wilson, Bizz O.D., and FIT Siegel. Wilson is now synonymous with wild acid workouts and 303 magic and he serves up more of it here on the mind-melting10 minute 'Mind Travel'. The lesser spotted veteran Bizz O.D. then brings some jack to her previously unreleased bomb 'One Two,' which was recorded in the mid-'90s but still sounds future. Last of all is the label head FIT Siegel with 'No Feedback,' a studio sampling exercise turned experimental broken beat techno workout with hypnotic effects. Here's hoping many more of these will follow.

Review: Mall Grab's Steel City Dance Discs bangs out a 29th volume of its self-titled series here and DJ Boneyard is the one who has been digging in his vaults to serve up six deathly techno slammers. 'Bonestyle' is all about the distorted low ends and sleazy broken beast which power it along under edgy synths. 'Flutter' is a crispy electro scuzz-fest with more ear-ticking low end fizz and brighter trance chords up top. 'Slap Slap Slap' is a percussive flurry, a tumble of drums and gritty warehouse noise while three more brilliantly tough and fucked up takes on techno feature on the flip side.

Review: Albert Zhirnov's back on the Clergy label for a second time following his debut last year. Once again he showcases a love of fad-free, straight up techno pumpers for the main room. There is a sweep-you-off-your-feet urgency to 'Switchback' with its hurried kicks and restless synth loops all demanding you move. 'Distortion Forge' is a high-octane banger too, this time with rusty metal peeling off the bulky beats. The energy levels ramp up through another high-functioning tool in 'Wooden Lessons' and the frictionless forces of 'Stoker.' Basements won't know what's hit them.

Review: Mineral Cuts is back with more otherworldly tech house offerings, this time in the form of a split 12". KG Beat is up for with a well constructed and prog-tinged track that is always on the move; always giving you the feeling that it is going somewhere big. It's the synth sequences that convey that feeling and mean you remain locked in throughout. Cosmic Soup Sound System then styes sup to twist melons a little more with 'Eddie De Boing De Boing,' another track that gives you a dancefloor rush with waves of warm synth over old school tech house drums that are perfectly clean and punchy.

Review: Progressive house producer Marsh catches a lucky break on this new one for Spectrum, following up his already-successful track 'Little Darling' with a pair of remixes from Joris Voorn and Polymod. All the tracks feature on this fresh 12". While the original is measured and refractive, and syncopated with a subtle future garage shuffle, Voorn and Polymod provide takes on the seemingly opposing ends of the track's vibe-spectrum, with the former raising the stakes into a stark progressive uplift, and the latter plunging the track's more potentiatied depths.

Review: With roots in electro, hip-hop, house and techno, you can never quite be sure what Orlando Voorn will serve up next. On this top-notch ten-inch single - his first for NOUN - he's in full on techno mode, puffing out his chest and striding confidently towards peak-time dancefloors. The legendary Dutch producer first offers up 'Infinite Voyage', a slamming, warehouse-ready workout that wraps buzzing, mutant electronic lead lines and star-fall around stomping beats and booming bass. On 'Straight UP' he opts for darker, bolder, stabbing bass, alien-sounding bleeps, jazzy synth stabs, heady aural textures and another tough-as-teak drum track.

Review: Binary Digit's 'EP1' much like its predecessor 'EP2' now receives a welcome re-press from Zeitnot having sold out in a super quick time the first time around. It is a collision of essential electronic sounds from electro to acid. 'Crook Acid' is first up and hurries along with busy acid lines and urgent, tightly coiled drum funk. There is just as much pace and sense of speed to 'Sneaking Out Of The Club' with its shining cosmic lines and gurgling bass. 'Untitled 38490' brings a different look with happy piano energy and two further jams continue to work the floor into a sweat.

Review: Kassian never hurries his release rate which means that when the Shall Not Fade and SB Jamz producer does drop new music you need to tune in. This latest comes six months after his self-released and self-thief versions 003 back in January and arrives via the esteemed K7. 'X-303' is twisted and textured techno for late night warehouses with 'Tabla' a more layered up jumble of percussion and loopy drums. 'Prelude' burrows deep on a prying lead and bulky but rubbery drum loops and 'Patterns' rounds out with an edgy vibe, clipped vocals and uneasy synths that keep you locked.

Review: An-i is the alias of Berlin-based Korean-American Doug Lee, an artist with over two decades in the game already under several different monikers. This is the third EP to come under this name since debuting it in 2015 and finds him in an even more bold and adventurous mode than ever. Opener 'Rabble' is controlled techno chaos, a flurry of whirring machines and unrelenting drums that will frazzle your brain. 'Rubble' is just as intense, a big wall of rusted synth work and industrial noise mangled into something rhythmic and futuristic. 'Chapel Perilous' on the flip then offers up a spaced-out journey deep into the inner psyche. A welcome return from a truly singular artist that comes on fluorescent yellow wax.

Review: Planet Rhythm seems to be in a purple patch right now and is putting out freshen techno platters on a very consistent basis. The in house production team step up for this one and it's the second of the Recycle series on nice purple marbled vinyl. There is nothing nice about the tunes though - they are searing dance floor slayers. 'DF-RT' has hammering drums and hits and freeform synths zipping about the mix while 'PCP' is a more stripped back, heads down, hunched over and late night techno pounder. 'Shimmering' is another tuning and streamlined cut with growing synth energy and 'Subtone A' closes with a snarl.

Review: Credit 00 continues to be one of the most fascinating weirdniks from Dresden's Uncanny Valley, offering up cheeky electro with heaps of personality. On a return visit to Berlin label Mechatronica, he's not holding back a jot on the wild-style ideas. Just listen to 'Ratlife In The Sunshine', which creates a hybridised footwork-Miami bass style twist up of Roy Ayers' 'Everybody Loves The Sunshine' with all the soul replaced by gnarliness. If that sounds like sacrilege, fear not - your boy Rat Life has the swerve to pull it off. The electro might be slightly more focused on the B-side, but these tracks still spit with non-conformist energy which is so very welcome when many stick to a very established genre formula.

Review: Turnend Tapes is back on wax with a hugely tasteful EP featuring four tracks selected from the works of venerated veteran Zedmeco. His take on techno is deep and atmospheric with the slow, deep rolling 'Undressing Aphrodite' a nice star gazer to open with. 'ABC' is another unhurried and supple techno sound with shimmering melodies and deft synths zipping across its face. 'Engaging The Oracle' gets more dark with grinding drums and malfunctioning machine sounds while a more playful side is shown on 'Apollo's Lyre' with its cosmic synths and lumpy drums.