Back catalogue: Electro

Review: Let's get a few things clear before we start. This Heinrich Dressel is not the same German archeologist Heinrich Dressel who studied under the great Theodor Mommsen in Berlin during the late-mid 1800s. He is, however, the Rome-born electronic producer who takes a massive lead from the funky, glittering, but subtly chilling horror movie scores of the 1970s and 1980s, crafting highly detailed but lo-fi feeling tracks that are packed with pastiche but never parody.

Promenade is his latest effort, and instantly captures (or creates) the atmosphere this producer is best-known for. At a time when this end of synth wave has experienced a huge resurgence thanks to successive movie soundtracks that took a lead from the aforementioned era, not to mention TV series like Stranger Things, this couldn't be more appropriate, and what makes it so essential is that authenticity in audible - feeling like it belongs, rather than simply riding a bandwagon.

Review: Bordello A Parigi is back with more of their sublime electro jams this time from Heinrich Dressel. The EP kicks off with 'Galatograd', a slow and steady jam with shimmering chords and lazy baselines. 'Eden Olympia' then picks up the pace a little with still skill drums and celestial keys that take you on a jaunt through the cosmos. 'Remoria' brings many layers of lush and futuristic synth work and timeless electro rhythms that are comforting and subtly celebratory and 'Mylos' shuts down this most lovely EP with another classy sound.

Review: In which Mannequin become the latest label to dip into the vast CDr archives of Legowelt's dormant Strange Life Records. Originally released back in 2007, Mons Testaceum was the debut album from MinimalRome co-founder Heinrich Dressel and the onset of a trilogy dedicated to Monte Testaccio, an artificial mound in Rome composed almost entirely of 'testae', fragments of broken amphorae dating from the time of the Roman Empire. Notable for the prominent usage of Elka Synthex, a legendary Roman synthesizer, Mons Testaceum remains a wonderful curio of the Dressel discography and fans of the Italian's work will delight at the chance to own it on vinyl thanks to MNQ!