Back catalogue: Electro

Review: Despite the dystopian and post-apocalyptic aesthetics, some electro music stuanchly refuses to let up on the fun. Acidulant, Dima Gastroler, Pozek and Johnfaustus' new collab V/A for Zodiak Kommune is one such firelighter: 'The Electro Guilde III' seems to say, "you'll have fun on the floor, or else us mecha-cops will come for you!" Acidulant's 'Collateral Funk' leads the charge with a persistent drive to "identify" some lost subject of misdemeanour and/or truancy, as rapidfire snare snaps and licking bass stabs scour the lower terrain for a heat-sought outline of the perp. Dima Gastroler's 'We Will Survive' depicts an unstoppable robotic invincibility, the track's searing robo-voices seeming to portray the last stragglers of a cyborg race battling their way through fire thanks to a bioengineered, adaptively fireproof armour. B-siders 'Ept' and 'Oberon' from producers Pozek and Johnfaustus let up on the voicework for two melodic, yet corruptingly authoritarian air-raiders.

Review: Human Behind Pluto, johnfaustus and VSO all contuse to this new split red vinyl from Zodiak Communte. Human Behind Pluto goes first with a warp speed, electro-tinged techno track that has a knack-snapping beat and brilliantly mangled acid line. Johnfaustus's 'Red Sonjia' is dark and twisted electro from the underworld and VSO offers two sick jams: 'Sinking' is a bumping and coruscated bit of electro-crunk and 'Complacency' is a dense full flavour cosmic assault with fearless drum programming and plenty of suspenseful synths. This one takes no prisoners and comes with its own unique insert.

Review: For the fourth release in the electro-acid V/A series 'The Electro Guilde', Zodiak Commune present a three-split 12" from the combined forces of Johnfaustus, Akkaelle and AXIS3340, with a doombound selection of ominous tunes in the style. 'Deimos' and 'Dione' are Johnfaustus' opening odysseys and the latter especially blindsides us with its strained synth strings and trepidatiously tuned sixteenths. B-sider 'The Plants Move' is pitiless by comparison, annihilating everything in its path with bodying impacts and piquant pluck-slips; 'Ashes', on the close, incorporates guttural, stretchy sound design below a skeletal, atrial mix over and above.