Back catalogue: Electro

Review: Originally released for LNS & DJ Sotofett's Japan Tour 2024, this 12" now sees a global repress and it is a fittingly chaotic sonic postcard from the road with unpolished, playful and strictly for the heads cuts. Kicking things off, Tokyo's DJ Gizzard delivers 'Jitter Analysis', which is a tight blend of analogue funk, crisp grooves and rolling basslines. LNS & DJ Sotofett follow with the cosmic 'Electrolium' with its whistling synths and spaced-out, vintage-style rhythms. LNS's solo effort 'Work Them' explores robotic electro-funk with computerised melodies and percussive precision. Closing the EP, DJ Sotofett's 'Out of Place' fuses ominous electro with bold p-funk.

Review: Exxtra Beats Records backs up its commitment to pushing things on with a new four-tracker of minimal and tech cuts. Edo Ecker's 'Extraluxxo' has warped synth lines that encourage introspection while the snappy beats make you move physically. Leff's 'Future Problems' has hazy and positive arpeggios that toot away over sustained chords and move at a nice inviting pace. Little Sea offers the snappy drums and gurgling acid lines of 'How I Wanna Feel' while Andrea Bertoli & DJ Bogdan's 'Extremely On Line' is a snappy and upbeat cosmic tech cut with wonky lines adding the charm.

Review: Lakker's debut release on Love Love Records happens to be the imprint's first vinyl and it melds shrill melancholy with hypnotic techno grooves. It's both captivating enough for home listening, but also primed and ready for DJ deployment. Following their work on Blueprint and Killekill, Lakker retains their intricate sound while intensifying their focus on the grooves with 'LF9' evolving from chaotic rhythms into a powerhouse of clattering percussion, accompanied by haunting pads. On the B-side, 'Deathmask' offers ambient melodies and precise skittering drums that create fragile beauty. 'PRESET Numb' plunges into cold, clinical rhythms with eerie synths, marking a striking new chapter for Lakker.

Review: The "Rhythms Of The Pacific" series hears Vancouver label Pacific Rhythms reimagine dance music to aid in vast ocean traversals. Returning with another 12" sampler of material - the tracks are slated for inclusion in a celebratory ten year anniversary comp later this year - we hear Lnrdcroy, Waterpark, Kennedy and Active Surplus bring upper-echelonic, chameleonic beats of the much-less-peggable variety. 'Galaxio Salaxio' moves between dark synth and watery dub, scarcely preparing us for the immersive chordal swims that ensue on 'Coastal Plus'. Finally, 'Blue Beam' incurs an underwater search for coves and water pockets, as jets of pressure escape through riser synths and pufferfish drums.

Review: Known for their refusal to use laptops, London Modular Alliance channel their creativity through pure analog improvisation, creating an organic, hypnotic soundscape with every track. A journey through live electro, the trio's decade-long mastery in modular synthesis cis coming to a culmination with this EP. On Side-1, the title track 'Holy Mantle' opens with a stunning progression, rooted in vintage analogue textures, evoking a sense of fluidity and experimentation. The track flows seamlessly, radiating an energy that is timeless. 'Walnut' follows with its deep, melodic electro vibes, incorporating atmospheric, rolling basslines and layers of intricate rhythms that draw the listener deeper into the groove. Side-2 continues to explore the trio's diverse sound palette. 'Scuba' is a melancholic, electro-infused piece that feels like drifting through the depths of an underwater world, full of longing and machine love. Finally, 'A155' delivers robotic, funky electro with tight, infectious rhythms and a sharp, futuristic edge, adding a dynamic finish to the EP. With 'Holy Mantle', London Modular Alliance reinforces their reputation for cutting-edge, analogue-driven techno.

Review: Frustrated Funk is one of the very many labels out of the Netherlands that offers up house and techno music with a through line to the Chicago and Detroit foundations. It is top tackle with a timeless edge and that proves to be true again with this one from Lost Trax. '23' is both dreamy and cancerous but groovy. 'And Or' is more wonky with mad acid, 'It's All Good' is a downbeat synth interlude, 'Grib' is lo-fi and experimental with Omar S style aesthetics and 'The Watcher' closes with more dusty and brilliant depths.

Review: It has been a rather remarkable three years since Yuko dropped its first release, but finally, they are back with more. It is co-founder Emo Omar who features both solo and in collaboration with Luje from Club Pizza while two exciting new French talents Chud and Vivant also make their mark. 'Pollen' is a bright and hooky melodic electro sound then 'You & Me' gets more percussive, with old school cow bells staying busy next to all sorts of wonky synth work. 'Tomorrow's Made Of Breaks' is built on rigid funk and trippy synth bleeps and 'Zeus' shuts down with some retro-future vocoder vocals. This is a great return from a label we hope now pushes on.

Review: Motion Potion Records returns with a second release from the Australian label founded by Jono Xidias, Mehmet Alpdogan, and ritmiq. This collaborative project sees ritmiq teaming up with Lewba and Louis for the 'Signals' EP, a heady exploration of spacey club sounds. Standout track 'Transmitting From Space' (with Lewba) glides through cosmic synths, subtle breaks and hypnotic melodies so is sure to become a certified late-night burner. On the A-side, Louis and ritmiq deliver 'Interplanetary Prisoner' and 'Parallax,' which are both rich in mood and groove. ritmiq's solo cut 'Nebularae' closes the EP with high energy and dancefloor heat. Signals is a stylish, cosmic journey worth taking.

Review: Spooky Wooky return with a newly nourished Pandora's box worth of tunes, welcoming four new producers each for their own scare, as well as an opening fourfold fright. Joining forces only under the name Spooky Wooky, 'Cauchemard Ambulant' puns on the French term for "waking nightmare" terming it a "walking nightmare", with fidgety, motile synth snaps and pops aligned alongside bow can scrape samples and strange monstrous gurgles. Our faves among the solo cuts have to be Lazer Man's 'Fuck The Bass' and Gogo Gadgeto's 'FREAK', both of which seem to convey a sort of crazed elvish otherworld.