De:tuned Schallplatten & CDs

Review: With its' 15th birthday imminent, De:tuned delivers another must-check release: a brand-new instalment in Future Sound of London's legendary, rave-era Pulse series of EPs. Created using music recorded, but never released, by the duo - under a variety of aliases - during the late 80s and early 90s, Pulse 5 represents a significant addition to the vast FSOL catalogue. There's plenty to set the pulse racing throughout, from the crunchy, fuzzy hip-hop beats and ghostly electronics of FSOL's 'Dialects' and the sub-heavy, bleep-infuenced brilliance of Yage's 'Sun Risen', to the intergalactic breakbeat hardcore hedonism of Smart Systems' 'The New Generation', the deep space proto-d&b of Ingo Tribe's 'Obstinta' and the glassy-eyed ambient techno of FSOL's 'Reasonable Acquiries'.

Review: Returning with his signature sound drawn from the early UK techno scene he helped pioneer, Kirk Degiorgio's new album lands on De:tuned, a label dedicated to upholding that very sound and the continued creativity of its originators. Of Degiorgio's various aliases, AsOne is the one which has endured, and existing fans will find themselves more than satisfied with the approach taken on this new long player. Of course part of that satisfaction requires a sense of progression, given this has always been music concerned with the future, and Degiorgio manages to keep his sound moving forwards, drawing on ever-richer production and luxurious melodic sensibilities to deliver a mature and immersive kind of techno as suited to armchair escapism as dancefloor immersion.

Review: Kirk Degiorgio's As One project continues to be a beacon of inspiration within the annals of deep, melodic UK techno. As a true pioneer of the sound from the earliest days, it's impressive to see his inspiration maintain, and there's no better home for his work than De:tuned, a label dedicated to preserving the rich expression and invention of that foundational sound. On AsOne2 we're treated to an extended excursion into widescreen machine soul of the highest calibre, where melancholic chord progressions collide with restlessly original drum programming. It's quite simply exquisite, produced with an impeccable ear and loaded with sincere human feeling. This limited pressing of the album comes on red marbled wax too - highly recommended for the collectors out there.

Review: Brian Dougans continues to deliver nostalgic jams as Humanoid, the alias he used - pre Future Sound of London - for his acid house and techno inspired late 1980s productions. Like the rest of his Humanoid material for De:tuned, Sweet Acid Sound is forthright, funky and full-throttle stuff, with mind-mangling TB-303 lines and jacking TR-808 drums the order of the day. Dougans sets his stall out via the surging, far-sighted title track - which genuinely sounds like a long-lost turn-of-the-90s warehouse anthem - before doffing a cap to fellow UK acid house pioneers 808 State (and specifically their pioneering Newbuild anthem) on '808 Nation'. Over on side B, 'Roached' is a moody and spaced-out affair rich in ragged acid lines and intergalactic chords, while 'Si-Rak' is a raging, TB-303 heavy jack track that's almost guaranteed to blow your mind.