Running Back Germany Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Described by Running Back boss Gerd Janson as "studies in the transformation of emotional states" and inspired by the music of his youth, Deetron's latest EP is a wholehearted, saucer-eyed riff on music of the rave era, given his usual 21st century twist. He begins in confident fashion with 'Mind Eclipse (TranceHouzz Tool)', cannily manipulating waves of hypnotic electronics and glassy-eyed synthesizer riffs atop a sturdy house beat, before joining the dots between bleep techno, jacking house and vintage Alter Ego on 'HG'. Over on the flip, 'Phoenix' is a locked-in chunk of rolling techno/trance fusion, while 'The Shore (808 Mix)' is a gorgeous exercise in rushing, retro-futurist deep house bliss that will have the hairs on the back of your attention standing to attention.

Review: After a break of two long years, tech-house scene stalwart Sascha Funke has finally delivered a new EP of typically atmospheric, on-point music. It's his first outing for Running Back after years spent flitting between BPitch Control, Multi-Culti and Endless Flight. Interestingly, what's on offer is more retro-futurist in tone than much of his work, with audible nods to vintage electronic disco, early 2000s nu-disco (think Morgan Geist) and tactile '90s deep house. Our picks of a very strong bunch are rubbery, morse code-sporting nu-disco-goes-bleep house number 'QAM', moody analogue deep house treat 'SEZ', whose creepy chords and spacey sonics are undeniably alluring, and ultra-melodious, Italo-disco-influenced opener 'FEZ'.