Sublunar Italy Schallplatten & CDs

Review: French-Moroccan producer Bidoben joins the Sublunar roster with six tracks of precision-tooled techno that strike a balance between hypnosis and intensity. 'Suspended Relief' opens with pounding low-end and swirling mids, laying down a floor-focused blueprint that's all control and momentum. '28-33' dials in a looping, restrained groove with subtle modulations, while 'Torment' pushes into more psychedelic terrain-acid-licked textures layered over a linear, uncoiling arrangement. On the flip, 'Unfair' hits hardest: peak-time pressure with no excess. 'Calx' trades impact for introspection, coiling inward with murky synthwork and tight, recursive rhythm. 'Snakeholes' brings it to a close with melodic shimmer and just a trace of nostalgia. It's a smart, tightly constructed EP that showcases Bidoben's ear for function, detail and emotional tone.

Review: There's a raw, no-nonsense energy running through this release from the Florence-based techno producer, who continues to sharpen his sound on his own Sublunar label. It's a record that doesn't bother with pleasantries and instead goes straight for the gut, full of tight programming and tension you can feel in your chest. The opener, 'No More Time', wastes none of it. Heavy rhythms hit like a warning shot, pushing things toward a peak that feels both forceful and controlled. It's big-room material, precise, aggressive and locked-in. 'Near The Bar' follows with a more shadowy approach, sliding into tribal patterns and murky textures. The groove works just beneath the surface, subtle but with a pulse strong enough to carry a floor. Side-B digs in even further. 'Two Letters' builds around percussive momentum and clipped patterns, keeping everything tightly wound. Then 'Hit & Run' lands with a different kind of pressure. There's a ghostly melodic thread running through its stripped-down warehouse rhythms, nodding to early underground techno but with a modern polish. It's lean, effective and full of character.

Review: Florence-based Sciahri launches Sublunar once more for an excursion into psychotropic techno that keeps the energy up without forsaking delicacy. Even in its loopiest, thunderous peaks, there's a certain sensitivity of sound which keeps the sound energising and uplifting rather than oppressive. It's no wonder Sciahri has recently been spotted on the likes of Non Series and Semantica - labels which equally value the balance between power and poise in big room techno. There's space for synthetic drama on 'Infatuation' and 'Glow' strafes its de-saturated pulses across the stereo field for a hypnotic end result, but at all times the drums will keep you locked and limber like you'd expect from a proper techno record.

Review: 'Axis Mundi' is the latest offering from label head Sciahri and Hertz Collision and it follows on from their acclaimed collaboration on Clergy. For this one, the Italian duo returns with a textured, nuanced techno journey starting with the title track which opens with razor-sharp sounds and driving rhythms setting an electrifying tone. 'Drifting' follows and weaves hypnotic grooves and floating synths into a slick voyage. On the B-side, 'Entropia' introduces a mind-bending synth that launches the track into another realm, while 'Silent Pulse' closes the vinyl edition with minimalist elegance-a refined piece suited for any moment of the night.

Review: 2023 was a knockout year for Portuguese artist Temudo, taking in techno totems like Blueprint, Klockworks and Hayes in pursuit of his driving, sharply-focused sound. Now he lands on Italian label Sublunar with more of that refined, precision engineered gear for the wormhole crew. 'U Where My Second Choice' is a taut, edgy workout with a nagging synth hook, but 'Asset 2' ratchets down to a pure, heady locomotion which will take you tunnelling deep into the night. '2029' has a restrained funk which will work the body good and proper, and 'Affection' simmers down to a minimal palette peppered with pointed blips moving in expertly sequenced formations - smart techno at its finest.