Tags: Ambient Techno

Review: These days, we're all familiar with Jan Jelinek's trademark brand of dusty, dubbed-out, jazz-sampling downtempo explorations. That wasn't the case when Loop Finding Jazz Records, his acclaimed debut album, first appeared back in 2001. It has since become an in-demand item, making this reissue more than handy. It remains a fine album; a blazed shuffle through a sonic world where dub techno, ambient, minimal house, jazz and downtempo grooves and seductive vinyl crackle merge into one intoxicating hybrid sound. It's not showy and over-the-top, but rather becalmed and subtly seductive. In other words, it's still a brilliant album and if you don't own already own a copy, you should add this to your cart sharpish.

Review: Seminal reissue alert! Baby Ford had already been a chart-baiting acid house superstar by the time he launched the PAL SL label in 1996. He'd left behind the major label scene and moved firmly back into the underground with exploratory techno releases on Ifach and collaborations with Mark Broom. This new label marked a shift for Ford though, setting him up for the trips into minimalist club tracks that have been his bread and butter for decades now. From the machine soul trysts of "Slow Hand" to the woozy techno thrust of "Tall For His Height" and the atmospheric house wriggle of "Kez", this release is a classic through and through. Beat the sharks and nab a copy of this long out-of-print gem.

Review: Second time around for David "Move D" Moufang and Benjamin Brunn's first full-length collaboration, a set of unsurprisingly deep, minimalistic house, techno and ambient workouts that first appeared in record stores way back in 2006. It's one of those albums that's arguably best listened to while flat on your back in an intoxicated state, despite the presence of such hypnotic, early morning club workouts as "On The Magic Bus" and the dreamy and delightful "O". You see, the majority of the album's eight tracks are spaced-out in the extreme and all the more alluring for it, as Moufang and Brunn expertly showcase their ability to create impeccable slices of hushed, otherworldly electronic minimalism.

Review: For those who value digging deep into the folds of original UK tech house, Mark Ambrose has been a cult favourite for a long time. Now, as the sound continues to enjoy favourable conditions amongst those who like to play long and winding sets stretching out into infinity, Repeat are doing the right thing and combing through Ambrose's considerable back catalogue from the late 90s to piece together some of the most sought after gems. Sharks be damned, now we can get our hands on some of these prized items, like the wall-shaking, dubby as hell 'Zulu Groove' and sumptuously groovy sunriser 'Free Your Mind'. No matter how much tech house gets made these days, they don't make it like they used to.

Review: Jay Tripwire has popped up a lot recently, which is always going to be good news for fans of those freaky late-night tech sounds that he is so well known and loved for. He kicks off Serenity's fifth release here alongside Jehr on 'Magic Man', a deep cut underlapping drum funk and lots of whirring machine sounds. Parisian space techno talent Cyberduck then takes care of both tunes on the flip - firstly 'Arzach', a deep and dynamic cut that hurriedly scans a vast cosmic world with silvery drums and lush melodies. Then 'Cerclon' gets a little more edgy, with dark and nagging baselines moving up through the mix as the crisp, well-swung tech drums power along.

Review: Contemporary tastemakers Geilgling return with a set of remixes of material from Leafier Legiv's recent album, Mirror. First up it is German minimal maestro Isolee who flips 'Fade' into some of his signature sounds - smeared synths and abstract designs all weave together over a minimal beat to make for something seductive and late night. Polish loop master Jan Jelinek then flips 'Fade' into a slow motion shuffle with bright, celestial shards of melodic light and downbeat, melancholic vocals over a chugging beat. Last of all is a mix of 'Jing' that is all broken loops, chopped vocal fragments and hallucinogenic synths.

Review: Arutani's newest album is a record of pensive techno for the mindful raver. It shows a marked evolution since the band's last outing and has a minimal character and subtle musical quality that draws you in ever deeper. It is packed with subtle details once you listen in closely and plenty of seductive, long form grooves. The opener sinks you deep into their world from the off then there are dubby rollers like 'Intertwined' and airy, carefully uplifting cuts like 'Unfragmented' that are full of dreamy pads and infinite horizons. 'No Gravity' is as weightless as you would expect of a track with that title and 'Letting Go' is another one to get lost in amongst the clouds.

Review: South African Portable is one of those cultured artists who doesn't release a lot, but when he does, it is more than worth hearing. And this is a bumper new drop from him on Circus Company in the form of Augmented Dreams, a new double album that takes its title from the use of everyday technological advancements "to achieve what were once only dreams or visions of past generations." He goes deep into minimal, techno and ambient to fuse totters the synthetic and the organic, the real, the imagined and the unreal on a richly rewarding album that makes for a complete listening