Review: Banyek is next up on the prolific Lithuanian label Greyscale with Alue, a new album that marks the imprint's 37th full-length overall. It is a typically expansive and immersive listen that takes inspiration from cities like Riga and Espoo. Dub techno, ambient and experimental all infuse the sound waves and the intricate craft of Banyek means you're always hooked onto some small detail as the gentle rhythms flow over you. There are stark melodies and more airy atmospheres, minimalism masterpieces and calming sounds a plenty as this most super exploration of tone, time and texture plays out.
Review: Studio 1's 'Schwarz' EP, brought to life by minimalist maestro Wolfgang Voigt, embodies the essence of 90s minimal techno. Originally crafted in 1997 but released only in 2019, it features three entrancing cuts: 'Schwarz 1,' 'Schwarz 2,' and 'Schwarz 3.' The Studio 1 series, starting in 1995, made waves for its unique formula of monochromatic sleeves and no-nonsense, untitled tracks. This aesthetic not only refined the genre's visual identity but also its sonic minimalism. 'Schwarz' remains a masterclass in stripped-down techno.
Review: Following up great efforts by the likes of Van Bonn & Luis Baltes, Unknown and Shadow-Area, here is the debut LP from Hamburg's Achim Maerz on Berlin-based Freund der Familie. Relief features a wide selections of moods and grooves; from the cavernous and glacial deep house of 'Black Hole', the contemplative ambient journey of 'Dream', plus there's more deepness of the emotive variety offered up on 'Changing Weather', the understated late night mood of 'Memories' and the mesmerising closer 'On The Way' awash in dazzling layers of rich synth tones in the vein of classic Chicago sounds. Mastering by Sven Weisemann.
Review: The classy work of Etui continues here with Insect O bringing a unique dub techno perspective to this latest marbled vinyl 12". 'Sandstones' is a classic of the genre - the fathom-deep bottom end, the rippling chords that gently make their way across the face of the tune before disappearing to an infinite horizon and the oversized hi-hats adding more scale. 'Volca Dub' is more textured and slower, with melodic motifs sinking in deep next to icy hi hats and 'Everlasting' ups the ante with some sleek, dynamic minimal techno that is again dubbed out to perfection.
Review: French producer Caim impresses us all with their newest EP for Autodidact, 'Nebula'. Whether or not he is self-taught, we could, regardless, believe it to be true, judging just by the sound of this EP alone. Evidently undeterred by the fear of loss of vim in loss of speed, this glassy, prismatic minimal/progressive techno EP gets progressively slower in tempo, beginning on the rousing ghost-scapes of 'Space Cadet' before moving into the waterier Atlantean wonk-chugs of 'Nebula' and 'Crystal Fox'. All three tracks demonstrate the best of Caim's ability to craft dispersive, refractive soundscapes - as if its raw constituent synth parts had been granularly "shone" through a brilliant, many-faced diamond - and still fit them between otherwise gnarly sets of beats.
Review: Onysia is a label run by J Gabriel and he has said that his new Vice EP really sums up the sort of sound they are trying to explore. It's a great one, too - silky minimal house that has plenty of charm and warmth so is as suited to a nice outdoor daytime session as it is a back room get down. The title track as silky drums and warm, glowing melodies next to drums that echo 'Inspector's Norse's' playful bounce. 'Messup' is another one with bendy cosmic lines and a cheeky character while 'Phone Games' keeps up the classy with phased bass, lazy but hypnotic drum tumbles and great samples. Audio Werner flips it into something more dubby to round out a lovely EP.
Tm Shuffle, Monoder & Tapani Rinne - "Velvet" (Tm Shuffe Housedub) (7:44)
Tm Shuffle, Monoder & Tapani Rinne - "Velvet" (6:29)
Aleksi Myllykoski - "Slowburn" (feat Tapani Rinne) (8:45)
Aleksi Myllykoski - "Slowburn" (feat Tapani Rinne - Tm Shuffle Distant dub) (6:50)
Review: The second instalment from this young but already cultured label delivers another round of superb dub tracks and they come on a cool eco-vinyl pressing. The release starts off with a collaboration between Tm Shuffle, Monoder and Tapani Rinne. Tm Shuffle's dub version sets a subtly evocative mood with wooden hits and a steamy sax adding a loved-up feel. The original version is a minimal, slow-motion dub with a broken beat then Aleksi Myllykoski contributes a deeper, more propulsive track and closing is Tm Shuffle's final dub to offer some more warmth to sink right into.
Review: Boaksi's debut EP on Seb Wildblood's all my thoughts label, titled Keep Movin', features the Zurich-based producer's talent for crafting emotionally resonant electronic music. The title track sets the tone with creamy pads, impactful percussion, and subtle dub techno influences, creating a deep and dynamic groove. 'Didn't I' follows with a beautiful, progressive melody and minimalist vocals that evoke a sense of yearning and romanticism. 'Running Out Of Time' takes a more introspective turn, featuring distant textures and soft, distorted pads over stripped-back percussion. Finally, 'Wanna Be With You' closes the EP with sweet soundscapes, elemental drums, climatic chords, and a playful synth arpeggio around an unforgettable vocal hook. Boaksi demonstrates a keen understanding of atmosphere and emotion throughout the EP, making Keep Movin' a engaging and fun record.
Review: Juan Atkins released some of the funkiest, dreamiest techno of his imperious career as Infiniti. a collaboration with Orlando Voorn,. 'Game One' originally came out on Metroplex in 1994 and it's since become an essential part of the Detroit techno canon. On this release for Kontakt we're treated to some visionary remixes of the track from trusted experts, leading in with Steve Rachmad's pumped up, springy rendition on the A-side. It's a version which upholds the machine soul sensibility of the original, paying all due respect to the blueprint Atkins laid down as a Detroit techno pioneer. On the flip we get treated to two contrasting versions from Santiago Salazar, with his first take heading into interstellar electro territory before casting adrift on the deep house-tinted 'Sci-Fi Xicano Remix'.
Review: Phoenix G is of course an alias for the universally claimed rightfully adored Mr G, one of the UK's most long-serving and accomplished underground servants. His views on the game (which you can find on his Instagram) are as worth hearing as his music which this time takes him to his own self-titled label once more. As always it is deep, raw, emotive stuff that stays low but is high on emotion, however subtle. 'What's That Sound V1' is a dubbed-out and grainy basement track with scruffy drums and shards of light breaking through a broken window, then V3 of the same cut has a little more synth detail. Superb.
Review: Blackmarket is a New York party that has always led from the front and been a rare underground haven for threads. The label reflects that similar mindset and here label boss Taimur and long-time Costa Rican friend Artro link up for a four-track techno trip. 'Know Your Friends (Vox)' is a percussive workout with sinewy synths reaching into the cosmos. There is more low-end heft to 'Machina' which is weighty and dubby. A second version of 'Know Your Friends' is surging and metallic and last of all 'Elements' brings a touch of high-speed funk to a techno framework.
Review: Rising Boorloo artist Beltrac shows why he is so well thought of here with five tracks that deliver a dynamic collision of sleek, dub-infused minimal rollers reminiscent of the late '90s and early 2000s tech-house but paired with high-energy drum-driven explorations. After the bubbly synths of 'Tek Code' comes the more direct and crisp 'VIP Section (Otherworld mix)', then Side B features a standout remix of 'Echo Response' by Eora's dub master Command D who transforms the wonky bassline of the original into a hazy, after-hours dub techno gem. The meticulous production really elevates these irresistible grooves.
Review: Like a Michelin starred chef, Neurotron - an alias you would much more expect to come from the world of drum & bass given its semantics - mixes up just the right amount of serval different ingredients in this classy new EP. There is jazz, deep house, acid, techno, electro, dub and probably more. The opener is a deep one with lovely melodies, 'Alone' is a more club ready sound with smeared pads and acid, 'Hunting' bangs the box in Detroit fashion and 'Woodward' is a blissed out dub house groove that oozes charm.
Review: The good folks at Baroque Sunburst are back with a 12th EP that once again takes minimal and tech house into new realms. Jay Duncan is at the buttons and 'Bitten Dream' opens up with dark moody and abstract sound swirling around a cosmic world. 'Via Tekh' is another out-there sound with beautiful ambient pads and warped, sparse bass keeping you afloat. 'Shrine' keeps the sophisticated sounds coming with more deft designs and original drum sounds and 'Catharsis' then closes down with a smooth and absorbing fusion of synths and drums from a reduced palette.
Review: The 10th release in this various artists' series from the Afterme label out of Russia welcomes a pair of producers who collaborate on a brace of A-side jams to start with. 'XXVII' is deft, artful late night dub house and final cut with widescreen synths and oily bass, and the second, 'DOV', is a deep, aquatic house number with some meaningful synth work and cosmic intent up top. On the flipside, De Yan goes solo, twice, with more dubbed-out and unhurried atmospheric tech on 'Pumpe' and some spaced-out electronics on 'Shks' to close a stylish and cerebral EP.
Review: Shimpei Watanabe's latest release is a slick blend of acid house and dub, with 'No Cab Around Here' leading the charge. The track serves up a deep, pulsating 303 bassline paired with atmospheric dub chords that anchor its infectious groove. On the flip, 'Yamate Ride' takes a more mellow approach, offering a smooth, rolling rhythm that keeps things groovy without losing energy. The Stikdorn remix of 'No Cab Around Here' adds an extra layer of depth, stripping back some of the original's intensity to reveal its hypnotic core. An engaging exploration of Watanabe's versatile production style.
Review: The sea has always been integral to Japanese culture and is regarded as symbolising sustenance and spiritual depth. In this Deep Diver album, Charles A.D. draws on ancient diving and fishing traditions to create aquatic soundscapes that blend 90s house, Detroit techno, Japanese minimalism, New Age and Pacific jazz into something sublimely absorbing. The album ebbs and flows like the tides soon after opening with the title track which captures the sensation of deep-sea propulsion through rhythmic bubbles and slow-moving chords. Subsequent tracks, like 'Underwater Ruins' and 'Bubble Ring', fuse ambient and techno and highlight Charles A.D.'s mastery of minimalism.
Review: Schuttle's latest invites you into a simulated realm of post-biological optimism. The voyage begins with 'Splan,' where a divine arp propels you through fractal landscapes and interlocking melodic polygons which splurge joyful machine funk. In 'Melonweed Musick,' there is a descent into swampy marshlands powered by a breakbeat groove while an angel cleanses with serene chords. 'Kitchen Sync' takes things to 120bpm where acid and glimmering keys create a fusion of the known and the otherworldly. Finally, in 'Inspo 2000' a playful percussive edge guides you to a soft landing and ends what is a brilliantly evocative EP.
Review: They say that a picture paints a thousand words. Well that is certainly true of this Picture whose music is hugely evocative and emotive deepest being stripped down to its bare essentials. 'Banana' kicks things off with a murky dub sound that sways back and forth with hefty drum rumbles and liquid metal pads. 'Bring' is then a painterly synth-laced ambient piece that suspends you in a murky and misty sky while 'Sea' offers the most direct vibe of the lot. It's flabby but dynamic dub techno that leans into the groove and will have you doing the same.
No Speed Limit In The Jungle (Dana Ruh remix) (7:02)
Review: Giorgio Maulini comes through to H24 with this two-track lip-licker, 'OG Kush', which, as the title should suggest, evokes the feeling of smoking herb when ingested correctly - without haste or anxiety. Exemplifying the incipient talent of his local scene, the title track is a smooth and snappy dream-whirl, synthetic organs and wahhing pads sloshing around the mix, while a remix from fellow producer Pressure Point seems to smoothen out and intensify things in equal measure.
Review: Following fresh from her most recent single 'Tarde', the world's best-kept techno titan Nina Kraviz has gone on to enlist an all-star cast of remixers for a decalogue of versions of the track, notably topped off by a pystrance remix. But on this 12", Kraviz shortens the full ten tracks to four, streamlining the selection for the system-respecting DJ. "Tarde" meaning "late" in Spanish, Kraviz' original track is a brooding slow murmur, textured by earthen Reese-esque basses, ambirhythmic rumbles, and amorous lyrics in Spanish sung by Kraviz herself. Though the mood is climactic, Kraviz' subject matter is one of dubiety and anticlimax, standing tiptoed on the fence between giving love and deeming it too late. The remixes are uniformly weird, not eschewing the needs of the club-goer yet not shying from the dare of challenging them either. Of the remixes chosen here, dubstep OG Mala crops up for a surprise dash of steppers' quality; U.R.Trax continues the charge with a tricky but efflorescent minimal version; and Vladimir Dubyshkin opens the floodgates for a wacky big-roomed hard trance floater.
Cattaneo - "Il Raggio" (feat Hamid Shahsavan) (5:21)
Giovanni Battagliola - "Askja" (4:40)
Alessandro Petrol Pedretti - "Paline" (3:55)
Kick - "New Try" (4:07)
Luca Formentini - "Fili" (4:25)
Eke - "Draft Junk" (live cut) (5:16)
Maniscalco - "Canicola" (5:05)
Materie - "Landscapes" (5:22)
Chris Benoit - "Brokenspiel" (4:03)
Corrado Saija & Giorgio Presti - "Hypster Calling" (4:51)
Review: Brixia Sonora is a musical tribute to the Brescian scene, featuring 12 tracks by various artists who explore different genres and styles. The album is part of the 2023 annus mirabilis of Brescia-Bergamo, designated Capitals of Culture in Italy. The album showcases the creativity and energy of the local musicians, who blend rhythm, melody, empathy and telluric motions into a vibrant sonic collage. Brixia Sonora is a Rebirth Records project that celebrates the diversity and identity of a city and its atmosphere.
Review: T4T LUV NRG welcomes Brooklyn's Russell E.L. Butler who now makes a welcome returning with a new album that comes some five years after their critically acclaimed LP The Home I'd Build For Myself and All My Friends on Left Hand Path. The years since then have seen Butler live thorough various experiences which they explore through melody on Call Me G. It's a fusion of New York house, poetry and dub techno that works both in the right club setting but also as a more intimate listening experience at home or in headphones.
O Seara De Ragaz (Gez Varley aka G-Man remix) (7:24)
O Seara De Ragaz (OHM & Octal Industries remix) (8:11)
O Seara De Ragaz (H-Foundation remix) (9:32)
O Seara De Ragaz (Crihan remix) (6:28)
Review: The latest remix package on Ada Kaleh's own label features a stellar lineup including Gez Varley (aka G-Man), Ohm & Octal Industries, H-Foundation, and Crihan. This collection showcases a range of inventive remixes and fresh takes on Ada Kaleh's original track 'O Seara De Ragaz'. Each artist brings their unique style, from G-Man's deep and classic vibes to H-Foundation's more bright and bold rework with its flashy synths and dense drums. OHM & Octal Industries remix pair things back for a more dry and abstract minimal groove while the Crihan remix is a deep, dubby, moody late night roller for subtle sets in back rooms.
Review: BT Gate X-138 returns to Greyscale with Gravitational Grooves, deepening his relationship with the label following 2023's kV Pylon. Ten sousing sonorities hear him reshape his signature dub techno sound with growth-mental finesse, emitting foggy atmospheres and slicing percs. 'Inertia' leans into soft chords and faint crackle before giving way to the stripped-down shuffle and understated melodic turns of 'Gravity', while 'Orbit' builds over and delay-heavy phrasing; 'Float' offers a breather with its ambient drift, while an embossed 'Mass' sears the ears with churlish mood-texture. Touchstones such as Konigsforst and In Moll are alluded to most subtly.
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