Back catalogue: Techno

Review: The Det 313 label is kicking off the new year with a bang and dropping a pair of brilliant new EPs on the same day in late January. This one is a reissue of the esteemed Gary Martin's 'Pimping People In High Places' on 10". It's the Woodword Ave alternative mix that kicks off and is a rough and ready percussive techno looper with hefty basslines underlapping and propping up the floor. 'The Medusa Touch' is a more wily and synth laced-late night jaunt with mystic energy and acid details that make it a deep and dramatic cut with real dynamism.

Review: For a long time Gary Martin was referred to as an "unsung hero" of Detroit techno, but with the DET 313 label, run with Yossi Amoyal, he's finally cemented a fearsome reputation as one of the Motor City's finest. With such reputations come the exchange of the proverbial "silly money" for the more hard to find recordings, thus the existence of this double 12" which collects eight of Martin's efforts from the mid to late 90s into one package available for a slightly more sensible exchange of currency. Among the highlights are the Latin-enhanced beats of 'Manhattan', two mixes of the sublime 'In Rythem' complete with a gospel preacher in full flow and a seven minute extended remaster of 'I'll Be Back I Promise' from Yossi Amoyal. It's no surprise to see Martin's work picked up and played by the likes of Ben Klock, given his unique take on rhythm, but there's plenty of soulfulness going on here as well.

Review: Gary Martin has long been a superb techno servant who has popped up on all sorts of different labels. It is now on Teknotika where he appears with an ode to the Motor City in the form of his DeTR8 Luv EP. It features the eponymous original track in three different forms. The Tenor mix is first and brings some wild sax horns to play over thudding and tightly programmed techno drums. The Detscientists mix is a more tightly coiled and stripped back full of menace and pent-up energy and last of all is the Alto mix, a deep and dubby house sound with those menacing sax motifs back once again to cause playful carnage.

Review: Fans of his Detroit techno veteran Gary Martin's previous releases on labels like Motech, KMS and Exceptional will not be disappointed by this latest offering from one of the Motor City's most underrated talents. The full-length LP Lagarius shows off Martin's knack for blending funk, soul and Afro-Latin influences, with a faster-tempo'ed techno sound. It's heavy on the detail, with arguably only trained ears being able to pick up on all its backing samples and intricacies (that's us, of course). So take it from us; from the sultry swang of title track, to the dystopian grit of 'Situational Awareness', you won't want to miss this one.