Review: Adlas steps up to the Hayes label here for the very first time and impresses while doing so. His take on techno is economical and stripped back but never light on impact. 'Deadstock' opens with glitchy textures and creepy, subterranean sonic echoes while a linear beat rolls on. 'Magnetic' is a little more punchy and is powered by a pulsing bassline while 'Open Question' is a dubbed-out cut with beats that skate along and twanging hits reverberate throughout. 'The Rumors Are True' shuts down with another glitchy broken beat and coarse claps with some tripped-out synth work up top.
Review: New York City techno veteran Adam X returns to Long Island Electrical Systems under the ADMX71 alias, where he once again explores the outer fringes of experimental electronics on his latest LP The Aging Process, existing at the intersection of industrial, EBM and techno. Beginning with the contorted noise soundscape of 'Speaking Via Telepathy' he soon unleashes the seething brain bash of 'Sensor-Tised' followed by the strobing tunnel vision of 'Walking Through Walls'. Elsewhere, there's more dystopian themes aplenty as heard on the static TBM pulse of 'They've Instilled Fear In Us', or the pitch black war funk of 'Leading The Way' and the muscular slow burner 'Leading The Way'.
Review: Yuki Takasaki aka. Altone delivers tactile dub techno tonage with 'Wonderscape Numinous', his latest miracle EP to hit the Primary(Colours) shelves. Honouring traditional dub techno sounds while also treading new counterweighted waters, this is a short symphony of reverberative basslines and delicate synths, reminiscent of skulking Tokyo streets, gripped by a hooded curiosity for the urban alley, the railway underpass, the red lit skyline. Brendon Moeller brings a UK bassier womp to 'Self Replication' - itself a self-replicating track, as there's not one but two versions - replete with silicate sound design that both sloshes and tinkles away in the mix's midfield, like a quantum energy source, overflown with potential.
Review: OHM is quickly becoming a quality imprint you can count on for techno and dub techno. The ninth addition in the series, it calls for an excellent blend of composers to balance this EP out. Veteran Jamie Anderson collabs with the brilliant Owain K on opener. The 'Aqua Dub' builds a euphoria for late night smiles. Smooth is an understatement on this linear gem. One artist on here that's been making strong appearances on many dub techno labels is the ever-talented Francisco Aguado. 'Balance' is a great tribal transition track for any DJ who can it creatively to build the means to an end. On the second side, Star Dub offers the very addictive and techy 'Forst'. Ending on a high note, the brisk and flighty 'Ever Growing' by Volpe completes the ninth edition in a rapturous mood. If you like deep techno, the OHM series is a must to collect.
Review: Pressure Traxx secures the sounds of acclaimed minimal master and Romanian mainstay Dan Andrei on this fine new 12", Clockworks. The title track opens up and is coarse and rich in texture, with slapping hits taking centre stage while languid guitars slowly garner your attention. 'Theme For What' is another unusual one, this time with trippy melodies and tumbling drum loops, while 'Geek Groove Odyssey' layers up pulsing bass and bleeping sonar synths into a serene cosmic trip. 'Out Of Mood' is another tense tech cut with edgy synths keeping you in suspense as the dark drums march on.
Review: Faithfully jammy acid techno from the idiomatic Acid Cuts, a new Grecian outing helmed up by an as yet unnamed head honcho. 'Der Compositeur Classique' is the first LP on the label and comes by way of producer Apoll, real name Andre Pollmann, a longtime fixture of the German industrial landscape come soundscape (he grew up in the Ruhr area), whose movements through the 80s industrial and EBM circuits through to minimal techno has made for a well-seasoned though not unbalanced purveyor of sound. An eight-tracker of knockingly brutal acid pingers, this is a motherboard's worth of complication and fidget here, best among them being the deep house-techno trembler 'Top Of The Block' and the utilitarian, preferential hip house verger 'Coffee, But No Cookies'.
Review: The always eminent Daniel Avery shares his latest two-track single through Fabric Originals, and describes it as his very own personal take on "broken euphoria... the other side of Room 1 that will crush your skull and fill your soul in equal measure." Following on from the 'Wonderland/Running' EP released back in March, 'Digital Rain' leads as the torrential breaks-sodder, palpitator, tear-conductor, you name it... the track dashes expected tempos for a middling 160, square between techno and jungle. 'I Miss You' on the B hears Avery push things far further, breaking the throttle and locking it into permanent top gear; perhaps Avery can help popularise this sound of angelic overdrive, more commonly heard on the net.
Review: Phenomena is a rather incredible 39th full-length album from the pioneering Lithuanian dub techno label Greyscale. Like all those that went before it, it is a captivating excursion into cavernous sounds. In particular, this one delves into the wonders of nature - meteor streams and starling murmurations - and flips them into immersive soundscapes. In mixing up vintage and contemporary styles, Basicnoise navigates deep emotional depths with technical finesse. 'Midnight Dub' has lush and organic chord progressions, 'Sakura Season' pays homage to Detroit techno's smooth, futuristic spirit and 'Reduxtion II' delivers crisp production and powerful frequencies. These are just some standouts along the way of this profound musical odyssey.
Precious Times (feat Prince Morella - Roots version) (6:55)
Review: Since rebooting his dub fired Bluetrain project late last decade, UK techno legend Steve O'Sullivan has delivered a string of superb 12" singles and an equally as impressive album, Steady Pulse. Naturally, the latest Bluetrain missive is a hypnotic, dubbed-out delight. Lead cut 'Frozen Rose (Special Edition Dub)' is simply superb - a rolling and hypnotic affair that joins the dots between Rhythm & Sound's earliest minimalistic dub-house epics and locked-in dub techno - all solid beats, echoing vocal snippets, deep sub bass and aquatic melodic motifs. It comes backed by a fresh 'Roots Version' of much-loved 2022 single 'Precious Times', featuring the honeyed vocals of Prince Morella.
Review: Acid Cuts Greece does exactly what it says on the tin right from the off here with its first album. It comes from Boy Disco and kicks off with twitchy, club-ready weaponry with clipped oval samples and bright flashes of 303 that make your eyes water. 'All Night Long' manages to be at once twitchy and acid and ready for a rave but also deep and soulful thanks to the pads and vocals. Elsewhere there are more hypnotic acid lines on 'Moozique', then stripped-back warblers like 'Pumped' next to percussive jams like 'Jack That Body.'
Review: Tom Carruthers is a genuine prodigy - a prolific producer of undeniably excellent techno, electro and house music whose expertly authentic nods to dance music's shared part belie his youthfulness. He's released on L.I.E.S in the past but has mostly put out music on his own Non-Stop Rhythm label. Here he makes his bow on the reliable Craigie Knowes imprint with a predictably good four-tracker. Predictably he's delivered the goods, first joining the dots between Joey Beltram, Chiago jack and LFO on 'Rhythm Control (XTC Mix)', before layering mind-mangling analogue electronics atop a heavy TR-909 techno beat on 'Zeta Wave'. 'Revenge' is moody, rolling and hypnotic, while 'Psyche' sees him once again pay tribute to his favourite genre of all, turn-of-the-90s bleep & bass.
Review: Murky, organic and gravelly techno is the Cassegrain sound that we know and love from. Here Munich based label Prologue snap up the duo for the freshly squeezed Dropa EP. No exception to the techno rule, dark, progressing sounds rife with complexity and eeriness strike again on "Dropa", while "Luban" echoes with gruff metallic edges as it progresses through heavy kicks and bounding samples. "EUD" goes for a heftier tempo and piercing cymbal crashes, while "Lop-Nor" offers more of the same in an intricately crafted tunnel of mysterious kicks, hats and echoes.
Review: Claudio PRC and Andrea Cossu return with a collaborative release that plunges headfirst into the immersive depths of deep techno. The opening track is a masterclass in tension and restraint, layering pulsating bass tones with intricate, hypnotic rhythms that seem to stretch endlessly into the ether. There's an unmistakable aquatic quality to the second piece, where fluid melodic lines and submerged percussive details conjure the sensation of drifting through an underwater cavern. The final cut takes a more introspective turn, with meticulously crafted soundscapes that ebb and flow over a steady, grounding beat. It's the kind of release that rewards close listening, pulling you further into its world with every rotationia thoughtful and textural exploration of the genre's most meditative corners.
Review: There is plenty of experimental work at play int his new various artists' collection on Flash. Cloned Existence sets that tone with the brief synth exploration that is 'Wave 1' when Gael & Jolly take off with the much more punchy and thudding techno of 'Paradigm Shock' which is weird up with all sorts of synth designs, effects and layers of reverb. Under Black Helmet ups the ante further with one of those bulky techno grooves that locks you in the moment and Stigmata then brings big room 90s vibes with layers of tangled synth melting the mind. Florian Meindl brings things to a close with gritty, scraping bass, reverb-heavy kicks and pure warehouse techno heaviness.
Review: Darwin Chamber and DJ Spun unite for a bold four-tracker here that draws on all their decades of experience to push the boundaries of trance and techno. This self-titled release is nostalgic without sacrificing innovation and opens with 'Find The Missing Letter,' a dub-tinged techno builder with hypnotic synths. 'Digits' follows with relentless beats and dark, robotic energy. The sultry 'Do It All Night' anchors the EP with a seductive groove, while 'Ants' closes with mid-tempo warmth and acidic undertones. Combining Darwin Chamber's engineering expertise and DJ Spun's club culture mastery, this one is perfectly pitched for dancefloor mayhem.
Review: Uppers & Downers tap the raw, yet-to-be fully processed talents of Yerevan's Dave N.A., for a stunningly angelic nu-breaks come jungle come acid outing. Having co-founded his local Armenian ABC Community DJ collective, Dave N.A. attests his non-applicability to the normal, formal rules of dance music, declaring himself diplomatically immune to boring tempi, drab beats or morose melodies. Instead, the likes of 'Radiance', 'XL', and 'AIR' subject us to some of the most riveting soundscapes and shellages imaginable, drawing on a frenetic confluence of rave and hard bass traditional sonics.
Review: Eduardo de La Calle has always excelled at crafting economical yet impactful techno. It is often long and settled in its groove, dubbed out to the max and sprinkled with grainy chords. That simple MO has kept him at the forefront for years and here he hooks up with Reeko to serve up four more tracks of his distinctive techno gold to get 2025 underway on a fine footing. 'Track 1' is a real pressure builder with waves of synth and icy hi-hats washing over you, 'Track 2' then pulls back into murky minimalism and 'Track 3' brings the brain-melting bells. All that leaves is t cast you off into the deepest corners of the cosmos with 'Track 4' full of celestial wonderment.
Review: Given their long individual commitments to the dubwise cause, you'd expect a collaborative album from dub techno type Scott Monteith (AKA Deadbeat) and sometime Rhythm & Sound vocalist Paul St Hilaire to be a formidable proposition. And so it proves, as the duo apply their dub techno credentials to a more traditional dub framework on The Infinity Dub Sessions. St Hilaire is at his beguiling, soulful best riding Monteith's riddims, which veer from floor-friendly dub-house and dub-techno grooves (see "Little Darling" and "Rock of Creation"), to heady trips into more traditional dubwise territory (check the celebratory "Peace & Love" and tumbling "Hold On Strong"). Throughout, there's a loving authenticity that's extremely appealing.
Review: Michael Diamond is the Indian-born UK artist who is co-founder of the Vasuki Sound label and club night. He is known for his 'jazzed electronic' sound in which he blends academic insights with musical creativity. His background in music perception and cognition, which he studied at Oxford while pursuing Medicine, shapes his unique approach. On his new EP 'Placid Wakefulness', Diamond collaborates with renowned musicologist Professor Eric Clarke to explore how music impacts sleep and wakefulness. The tracks blend ambient calm with energetic rhythms and are a fine example of Diamond's distinctive sound and deep understanding of neuroscience and music.
Review: Germany's Die Gestalten amounts to far greater than the sum of his influences, a fact which once again proven by his latest record 'Ruhe In Frieden' ('Rest In Peace'), a sweet and mournful electro tune the likes of which we have never heard before. An unsettling tune, its live rendition here takes the unusual step of bringing wake-bound tiny violins to a skittery electro jaunt, amounting to the kind of vinyl-pressed funereal object we only imaged we'd need in a distant future, as opposed to now (when funeral services are still occupied by overtly human forces - no matter - that'll all change come the ensuing cyborg revolution). Who knew that a disc on a turntable could express this much grief? Sure, they've slipped into the other room; no-one dared guess said room wasn't a dancefloor...
Review: DIMDJ's newest 12" seamlessly fuses techno, electro to ambient and house, with opener 'Next On Next' proving to be a deep, heavy analogue production that features expertly sequenced toms and rave-inspired claps, creating a rich, driving beat. 'The Path' follows with its electro-machine aesthetic, brimming with mechanical warmth and rhythmic intricacy. 'Cashe' rounds out the side with vintage electro-funk vibes, blending futuristic melodies with timeless grooves. Side-2 shifts into more atmospheric territory. '10th Of May' is a dreamy balearic gem, wrapping ambient house textures in a sun-soaked haze. 'Crash' slows the pace, offering heavily processed downtempo with a reflective, cinematic feel. The EP closes with 'Ampi 00 Patern', a haunting piece of alien ambience, evoking the eerie stillness of a distant, uncharted planet. An inspiring journey through DIMDJ's artistry, weaving diverse moods and styles into a very enjoyable trip into melodic electronic music.
Review: The Trails label, as is often the way in so many cases in electronic music, is the natural next step for the party crew of the same name. Having established a sound and a community, they now branch out with music from associated producers all keen to offer up their shared musical visions. First up, the label introduces friend and graphic designer Bogdan N?stase aka DJ Bogdan. Setting a fine tone from the off. the EP explores melancholy, introspection, mystery and hope, all infused with a nostalgic nod to 2000s electro-techno and synth-pop. The A-side opens with 'Shade Detector,' an energetic peak-hour anthem which is followed by the melancholic 'Freakshow Parallax' for after hours. The B-side features 'Videofreex,' a versatile party gem before closer 'Fantana Cartezian?' is a twisted minimal techno homage to Bucharest's lost history.
Review: Strap in for a bracing and exhilarating ride just before Christmas with this new and fierce outing from DJ Speedsick. It's hard techno in its most pure form right from the first beat, with 'A Sort Of Schizophrenic Feeling' blazing a raw, textured trail. 'Execution Style' is another dark one with a crisp broken beat and reverb-heavy bass, 'History Of Overreacting' is a moody late-night menacer and 'Death Reversed' is train-track techno with smart filters. 'God Willing' shuts down with a bang and pure dance floor power.
Review: Docteur Satan is the latest crazed alias adopted by Krikor Kouchian, best known for his work as Krikor, Crackboy and no doubt a few other aliases over the years. We tend to think Kouchian is one of the most under-rated producers in France when it comes to thrillingly visceral dancefloor devastation and maybe this devilish debut Docteur Satan 12" will grant him the props he deserves. Issued through I'm A Cliche, this 12" finds Docteur Satan channelling his distinct brand of dancefloor horror through the lens of New Beat on three outstanding productions with "(666) 361-6794" a standout. Tel Aviv pair Red Axes add further devil to "Entity" for a fine remix.
Review: Mike Dunn is a real house OG. His style has always been to lay down raw as coleslaw drums and prickle them up with synth sounds that are blistering and caustic. He goes right back to his roots here and serves up a trio of cuts From The Beginning which show just that. '43:31' a stripped-back acid sound with a low-key groove, 'Acid Feet (Phaze 1)' is a wonderfully undercooked analogue sound with tinny hits, rickety drums and pulsing synth sounds that take you right back to the earliest house sounds and 'Time Machine' is a minimal drum track.
B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition
Radical Spectacular
Wave Of Alienation
Farewell To The Snare
Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***
Proceeding the well-received 'Move Like Atoms', @morelian returns with a three-track EP 'Radical Spectacular' to be released on Fever AM - the label she runs with @rhyw.
Marking Mor's ninth release, 'Radical Spectacular' continues to highlight her unique take on techno. Her interpretation of the genre is influenced by the fascination with layering multiple drum patterns, pulling from styles she grew up on such as UKG, electro and IDM as well as the more traditional ethic sequence, leading to her own hybrid style.
Taking an alternative direction with 'Radical Spectacular', the release showcases Mor's dynamic production palette. As the title track and 'Wave Alienation' build upon atmospheric melodies and murky basslines, the EP rounds off with 'Farewell to The Snare'; a heldback whirlwind of tight breaks and robotic, paranoid arpeggios.
Review: Eris, aka. Enrica Falqui and Dea Dvornik, mint the Plexus 4 label with the 'Glimmers' EP. New outings breed novel vibes; so too does this exciting new house pairing bring future-facing, melancholic electro-progressive flavours to the table with opener 'Kundalini Rising' and A2 ensuer 'Serpente'. Both tracks shimmy and plod through the twinned vibes of alien atmospherics via a driven whimsy, nailing a sweet interplay of seriousness and affability. B-siders 'Anticipation' and 'Game Over' contrastingly move more minimal with things, using, revelling in the natural monophony of, their various analog synths, their delectably dedicated studio gear. The final track ends on an eerier note, suggesting murkier future ambi-topias to navigate.
Review: Techno-titanic title-holder Roman Flugel needs no introduction. On his latest vinyl EP, 'No Solutions', the artist returns to Erol Alkan's Phantasy Sound with his second release of 2024, keeping the hype afloat with just three short rain-makings in the vein of glistening, retro trance and house - contrasting to some of his earlier, more percussive outings released round the turn of this decade. This time, Flugel plugs the sensibility of 80s dance music and pop production into a more kick-implantable, danceable dream, bridging gaps between retro and modern dancefloors. 'No Solutions', 'Sapphire' and 'Dragged' each plod through finessed synth flicks, torrential Moog mambos, and dizzily detuned decontractions, all of which portray a blued, armoured alternate vision of an eighties that never crossed the threshold of the next decade, continuing frozen in time while we nonetheless bowled towards the oncoming singularity.
Review: It's time for another trip around the orbit of Planet Rhythm, one of techno's finest galactic bodies. Fresko is at the control for this one and is in quite a hurry from the off. 'Post Urban Condition' is pacey but funky with its perfect designed loops rolling endlessly. 'You Have Sexy Arms' is charged with warming dub techno chords and more slick kick programming and flipside cut 'Lowme' then switches it up with a more broken beat and nice oversized hi hats. Last of all is 'School', a darker, more playful cut that completes a fine EP.
Review: There's a reason that Future Sound of London's 1991 debut single, 'Papua New Guinea', is periodically reissued: it's a stone-cold classic that sounds unlike anything else. In its original mix form, the track combines traits borrowed from early breakbeat hardcore (booming bass, house-tempo breakbeats) with saucer-eyed vocal samples, twinkling pianos and sounds more often found in ambient house and chill-out tunes from the period. This remastered, hand-numbered vinyl reissue boasts all of the 1992 remixes (as well as the original mix), including a suitably psychedelic, tribal-tinged Andrew Weatherall revision, the duo's own spaced-out ambient style 'Dub' mix, and a sax-sporting Manchester re-wire courtesy of 808 State's Graham Massey.
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