Back catalogue: Techno (Alles)

Review: Yves Deruyter has spent forty years as a pioneering force in dance music; kown for his huge sets and anthemic musical procurements, his trajectory follows a familiar arc as an early tooth-cutter on Belgium's underground scene heralding later international recognition. His hits like 'Rave City' and 'Calling Earth' shook the earliest and staidest foundations of trance. To celebrate his career, a new ten-vinyl compilation celebrating Yves' work here proves that relevance isn't about trends - it's about a distinctive sound and an undying connection to the dancefloor.

Review: Part of the early 80s Sheffield avant-garde scene, In The Nursery was formed at the turn of the decade between twin brothers Nigel and Klive and Humberstone. As living mirror-images, they knew likeness first hand; it seems fitting that they would embrace the imitative, reproductive spirit of industrial music. Under the shared moniker, they would subvert the prevailing mood, agonising grotesque military connotations of an uncertain future by working in a new style, "martial electronica". As heard on this latest set of Recordings made between 1981-1999, their sound was not totally tinny or robotic, making use of cinematic and Romantic tropes in near equal measure to futuristic shock-horrors. From spectacular edge-of-your-seaters ('Stone Souls') to operatic apogees ('Listen') and modish drum machine workouts ('A To I'), this is a comprehensive compilation, just as suited to the spectacular screen as for the auratic DJ set - pick your poison.

Review: Part of the early 80s Sheffield avant-garde scene, In The Nursery was formed at the turn of the decade between twin brothers Nigel and Klive and Humberstone. As living mirror-images, they knew likeness first hand; it seems fitting that they would embrace the imitative, reproductive spirit of industrial music. Under the shared moniker, they would subvert the prevailing mood, agonising grotesque military connotations of an uncertain future by working in a new style, "martial electronica". As heard on this latest set of Recordings made between 1981-1999, their sound was not totally tinny or robotic, making use of cinematic and Romantic tropes in near equal measure to futuristic shock-horrors. From spectacular edge-of-your-seaters ('Stone Souls') to operatic apogees ('Listen') and modish drum machine workouts ('A To I'), this is a comprehensive compilation, just as suited to the spectacular screen as for the auratic DJ set - pick your poison.

Review: Jeff Mills, the legendary Detroit techno pioneer who has been praised and worshipped by everyone club kid over the age of 18 since the late 80s, has focussed his efforts more on the classical side of music in more recent years. His gigs at the Barbican over the last few years, for example, are the shows to which he's dedicated most of his attention to, and it somehow all makes perfect sense. Although legendary tunes like "The Bells" or "Amazon" are straight-up dance floor bombs, there has always been a feeling that Mills' tunes were composed of something more than mere kick drums and monophonic instruments. This new album, Planets, sees the artist showcase the role of science fiction and of an imagined order prominently, something he's always been fascinated with. The likes of "Mercury", "Venus", "Earth" and the rest of the cosmos make more sense here than they do in the academic books; much like the great Sun Ra, it's almost as if these artists have found a simpler, more instinctive way to transmit the power of the universe. And that's through sound. The price might seem hefty, but this will be regarded as a very important release in the future. A fantastic journey through space and time.

Review: It's hard to know where to start with this one. Weighing in at a whopping 15 CDs, plus a DVD, 100-page book and some rather lovely packaging, Arkives Reference 1993-2010 is a super-sized Richie Hawtin career retrospective and then some. While only the most ardent Hawtin-watcher would disagree with the assertion that he's gone off the boil in recent years, there's no doubt that the Canadian has made some terrific techno, ambient and electronica in the last two decades. Arkives Reference has it all, from hard-to-find originals and long-forgotten remixes to dancefloor classics, slept-on bangers and, most enticingly, a couple of CDs of unreleased cuts. Techno heads should start salivating - it's really that impressive.

Review: Tresor has been a global home to techno for 30 years now. The world was a very different place when the Berlin institution opened in 1991 but it has remained at the forefront of the gene though all its many different mutations. The club itself has been a breeding ground for new talents, dancers and DJs who have pushed the boundaries and explored new realms. The Berlin-Detroit connection always remained strong at the club and it does here on this landmark compilation. It profiles all the key artists who helped to define Tresor, and techno at large, over three decades, and it should not be missed.