Back catalogue: Techno (Alles)

Review: Deadbeat, the Montreal-based dub techno maestro, returns to Echocord with a trio of immersive and hypnotic tracks. 'Pressure Double Down' showcases Deadbeat's signature sound, a blend of dub-infused techno and minimal aesthetics that has captivated listeners for over two decades. 'Too Much Pressure' is a 15-minute odyssey through intricate percussion, dubbed-out stabs and psychedelic vocals, its subtly unfurling layers and nuanced dynamism creating a captivating sonic experience. 'Double Bubble' follows with a delicate interplay of chord melodies, sub-bass tones and a crunchy analogue rhythm section, its hypnotic groove drawing the listener into a world of sonic exploration. 'Rattle The Roof Down' closes out the EP with a heavy dose of dub reggae bass, its spacey delays and murky swells adding a layer of hypnotic depth.

Review: Samuel van Dijk (VC-118A) and Rasmus Hedlund deepen their journey into roots-inspired dub techno with their third release featuring Jamaica-born, Finland-based vocalist Benji. His commanding voice adds layers of introspection and wisdom, enhancing the project's meditative qualities. 'Better Way' leads with a rich, traditional dub structure, its heavy basslines anchoring a reflection on humanity's challenges and the call for solutions. Benji's vocal delivery is earnest and impactful, carrying a hopeful message that resonates deeply. The instrumental 'Better Version' follows, highlighting intricate production details like shimmering synth melodies and reverberating drum patterns. On Side-2, 'Child Was I' ventures into atmospheric depths, pairing Benji's thoughtful reflections on personal growth with an expansive, slow-burning bassline. This track unfolds gradually, creating an enveloping soundscape that rewards close listening. The accompanying 'Child Version' strips back the vocals, bringing the textured production and haunting melodic layers to the forefront. With its perfect balance of lyrical depth and intricate sound design, this release honors dub techno traditions while charting its own unique path.

Review: DJ Python burst onto the scene with an all new type of go-slow, dubbed-out take on reggaeton that mesmerised dancers all over the world. He has since evolved his sound into all sorts of different niches and for this outing on XL the US innovator looks to ambient and downtempo worlds. 'Marry Me Maia' is a soundtrack to a middle-of-the-night meditation, gazing up at the stars, 'Dai Buki' has spoken word musings adding depth and 'Coquine' has a little more tension in the synergic sounds, pop, crackle and fizzes with pepper the cavernous dub rhythm. 'Besos Robados' and 'Elio's Lived Behind My House Forever' bring more propulsive rhythms but are still defined by the deftness of their sound designs.

Review: Once again, Frenk Dublin dabbles in dub and muses on spacetime hardcore continuums with his latest release for the highbrow techno collective Arts, based in Rotterdam. From the off of 'Chord Dancer' and 'The Lost Realm', we feel only lightly electromagnetically convected, with tonic melodics and pleasing phonic physics rattling against and past our ears. It's only at the turn of the B-side that we hear anything remotely less salutary, with 'Time & Space' preferring a mood of deep-space vacuity, and 'Sapphire Dub' advancing, at an ever glacial pace, through ejected fields of chord residua and rimshot-kick impact events. Closer 'Inspected' unsettles rather than resolves any remaining tension, its monotone echo blurts suggesting more to come.