Back catalogue: Techno (Alles)

Review: EPM20 Ep2 goes off on an electro tangent here. On this one, we have veteran producer Cisco Ferreira aka The Advent teaming up with his son Zein on the ferocious electro dystopia of "Strangeform" and as if that was not enough, another legend, the one and only Carl Finlow appears next with the abstract, cybernetic beats of "Optogenetic". Over on the flip, we have someone by the name of Detroit's Filthiest (quite an accolade!) who is in fact Motor City stalwart Julian Shamou (Motor City Electro Company) known for his work as 313 Bass Mechanics or Digitek, and longstanding hero of the Midwest Freddie Fresh should need no introduction; his contribution here under the Modulator alias is the deep mind IDM journey "Promars".

Review: Coeur De Glace on DKO Records (DKO 34) delivers four fantastic electro tracks, each with unique influences and directions. Side-1 kicks off with Binary Digit's 'U Want Dis,' an exuberant, high-energy track that pays homage to old-school rave with its lively vocal samples. Fasme's 'Morning' follows, blending smooth electro with soft keys and a whimsical AFX melody for a perfect combination. Side-2 features GGGG's 'La Cueillette,' a feel-good, fun and melodic electro tune. The EP concludes with Mud Deep & Sans-Qui's 'Mesonyx,' offering IDM goodness reminiscent of Rephlex, Squarepusher, and AFX. Coeur De Glaceis a vibrant and diverse collection, sure to delight fans of electro and techno.

Review: This new collection offers up a quartet of tracks that are all tailored for slightly different moments on the dance floor. On side A, Dani Casarano kicks off with deep, hypnotic grooves that make for an immersive atmosphere before transitioning to punchy, bass-driven energy with other cuts. Side B introduces a new alter ego from Felian and Bruno Schmidt and the pair explore a robotic, looping groove with incidental breaks and nostalgic synths in the euphoric third track. Closing the release in style, Omar Akrhif & Lucretio present a minimalist masterpiece that is aimed at heady after-hours sessions.

Review: Menacing EBM and dark synth billows from a Netherlands hinterland; our heralds speak of an esoteric encampment by the name of Espectro Oculto, said to be the remote incantators of an unstoppable curse in sound. Six shadowy emissaries have been sent to spread the pestilence; Trenton Chase, Martial Canterel, DJ Nephil, Exhausted Modern, Fragedis and Happy707. Clearly, the faction have recruited only the best, trusted and yet most nefarious of spies from as far-flung regions as Czechia and Argentina in the administering of such a sordid sonic plague. We're left most quivery at the centrifugal doom drones of Exhausted Modern's 'Fear Of Focus', across whose breakdown banshees are heard wailing and snarling, and Fragedis' 'Landing In Reality', a lo-fi techno freakout and sonochemical anomaly, channeling militant two-way radio samples and hellish FM synthesis.

Review: After the first in this new Mellow Bangers series got us nice and twisted we're delighted to have the follow-up from Italo Moderni. Cryk kicks off with an eerie blend of Italo arps and dark wave drums with electro overtones on 'Double Crash' then the moodiness continues with the depraved bass warbles and crashing hits of Fragedis and his 'Disco Nicotina.' Antoni Maiovvi brings a lightness of touch to his delicate arps and celestial harmonies on 'Stopping Power' and Adrian Marth layers plenty of sugar and pixelated synths into his loopy 'Modernism.'

Review: Soma sub-label Avoidant Records recently put out a fantastic collection fo electro cuts but it was a digital only release. Now some of the standouts from it get pulled together on this fresh new 12"that joins the dots between Europe and Detroit. DJ Godfather kicks off with some rapid fire 313 electro, squirrelling bass and slick claps then 'One Direct Line' from The Exaltics is more cosmic and blissed out with lush ambient synths. On the flip, Flug goes hard with mad digital patterns and Blaktony layers up jacking drums, corrugated bass and dark hits. Great stuff.

Review: The Cimedirapax crew are back with another superb various artists collection that nudges at the borders of tech house and minimal. Eliaz's 'Enbaspremal' is an alien sound with abstract designs and trippy pads and Lapucci then gets deeper and darker on the menacing 'To Be On Top.' F_Phono brings some nu-disco energy and bright 80s arps to 'Sollievo' then Marco Biagioli heads into more occult worlds with the eerie and haunting 'Strange Mirror' before Equinox's 'Intergalactic Space' offers a caustic electro workout.

Review: Craigie Knowes are back at it for 2024 with a return appearance from Fader Cap. After a rapid run of first releases in 2022, we've been waiting for a follow-up from the chap and he more than delivers. As the EP title might suggest, he's exploring echo chamber processing on his tracks, but the delay and reverb is teased with precision amidst the shimmering, psy trance tinted tech house vibe he so ably builds on these incredibly accomplished club cuts. 'Kanisza' is an especially hypnotic, subtly broken workout for a more delicate kind of dancefloor, while 'Thinker' offers up punchy arps and flecks of acid for the more up-for-it crowd.

Review: Budapest's Dalmata Daniel rewire the electro efforts of Timothy K. Fairplay for their ninth 12", which also includes a B-side icing by none other than fellow producer Norwell. These four retrofuturist cosmopolitan jams are heard divided between the two artists, and do well to flaunt the specific valences of their production styles, which, while doing well to stick to the cosmic aesthetic, cannot help but betray unconscious stylistic hallmarks. Fairplay's is as tweezy and kick-phat as ever, with 'Caliber 9' being the obvious choice as the sonic equivalent of a 70s infographic on telecoms gone haywire. Norwell's take on the vibe is breaksier and more muted, with closing number 'Natives' being the cut of choice, burbling in a vat of liquid acid and emotive smoke.

Review: Analog Concept Vol. 3 delivers a striking collection of forward-thinking deep techno, blending electro, acid, and sci-fi elements to push boundaries across its four tracks. Fasme opens with 'Crying Robot', a standout acid electro monster that's both raw and energetic, setting the tone with its sharp, robotic intensity. CCO's 'Solar Sail' follows, bringing a darker, sci-fi edge to the mix. Its blend of EBM and new beat creates a timeless, futuristic trip that feels immersive and cinematic. Side-2 kicks off with Unwonted's 'Frontier', a high-energy electro track laced with trance elements, adding a hypnotic, rave-ready vibe. Serge Geyzel closes the compilation with 'Flash', a heavy-hitting deep electro cut that dives into darker, alien soundscapes. Its deep techno undercurrents enhance the track's sense of foreboding and mystery. Overall, Analog Concept Vol. 3 captures a thrilling array of deep, futuristic sounds. Take a journey through techno's more experimental and atmospheric realms with this Russian label. Each track stands strong on its own while contributing to the cohesive, forward-thinking vision of the compilation.

Review: The fifth release on Kimchi Records comes wrestled from the hands of Ecuadorian mastermind Fauna Extinta, aka. Nicola Cruz. The First EP under the alias, we hear Nicola make use of electro analogia to explore idea of a biology that once was, but no longer is, and now lingers only in memory or myth. Drawing on ideas of creation, biogeography, evolution and extinction, the likes of 'Everything Is A Green Screen' and 'Features Of Human Beings' serve as biosynthetic, existential meditations on change, urging us to imagine new realms, alternative means for actualizing the human spirit.

Review: This is a new EP that was inspired by a volcano and named after Mount Etna which is where Mirko Felicioli lives, and which is why it has been pressed up to red vinyl. It features five fresh techno cuts starting with 'Lava Waves' which is lively and elastic, with soft synth patterns moving about the mix over acid lines and crisp drums. 'Grave & Weep' has a deeper, dirtier vibe, while 'Aeolus' has a cosmic outlook with thinking stars and lots of open space around the drums. Two further cuts blend tech and house into future-facing and club-ready weapons.

Review: Fidelio and Luca Piermattei hook up here to explore worlds where acid, techno and electro all happily coexist. Fidelio's A-side offers three cuts that fuse 90s acid rawness with baroque drama that results in a unique mix of classical organ melodies and razor-sharp basslines. Punchy kicks and sizzling hi-hats drive the energy as you're happily lost on a neon-lit techno odyssey. On the flip, Piermattei's 'Gas' features a fluid bassline and glitching robotic vocals that are eerie yet inviting and 'Third Rec' (with Tascam 122) rounds out the release with pulse-driven electro and intricate percussion, perfect for late-night explorations.

Review: EC Underground is back with more inquisitors of low-end heavy sounds on Bass Scene Investigation vol 1 and again digs deep into the worlds of electro, techno, breakbeat and IDM. The compilation kicks off with the skittish percussive patterns of Illektrolab's 'Making Heads Dip', then heads into moody ground with ADJ, Pablo Funk brings some menacing synth work and Errorbeauty gets all weird and trippy with some mad electronics. Francois Dillinger offers a dystopian electro sound full of irresistibly jacked-up drums. A fine investigation indeed.

Review: London underground night train riders Deadbeat Records prioritise techno-breaks handmade for late night and early morning dancefloors, times when both the best and worst comes emerges from each of us. Their inaugural Deadbeat Breaks compilation hears six out of ten full digital curations brought to a shadowy, space-invaded black vinyl truncation, with modern talking synth vomits from Olly Rant, booty bass hups from Hunter Starkings, hackney parroting hurtles from Rnbws, and a closing breakstep broil from Hooverian Blur.

Review: Six months after their first collaborative outing 'Die Zeit' in May - also on thyme Systematic label - two bonafide German techno titans have been busy in the studio once more. This time they offer up 'Der Rhythmus' on limited edition splattered vinyl and it is another timeless, terrific and peak time cut. The drums and snares are snappy as you like with distorted bass down low and suspensory arps keeping you on edge as a libidinous female vocal adds the final touches. UK duo Dense & Pika remix with a more stripped-back but not less slamming sound.

Review: Italian artist Fedele offers up here his first solo effort since leaving Agents of Time. This 12-track album on his own label showcases his exploration of fresh electronic music landscapes after making a great impact over the last three years with releases on Ellum Audio, Turbo Recordings, and Obscura. His acclaimed remix of Depeche Mode's 'Enjoy The Silence' received global praise and now Depth Of Being blends his signature style with experimental sounds and more vocals. It features tracks like the downtempo 'Departure' and the vibrant 'Your Eyes' as well as plenty of immersive, progressive, emotive club-ready cuts.

Review: Filmmaker is a multidimensional producer known for genre-bending creations rooted in film culture. With acclaimed releases like The Love Market and Fictional Portrayals already under his belt, he reaches new heights with his latest offering, Hollywood Cult. Across 13 tracks, he crafts a haunting journey that blends synth-driven races, infectious body music, and slow-burning nostalgia. Tracks like 'Secrecy,' 'Western Malice,' and 'Shocking Therapy' evoke cinematic tension and energy and as the album progresses, 'Vessels Wine,' 'Peacekeeper Ripper,' and 'Criminal Rite' delve into intense emotions, while 'Elite Dungeons' and 'Hanging Finale' bring a lo-fi, trance-inducing finale. Hollywood Cult, then, serves as a dark, captivating soundtrack for a new world, inviting repeated listens and immersive exploration.