Back catalogue: Techno (Alles)

Review: Nina Kraviz has approached her latest single 'Tarde' with cogent flair, issuing several vinyl remix sets to divvy up and complement a full ten-track digital compilation, made up of a star cast of remixes by major artists. On another 12", Kraviz shortens the full ten tracks to a short selection. The tense, and hummingly fun, original track 'Tarde', released earlier this year, is heard in full effect on this record's B-side, coming complemented by Melchior Productions' phattened 'Late Mix' in the vein of flickering tech house. The A-side is taken up meanwhile by veteran endurance DJ Ricardo Villalobos, whose version of 'Tarde' doesn't care a hoot about tardiness less than it does bask in it, slowly unveiling a clockwork mechanism of spitting schematic beats and tastefully placed vocal shouts from Nina's original acapella.

Review: Following fresh from her most recent single 'Tarde', the world's best-kept techno titan Nina Kraviz has gone on to enlist an all-star cast of remixers for a decalogue of versions of the track, notably topped off by a pystrance remix. But on this 12", Kraviz shortens the full ten tracks to four, streamlining the selection for the system-respecting DJ. "Tarde" meaning "late" in Spanish, Kraviz' original track is a brooding slow murmur, textured by earthen Reese-esque basses, ambirhythmic rumbles, and amorous lyrics in Spanish sung by Kraviz herself. Though the mood is climactic, Kraviz' subject matter is one of dubiety and anticlimax, standing tiptoed on the fence between giving love and deeming it too late. The remixes are uniformly weird, not eschewing the needs of the club-goer yet not shying from the dare of challenging them either. Of the remixes chosen here, dubstep OG Mala crops up for a surprise dash of steppers' quality; U.R.Trax continues the charge with a tricky but efflorescent minimal version; and Vladimir Dubyshkin opens the floodgates for a wacky big-roomed hard trance floater.

Review: Renowned Russian producer Anton Kubikov presents the Attic Eccentric EP, a showcase of his mastery in minimal and tech house. On Side-1, 'Last Days' delivers a moody, ominous minimal techno journey, rich with atmospheric tension. Following is 'C'est Anna,' a deep and dubby techno track that weaves in eerie, haunting elements, perfect for those late-night sets. Side-2 features 'Last Days' (Ferlin Crossroads mix), a remix that injects an upbeat, techier energy into the original, offering a bouncier, more dynamic groove. Kubikov’s EP demonstrates his adeptness at blending minimal and techno with a distinctive edge, making it a noteworthy addition to any collection.

Review: Japan's Thinner Groove flesh out their distinctive aesthetic with every new release. This time around, they welcome none other than Lemmi Ash, KOOLMFL and Sonic Weapon for a collaborative three-track EP of lowercase minimal tech and textural vignettes. The aim of the game is best encapsulated in the label's commentary: "each track can add a distinctive touch to the night, as like completing your cocktail with lemon and/or lime". Each track indeed sounds to the ear akin to how a fruity garnish tastes, with Ash's 'Presence' bringing tart citrine breaks notes to a gracefully held glass vessel. KOOLMFL's 'Atonbow' is drier bitters, barely availing itself of its trembling chords and sampled vox after an ultra-snappy initiation featuring a mere bass and kick-clap. Thinner Groove know all too well that good music is like an excitation of the flavour palate, and that minimality is the thing that lets such flavours sit.

Review: Since delivering his debut album on PNN a decade ago, Matt Kent AKA Matt Karmil has proved adept at adapting the club-focused sound of his EPs to the long-playing format - as his inspired and wonderfully atmospheric sets for Idle Hands and Smalltown Supersound prove. He continues this notable run of form on this Studio Barnhus released set, crowding ultra-deep, dusty grooves in opaque chords, cut-up sample snippets, lo-fi crackle, hazy ambient textures and nods towards a myriad of ear-pleasing electronic styles and sounds. Highlights are plentiful, with our picks being the dubby, mind-altering late-night hypnotism of 'Still Something There' and the becalmed, meditative ambient deepness of superb closing cut '15 Mins' (which, confusingly, is just 13 minutes long).