Back catalogue: Techno (Alles)

Review: Granada's Cosmic Tribe know the definition of "electro" in its broadest sense; their new Xtrictly Electro comp keeps the dystopian sound endemic to the genre's most present incarnation, but refuses to restrict itself to one tempo: the standard 130-ish that has sadly infected the otherwise genius genre as a necessity. An international splinter cell of spec-ops and mercenaries are recalled from retirement here, as we hear Calagad 13, Nachtwald, EC13 and many more mechanoid ilk lay down all manner of slick utilities, making up a morbid multi-tool. 5zyl brings further lasery Lithuanian steeze on 'Vilnius Bass', whilst Spectrums Data Forces betrays the existence of a sinister corporate entity, whose business model works towards the object of instilling 'Darkness In My Head' through giant, killer mozzy basses.

Review: Overthink Records marks its 10th release milestone with Waveratio 618's blend of techno and EBM. Following his standout contribution to the label's Split Series, the Italian producer delivers an intense collection crafted entirely from live jam sessions that capture the raw energy and spontaneity of such an approach as he translates hardware explorations into dynamic grooves filled with tension and drive. With a mix of analogue warmth and digital waveforms, this one is perfect for both dark dancefloors and more introspective moments.

Review: Damon Wild steps up to Synewave with 'The Mood Machine', a thrilling exploration of some sleek and stylish techno. 'Make Believe' opens with a dancing line of hi-hats over pulsing sonar-like blips and driving bass. It's a future take on Detroit techno that leads into the mystic sounds of swirling pads of 'Reflection'. 'Elevate' slows things down with a more moody blend of pads and glitchy beats over rolling drums and 'Starliner' then melts theming with intricately woven layers of sheet metal snares and linear kicks. All four of these are timeless and high-quality techno tools.

Review: This is a highly sought-after slice of 90s Detroit techno well cherished by those who like machine soul and siren futurism from the Motor City. It is now reissued, so those who consider it a holy grail are sure to rejoice as it has also been smartly remastered and features two remixes that were never officially released, with only a limited number of white label copies originally distributed as promos by 430 West. 'Vocoder' glistens with cosmic synths that twinkle like distant stars over a rubber, bouncy bassline. Remix 1 is more dark and rugged, and remix 2 has a heftier low end and more snap in the drums. It all makes for high class mind and body music.

Review: This dynamic UK born producer returns with the third release on Moving Pressure Records, delivering a deeply hypnotic and percussive techno experience. Known for his precise, minimal yet groove-heavy sound, Wise crafts four cuts that are both functional and grooving. On Side-A, 'Relax' is a tribal-tinged stomper, driven by rolling percussion and a stripped-back, looping groove that feels built for the late-night hours. 'Chomp Chomp' follows with a subterranean pulse, where deep basslines and eerie, alien atmospheres create a mesmerising, heady effect. Side-B continues the journey with 'Cave', a pumping, evolving builder that slowly unfolds, layering subtle textures over a locked-in minimal grooveithe kind of track that sneaks up on you. Finally, 'Deep Under' lives up to its name, offering subliminal, well-crafted techno with clean, rolling momentum, perfect for deep dancefloor moments. Rene Wise once again proves why he's one of the most exciting names in stripped-down, groove-oriented techno, delivering a tightly produced, hypnotic collection that will satisfy both DJs and discerning listeners.

Review: In the formative years of his career in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Ricardo Villalobos frequently utilised a handful of alternative production aliases - first Minta Spacew (one EP way back in 1993) and then more frequently Richard Wolfsdorf. Tia, first released way back in 2000, was the Chilean minimal maestro's second outing under that alias and has become a sought-after EP in recent times - hence this Rawwax reissue. A-side 'Echt Rot' is typically Playhouse-era Villalobos, with cut-up vocalisations, odd noises and spaced-out electronic snippets riding a crunchy minimal-house beat and looped, mind-mangling TB-303 bassline. Title track 'Tia' features simmering orchestral samples clustering around a typically wonky, stripped-back beat, while 'Feurwasser' sounds like the blueprint for many of his later minimal techno workouts.

Review: In January 2025, Al Wootton visited Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio, which is home to a rare archive of vintage drum machines. Once there, he recorded the unique rhythms and quirks of these machines and captured their raw character. Back in the UK, he transformed those recordings through processing and layering to create this new EP, Rhythm Archives. The result is a stripped-back but impactful exploration of rhythm that draws from industrial, dub, post-punk and proto-techno influences. The record stands as both a creative tribute to the iconic machines and their makers and a nod to MESS's mission of preserving electronic music heritage and making it accessible through public engagement and education.

Review: Adam Winchester and Laurie Osborne (probably still best known as Appleblim) are Wrecked Lightship and they have an inventive approach to dub, breaks and bass. Their work creates an immersive world full of rich, atmospheric textures and the latest example of that is Drained Strands, a new album for Peak Oil full of fragmented, genre-blurring sounds. The six-tracker is full of experimentation and new ideas from the off. 'Delinquent Spirits' for example is a jumble of jungle breaks and vast basslines with minimal percussion, 'Reeling Mist' is warm, blissed out dub and 'Somnium Sands' is an eerie and evocative world of synth designs and industrial decay.