New releases last eight weeks: Hard Techno

Review: Acid Machines Vol 1 by G303 is the latest release by the long time Dutch label Zodiak Commune and these four tracks, combined, add up to one heck of a wicked acid techno record. 'Acid Dropping' is a crushing piece of acid trance. 'Power Corrupts' is a breakneck speed techno killer - you've got to love the classic Belgium sounding doom to it, it takes us right back to 1992. ' Beelzebub Rising' is a nasty breakbeat heater that is sure to pound down some doors when played loudly. The Squarepusher like 'Walk On By' adds a nice comedown IDM touch to the close of this vinyl. This release includes a poster and is limited to 200 copies only.

Review: Pure Hate returns with some of the hardest techno you could ever wish to hear, this time from Tripped. This stuff should come with a warning because it is so dense, dark and caustic that it is utterly disorientating and not far off being walls of sheer impenetrable white noise, but all fired at you at one hundred miles an hour. The hits on 'This Does Not Contain Rave Stabs' come at you as if fired from a pneumatic drill, the drums of 'Squirrel Power' are square and devastating, the synths of 'Hips Don't Fly' are like random and spraying machine gun fire and the distorted low ends of 'That B Track' will tickle your inner ear they are so visceral.

Review: Mystics Arts is young label from Belfast that welcomes vocal duo Black Bones aka the DJ and production duo of Aaron Black and Timmy Stewart. Both men have been at this for many years and bring considerable know how, studio chops and dance music understanding to an EP that is aimed square at the rave. It's all about hands in the air breakbeats, old school rave energy, lush chords that come on stronger than the rush of an E and are steeped in the culture of pirate radio, illegal parties and warehouse sessions. A timeless EP that will light up any dancefloor.

Review: Pasquale Ascione and Davide Carbone are veterans of the techno scene. Not only do they run Repitch Recordings and 3TH Records but also of course, produce music. Repitch Fast Forward outlines that each producer has a side of the record to themselves. Ascion opens with 'Hurry', a killer hard and melodic burner that features vocals from the iconic rave track C'hantal's 'The Realm'. 'Himmerbone' reminds us of Johannes Heil track that we won't give any clue too. For the second side, hard techno is on the menu. They are relentless, mechanical and industrial, these are designed with one mission in mind: to destroy the dancefloor as you raise your techno fist. They should have some warning signs before these are played like 'Helmet Only Area!'. Wicked hard!