ANTIC SOUL Vinyl & CDs

Review: Purposeful and fad-free techno troubadours Planet Rhythm welcome aboard Antic Soul here for a quartet of sleek, minimal, effective cuts. 'Utapau' is super fast and layers up pulsing synths with wavy pads and driving drums. 'Asukara is even more urgent but this time feels anxious in its raw percussion and for the way the drums are almost stacked on top of one another. 'Transmutation' brings plenty of dub synth work and far-sighted Detroit melodies and 'Just A Dream' rides on shimmering synths and gliding hits that pack a punch both spiritually and emotionally.

Review: Planet Rhythm has been one of the premier hard techno labels for over 30 years now. Exploring some different avenues in the last decade, the label recently launched a series of heavy dub techno related records identified as DUBWARS. Volume two features four different artists this time with each submitting a new piece to the label focus. Fans of Basic Channel's 'Phylyps Trak' should quickly head to OFF/GRID - 'One Stab Ahead' for that main room filler. Gunjack's 'Memory Man' is another upbeat killer in its own right adding a bit of acid along with the melodic chord progression. For the second side, Antic Soul's 'Mandalore' stirs in a bit of house culture to the hard dub techno sound to great effect. Lastly, Lenny San bring's the party to their feet with 'Hedonist'. Heavy techno heads should really enjoy this packed 12"

Review: The Between Two Seconds EP on Planet Rhythm delivers four dub-heavy techno tracks primed for war on the dancefloor. Side-1 begins with OFF/GRID's 'Between Two Seconds,' a hard-hitting percussive dub techno track that sets a robust tone. Following is Antic Soul's 'Free From You,' a high-energy banger with intense chord work. It's a peak-time track designed to bring down the house. On Side-2, DBFB's 'Murky' embodies its name with an underwater dub groove that delves into deep, subterranean soundscapes. Gockel's 'Night Mute' closes the EP with a powerful chord progression and an old-school piano breakdown that blends seamlessly into a frenzy of techno madness. Between Two Seconds EP is great for those who appreciate the darker, more intense sides of dub and techno.