DJ GODFATHER Vinyl & CDs

Review: Sound the ghettotech alarm, DJ Godfather is in the building. Detroit's undisputed master of this eternally catchy branch of electro knows exactly what he's doing, and his Databass label is the most trusted stamp in the scene. '313 Keeps It Down' is a no-nonsense body rocker with whipcrack claps, brittle hats and dirty thump in the low end, of course with some reliable vocoder chants to lock on to. There's a dub mix of that track to get creative in the mix with, plus 'Owe Your Shit' which brings a deadly, filthy rap from Lil Mz 313 to put all needy bros in their place. 'Late Night Funk' offers something more introspective thanks to its lush pads, showing there's more than one side to the Godfather.

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: One of this week's more pleasantly surprising releases is by Christian Smith's longstanding Tronic label, and features artists you wouldn't usually expect. Motor City stalwart DJ Godfather serves up some dystopian electro on 'Invasion Of Detroit', legend Carl Finlow presents another fine example of his idiosyncratic futurism on 'Anomaly 3' and even Swedish techno veteran Samuel L Sessions gets in on the electro act - on the data bass of 'Engine Of War'.