HI LO Vinyl & CDs

Review: Drumcode and its Swedish founder Adam Beyer have rather become synonymous with big room sounds known as business techno. They don't do anything to shed that tag here with two more epic sounds designed to wash over vast crowds in the world's largest super clubs. Layton Giordani & HI-LO aka Oliver Heldens kick off with 'Rabbit Hole' which is a wall of grainy synth and rolling drums that is simple but effective. Charles D's 'Traction' is another coarsely textured techno roller with splashes of industrial synth and a general sense of subtle elevation.

Review: HI-LO, the darker techno alias of Oliver Heldens, is no stranger to the techno world, having already established himself on Adam Beyer's Drumcode label. His latest collaboration with LUSU on the track 'DIZZY' is an electrifying take on hyperactive techno, blending frenetic percussion with driving synths. The track's use of a pitch-shifted vocal sample from Game's 'U Turn Me On' adds an extra layer of playfulness, yet the bassline ensures it stays grounded. The EP's second track, 'Mesmerize', offers a more emotional depth, with its Moroder-inspired bass and jazzy melodies carrying the track forward while keeping it high-energy.

Review: HI LO has had some huge collabs with Filth On Acid boss Reinier Zonneveld and now makes a step up to Adam Beyer's mighty Drumcode with more of his maximal techno sounds. 'Crescendo' is a raw slammer with hard edge and raw drums hitting hard beneath incendiary hi-hats and flashes of bright synth and twisted acid. It's a main room weapon of the highest order. 'Open Your Mind' is more ragged and unhinged, it's stark hits and bulky broken techno drums beneath a raucous mix of percussion and saw-tooth synths. No messing with these two.