LADY STARLIGHT Vinyl & CDs

Review: New York's Colleen Martin aka Lady Starlight brings her distinctive brand of techno to Rant & Rave with this darkly evocative new EP on red marbled vinyl. There is real pace and punch to the drums that underpin the title cut, but it's the distant screams and wails paired with swirling pads and restless bells that really make it come to life. 'Permian-Triassic' is just as intense but inviting with its pinging kicks and rippling synth lines and then as is often the way, things take a freaky turn on the B-side. 'In A Tizzy' has plenty of carries texture and the synths take on a hellish energy, while 'No Expectations' rounds out this full flavour and impactful techno offering with broken beats and industrial grime.

Review: The celebrated Lady Starlight returns to Len Faki's Figure imprint to follow up last year's "Which One Of Us Is Me?". Her mentalist and barrelling techno expressions are on fine display again on 'W', featuring the frantic acid techno banger "AC1", the old school UK techno vibe of "GR16" with its hypnotic chord stabs and steely 909 rhythms that good friend Surgeon would have played at the legendary House Of God if it was released back in the day. On the flip, there couldn't be a better snapshot of 5AM at revered techno mecca Berghain via the strobe-lit peak time intensity of "Red 4" bringing this EP to an epic close.