LENNY SAN Vinyl & CDs

Review: Lenny San debuted on Planet Rhythm earlier this year with Fern Der Matrix EP, an impressive opening salvo of dub techno from a hitherto unknown name. Now Lenny is back with a follow up drop which leans into a thumping, crucially funky kind of peak time sound that holds true to the best kind of techno. 'Expansion' in particular is a bouncy workout of the highest calibre, while 'Disruption' is a straighter plug into the cavernous techno abyss. 'Eruption' brings that swing back in a subtle fashion, coming on like some of that early Skudge heat, while 'Dispersion' has a leaner sound palette and its own cheeky strut which offsets the steely sonics perfectly.

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: Gale-force sonic apneas from Planet Rhythm, the label and unstoppable phonic force from Rotterdam. The imprint's latest V/A release in the Dubwars series this time takes on its own name, 'Minerals', and welcomes rambunctious techno troilers from the likes of Unknown Code, OFF / GRID, and Luca Accardi. Rhythmically dragged, diminished stab-chords define the A1 and A2 against metal girdered kick patterns, with 'Moment' especially nailing that ever-sought-after sweet spot of energy and anhedonia, a mixed feeling perhaps only achievable within techno's ambit. Dub techno inflections turn to infarctions, as Accardi's 'Minerals' sucks the sonic substrate dry with ballistic echoes, giving way to Gockel's minimal mountaintop NDE, 'Meditation In Tibet'.

Review: Planet Rhythm's third transmission is another various artists' affair that takes no prisoners. This is straight-ahead techno that is proud of its perfect planed linear loops and ability to get you in a mediative head space. Erdem Yetim kicks off with the seriously weighty 'Perfect Silence' and its panel-beaten loops. Simone Tavazzi's 'Pyramid' is another hefty kicker with icy hi hat ringlets and fleshy drums while 'Das Ego' is as good as reductive dub techno gets. Dave Simon hits the nail on the head with his 'Dubby Stomper.'