Subb An

Review: Making a surprising addition to German minimal imprint Pleasure Zone is Midlands tech house hero Subb-An. To be fair, this isn't the first time that the now Berlin based producer has flirted with the underground, having released on labels like Cabinet, Fuse London and Blind Box Series in recent years - after having made his name on top imprints like Crosstown Rebels and Visionquest. The Another Time EP sees him deliver some reduced and dubbed-out shenanigans for the afterhours: from the minimal boompty business of the title track on the A side, while on the flip "Overdrive" hears him pump it harder in hypnotic fashion and the dub version which injects it with more dancefloor dynamics.

Review: Making his first appearance on Constant Sound, Subb-An comes correct with the deadly breaks flow of "Access" that pivots neatly between bass music and the minimal house blueprint. "Rewire" is a much lighter affair thanks to a classy chord sound that modulates at the core of the track, bringing a melodic hook into the mix to wonderful effect. Burnski and Michael James then team up as Relic to deliver a remix of "Rewire" that's heavy on the funk, doing a great job of tweaking that chord line and pouring some serious heft into the lower regions of the frequency range.

Review: It's now accepted that label anniversary compilations and EPs should be stacked with high-grade cuts, preferably offered up by sizable or notable artists. Even so, there's something extra-special about this first part of Digbeth-based One Records' 10th anniversary EP series. Fittingly, it begins with a fresh cut from label stalwart Subb-an, a suitably heavy chunk of locked-in, early morning techno titled "Sunrise Mood", before continuing via the cut-up breakbeat fills, spacey electronics and warehouse-ready analogue bass of Adam Pits' "Pungent Method". Over on side B, Los Angeles-based Steve Urulu serves up the groovy, percussion-rich deep house/techno fusion of retro-futurist treat "Mollare Qualcuno", while Yamen & Eda drift their way through the deep breakbeat-house shuffle of "Last Dance".

Review: The latest joint on Constant Black is from Subb-an and Thoma Bulwer, who work together to bring forth some seriously smart ruminations on minimal techno with an inventive modern edge. "Apollo Sun" holds court over the A side with an artful, modulating synth voice that sounds as though it could well have been cooked up through a tangled network of patch leads. On the B side, "Cosmic Breaks" has a strong set of drums that crunch in all the right places, and plenty of dreamy seasoning to make for a truly smart midtempo roller. "Spray" completes the set with the spiciest joint on the record, all tightly wound beats and nagging rhythmic wriggles both built for functionality but equally intriguing on the ear - a perfect DJ tool with enough sass to stand on its own.