Techno Recommendations June 2016

Review: Glasgow imprint Dixon Avenue Basement Jams are really on a roll at the moment aren't they! After some great releases by the likes of Casio Royale and Big Miz they now present the return of Detroit producer Jared Wilson, who last appeared for the label back in 2012. The Communing With Ghosts EP features "Pheo Acid" which is a dark and epic 303 excursion that will no doubt appeal to hardcore fans of the classic Chicago sound. "Acid River" (getting the theme now?) is more restrained with the relentless squelch of that little silver box, but still pumps along at a nice pace. On the flip we've next got "Smartbar Acid" which we really can imagine sounds like a night up at the infamous Windy City institution. Finally the title track might break the pattern of names thus far but not the sound (thankfully) and it's definitely the most high octane acid track on here that would make even DJ Pierre himself stand up and notice.

Review: Stenny has been one of Ilian Tape's most reliable and prolific artists over the last few years. Consume IV marks his fifth appearance of the Zenker brothers' imprint, and sees him joining the dots between hardcore-era breakbeat house, techno and UK garage. Opener "Lights On" brilliantly fuses together loose rave breaks and spacey deep house chords, while "Consumer's Tool" is a bumpin' garage roller complete with skipping New Jersey beats and bass-heavy British attitude. Stenny heads back towards standard techno territory on the heavy and hypnotic "Scanner", before breaking up the beats once more on the bruk-goes-to-Detroit-via-Sheffield loveliness of "Westward".

Review: Two years ago, Ibrahim Alfa returned from a ten-year hiatus under the previously unseen Infinite Black alias, contributing one track to a fine split EP on Spin Dynamics. Here, he finally gets a chance to show us what he can really do, unfurling his debut album on Workshop. Allegedly set for release on Move D's Source Records back in the day, Hidden By Leaves was shelved due to bankruptcy issues, however the lovable Dave Moufang recently re-discovered the DATs leading to Alfa's work being belatedly released here. It's a brilliantly inventive and enjoyable affair, with the eight tracks variously doffing a cap to deep electro, cut-and-paste sound collages, mood-enhancing ambient, high-tempo techno, early hardcore, deep house and Motor City futurism. The breadth and variety of the album is impressive, but what makes Hidden By The Leaves stand out is its' warmth and melodiousness.

Review: Yossi Amoyal's Sushitech imprint never fails to impress, whether he's unearthing the new breed or it's just techno and house innovators he's paying due respect to just like underrated legends such as Steve O'Sullivan aka Bluetrain; who the label has released several volumes of work both new and old. This time it's for O'Sullivan's lesser known Bluetrain imprint. Long regarded secret weapons to 'those that know'. Foundation Dub: Chapter One features fresh cuts from the O'Sullivab studio and they've even been given actual track titles this time around, hooray! We particularly enjoyed the smoked out and glacial groove of "Friday Night Dub", the sublime bass driven dancefloor groove of "Head On" (which will work on any occasion we guarantee) or the proper and purist dub therapy of "Special Request" which keeps it as real as anything Basic Channel have done also.

Review: More than any other UK techno producer, Luke Slater has remained at the cutting edge. This is partly due to his ability to make forward-thinking music, but as this new series demonstrates, he also possesses an uncanny knack for pairing off with other inspired artists. "Gated" is vintage PAS material from the 90s, its distorted rhythm lent a housey bias here thanks to Ben Sims' superb remix. It's hard to believe that "Dungeon", available here in its original format, dates back to 1997, as its bleepy, tunneling groove and its 'swarm of bee' hums make for exactly the kind of hypnotic sounds that many modern producers try - and fail - to emulate. Completing this excellent release is a dry, tribal version of "Dunegon" by O [Phase] from Token.

Review: UK house king Mr G is always a pleasure to hear and write about. That's because his own personal variety of house music is just so damn lively, upbeat and, well.. fun. He is back on Bass Culture after a lengthy hiatus from the French label, but "Transient" is a masterful return to the imprint thanks to a deep, grainy rhythm with a glorious cascade of percussion. "Crumple Zone" on the flip is darker and less welcoming than its predecessor, but the old-school b-boy still manages to get that trademark Mr G vibe into the arrangement. Solid house music, as per usual.

Review: The debut, self-titled Eschaton release from Ancient Methods and Orphx provided Belgian techno powerhouse Token with one of THE defining 12"s of 2014. Given the rapturous applause for the project, it's no surprise to see Token boss Kr!z has been knocking at the door of casa Methods and Orphx to get some more Eschaton material. The four-track Eschaton II sees the German-Canadian production unit offer up a more varied approach together without losing any of the industrial menace that made their debut offering such a compelling proposition. Big drums are the marauding, dominating element on opener "Deus Irae", whilst "Those Who Obey" pulls you through the abstracted, industrial mire. "Answer My Prayer" sounds primed to soundtrack a clubscene in any mooted sequel to the Wesley Snipes-fronted Blade series whilst the appropriately-named closer "No Other Gods Before Me" is an invitation to wander through the sonic equivalent of Dante's Inferno.

Review: Irrespective of whether one buys into the appeal of Nina Kraviz as a DJ, there is little doubt about her ability to A&R a label. The latest split release on Trip features Kraviz herself, label regular Bjarki and a rare Aphex Twin track. Recorded under his AFX guise, "P-String" originally surfaced back in 1995 on a Peel session. Its combination of pounding drums and chilling strings stills sounds fresh and, to Kraviz' credit, is in keeping with the tone of the release. Bjakri's "Baepolar" chops up mid-90s jungle bass with glitchy rhythms, while his "Naked Naked" is a storming techno affair, led by pounding kicks. Even Kraviz gets in on the 90s mood, with the deep, abstract groove of "Don't Mind Wrong Keys".

Review: Despite the one prior 12" as Machine Woman, Leningrad-born Anastasia Vtorova has done plenty in recent years, sharing bills with GNOD, Raime and Shapednoise, performing in New York basements, abandoned warehouses in Manchester, Dundee Contemporary Art Centre and Parisian cafes. This Genau House 12" for the superb Where To Now? label will only widen the audience for Vtorova's talent at crafting machine music with an innate sense of personality. Her two original tracks here are seemingly inspired by being turned away from Berghain and experiences of using Tinder, channelled primarily through her eerie, unsettling vocal delivery which sits deep in the mix beneath her crackling, intoxicating productions. Kassem Mosse is a perfect choice to remix "I Can Mend Your Broken Heart," transforming Vtrorova's original into a ten minute plus concoction of sleep-deprived electronics - just wait for that satisfying kick to come in around the 7 minute mark.

Review: Here's a pleasant surprise! Jimmy Billingham bringing his distinct brand of drawn out, emotive acid as HOLOVR to the good ship Firecracker. HOLOVR has largely been restricted to the digital or cassette format, yet last year's Line Of Flight LP for Billingham's own Indole label proved what we always thought; it's music you want to hear booming out of a pair of turntables in a club! The Trace Realm EP, another thing of visual beauty thanks to House of Traps, continues in this vein with opening track "Transient Field" a real highlight along with the spoken word-blessed lysergic drift of closing track "Corporeal Crust (Cthelll Core)".

Review: For their seventh release, Parisian techno mavericks Collapsing Market have turned to Pavel Milyakov's Buttechno project. It marks the producer's first outing on a label other than his own, and contains A trio of contrasting tracks. The untitled A-side is something of a dark and spooky throb-fest, with moody stabs, foreboding pads and creeping acid lines enveloping a booming rhythm. On the flip's "Track 2", he wanders further towards the broken, bass music-influenced heaviness of Livity Sound, whilst showcasing a surprising devotion to melody. The EP closes with a dose of warm, hazy and notably foggy dub disco.

Review: For those that don't know, Ex:El was the third LP by British electronic pioneers 808 State released in 1991. The album features guest vocalists such as New Order's Bernard Sumner on "Spanish Heart' and Bjork on "Qmart" and "Ooops" which would result in the Icelandic singer having a continued working relationship with Graham Massey over the years. Their teaming up with figures of the alternative music scene of the time started a trend that many other electronic music groups would become to follow. Perceived by many to be one of their finest albums, this one will be a welcome edition to any 808 State fans collection on vinyl.

Review: Downwards boss Regis surely does keep us on our toes still after all these years. After laying low for a while, he has got the label back in full swing after unleashing a monster EP by Simon Shreeve. This time he now presents new material by maverick producer and UK legend Justin Broderick under the JK Flesh moniker. The brooding grindcore dub of "Nothing Is Free" will be right up any Downwards loyalists alley, as will the snarling audio assault of "Kontorted" which slithers around walls of hiss, feedback and guttural low end brutalism. Surgeon's remix of "Nothing Is Free" blows the doors off in pretty spectacular fashion as always, exploiting the raw voltage of his famed modular setup brilliantly.

Review: Developer's back everyone: look out! Los Angeles' techno powerhouse is coming at ya again courtesy of his Developer Archive imprint, a stockpile dedicated to the Modular main man's secret weapons. On the A side the bluntly titled "Muthafucka" is tunnelling and hypnotic, plus those pitch shifted vocals add a further sinister touch. "Telekinesis" has the same cerebral qualities of the last track but is even more ferocious in its grinding cyclical manner. On the flip we've got "Ruthless Charm" which has the cyclical and adrenalised functionality of a Robert Hood record and "Gentle Surrenders" which is the most restrained effort but quite a highlight, actually; a basic trance inducing rhythm is backed by woozy and mysterious pads, locking you into the groove superbly.

Review: Apron alumni Brassfoot, aka Tinto Brassalini, has been making all the right moves since his first appearance on Funkineven's label back in 2014 alongside Lord Tusk; along with a fine debut on UTTU he's committed two further 12"s to the Apron cause and slipped out some low-key cassettes with the unheralded J M S Khosah. Given his penchant for vintage electro motifs underpinning distorted percussion and wild electronics, it's no surprise to see Brassfoot has caught the cultured ear of Paul Du Lac who has duly invited the Londoner to contribute to his excellent Bio Rhythm label. At five tracks long, the Dreamstate Intercal 12" is quite the statement and the general corrosive feel of the music feels tight at home on a label that's championed the likes of Jamal Moss and Borft boss Jan Svensson.

Review: Over the last five years, Lee Gamble has surely solidified his name as top dog among the techno deviants, and each time one of his new releases drops onto our shelves ours ears prick up instantly. Having made a name for himself on PAN, it's now time to curate his own UIQ label, and "004" is exactly the sort of tune to catch the listener's attention: an unsteady techno beat that mangles it way through rough, distorted waters. In the same way, "For Infernomatics" challenges the status quo, and renders the techno experience a much more wide-eyed, wholesome experience that branches off into different territories. On the flip, "Kinematics" develops this 3D techno feel further thanks to the help of a sea of washed-out sonics and brittle beats, while "Cnull" heads towards the genreless, the only thing placing it anywhere near dance music being its jittery, improvisational kick-hi-hat combo. Excellent.

Review: More re-issues of seminal tech house classics by Josh Brent aka Schatrax from the eponymous imprint, mainly active through the late nineties. For those that know, yes we're preaching to the choir, to those that don't: listen and learn! Up there with legends of the UK sound such as Silicone Soul, Pure Science and early 20:20 Vision. This release was originally known as Schatrax #10 and released in 1997. On side A we've got "The Same Fury" which likes its name suggests is probably the most ferocious track Brent probably ever made: this is some pretty hard jacking and functional techno on here for serious DJ use only. "Giddy Up" is equally as cyclical a DJ tool, with its tribal loops work out hypnotising you into submission much like his other classic "Dizzy". Finally on the flip we've got "East", a more straightforward techno stomper with some fierce 909 driven energy supporting some killer synth stabs.

Review: Kontra-Musik first allowed Andreas Tilliander the space to explore his love of Roland gear as TM404 back in 2012, issuing an album's worth of material from the highly-decorated Swede as well as a Morphosis Korg Response 12" from Rabih Beaini. Having returned to the TM404 project intermittently since then, Tilliander and Kontra-Musik realign for a second album project entitled Acidub. Fans of those whacky track titles from the first TM404 set will be disappointed to see Tilliander has opted for more traditional names for the eight cuts featured here, but that's a minor quibble as Acidub finds Tilliander guiding his chosen vessels through a most immersive array of moods, weighing in heavy with that Scando-techno melancholy but adding an extra strong dose of dub to the broth.

Review: While Dutch electro/techno veteran DJ Overdose's recent releases for Viewlexx and Unknown To The Unknown were devoted to straight-up thrill seeking, this outing on Berceuse Heroique is an altogether more varied prospect. While flipside "Sorry To Disappoint" is a deliciously cheery electro number with distinctive synth-funk overtones, opener "Dead City" is an altogether darker and more disturbed affair. Murky, twisted and clandestine, with jungle style percussion flourishes, black electronics and wild stabs, it's something of twisted, late night treat. A fine EP is completed by Detroiter O.B Ignitt's rework of "Sorry To Disappoint", which re-casts the track as a rolling house groover full of vintage synth work, disco percussion hits and rubbery electric bass notes.

Review: Animals On Psychedelics is a new label out of Cleethorpes, run by DJ/promoter Carl_H. Through a combination of name, artwork and musical output, Animals On Psychedelics focuses on the more tripped out, spacey side of electronic music. The label's debut release is a two-track EP from London duo Invisible Menders, otherwise known as Dom Ahtuam & Jane Fitz, who have also released on Porn Wax and BOE Recordings.

Review: The next fresh-faced artist to follow in the footsteps of Batu, Hodge, Bruce and Simo Cell and pass through the Livity Sound School of excellence is the unheralded Forest Drive West. All we know for sure is that Forest Drive West hails from London, and is quite possibly but not necessarily named after a street in Leytonstone. Focusing on this debut release though, Forest Drive West hones in on an approach - long form track length and entrancing progression - that nods more to classic minimal techno than the usual nifty timespan of more 'UK' or 'soundsystem' minded tunes as you would commonly find on Livity. However, the mood is certainly Livity-compatible with its sparse approach to atmosphere and tough rhythmic arsenal. In simpler terms, this is another Livity 12" of A-grade club material.

Review: Following on from a successful pair of pressings Belfast based house music imprint Computer Controlled has released its next dosage of acid electronics - 'Untimely Emotions' EP courtesy of Gavin Guthrie aka TX Connect. The whole EP has a retroactive mindset with its percussion, bassline and playfulness but all the while maintaining a progressive attitude - with its layering of varying sounds seamlessly over one another on "Breaking", or even "Crystal Clear's" digitalised bleeps transcending the tone to a more science fiction locality. As a whole the production has a very physical feel which is felt throughout each piece and in particular on "Durable Chin" that begins with a simple DIY kickdrum followed by a crescendo of skilfully manufactured snares and bass. The most driving track 'Not Here' has a engrossing spooky aesthetic making it for a very interesting track to be set apart from the rest of the EP.

Review: The mysterious Lopasura imprint claims to be from Fergus Falls, Minnesota; we'll take their word for it for the time being. They're back with another release by Frankfurt hero Benedikt Frey who serves up the Out Of The Fog EP. Following up the rusty hardware house jams of the Ghosts EP for Creme Organisation and the cosmic/industrial textures of The Lobbyist for ESP Institute. This EP features some pretty functional and restrained techno, like on the mental title track! "Wolves" is equally hypnotic and cyclical with its grinding arpeggiations drawing you down into the void. On the flip "Lights" is definitely the most uplifting track with its rich layers of lush pads and glistening melodics made for some proper transcendental therapy on the dancefloor.