Juno Recommends Electro June 2021

Review: London-based Texan via Spain, Chupacabras continues to ramp up his ice cold output with another clutch of neck-snappers. Raw analogue funk from start to finish, the EP takes off where his L.I.E.S EP left us as 'No End' kickstarts the collection of thumping electro and brutalist grooves with a Black Strobe-like bass wobble and tempestuous drums. It's backed up by the robotic motion and gritty sheen of 'Growing Pains', the b-boy style drums of 'Basic Programm' and the final heave-ho of the set: 'Down My Spine', an overdrive dark electro jam you could just as easily picture Dave Clarke playing it as you could DJ Stingray. Savage.

Review: Is there any label that has had more say in the direction of contemporary electro than Sheffiled's nearly 10 year old Central Processing Unit? This latest missive comes from the France based UK veteran Carl Finlow under his Silicon Scally alias. It comes three years after his debut on the label and features his usual twisted mix of rugged arps, mangled bass and glistening electro pads. He even remixes one of his own tracks to give it a different spin, while Fleck ESC remixes the other original into a dark and deep classic.

Review: Shadow Acid is a mysterious electro producer who prefers to allow their music to do the talking. And boy it has a lot to say on this fantastic new double album of acid-laced future goodness. The record explores a wide range of styles, with proud analogue machinery, jacked up drums and various different 303 approaches all weaving in and out of each tune. Some are celebratory, some are trance-like, some are raw and coarse. A load of locked grooves are also included for extra DJ fun. Our pick is the doom-laden vibe of 'Timescape' (Extrawelt remix).

Review: You'd expect an EP called Big Bang Energy - especially one crafted by the combined talents of Sweaty Records regular Volruptus and electro/techno heavyweight Jenson Interceptor - to be full of heavy, high-octane treats. It is, of course, with opener 'Everything' adding aggressive electronic motifs, mind-mangling riffs, broken computer beats and 808 bass to a fast and sweaty electro beat. The all-out aggression is tempered a little on the admittedly filthy and mind-mangling 'Alien Realm', but it returns on the frankly insane, buzzing and bleeping techno surge of 'Unknown Source' and 'End of the Human Race'. The latter is quite bouncy and fun, despite its clear dystopian intent.

Review: It is always an event whenever Dutch label Klakson serves up a hot new platter. This one comes from 214 who has made himself something of a regular on the label in recent times. His high speed, high quality contemporary electro sounds are driven by rugged machine funk and proudly analogue textures. 'Around The Bend' is the breathless opening assault and it is backed up by 'Perfect Circuit' which somehow ups the ante with its glistening synth sequels and tightly woven drums. On the flip, 'Take Away' marvels at hyperspeed with warped and mangled voices stitched into the arrangement and 'Mosquito Bay' then offers a less dense, more cosmic electro exploration.

Review: Levana's Tears is Aura Nox's first solo EP on Science Cult, which also makes its own debut with this fantastic electro 12". The opener is all twitchy synths and slapping drum breaks before the drums and synths 'A Sliced Up Pear' sound like they have been fired out of some futuristic later gun. 'Intuition' explores a slower, darker vibe with menacing bass and jittery drum patterns, and the remix of it from Black Merlin then slows down even further to make for a widescreen cinematic exploration. 'Petite Mort' (Trenton Chase remix) rounds out with some happy melodies and retro 80s synth flourishes. All in all, a fine debut.

Review: Somewhat surprisingly, Casa Voyager label founder Driss Bennis has never before released an EP on the label. Three years after he founded the imprint in Casablanca, Morocco, Bennis has finally stepped up to the plate via a collaborative EP made with Swoze (real name Alex Braine) that's being marketed as an "original soundtrack from rhe scam planet tale". It certainly has a sci-fi feel throughout, with the pair using side A to flit between the breakbeat-driven electrofunk cheeriness of 'Theme From Scam Planet (Dirty)', and the deep breakbeat house dreaminess of 'Offshore Counterforce'. Over on the flip, the duo first delivers some wonky, sub-heavy, cut-up 21st century funk (the frankly bonkers 'Day Drive (Through Casablanca)', before offering up ambient jazz-funk loveliness ('Network (Prelude)') and deep, jazzy electro-funk ('Network').

Review: Veteran French producer Umwelt presents his latest opus on Singapore's Midnight Shift, following some great EPs by Nico and Paal on the label this year. Fear On The Dark Planet is a fitting title for this shadowy figure's style of dark electro and sci-fi soundscapes, presented across five apocalyptic tracks. From the dystopian, bass-heavy bounce of the title track, to the pummeling warehouse techno of 'Ravenous Horde' and its gnarly acid leading you through a maze of strobe lights, to the haunting ambient journey 'Gate Of Nothingness' on the flip - Umwelt's vision of the future sure looks bleak!

Review: As any electro-head will well know, AUX88 is one of the original Detroit pioneers. Back in 2008 he dropped this EP and now leading Dutch electro titans Creme Organization's Classics offshoot remasters it and reissues it complete with a bonus joint from DJ K1. 'Electro Muzik' is fierce from the off, with vocoded vocals and squelchy bass ripping up raw analogue drums. 'Interstellar Funk' is pure and perfect body music, with super-funk in the drum and bass combo and smeared sci-fi chords bringing all the feels. 'Alia Life Form' is another dark interplanetary trip then that DJ K1 tune 'Just Don't understand' locks you in a hall of reflective melodies and restless bass.

Review: Detroit duo Aux88 always danced to a different drum than their Motor City peers, developing a ludicrously weighty trademark sound that put massive, mind-mangling analogue bass and gut-punching electro beats at the heart of the action. "Direct Drive", a 1995 release that has long been hard to find (hence this much-needed reissue), is one of the best examples of their distinctive sound. The title track (side A on this edition) is little more than a raw, thrusting bassline, snappy machine beats, spacey pads and occasional Kraftwerk samples, but it's brilliantly floor-friendly and brilliantly executed - Detroit body music for those who like their club cuts sub-heavy. Elsewhere, "Aux Express (DJ K1 Mix)" is a bouncy electro jam and the short "Bytes" tracks are wonky vocal samples for creative DJs.

Review: This red hot new Hiber Nation EP was recorded at Siesta Delfauno in Argentina, place where the likes of Carl Craig and DJ hell have both recorded. As such it is a high class electro offering from Ara U that takes no prisoners. '2028' is the futurist, high tension electro you would expect of a track with that title, while things get much more dark, twisted and textured on 'Viral XKP.' 'Battle Royale' slows things down to an icy electro beat, with hints of old school boogie and scratching also thrown in the mix. The title track is a sleek bit of cyborg electro-funk that has sheet metal synths, terminator drums and crispness in the hits that keeps you locked.

Review: Following up some great releases by Armec, Placid One and Jack Smooth, Brighton imprint Furthur Electronix pushes full steam ahead with its prolific output this year. Melbourne-based Lou Karsh of LKR Records presents their 50th release titled Melodies From The Inside. It features three different moods and grooves for your listening pleasure: from the booming sci-fi futuristic electro of 'Efthemia' on side A, through to the evocative and loved-up sunset breaks of 'Internal Mind Games' on the flip, followed by the slo-mo hypnotic techno of 'Ups & Downs' which is utterly sublime.

Review: 'Nostalgic, emotional and profound sounds' are the order of the day on this second 12" from French imprint Rawbeats, which features fresh music from rising star Cosmonaut. It's a pleasingly varied affair all told, with the Uruguayan producer adding punchy electro percussion, bleeping melodies and ultra-deep chords to a smooth, bass-heavy house groove on 'Aeroventilas'. He reaches for mind-mangling acid lines, sci-fi sounds and chunkier house beats on 'El Nek', before offering a deliciously dubbed-out take on tech house (arguably with an early '90s Yorkshire bleep twist) on the LFO-influenced 'I-Machine'. Derek Carr wisely picks up and runs with the latter influence on his superb accompanying remix, which throws drum machine cowbells into the mix for added dancefloor pleasure.

Review: What constitutes "Sex Music"? According to DJ DR 660, it's not seductive slow jams or mildly cheesy '80s soul, but rather deep and bassy-heavy cuts that effortlessly join the dots between ghetto-tech, booty bass, R&B and slick, soulful deep house. He touches on all of those styles on more across these admittedly sensual and groovy four tracks. Our pick of the bunch is undoubtedly the snappy, ghetto-electro opener "Talk 2 Me (Consent)", where an unidentified vocalist whispers sweet nothings over punchy beats and rumbling bass. "Fuk Me FTB (Da Bomb Mix)" offers razor-sharp beats and DJ Godfather style looped vocal sleaze, while "Short Dick Man" goes far deeper (musically speaking, we mean) than you'd expect for a track with a title like that.

Review: Fresh from contributing a trio of tracks to the Planetaria Sounds label's first release, DJ Karawai delivers his debut solo EP. It outlines the Russian's high-octane take on electro and techno, which combines punchy, pitched-up beats with mind-altering TB-303 acid lines and riffs and sounds more often found on trance records. It's certainly a distinctive blend and one that works wonders on EP standouts 'Digital Trance', 'Deleting Your Data 313', and 'Poison Bit', which cannily combines the swagger of Detroit ghetto-tech and the mind-melting gated synth riffs of European trance. A highly confident and distinctive debut.