New releases last eight weeks: Electro

Review: RFXN kicks off life with a new single from David Agrella which has seen early support from Ricardo Villalobos. First off he offers up his own Acid Mix of 'Perro Balearico' and it's a supple, deep and dubby track with liquid synths and prog chords that sound both retro and future all at once. The original is a more dreamy and spaced-out sound for 5 am sessions. On the flip is a more punch but still silky and warmly melodic remix from Mario Liberti before last of all, Gabriel Rai gets darker. His drums hit harder and the synths are moodier as he takes dancers down a late-night path of mystery and intrigue.

Review: Russian label Samizdat follows up its notable first release with a second 12", this time from Genning. It is classy and sophisticated outing all the way with this one as opener 'Stair To The Sky's Rooftop' soon sets you off on a trip to the stars with its slick rhythms and glistening celestial chords. 'Window To The Dub' follows more of a tech house template with loopy drums and bass that rumble up and down and 'Summer Lighting' then zones you out on some lovely pads and frictionless drums. Last off all is 'Mystic Lakes' which takes off on balmy pads and plump, cuddly but dynamic drums.

Review: Bordello A Parigi is back with more of their sublime electro jams this time from Heinrich Dressel. The EP kicks off with 'Galatograd', a slow and steady jam with shimmering chords and lazy baselines. 'Eden Olympia' then picks up the pace a little with still skill drums and celestial keys that take you on a jaunt through the cosmos. 'Remoria' brings many layers of lush and futuristic synth work and timeless electro rhythms that are comforting and subtly celebratory and 'Mylos' shuts down this most lovely EP with another classy sound.

Review: Swiss label Creaked has decided to give over a full 12" to remixes of HRDVISION's 'Captivated Heart' and the results are varied and impressive. It is the cultured electronica of Nathan Fake that kicks things off with some widescreen synth drones, She Spells Doom then brings some twitchy tech house and Shanx goes for something laced with alien effects, gurgling synths and swampy beats. Efemme brings some acid laced minimal funk and Sinistarr brings compelling broken rhythms and icy urban metropolis vibes. HRDVISION himself also steps up with a Hrdvsiovsiivosvsiosvin remix to close out in mad fashion.

Review: Brokntoys has been helping to set the electro agenda for some years now. This 85th outing is a hand-stamped, white label 12" in mad limited quantities from Alex Jann and it opens with a cosmic adventure in the form of 'Cold Light Wave'. Things get much darker on 'Collective Paranoia' with its menacing low ends and booming sub-bass, then 'Pass 3' takes on a creepy atmosphere with sequential synth bleeps and bumpy broken beats keeping you guessing. Last of all is a funky cyborg disco workout in the form of 'The Chamber'.

Review: Jinje is a solo project from Lee Malcolm, a founding member of the Leeds-based experimental band Vessels. His music in solo mode is just as singer and hard to categorise as with his band and here on Mesh he veers between electronic, synthetic and organic sound worlds with driving breakbeats topped with gorgeous string sounds, hype-real synths and a shimmering sense of sonic futurism that is awash with melody. These are hugely detailed tracks but the overall picture is never confused as his arrangements ebb and flow with great clarity and make both a physical and emotional impact.

Review: More proper tacker makes it way to vinyl here courtesy of the blow label who enlist four more producers of this latest various artists EP. Kitchen Plug's 'Cheat Code' marries the best of tech, garage, dub and house into a kinetic bit of body music that oozes warm and lo-fi soul. CYMKA brings kaleidoscopic colour and squelchy acid to 'Sweet Peach' then it's all pout old school piano rave madness from Batenko on 'Inside Summer 21'. Last of all is the searing electro funk of Les Hauts with 'Passing Clouds', a blisteringly quick trip into another dimension with some rueful chord work. Sensational EP.

Review: Lapse Records welcomes Los Primos here as they debut their excellent new EP Under-Stompin'. This fresh project is the brainchild of Toronto's Cosmic JD and Aaron Santos, both affiliated with the Hypnotic Mindscapes label and party collective. They showcase their singular take on tight, twitchy cosmic tech house across a quartet of its that start with the snappy snare work of 'What We're On' before 'Primitive Holiday' (feat Masayuki Tomita) is more raw and coarse with sharp hits and spraying basslines. 'Vicky's Out 4 Blud' (feat Nicolas Cage) takes things into a more cosmic direction and the 'The TS Chronicles' is a warped afters banger.

Review: You can never stop good music from making it out into the world and so it is that new label Secret Keeper from Ukraine makes its bow here despite what is going on back home. Luschn steps up for the first EP and sets a high standard with it from the off. 'Track 1' is tech with a menacing undercurrent and an undulating rhythm while 'Track 2' gets a little more loose in its loops. The mood switches on the b-side, where disco-tech comes to the fore and some deft melodies bring a cosmic feel to 'Track 3'. Last of all, 'Track 4' is nice and dry, stripped back and whacked out tech from another planet.

Review: Having spent six years apart from one another, Marvin & Guy now reunite with Life and Death for two infectious tracks, breaking their two-year silence from original releases. Departing from their signature melodies, the duo presents minimalist compositions tailored for the dancefloor. Born from playful experimentation with a synthesiser bassline, these tracks boast distinctive rhythmic and harmonic shifts - the irresistible appeal of' 'Who Dis' is its fatness and apparently simplicity. Incorporating sounds like shattered glass and Formula 1 engine roars - both meticulously recorded for these tracks - the joy and fun of the creative process shines through in the music and results in effective good time party tracks.

Review: Punx Soundcheck is an iconic Italo disco and electro clash duo hailing from Argentine Patagonia and now they unveil a treasure trove of enigmatic cuts on their second release. Up first is the turbocharged Italo anthem ' Nano,'. It is thumping and sweaty with rugged drums and zippy synth line. Also featured is ' Blow Your Speaker,' which is an aquatic Italo-electro-techno pumper. 'Sonic Playground' ups the ante more with flashy synths whipping about the mix, 'Sonic Playground' is lit up with vocoder vocals and mind melting synth sequences and 'Mutant' is just that.

Review: NC4K's second hand-stamped 12" is more irresistible garage business from Stones Taro. 'Anywhere' (dub) has lovely warm woodblock hits and oscillating low ends with minimal drums and an aching r&b sample that brings the soul and draws you into the skeletal rhythm. Flip it over and you get something more fleshy and fulsome with 'Finally' (dub). Here the drums have more snap and are more prominent with a corrugated bassline down low and a heavily treated classic vocal sample the hook up top. Two killers that mix the old school and the new school in style.

Review: YTP, Raw Takes, Ole Mic Odd & Alonzo, and Chupacabras are all back once again for some more authentic sounds from the underground. These more than able producers land on a hand-stamped translucent green wax 12" that marks the second installment in the Source Material Various Artist series. Just like the first, this is a monster outing with four searing electro cuts that bring intergalactic warfare to any party. '116ctro' is a visceral cut with corrugated rhythms and zippy synths. 'And We Rock' has a funky broken beat and tons of reverb and 'Compassion' slows it down a touch but has lashing synths and thunderous kicks to keep you moving.

Review: Domenic Cappello is a long time legend of the scene who has been in the form of his life of late. As such he finally drops a much anticipated and long awaited debut album 'Basement Philosophy on Alien Communications that comes 20 years after he started making beats. Cappello's sound permeates the whole record as it traverses diverse sonic landscapes with captivating potency. Opening with 'Mushroom Waltz', dreamy pads and lively chords set the tone, leading into the soulful depths of 'Midnight with T'. 'Early Flight' builds cerebral atmospheres with characteristic snapping drums. 'Acid Rain' evokes nostalgia, while '3am Jamaica Street' pulsates with peak-time energy. 'Moon Jump' offers languid melodies reminiscent of classic Underground Resistance and electro-inspired 'Burning Past' and 'Not for Instagram DJs' conclude ta high class record in style.

Review: Legendary Rephlex alumni and electro mainstay DMX Krew revisited a Minneapolis sound with boogie and freestyle elements in this timeless 2005 Japan-exclusive release. After almost 20 years it finally gets a vinyl issue over there in Europe thanks to Cold Blow and is a surefire way to kick start your day no matter the mood you are in. As ever, the studio wizard cranks up through the gears, gets the most out of his array of machines and explores rhythm and sound from many different angles, sometimes seemingly all at once. This remains a great record despite its vintage.

Review: Italian artist Younger Than Me makes a great impression with is debut album, The Golden Age Of Love, on 90's Wax. Collaborations with Massimiliano Pagliara, Brame & Hamo, and Pablo Bozzi enrich the diverse array of sounds he explore after making a name for himself with a modern take on 90s club music that blends prog, trance, EBM, breakbeat and techno with nostalgic elements from rave culture's many idiosyncrasies. It is infused with contemporary electronic elements so tracks like 'Zarathustra Dance' and 'Eternal Sunshine Of Solitary Mind' showcase a dynamic sound, while 'Music Will Never Stop, Heartbeat Will Never Fade, Party Will Never End' encapsulates the eternal essence of the thing we call rave.