Blueprint Vinyl & CDs

Review: Amorphic and Tendal's latest release on Blueprint Records is a masterclass in cutting-edge techno. 'AT1' opens the EP with a heavy sci-fi banger, combining dark, industrial energy with a driving beat that instantly grabs attention. 'AT2' follows with crisp production and a fine-tuned techno loop that brings a big, commanding sound, building on the intensity with a precise, polished rhythm. On the flip side, 'AT7' takes things darker and edgier, with pulsating, minimal beats that maintain a restrained elegance while growing more aggressive as the track progresses. It's a perfect balance of tension and sophistication. Closing out the EP, AT8 strips things down even further, embracing a more minimal approach that complements the earlier tracks while adding a touch of subtlety. The release showcases Amorphic and Tendal's talent for creating forward-thinking techno, with each track offering a unique blend of aggression, elegance and innovation.

Review: Vinicius Honorio returns with Ominous Music, his sophomore release on Blueprint Records following the success of Sem Rumo. With roots in Rio de Janeiro's drum & bass scene and a transition to London's techno community, Honorio's production talent shines through in this dark and dubby offering. Across four tracks, he masterfully crafts a sonic journey filled with trippy textures and foreboding atmospheres, showcasing his signature style that blends energy and passion effortlessly. From pounding beats to intricate soundscapes, Ominous Music fits perfectly into the Blueprint discography. True to form, this EP promises to further establish Honorio's reputation as a strong producer in the underground techno scene.

Review: Swedish producers Alexander Johansson & Mattias Fridell get back to the drafting board - Blueprint Records - for a third release, following their 2023 EP 'Geometriska Strukturer' and the 'Marvatten' EP the year before. Active collaborators since the early 2000s, the pair have steadily contributed their precision-honed techno to labels such as Symbolism, Audio Assault, ARMS, XXX Records and H. Productions, alongside their own imprint, Lomsk, since 2022. Their latest 'Bentik Zone' comprises three hot, mode-choked techno tesla coils, themed after the topical Benthic zone: the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake or stream, where deep-sea crustacean dwellers known as benthos lurk.

Review: Manchester-based Kerrie is a multi-disciplinary artist, incorporating live sets, DJing and running her label Dark Machine Funk. For this release, she returns to James Ruskin's esteemed Blueprint for another dose of straight-ahead techno cuts on the Transient Belief EP. The A-side kicks off with the visceral broken beat onslaught of the title track followed by the powerful peak time workout 'Night Walker'. Over on the flip, the futurist electro funk of 'Theta State' shows off the Irish producer's wide sonic repertoire, and finally she unleashes the hypnotic heads-down style fury of 'Find Your Tribe'.

Review: Irish-born, Manchester-based artist Kerrie returns to James Ruskin's Blueprint label with her third outing for the label, continuing her evolution through weighty, precision-built techno. A fixture of the UK scene and now a resident at Berlin's Tresor, Kerrie draws on her background in record store culture and over a decade of hardware experimentation to forge tracks that are both rigorous and emotionally charged. 'Act Of Resistance' pairs dub-soaked atmospheres with serrated industrial textures, while 'Validation' rides a more urgent, tunnelling pulse. Flip it for the paranoid spirals of 'In Your Orbit' and the slow-burner 'Natural Order', each anchored by detail-rich production and layered groove. Rooted in classic hardware sensibilities but driven by a personal, future-facing vision, this is heady, unrelenting techno with purpose.

Review: Chloe Lula's 'Torpor', released on Blueprint, delivers a dark and intense collection of techno tracks, each exploring a distinct sonic territory. Side-1 opens with 'Pattern Recognition', a heavy, deep techno track that feels ominous and otherworldly, creating an alien atmosphere with its pulsating rhythms. Following it is 'Recoil', a brooding, sinister track that blends deep basslines with a passive-aggressive energy, hinting at EBM influences to build a shadowy tension. On Side-2, 'Smiling In Slow Motion' stands out with its unsettling progression. It's like being caught in space turbulence, with a sci-fi aesthetic that grows darker and more nerve-wracking as the track unfolds, creating a haunting techno anthem. The EP closes with 'Magnesium', a deeper and more spacious production. Its heavy echo and subliminal drops provide a subtle, yet powerful undercurrent, showcasing great attention to production detail. Torpor is a gripping, shadowy EP that will appeal to listeners drawn to the darker, more atmospheric side of techno, all while maintaining a tight, high-quality sound throughout. This is definitely taking techno one step further.

Review: Rotterdam-born but Berlin-based producer delivers a killer techno odyssey, crafting a set of deep, cinematic club tracks with an ominous edge. 'Glimmerfall' beings with a subterranean energy, its pounding German beat driving through layers of dystopian synth textures. The raw, mechanical intensity evokes images of vast, industrial landscapes reminding us of classic Tresor-era James Ruskin. 'The Last Glow' follows with a relentless acid assaultiaggressive, hypnotic and unrelenting, its squelching 303s carving out an electrifying, high-pressure groove. Side-B dives into cinematic realms with 'X1 Shift', a track that feels like the soundtrack to a mysterious alien world. Pulsing bass and intricate sound design create a dramatic, tension-filled atmosphere, as if exploring the depths of an uncharted planet. Closing out, 'Synk C' is a stellar production with a killer groove and immersive depth enhanced by meticulous sound processing. It's a track that feels both expansive and tightly controlled, balancing dancefloor power with artistic precision. A dark, gripping record with serious sonic weight, this is techno built for the late hoursimenacing, sophisticated and ultimately unforgettable.