Klockworks Germany Vinyl & CDs

Review: Ben Klock's label signs up Stef Mendesidis for an ambitious double 12" here that offers up eight superbly designed techno weapons. The open wastes no time locking you into some bulky and muscular groves with driving drums and smart dub chords peeling off the rhythm. There is an absorbing haunting vibe to 'Axial Force' with its smoky, ghostly pads and long-tailed chords while the closer 'The Dance Class' has an unsettling sense of urgency and paranoia in the tightly woven bell melodies and unrelenting drum funk. These are precision-tooled bombs for techno connoisseurs.

Review: Ribe and Roll Dann are two techno mastros from Madrid, already renowned for various past releases on labels including Semantica, Soma and Mord.Their minimalistic yet powerful style has seen them rub shoulders with esteemed figureheads among whom Ben Klock has been the most eminent - leading to this crisp four-tracker here. This is muted techno of the atmospheric, somewhat organic variety, and all tracks come with a slinky life feel that neatly complements the pair's live sets.

Review: The second collaboration from this Spanish duo lands on Ben Klock's Klockworks imprint with four tightly focused cuts of modern techno that blend minimalism with tribal urgency. Side-A opens with 'Interludio', a track that's both sparse and relentless. The uptempo pace is driven by a heavy, intricate rhythm that loops hypnotically. 'Tregua' follows with a darker edge as its eerie atmosphere builds with ominous synths and a fast-paced groove that gradually ups the tension without release. Side-B shifts into more primal territory. 'Demencia' is a pounding tribal cut with an alien feel. The production is crisp and tough. Closer 'El Nexo' continues in that vein, leaning into tribal techno with a hypnotic cadence and spatial effects that stretch the track into deeper zones. Stripped back, intense and rhythmically complex, this EP is pure functional heat for the club.

Review: Ben Klock's ever-reliable techno stable welcomes back Temudo, the Portuguese star who has been in steady ascendance over the past few years dropping bombs on Synewave, Planet Rhythm, Modularz, Soma, Blueprint and scores more. His is a taught and focused sound - the kind of thing you'd expect to hear the likes of Klock dropping with glee in the middle of a marathon set. 'Scars' focuses on the subtle details around the groove, edging in kinks around the kick which take on an electro-acoustic quality guaranteed to take you deep into the wormhole. 'Minus 2' is another reduced mind-melter, using negative space to deadly effect and ensuring no sound is out of place.