Ldi Vinyl & CDs

Review: 2021 was a big year for D3070, the shadowy electro operative who debuted with a splash on Cyberdome, Lobster Theremin and Dance Trax. Now they return on Dutch label LDI (short for Lloyd's Dark Imperium, fact fans), following the likes of Martin Matiske and Cliff Dalton with more of that sinewy, dark-side machine funk gear. From 'Data Transmission's reduced, blippy maze building to the steely punch of 'Phantom Operation' and onwards, D3070 weaves a seductive, dystopian web of robotic rhythms which are essential listening for anyone who takes electro seriously. Don't sleep on the remix from The Exaltics either - a treat tucked away on the B2 for the dedicated diggers.

Review: Do electro producers dream of electric sheep? Long-serving French artist and sometime Bass Agenda regular Franck Kartell definitely does, as he makes clear on his first EP for freshly minted "moody electro" stable LDI Records. Kartell does an excellent job setting his stall out on the title track, a faintly foreboding slab of mid-tempo intergalactic electro, before dipping the pace considerably on dark, slow-motion number 'Voight-Kampff'. He showcases his mastery of straight-to-tape jams via the Kraftwerk tribute 'Electro Music (Live Mix)'- all 'Numbers' style beats, robotic vocoder vocals and Computer World style melodies - before successfully turning his hand to glistening deep space ambient on 'Victoria'.

Review: Versalife is a master of the deep and one of many aliases from the Dutchman born Boris Bunnik. From dub to techno to the electro he explores here, his grainy sound is impossibly atmospheric. 'Copepods' opens up with far-sighted and sustained chords that speak of a future metropolis and 'Ultraviolet' then rides a lush broken rhythm and has melodies that glow like fireflies. 'Counter-illumination' gets more turbulent with its edgy lines and rubbery reverberating bassline and 'Vortex Storm' is like a reflective hall of mirrors with tension and eeriness in the air.