Truncate US Vinyl & CDs

Review: A sixth series of remixes of Truncate's always-reliable techno lands here on his own label. First up is Tronic man Christian Smith with a remix of 'Wave 2' that starts with high-speed drums and supple, mind-melting synths. SCB aka Scuba then reworks the same hating with more texture and heavier, off-balance rhythms. 'Bodega' (Blenk remix) is a minimal workout with spangled chords and dub undercurrents that come alive with organic percussion. Last of all, the same cut gets a remix by THER3MIN who layers in some unsettling synth pulses and anxious percussion.

Review: The Truncate label is offering up this remix EP in two different formats - plain back wax and this nice limited edition coloured version. It is a hefty offering of weighty, heady techno for the dead of night. Legendary Tronic founder Christian Smith kicks off with a version of 'Wave 2' that harks back to the early and mid-90s. Next is Scuba, aka the head of the Hotflush label, under his SCB guises and he offers some raw, economical sounds. Contemporary artist Blenk then follows up a nice release on Enemy Records with his drum lead take on 'Bodega' and Athens artist THER3MIN shuts down with more paranoid techno.

Review: Los Angeles mainstay and famed techno practitioner Truncate has joined forces with Chicago legend DJ Hyperactive for a first-ever collaborative EP. The results are fascinating from the first beat: 'Universal Function' is an anxiety-riddled deep techno pumper, 'Trust The Process' is laced with cosmic synths and an eerie sense of the unknown and 'Space Shuffle' is more jacked, with raw drums and punchy kicks topped by manic synth squiggles. Last of all is a heady soundscape in 'Matter Of Time' with its dusty hi-hats and frictionless drums.